east africa sw indian ocean basins 03-30-13

8/13/2019 East Africa Sw Indian Ocean Basins 03-30-13

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Nancy Taylor, Contracts &Assistant Business ManagerEMAIL: [email protected]

PHONE: (801) 585-9137

egi.utah.edu | EGI ... the science to find energy | [email protected].

Principal Investigator:

Rasoul Sorkhabi, Ph.D.Research Professor

[email protected]

Project

CompletedFinal Report # I 00981

Available forImmediateDelivery &

On SiteFull Presentationfor New Sponsors

$55k (USD)

March 30, 2013 6:22 PM

East African Margin &SE Indian Ocean Basins

Project Report (2011-2012)Principal Investigator: Rasoul Sorkhabi, Ph.D.

CONFIDENTIALFor Internal Use of Sponsoring CompaniesEGI # I 00981

EGI Technical Report 50502275-10-2012

With contributions from:Sudeep Kanungo, Ph.D.,

Christopher Kesler &

Erika Anderson

Energy & Geoscience Institute

CompletedImmediate Delivery

Principal Investigator:

Rasoul Sorkhabi, Ph.D.Research Professor

EMAIL

[email protected]

Project I 00981

New SponsorsReceive:

• Full Report

• On SitePresentation

• Work FlowIntegration

Sponsor Cost$55k (USD)

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Available for Immediate Delivery | East Africa Margin – SW Indian Ocean Basins | I 00981

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Signicance and Summary The Research Report covers the East African Margin from Somalia through Ethiopia,

Kenya and Tanzania to Mozambique (both onshore and offshore), Madagascar onshore

and offshore, and Seychelles platform. The East African margin and SW Indian Oceanbasins evolved from the rift-drift tectonics of Gondwana. The study region has been

divided into 24 Mesozoic-Cenozoic sedimentary basins. The intervening oceanic basins

(Somali, Mozambique Channel, and Mascarene) were also covered incorporating data

from DSDP-ODP drilling and seismic data.

Although oil exploration in East Africa and Madagascar dates back to the 1950s and

some discoveries were made in the past (for example, the Pande, Buzi and Temane

gas fields onshore Mozambique in the 1960s), the East African Margin has attracted

international oil companies for its major deepwater gas discoveries offshore Tanzania

and Mozambique since 2010; oil discoveries are also expected to be made in the region.A recent USGS report estimated undiscovered, recoverable oil resources of 28 billion

barrels of oil and 441 tcf of natural gas for the Mesozoic-Cenozoic sediments of Tanzania,

Mozambique, Madagascar, and Seychelles combined.

Given the significance of the region for further exploration and the need for a regional

synthesis and presentation of data on an ArcGIS platform, this research work was

conducted as an industry consortium during 2011-2012.

This study involved systematic data mining, quality check, coherent synthesis and

interpretation of data relevant to regional geology, stratigraphy (litho-, bio-, chrono-and stratigraphy), basin structure, and paleofacies evolution together with relevant

information on petroleum systems and plays of the various basins and sub-basins.

Paleofacies maps for 19 stratigraphic horizons covering the Late Carboniferous-Pliocene,

and recognition of 6 megasequences through tectonostratigraphic correlation of the

basins shed light on potential hydrocarbon plays in the region, some already well

explored, while others bypassed or little investigated.

The ArcGIS Project Report Ø Regional map (Geological and Geophysical)

Ø Comprehensive stratigraphic charts for individual basins

Ø Correlative stratigraphy of the entire region

Ø Structural-seismic transects



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Ø Paleofacies maps from the Late Carboniferous through the Pliocene

Ø Geologic data on wells

Ø Database on reported petroleum systems

Ø A bibliographic spreadsheet

Evolution of East African and SW Indian Ocean Basins The East African margin and SW Indian Ocean represents a rift-drift part of Gondwana.

Compared to the West African margin, this part of Gondwana is relatively less studied

and explored in terms of its hydrocarbon prospectivity; moreover, this region has

undergone a more complex tectonic evolution with multiple rift-drift events since

the Permian, which offers attractive opportunities for hydrocarbon exploration, but

also poses a formidable challenge to construct the history of basin formation, fill anddeformation.

Major tectonostratigraphic events in the study region include the following:

1. The Late Carboniferous-Permian clastic sedimentation associated with

glaciogenic sediments in the basins located in the South Pole realm (notably

the Karoo basin);

2. The West-East Gondwana rifting during 175-165 Ma responsible for formation

of Somali Abyssal-Mozambique Channel on the East African margin and the

separation of Africa from Antarctica-Madagascar-India (the Karoo basalts inSouth Africa and the Ferrar basalts in Antarctica represent the volcanic activity

of this continental rifting within Gondwana);

3. Madagascar-India rifting at 90-85 Ma;

4. (4) Seychelles-India rifting at 70-65 Ma, probably associated with the Reunion

hotspot and the flood basalts of the Deccan Traps in central and southwest India

(and their equivalents on the Seychelles).

The Project Report provides a rapid assessment tool on tectonostratigraphy, paleofacies

evolution, and petroleum plays of the East African Margin, Madagascar and Seychelles.




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Report Deliverables

I. Regional Maps

• Topography and Bathymetry

• Surface Geology• Map of Sedimentary Basins

• Gravity (free-air) map

• Aeromagnetic map

• Heat Flow Data Map

• Structural Map

• Ocean-floor magnetic anomalies and sea-floor spreading isochron map

• Thickness of offshore sediments

The regional maps are shape files on the ArcGIS interface map.

