--> ABSTRACT: Exploration Potential of the Eastern Mediterranean & Levantine Basin Area, by Peace, Dave G.; #90135 (2011)

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Exploration Potential of the Eastern Mediterranean & Levantine Basin Area

Peace, Dave G.1
(1)Exploration, East Mediterranean Exploration Company Ltd, Upton Grey, United Kingdom.

Until recently, the Levantine basin located in the greater Eastern Mediterranean could be described as your archetypal “Underexplored Basin Region”, with the only significant activity in the basin being located offshore Israel & Gaza where several post salt Pliocene gas fields have been discovered. This is quite surprising considering the area is located close to European markets.

However recent drilling in 2009 by Noble in the deep water sub salt area of the southern Levantine basin has resulted in the discovery of 3 new gas fields at Leviathan, Tamar and Dalit with more than 8tcf mean reserves. In addition there is some compelling evidence to suggest that a deeper light oil play exists as well in the basin. This first new success proves the potential of the region, with significant implications for the whole Levantine basin region.

As a result of these recent new discoveries, interest in the region has increased with the prospect of new licence rounds in offshore Cyprus, Lebanon and Syria likely in the next couple of years.

We would like to show you more about the basin, its linkages to the major structures surrounding it from the Nile Delta to Southern Turkey, the stratigraphy as currently known in the basin and some of the play types both proven and speculative that we have identified over many years of working the area.

The simple gravity map above shows the location of the Levantine basin in relation to the Nile delta on its SW side and the Larnaca-Latakia ridge systems to the north which mark the southern extent of the Anatolian plate where it collides with the African plate.

While the seismic section below illustrates the dramatic change from onshore Carbonates to offshore sediments and prospectivity.

While the recent discoveries at Tamar and Dalit are in Lower Miocene turbidite sands, there are a wide variety of play types contained within the basin from Post Messinian down to Jurrasic and maybe even deeper. The strike line below through the central part of the basin shows a number of very interesting leads.

This talk will show some regional lines to illustrate the broad structure of the East Med put this important discovery into context for offshore Israel, show what it implies for the local geological section and hydrocarbon potential of the basin, and then illustrate the wider potential of the now proven play around the Levantine basin and greater East Mediterranean Region.

 

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90135©2011 AAPG International Conference and Exhibition, Milan, Italy, 23-26 October 2011.