A Petroleum Systems study of Algeria
Summary
In advance of the expected launch of Algeria's next Exploration Licence round we are pleased to announce the completion of our petroleum systems evaluation of the onshore basins of the Algerian Saharan Platform. The study has been carried out by GETECH's new team of geoscientists led by Dr Paul Markwick. It is an evaluation of the tectonostratigraphic evolution of the basins on the northern edge of the African craton in what is now the Algerian Saharan Platform, dealing with the key issues of source, reservoir and seal development and maturation history.
Scope of the Study
This study is an evaluation of the tectonostratigraphy of the key horizons for the onshore basins of Algeria: the Illizi -Berkine, the Oued Mya -Mouydir, Timimoun -Ahnet and Tindouf -Reggane Basins and intervening highs. It incorporates plate tectonics, petroleum systems, palaeodrainage analysis and play fairway mapping, with a particular emphasis on establishing the evolution of the Algerian Saharan Platform through the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic Supercycles. Specific issues surrounding source and reservoir distribution and quality, source maturation history, seal distribution and competency and trap formation and types have been addressed.
Key Questions
- How does the Hercynian and Post Hercynian movements effect the overall Petroleum Systems for the Algerian Saharan Platform?
- What effects do the intervening highs (e.g. El Biod High, Idjerane Horst, Ougarta Ridge etc.) have on sediment source and transport pathways?
- How does the proximity to land influence the distribution and quality of source and reservoir rocks?
- What is the Hinterland extent of the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic Supercycles onto the Saharan Platform?
- What is the importance of glacial valleys in the distribution of the Silurian source?
- How does the Triassic Basin and volcanics effect source maturity across the Saharan Platform?
- Can sequence stratigraphic analysis give any indication of the likelihood and distribution of potential play fairways in frontier areas?
- What effect did the movement of the main structural lineaments and related tectonic features have on competency of seals, trap formation and migration pathways?
Deliverables
The deliverables comprise hardcopy and digital pdf technical report, and ArcGIS project.
- Images of the gravity data and derivatives
- Detailed interpretation of tectonic and structural elements
- Sediment thickness from public domain information
- Regional and individual basin chronostratigraphic, lithostratigraphic and environmental interpretation charts
- Fully integrated petroleum systems identification and evaluation
- Petroleum system events charts
- Source maturity, timing, migration and TOC values maps
- Porosity map
- Play cartoons
- Predicted exploration risk and uncertainty maps
- Play fairway maps
- Bibliography
Geophysical Data
- Gravity: Images of onshore data from the GETECH archives
- Magnetic: Selected images over specific basins from the GETECH archives
- Topographic: SRTM data