II. Integrated Stratigraphic Charts

We constructed 29 stratigraphic charts for the sedimentary basins plus 33 stratigraphic

charts for DSDP-ODP well sites in the study region. Each stratigraphic chart contains:

• The 2004 geologic timescale with corresponding paleomagnetic polarity chrons,

• Standard biographic zones and eustatic curve,

• Stratigraphic group/formation names (or cycle/sequence names for offshore

sediments),

• Lithology (with additional remarks where necessary),

• Depositional environment,

• Petroleum-system elements (reported or possible(?) source, reservoir and cap

rocks) for the pertaining basin, and

• Time-chart of major tectonic events in the study region.

A location map for the pertaining sedimentary basin and the references used for the

stratigraphic chart are also given at the bottom of each chart. The charts (originally in

PDF files) are accessible through links on the ArcGIS interface map.

In addition to stratigraphic charts for individual basins, sub-basins or DSDP-ODP sites,we have constructed seven correlated stratigraphic charts for seven divisions of the

study region. These correlated charts show lithology, depositional environment, and

reported petroleum-system data (source, reservoir, oil/gas shows) for the basins in a

given division, and the major tectonostratigraphic events.




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These maps in shape files are our own constructions based on the stratigraphic and

tectonic information gathered for the project. Each map depicts both lithology (in rock

pattern) and depositional environment (in color) for each stratigraphic age for the study

region. The sedimentary facies history from the Late Carboniferous through the Pliocene

depicted on these maps provides an integrated scenario for the sedimentary fill (or

hiatus) in the study region. Available global paleotectonic maps (by various authors) are

also depicted on each paleofacies map.

V. Geologic Data of Wells

Locations for hundreds of wells have been plotted on the ArcGIS interface map. Each

well point is linked to a file that provides geologic information about the well extracted

from various sources (data are presented to the extent data were available from our

sources, which are referenced in the data tables).

VI. Reported Data on Source Rocks and Reservoirs

A spreadsheet compiling reported data on source rocks and reservoir rocks (together

with the stratigraphic age, rock type, and formation name) for the basins in the study

region has been compiled. The references to the literature used for this table have also

been given for each data point.

VII. Data Sources and Bibliographic Database

A bibliographic database capturing hundreds of both international and local publications,

sorted according to region and author are given in a spreadsheet.



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Phase 1 Sponsors




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Figure 1. Map of the East African margin and southwest Indian Ocean



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Figure 2. Sketch maps showing Gondwana during the mid-Jurassic and timing of major rift events in the

fragmentation of Gondwana. Particular attention has been given to the events related to this project.




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Figure 3. Geographic coverage of the basins in East Africa and

southwest Indian ocean relevant to this project.


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EMAIL

[email protected]

PHONE801-587-9070

Research Interests• Regional Geology

•

Tectonics and StructuralGeology

• Petroleum Systems and

Plays

• Trap and Seal Analysis

• Geochronology and

Thermochronology

Rasoul Sorkhabi, Ph.D.

Research Professor

Rasoul joined EGI in 2003 and is a Research Professor. Prior to EGI, he worked for Jap

National Oil Corporation and Arizona State University. Rasoul holds B.Sc. and M.

degrees in geology from India and a Ph.D. in geology from Japan. A native of Iran,

has lived most of his life in the USA, Japan, and India, and is multi-lingual. Rasoul i

member of AAPG, AGU, GSA, EAGE, etc. He serves as a contributing editor for GeoExP

and Earth, is a member of editorial board for Journal of Earth Systems Science, a memb

of AAPG History of Petroleum Geology Committee, a member of the GSA Academ

& Applied Geoscience Relations Committee, and a member of the Advisory Boa

on Springer Publisher’s Global Energy Program. Rasoul has published and present

hundreds of papers, is co-editor of AAPG Memoir 85 (2005), GSA Special Paper 3

(1999), Tectonophysics Special Issue Volume 451 (2008), and is co-author of Geologi

Excursions Around Miri, Sarawak (2011).

Professional Philosophy: Regional Geology and Basin Evolution

I believe geology is basically a unified regional science and we need to understa

geologic processes and records in their evolutionary contexts. This calls for a holis

approach to basin analysis. Towards this end, my research focuses on constructi

regional databases, integrative tectonostratigraphic records, play fairway maps, a

paleofacies maps through time. Moreover, I investigate the impact of baseme

tectonics and plate settings on the distribution or destruction of plays.Structures and Fluid Flow

Petroleum basins and traps contain structures of various types and sizes, and I vie

structures as key elements in elucidating the formation and evolution of basins. A

important application of structural investigation is to better understand fluid flows

rocks. Fault seals compartmentalize reservoirs and thus dismember and localize po

and leaking faults are risk factors in exploration. Fractures play critical roles in flu

flow on basin to prospect scales, and the significance for very low-permeability rock

amplified in view of a major industry shift to the unconventional resources.

Back to the Source

After conducting a large number of regional geology projects, I am currently PrinciInvestigator for EGI’s new research initiative “Source Rocks Consortium: Source Roc

in Space & through Time.” This is essentially motivated by the recent convergence

conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon resources at the source-rock level a

the question of why rich source rocks are located where they are in time and space.

Global Experience

I have over two decades of academic and industry experience, and have worked

projects in various parts of the world, from the fold-and-thrust belts through Teth

and Gondwana to deepwater toe-thrusts. Focus regions include: Asia and Middle Ea

Africa, and North America.








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east africa sw indian ocean basins 03-30-13

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