ABSTRACT: Hydrocarbon Potential of Algerian Sedimentary Basins

BOUDJEMA, AREZKI, M. HAMEL, and A. MADI, Sonatrach, Algiers, Algeria

Algeria has a territory of 2,381,741 sq. kilometers out of which 1,558,000 are occupied by sedimentary basins.

Petroleum exploration started in northern Algeria in 1890 in the Chelif basin, lured by surface shows. Small pools were discovered in the Miocene sand bodies. In the Sahara, Killian's publication (1920) is the foremost to indicate petroleum potential, but exploration efforts actually started only in the late 1940s.

Exploratory wells drilled on visible surface structures discovered hydrocarbons: gas in the western Sahara at Berga (1953) and oil in the eastern Sahara at Edjeleh (1956). To date about 250 oil and gas fields have been discovered, even though vast sedimentary basins particularly in the west and central Sahara have not been explored thoroughly.

The north Algerian basins--Chelif (Miocene) and Atlas trough (Jurassic)--are least explored owing to geological and structural complexities in the basin evolution. The Hodna basin, though tectonically complex, shows good potential with identified Cenomanian-Turonian source rocks. The southeast Constantine and Hodna basins offer good prospects with an established Upper Cretaceous play.

In the Sahara, the plays are better studied in the east than in the west. Distribution, richness, and maturity stage are known for two sources, Silurian and Devonian.

Knowledge concerning the reservoirs and seals varies widely from basin to basin and is less studied especially in the central and western Sahara. Different types of plays that are known and that can be expected in different basins are presented in detail.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91012©1992 AAPG Annual Meeting, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, June 22-25, 1992 (2009)