Oil exploration and development in Marib/Al Jawf basin, Yemen Arab Republic
In 1981, Yemen Hunt Oil Company (YHOC) negotiated a production-sharing agreement covering 12,600 km/sup 2/ in the northeast part of the Yemen Arab Republic. A reconnaissance seismic program of 1864 km acquired in 1982 revealed the presence of a major half graben, designated the Marib/Al Jawf basin by YHOC. A sedimentary section up to 18,000 ft thick has been recognized. Geologic field mapping identified Jurassic carbonates covered by Cretaceous sands overlying Permian glaciolacustrine sediments, Paleozoic sandstones, or Precambrian basement. The first well, Alif-1, drilled in 1984, aimed at a possible Jurassic carbonate objective, encountered hydrocarbon-bearing sands in the Jurassic-Cretaceous transition between 5000 and 6000 ft. Appraisal and development drilling followed. The Alif field is believed to contain in excess of 400 million bbl of recoverable oil. Subsequent wildcat drilling has located additional accumulations while further amplifying basin stratigraphy. Rapid basin development took place in the Late Jurassic culminating with the deposition of Tithonian salt. The evaporites provide an excellent seal for hydrocarbons apparently sourced from restricted basin shales and trapped in rapidly deposited clastics.
- Research Organization:
- Hunt Oil Co., Dallas, TX (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6146038
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-880301-
- Journal Information:
- AAPG (Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol.) Bull.; (United States), Vol. 72:2; Conference: Annual meeting of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Houston, TX, USA, 20 Mar 1988
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
EXPLORATION
YEMEN ARAB REPUBLIC
CARBONATE ROCKS
CRETACEOUS PERIOD
GEOLOGIC TRAPS
JURASSIC PERIOD
PERMIAN PERIOD
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
ASIA
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
MESOZOIC ERA
MIDDLE EAST
MINERAL RESOURCES
PALEOZOIC ERA
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration