Hydrocarbon potential of Dead Sea Rift valley

Journal Article · Tue Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1983 · Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6203052

Wilson, J E; Kashai, E L; Croker, P F

The Dead Sea Rift is one of the world's unique geologic and topographic features, whose petroleum potential has not yet been evaluated. The sector of the Dead Sea is an asymmetric graben 20 km (12 mi) from rim to rim and over 120 km (75 mi) long. The total throw from the west rim, where the Upper Cretaceous crops out to the deeper portion of the grabens, is more than 8 km (26,200 ft). Throw on the eastern side is considerably greater as the valley wall is largely Precambrian. The level of the Dead Sea is -400 m (-1300 ft) - the lowest place on earth. Asphalt blocks floating from the Dead Sea, along with asphalt and heavy oil seeps in the valley, have been known since biblical times. These are suggestive of leaks from deeper accumulations. Although some exploration drilling has been done, no test has yet reached objectives in the deeper sunken block where the Miocene is figured to be at a depth of at least 7 km (23,000 ft.)

• Research Organization: Oil Exploration Ltd., Tel Aviv, Israel
• OSTI ID: 6203052
• Journal Information: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States), Vol. 67:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
DEAD SEA
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
EXPLORATION
RIFT ZONES
SEEPS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
LAKES
MINERAL RESOURCES
RESOURCES
SURFACE WATERS
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
030200 - Natural Gas- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration