African oil plays

Conference · Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA)

OSTI ID:5589281

Clifford, A J ^[1]

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1. BHP Petroleum, Melbourne, Victoria (Australia)

The vast continent of Africa hosts over eight sedimentary basins, covering approximately half its total area. Of these basins, only 82% have entered a mature exploration phase, 9% have had little or no exploration at all. Since oil was first discovered in Africa during the mid-1950s, old play concepts continue to bear fruit, for example in Egypt and Nigeria, while new play concepts promise to become more important, such as in Algeria, Angola, Chad, Egypt, Gabon, and Sudan. The most exciting developments of recent years in African oil exploration are: (1) the Gamba/Dentale play, onshore Gabon; (2) the Pinda play, offshore Angola; (3) the Lucula/Toca play, offshore Cabinda; (4) the Metlaoui play, offshore Libya/Tunisia; (5) the mid-Cretaceous sand play, Chad/Sudan; and (6) the TAG-I/F6 play, onshore Algeria. Examples of these plays are illustrated along with some of the more traditional oil plays. Where are the future oil plays likely to develop No doubt, the Saharan basins of Algeria and Libya will feature strongly, also the presalt of Equatorial West Africa, the Central African Rift System and, more speculatively, offshore Ethiopia and Namibia, and onshore Madagascar, Mozambique, and Tanzania.

• OSTI ID: 5589281
• Report Number(s): CONF-8909175-; CODEN: AABUD
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA), Vol. 73:9; Conference: History of petroleum industry symposium, Titusville, PA (USA), 17-20 Sep 1989; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
AFRICA
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
EXPLORATION
ALGERIA
CHAD
CRETACEOUS PERIOD
EGYPTIAN ARAB REPUBLIC
ETHIOPIA
GABON
LIBYA
MADAGASCAR
MOZAMBIQUE
NAMIBIA
RIFT ZONES
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SUDAN
TANZANIA
TUNISIA
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
ISLANDS
MESOZOIC ERA
MINERAL RESOURCES
RESOURCES
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration