MISSOUR BASIN

1 ) Overview

Missour Basin, with an area of about 16 840 Km², is a part of the Eastern Meseta. It is surrounded by the Middle and the High Atlas chain, and is separated from the High Plateaux Basin by Mechkakour Mountain.

2 ) Data base

3 415 km of multifold 2D seismic lines have been acquired andfive wells drilled.   


3 ) Tectonic and Sedimentary Evolution

3-1 ) Tectonic Evolution

 

During Triassic and Jurassic time, extension, related to Atlantic opening, created the Atlas troughs, and produced a system of grabens and / or half grabens.

Structural inversion of the Atlas troughs commenced during the Late Cretaceous. In Missour Basin, which behaved as a platform, inverted half grabens, positive flower structures and compressional anticlines are the main responses. 


3-2 ) Sedimentary Evolution
 

 The Upper Triassic sediments begin with a fining upward TAGI formation followed by a thick and widespread salt intercalated by Basalts. The Jurassicformations are mostly carbonates and dolomites and marls of Liassic-Bathonian age.

During upper Cretaceous, carbonates, sandstone, shale and anhydrite were unconformably deposited over the Jurassic facies in sub basins. Followed by a thick succession of conglomerates, sandstones, marls and limestones of Cenozoic age

4 ) Système pétrolier

4-1 ) Source rock
 

  • Paleozoic source rocks: Carboniferous source rocks have been encountered in OSD-1 well. Silurian source in some exploratory wells of Tadla basin show black shale of Type II with a TOC of 0.7 % to 13 %). We strongly believe that the same source rock exists in Missour basin. Namurian and Westphalian source rocks are proven Source Rocks (shale and thin coal layers - type II & III) with TOC values ranging from 0.5 % to 2.17 %. The maturation rate is within the oil window.
  • Mesozoic source rocks: Lower Jurassic black shale encountered in RR-1 well and in the outcrops of the surrounding High and Middle Atlas belts, reveals a good source rock potential. The TOC is up to 8 %.The source rock is oil prone

4.2 ) Reservoir Rocks

For Triassic reservoir, TAGI Formation is the most important hydrocarbon bearing reservoir. This reservoir has revealed gas and condensate in Essaouira Basin in the Western Meseta and recently gas and condensate in Talsint area. This reservoir is also the main target in some of the giant fields in neighboring Algeria. RR-1 well to the southexceeds 400 meters. TAGI porosity ranges from 6 % to 11-15 % in the wells and up to 25 % in the outcrops. For Jurassic reservoir, Lower Liassic and Dogger carbonates are the main reservoirs:

4.3 ) Seals

The intercalated shale to the sand bodies, and the overlying salt, which is a regional cover, are an effective seal for the TAGI reservoir.

The Jurassic reservoir is sealed by the intercalated marls to the limestone reservoir, and by the Lower and Middle Jurassic marls.

5 ) Prospects 

Six prospects have been defined from the last studies, and all these structures are related to Flower Structures with Mesozoic targets (Prospect A1, A2, B, C, F and G).

Recent reprocessing of some seismic lines in 2005 has improved seismic images bellow the basalts and has allowed the identification of some prospects in the Paleozoic section close to OSD-1 well area. These prospects are related to Hercynian thrusting.
 
Basin
Missour
Basin type
Rift - Intermountain basin
Area
16 840 Km²
Exploratory wells
5
2D Seismic / 3D Seismic
3.415,00 Km of 2D
Source Rocks
Carboniferous (III) and Silurian (II)
Domerian (II-III)
Reservoir Rocks
Carboniferous sandstones – TAGI – Jurassic carbonates
Seal Rocks
Carboniferous shales, salt and Jurassic marls




 

 

 
 
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