alive and well - Geological Society of Australia

O B I T U A R I E SVale Robin Elliott1928–2012Robin several years ago (datenot known).Robin Elliott, a well-known Australianpetroleum geologist, died peacefully inhis sleep at his home in Roleystone on15 May 2012. He was almost 84.Robin Maitland Lloyd Elliott wasborn in Perth on 25 May 1928. He grewup on his father’s Tallering sheep stationin the Lower Murchison district. Thisexposed him to bush conditions and ledto his keen interest in the outback.His primary education was initially bycorrespondence and subsequently atWoodbridge in Guildford. He developedan interest in geology during his secondaryeducation at Christchurch Grammar School, where the headmaster(Reverend LR Jupp) taught geology and put together a good mineral androck collection.In 1945, after completing his schooling, Robin spent a year workingon Tallering before entering the Kalgoorlie School of Mines, and thenUWA. He completed a BSc in geology in 1951.Robin joined West Australian Petroleum Pty Ltd (WAPET) in 1952,working initially as an exploration geologist mapping in the CanningBasin. After the Rough Range oil discovery in 1953 he joined Jim Parryin detailed mapping of the Rough Range Anticline. The Rough Rangediscovery aroused enormous enthusiasm, resulting in major oil andmineral exploration throughout Australia, even though subsequentdrilling showed that the discovery was uneconomicRobin was involved in mapping the Grant Range Anticline, selectingthe site for WAPET’s first test well in the Canning Basin, Grant RangeNo 1. In 1954 he participated in geological mapping of the StansmoreRange in a remote part of the Great Sandy Desert, south of Balgo. Thiswas regarded as a rather dangerous mission because of the presence ofso-called ‘troublesome natives’ in the area. The Police issued him with arevolver and ammunition for personal protection. In fact the party neversighted any nomadic Aboriginal people and returned the revolver,unused, to the Police.In 1964, more than 10 years after the Rough Range discovery,WAPET found oil and gas at Yardarino in the Perth Basin and oil atBarrow Island in the Carnarvon Basin. The Yardarino discovery led todevelopment of the Dongara Gasfield, while the Barrow Island findresulted in development of the Barrow Island Oilfield, still the largestoilfield to have been found in Western Australia. Robin had by thenmoved into well-site geology and was promoted to the position ofsupervising well-site geologist.The development of the Barrow Island field was a highlightof Robin’s career. Production drilling involved the completion of aproduction well every three days, resulting in an unprecedented volumeof samples, core and electric logs for analysis under his direction.Robin moved to Melbourne in 1971 to become Managing Directorof Allstates Mining Finance Ltd, advising A C Goode & Co on mineraland petroleum exploration. He returned to oil exploration in 1977, joiningthe Oil and Gas Division of the Victorian Department of Mineralsand Energy as Senior Geologist. In 1997 and 1998 he was Chairman ofthe Victoria–Tasmania Branch of the Petroleum Exploration Society ofAustralia. In 1980 he was appointed as General Manager and ExplorationManager of Mincorp Oil Pty Ltd, and became involved in many jointventures throughout Australia.Robin was very active in the Geological Society of Australia, beinga Foundation Member and Fellow of the Society. He was Chairman ofthe Western Australian Division in 1964 and 1970, Chairman of theVictorian Division in 1974 and Federal Treasurer in 1978–1980.When Mincorp was taken over by the Bell Group in 1984, Robinreturned to his homeland of Western Australia to take up a position asSenior Geologist in the Geological Survey of WA. In that position he wasresponsible for the appraisal of petroleum tenement applications andwork commitments throughout the State and its offshore areas. Heretired from the position in 1988, taking up a small rural property inRoleystone, 35 km southeast of Perth, where he and his wife Jacquelinegrew roses, vegetables and fruit trees, and played tennis on their owncourt. He assisted in several voluntary organisations in the area,including the Araluen Botanic Park and the Churchman’s BushlandGroup.Robin Elliott is survived by his wife Jacqueline (née Hanrahan),six children and eight grandsons.PHILLIP PLAYFORDRobin with oil from WAPET’s Yardarino No 1 well. Image takenin 1964.TAG September 2012| 41