Abstract: New Concepts and Plays in Tarfaya Offshore, Morocco

Nahim Mohammed

The Tarfaya area lies on the offshore extension of the Anti Atlas Palaeozoic folded belt. The Mesozoic development of this margin was largely controlled

by late Triassic to middle Jurassic rifting and subsequent opening of the central Atlantic, with the evolution of a typical continental passive margin profile. Initiated in Triassic times, the process of rifting led to a horst and graben geometry at the rift margin. The rifting stage was followed by moderate subsidence associated with Jurassic continental drift and development of widely spread carbonate platform.

Cretaceous time is characterized by the development of a deltaic System. The Tertiary sequence is well developed toward the offshore.

New seismic interpretation in the Tarfya area led to the identification of several plays. They consist of Cretaceous siliciclastics which are associated with roll over structures the upper Jurassic shelf edge carbonate buildups; the middle to upper Jurassic carbonate debris flow; the Lower to Middle Jurassic reefs and carbonates, and Triassic related lacustrine deposit plays.

Geochemical studies have demonstrated the presence of good mature source rocks within the lower Cretaceous and lower Jurassic sequences. The reservoir rocks with adequate porosity have been encountered in the previous exploratory wells at different stratigraphic levels. This new interpretation have permitted a better understanding of the hydrocarbon migration mechanism.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90986©1994 AAPG Annual Convention, Denver, Colorado, June 12-15, 1994