Enhancing the Understanding of the Eastern Mediterranean Hydrocarbon Prospectivity Through a Modern Seismic Data Library

Abstract

The eastern Mediterranean is a geologically complex region, with multiple plate boundaries, subduction zones, major suture zones, accretionary wedges and fault systems. Over more than a decade PGS has acquired and reprocessed high quality 2D and 3D multiclient seismic data in the region, including in Sicily, Greece, Egypt, Cyprus and Lebanon. Recent discoveries coupled with licensing round activity has drawn significant interest from E&P companies. There are a number of proven hydrocarbon provinces/basins both onshore and offshore, however the exploration maturity of the basins in this region do vary from mature (e.g. Plio-Pleistocene gas play in the Nile Delta) right through to extremely frontier (e.g. offshore south and west of Greece). The broad coverage and high quality of the seismic datasets available provide an unparalleled opportunity to gain an insight into the region and compare and contrast the different areas to assess what opportunities might exist, both in terms of near-field as well as frontier exploration. Using a combination of seismic interpretation with other geological/geophysical studies, the 3D datasets enable more detailed understanding, which can then be extrapolated using the 2D data that cover a broader area. The Zohr discovery targeted a Miocene-Cretaceous carbonate reservoir in deep water rather than a clastic reservoir. Can further analogues to Zohr be found elsewhere? What is the extent of the high quality early Miocene deep marine Tamar sands, or are there other similar clastic systems that can be mapped? Is it possible to identify deeper targets with modern imaging and what hydrocarbon trapping mechanisms are available in the region? These are some of the play element questions and insights we will attempt to address and continually seek to uncover using this vast seismic data coverage. There remains justifiable excitement in this region for E&P companies, and high levels of exploration are expected to continue in the coming years.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90355 © 2019 AAPG Africa Region, The Eastern Mediterranean Mega-Basin: New Data, New Ideas and New Opportunities, Alexandra, Egypt, September 6-7, 2019