--> Abstract: Taoudeni Basin Mauritania — Frontier Exploration and Hydrocarbon Potential, by Patrick-Oliver Reynolds, Ina Blumenstein, Marcel Eckard, and Andreas A. Frischbutter; #90082 (2008)

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Taoudeni Basin Mauritania — Frontier Exploration and Hydrocarbon Potential

Patrick-Oliver Reynolds, Ina Blumenstein, Marcel Eckard, and Andreas A. Frischbutter
Wintershall Holding AG, Kassel, Germany

The intracratonic Proterozoic and Paleozoic Taoudeni Basin covers an area of around 1.8 MM sqkm and extends mainly over Mauritania and Mali. With two wells drilled in Mauritania in the 1970’s and two wells drilled in Mali in the 1980’s, the basin is under explored and no exploration took place throughout 30 years in Mauritania until 2004. The wells in Mauritania proved a working hydrocarbon system with either hydrocarbon shows or gas tests.

Wintershall has been awarded the license for the Blocks Ta 5 & Ta 6 at the border to Mali in February 2006. The acreage covers an area of 68 000 sqkm. One well has been drilled in 1974 on the basis of sparse 2D-seismic and tested gas in Neoproterozoic limestones. An extensive field mapping with shallow core drilling and an aero gravimetry & magnetics program, covering the whole concession area, has been carried out in 2007. All elements of a petroleum system could be proven, including regionally distributed Type II Neoproterozoic world class source rocks (up to TOC 25% and HI 645mgHC/gTOC), several potential

Neoproterozoic clastic and carbonate reservoir levels and a regional Neoproterozoic seal. Indications of hydrocarbons (bitumen stains, fluorescence) were encountered in a core from basal sandstones in a shallow well drilled at the northern basin rim. This implies that oil generation and migration has taken place in the basin. On the basis of the geophysical potential field methods and a re-interpretation of the 1970’s seismic the main structural features in the Blocks Ta 5 & Ta 6 could be outlined, providing the basis for the future seismic survey. The evaluation of geophysical data reveals that the study area has access to the potential kitchen of the Maqteir and Taoudeni subbasins. The ongoing exploration work revealed already encouraging results and will hopefully help to unlock a new productive basin.

AAPG International Conference and Exhibition, Cape Town, South Africa 2008 © AAPG Search and Discovery