NRS-15082 | Well completion reports (WCR)

Full description

Well Completion reports contain information about exploration wells sunk to ascertain an area’s petroleum, coal and gas reserves.

The core sample obtained from the well provides geological information about the earth’s substructure. A detailed graphic log from the core is obtained for the entire depth of the well providing geological information such as rock type, structure, lithology code, grain size, and relevant comments. A core log can be metres long.

Reports may provide details such as well name; petroleum title; title holder; name of company undertaking the drilling; district where well is located; longitude and latitude coordinates for the well; elevation above sea level; depth of well; well status, for example plugged and abandoned; and a description of what occurred during drilling.

Reports may also contain water and gas analysis, results of sample analysis including chemical testing, raw data print-outs; time-depth data, geological information about the region; maps showing structure contours; location maps; correspondence, conclusions and recommendations, and a description or summary of previous investigations of the area. Well reports may contain test reports giving well pressure and running time; and time-temperature diagrams showing ground temperature at different depths.

Some reports may have a notice inserted into the report to acknowledge a missing document and other reports may be annotated.

Well Completion reports are part of the Geological Survey collection, a unique collection of unpublished reports on the results of exploration submitted to the then Department of Mineral Resources by companies and individuals as a consequence of exploration and mining licences being granted. The exploration reports are essential sources of information for explorers, and also add to the understanding of the State's geology, mineral, coal and petroleum resources. If the company is still engaged in mining activity or if mining licences are still active then reports may be confidential and unavailable.

Due to the high access rates for the Geological Survey Reports, the then Department of Mineral Resources undertook a copying program making digitised copies available on the Geological Survey (DIGS). Interested parties can view published and unpublished exploration, mining and Departmental reports on-screen and these can be downloaded. The images have been slightly downgraded to minimise download times, however, higher quality images can be ordered from DIGS.


Custody History
The original reports comprising the Geological Survey collection were transferred from the Department of Mineral Resources to the State Records Authority between 1999 and 2001.

A note regarding access to the Well completion reports
The original reports will not be issued to the public so those interested in accessing them should refer to the Geological Survey (DIGS) website where copies of non-confidential reports are available. The reports are indexed and can be searched by title, author, subject terms, tenement, location, map reference, report number, and report year. In addition to the reports being indexed, the various documents making up the report, such as contents page, text, maps, and photographs, are also indexed and therefore retrievable.