Petroleum Systems Offshore North
Africa
-- Satellite Remote Sensing Applications Highlight New Potential
By
Peter Elliott1
(1) Infoterra Limited, N/A, Egypt
From the prolific onshore petroleum systems of Libya, Tunisia and Algeria to
the remote, under explored deepwater basins of north and northwest Africa
,
integrated remote sensing solutions are revealing the structure, geology and
hydrocarbon habitat as well as direct hydrocarbon evidence in northern
Africa
.
Modern, high resolution optical, radar and hyper spectral satellite imagery,
integrated with various geological, geochemical and geophysical data, can be
mapped and interpreted at regional and prospect scale to reveal new
prospectivity. Offshore, the direct evidence of seeping hydrocarbons in the
Mediterranean and offshore NW
Africa
, again combined with various potential
field and geophysical data, provide valuable insights into the extent and
activity of active hydrocarbon systems.