Exploration potential of Albania

Conference · Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Geobyte; (United States)

OSTI ID:5848480

Silverman, M R ^[1]

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1. Gustavson Associates, Boulder, CO (United States)

Albania is rich in natural resources, especially crude oil and natural gas. It has far greater petroleum reserves for its size than any other country in Eastern Europe. The nation consists of three principal geologic provinces. Strongly folded upper Paleozoic and Mesozoic strata comprise the Sub-Pelagonian and Pelagonian massifs in the northeast Albania. The search for oil and gas in the future is likely to be concentrated in the coastal basins and offshore in the relatively shallow waters of the Adriatic Sea. Hydrocarbons have been trapped onshore in anticlines and tilted fault blocks, primarily in lenticular upper Miocene sandstones and in Helvetian limestones. Exploration for stratigraphic and other nonstructural traps may represent the best potential for future discoveries onshore. Albania's greatest oil and gas potential is probably in the Albanian shelf of the Durres basin, offshore. No wells have ever been drilled offshore, and exploration is confined to a limited, nearshore seismic survey. Recent access to Albanian data suggests most published regional interpretations are many years out of date. Albania's offshore potential includes several zones of hydrocarbon generation in Mesozoic to Paleogene strata. Potential reservoirs include Neogene flysch sandstones and Mesozoic platform carbonates. Albania has recently invited foreign oil companies to apply for offshore exploration rights. As Albania is opened to foreign investment in the petroleum sector, there is little doubt that modern seismic techniques and the deliberate search for subtle traps may be expected to lead to substantial new discoveries.

• OSTI ID: 5848480
• Report Number(s): CONF-910978-; CODEN: GEOBE
• Journal Information: Geobyte; (United States), Vol. 75:8; Conference: International conference and exhibition of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG): the way ahead-hydrocarbons for the 1990s, London (United Kingdom), 29 Sep - 3 Oct 1991; ISSN 0885-6362
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
ALBANIA
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
EXPLORATION
ADRIATIC SEA
GEOLOGIC TRAPS
PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
RESERVOIR ROCK
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
EUROPE
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
MINERAL RESOURCES
RESOURCES
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
030200 - Natural Gas- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration