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Hydrocarbon Prospectivity of the Western Mediterranean Basin, The Provencal Basin*
David Williams2, Stefania Guerzoni2, Mara Marian2, Enrica Battara2, and Angelo Ricciato1
Search and Discovery Article #10687 (2014)**
Posted December 15, 2014
*Adapted from poster presentation given at AAPG International Conference & Exhibition, Istanbul, Turkey, September 14-17, 2014
**Datapages © 2014 Serial rights given by author. For all other rights contact author directly.
1
Geplan Consulting, Ferrara, Emilia Romagna, Italy ([email protected])
Geplan Consulting, Ferrara, Emilia Romagna, Italy
2
Abstract
The Western part of the Mediterranean Region is one of the most attractive areas for hydrocarbon exploration in new frontiers of the entire
basin. This sector is characterised by three main domains: the Valencia Trough, the Balearic Basin and the Provencal Basin.
The Provencal Basin is the result of the European Rift System, together with the Valencia trough and the Balearic domain, showing several
common characteristics with these productive provinces.
The basin is placed in that portion of the Mediterranean Sea with water depth that exceed 2000m, between France, Italy, the Balearic Islands
and the islands of Sardinia and Corsica. It encompasses nearly 300,000 square kilometres and includes the Rhone River submarine fan on the
continental slope of southern France.
The Provencal basin is an unexplored sedimentary basin (with no exploration drilled wells and limited seismic), but onshore analogues, along
the adjacent sectors of France, Spain and Italy, indicate good potentials for hydrocarbon reserves that are expected to be recognised also in the
basin.
The analysis of this area suggests the presence of pre, syn and post rift complete HC systems, that have been already observed in the analogues
of Sardinia and France and assessed as possible target for the HC exploration. Moreover, the presence of evaporites, which have been deposited
during the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC), could guarantee a remarkable seal system.
The main exploration targets could be the hydrocarbons contained in the pre rift Mesozoic tilted blocks formed during the extensional phases
associated to the Miocene rift. Possible quantities of biogenic gas could be included also in the Plio-Quaternary proximal to distal sediments
and in the turbidites deposits related to the syn-rift phase.
The hydrocarbon potentials in the Provencal Basin have been topic of debate in the recent time, but also an interesting challenge for the oil
industry, considering the undiscovered prospects for future exploration in this portion of the Mediterranean Sea.
References Cited
Bache, F., J.L. Oliveta, C. Gorinid, D. Aslaniana, F. Labails, and M. Rabineau, 2010, Evolution of rifted continental margins: The case of the
Gulf of Lions (Western Mediterranean Basin): Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 292/3-4, p. 345-356.
Breman, E., 2006, Oil and gas plays in the East Mediterranean: 5th Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain/Houston Geological
Society, African Conference, London, (Expanded Abstract).
Carminati, E., M. Lustrino, and C. Doglioni, 2012, Geodynamic evolution of the central and western Mediterranean: Tectonics vs. igneous
petrology constraints: Tectonophysics, v. 579, p. 173–192. doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2012.01.026
Caron, J.P., M. Dusand, and H. Hagon, 2011, Triassic of Southeast France (Provence: Var and Alpes – Maritimes: Pan-European Correlation of
the Triassic, 8th International Field Workshop, p. 1-67.
Gailler, A., F. Klingelhoefer, J.L. Olivet, and D. Aslanian, 2009, Crustal structure of a young margin pair: New results across the Liguro–
Provencal Basin from wide-angle seismic tomography: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 286, p. 333–345.
Ianev, R.S., N.B. Floch, J.R. Underhill, and R.J.W. Bunt, 2007, The Role of Active Structural Growth in Controlling Deep-Water Reservoir
Systems and Petroleum Prospectivity in the Confined Gulf of Lion Basin, Western Mediterranean: AAPG Search and Discovery Article
#10124. http://www.searchanddiscovery.com/documents/2007/07024ianev/index.htm?q=%2BtextStrip%3A10124
Lofi, J., V. Gaullier, F. Sage, F. Chanier, J. Deverchere, C. Gorini, A. Maillard, V. Pascucci, N. Sellier, and I. Thinon, 2010, Messinian seismic
Markers in the Western Tyrrhenian Sea: Preliminary results from the "METYSS" Cruise (June 2009): EGU General Assembly 2010, held 2-7
May, 2010 in Vienna, Austria, p. 10022.
Rabineau, M., D. Aslanian, C. Gorini, and K. Alain, 2010, Drilling below the salt in the Western Mediterranean Sea: The GOLD-1 (Gulf of
Lion Drilling): EGU General Assembly 2010, held 2-7 May, 2010 in Vienna, Austria, p. 12793
Roberts, G., and D. Peace, 2007, Hydrocarbon plays and prospectivity of the Levantine Basin, offshore Lebanon and Syria from modern
seismic data: GeoArabia, v. 12/3, p. 99-124.
Ronchi, A., E. Sarria, and J. Broutin, 2008, The “Autuniano Sardo”: Basic features for a correlation through the Western Mediterranean and
Paleoeurope: Bollettino della Società Geologica Italiana, v. 127, p. 655–681.
USGS, 2010, Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources of the Levant Basin Province, Eastern Mediterranean: Fact Sheet 2010–
3014, p. 1-4.
HYDROCARBON PROSPECTIVITY OF THE WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN BASIN,
THE PROVENCAL BASIN
David Williams (*), Stefania Guerzoni (*), Mara Marian (*), Enrica Battara (*), Angelo Ricciato (*), (*) GEPlan Consulting, Italy
Abstract
The Western part of the Mediterranean Region is one of the most attractive areas for hydrocarbon exploration in new frontiers of the entire basin.
This sector is characterised by three main domains: the Valencia Trough, the Balearic Basin and the Provencal Basin.
GEPlan Consulting s.r.l.
Petroleum GeoSciences
GEOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK & TECTONIC EVOLUTION (from Carminati et al. 2012)
The Provencal Basin is the result of the European Rift System, together with the Valencia trough and the Balearic domain, showing several common
characteristics with these productive provinces.
The basin is placed in that portion of the Mediterranean Sea
with water depth that exceed 2000m, between France, Italy,
the Balearic Islands and the islands of Sardinia and Corsica. It
encompasses nearly 300,000 square kilometres and includes
the Rhone River submarine fan on the continental slope of
southern France.
Carminati et al. 2012
The Provencal basin is an unexplored sedimentary basin (with
no exploration drilled wells and limited seismic), but onshore
analogues, along the adjacent sectors of France, Spain and
Italy, indicate good potentials for hydrocarbon reserves that
are expected to be recognised also in the basin.
The analysis of this area suggests the presence of pre, syn and
post rift complete HC systems, that have been already
observed in the analogues of Sardinia and France and assessed
as possible target for the HC exploration. Moreover, the
presence of evaporites, which have been deposited during the
Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC), could guarantee a remarkable
seal system.
Late Eocene
The main exploration targets could be the hydrocarbons contained in the pre rift Mesozoic tilted blocks formed during the extensional phases
associated to the Miocene rift. Possible quantities of biogenic gas could be included also in the Plio-Quaternary proximal to distal sediments and in
the turbidites deposits related to the syn-rift phase.
The hydrocarbon potentials in the Provencal Basin have been topic of debate in the recent time, but also an interesting challenge for the oil industry.
This report provides a detailed geological characterisation, stratigraphy and geochemistry analysis (integrating the published petroleum geology and
available geophysics) of the whole area focusing on undiscovered prospects for future exploration in this portion of the Mediterranean Sea.
STRATIGRAPHY
Aquitanian
Permian - Middle Triassic
It is composed of grey to red sandstones and thin pelites deposited on an
alluvial plain under warmer and humid conditions;
its Permian, post-Asselian age cannot be better constrained because of the
scarcity of fossil content.
PROVENCE SOUTHERN FRANCE
These two rst unitsare overlain by lithofacies C at an unseen boundary. This
unit, consists of dark-red clay-siltstones to rarer medium-grained
sandstonesand micronglomerates. Recently, isolated amphibian were also
found in a more than 1 m thick freshwater limestone layer in the upper part of
lithozone B.
it is mainly made up of medium- to coarse-grained pyroclastic deposits (with silicied plant
trunks) and rhyolitic lava ows which have been radiometrically dated (SHRIMP and leadzircon evaporation methods, 297±5 Ma, by COCHERIE in PITTAU et alii, 2002).
It is composed of grey-black sandy shales, rich in plant remains
and in sporomorphs, deposited in a uvial-lacustrine to palustrine environment.
For such unit of the Guardia Pisano sequence, an early Asselian age is
indicated by a rich
sporomorph record (PITTAU et alii, 2002).
The palynological associations reect assemblages
of meso-xerophilous plants growing in dryer environments,
belonging to tropical and subtropical phytogeographical biomas
Present day
Langhian
Middle - Upper Triassic
ANALOGUES (LEVANTINE BASIN)
AVAILABLE SEISMIC & MAIN DOMAINS
44°0'0"N
2°0'0"E
4°0'0"E
®
6°0'0"E
8°0'0"E
10°0'0"E
®
Italy
France
France
Italy
I
II
CIE-1
AGM-1
SI-1
MIS-1
AUT-2
AUT-1
RA-1
Geological Cross-section across the Levantine Basin
(USGS ,2010)
France
III
Spain
TR-1
West
GLP-2G
IV
III
GLP-1
42°0'0"N
I
France
Spain
Domains
Corsica
_
^
Italy
II
Zone I, continental crust
Zone II, necking zone
Zone III, transitional crust
Zone IV, oceanic domain
0
50
100
Bache et al., (2010), Gailler et al. (2009)
Kilometers
Salt deposits
40°0'0"N
Sardinia
Balearic Islands
Rollover anticlyne zone
Italy
200
0
25
50
Kilometers
100
France
Salt diapir zone
ORISTANO 002
Salt pillow zone
ORISTANO 001
Spain
Ianev et al., 2007
®
CAMPIDANO 001
38°0'0"N
MARCELLA 001
Gulf of Lion
Tectonic elements in the East Mediterranean Basin (Breman, 2006). The main
elements defining the Levantine Basin include the Nile Delta Cone, Eratosthenes
Seamount, the Cyprus/Larnaca Thrust Zone and the coastal margin faults along the
Eastern margin of the Basin. (Roberts and Peace, 2007)
Pre-Stack Depth Migration (PSDM) showing numerous plays in offshore Lebanon (LEB-02
survey area). Section width approximately 40 km. Vertical scale in depth (km). (Roberts and
Peace, 2007)
Spain
0
50
100
POTENTIAL PLAYS
200
Kilometers
France wells offshore
Sardinia wells
_
^
GOLD project
Seismic Lines
MS
SARD85
Sesame 2001
SA
rm
Marion
MDT
HR2
LRM96
SM
ES
OR onshore
CA onshore
Calamar
ECORS
MEDS
MAP
Sardinia
MF92
GL81
GL80
HR1
Ligo
Ligo80
RM84
Unknown
CROP
Italian Ministry
SARDINIAN MARGIN
GULF OF LION MARGINS
SARDINIA
Legend
Cross-section showing Zones I-IV in the Liguro-Provencal Basin (Rabineau et al ,2010)
Seismic line across the western margin of Sardinia Line SM12 (inside the
Oristano Amphitheatre, out of the main canyon) Sage et al. In: Lofi et al., 2010
Ianev et al., 2007
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