Albertine Graben Blocks
Albertine Graben Blocks
Four blocks will be included in the licensing round:
Bloc I
Area = 3880 km2
Bloc II
Area = 3090 km2
Bloc IV
Area = 4481 km2
Bloc V
Area = 6581 km2
Resource Potential
Petroleum Resources Estimated:
5.463 billion barrels
- Source: IOC
Location
The Albertine Graben, with an area of approximately 22,000 km2 in the Congolese part of the Basin (~14,000 km2 for the Lake Albert Basin and ~8,000 km2 for the Lake Edward Basin), is part of the West Branch Basins of the East African Rift and is located between 1°26' and 2°30' South latitude and between 29°00' and 31°31' East longitude, east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Geological & Structural Context
In the Albertine Graben, sediment fill was from the Mesozoic (Jurassic or Cretaceous) to the Quaternary. The formations, probably of continental origin, consist of sands, sandstones, conglomeratic sandstones, bituminous shales with alternating sandstone formations, indurated clays, green clays, breccias, conglomerates and lignites, all resting on the crystalline base.
The thickness of the sediments is ~6000m.
The Lake Albert-Semliki Trough is a graben aligned with a major lineament marked by several structural features, particularly carbonatite and kimberlite intrusions. The alkaline intrusions are dated to the Lower Cretaceous, suggesting the initial phase of Lower Cretaceous rifting.
South of the Lake Albert-Semliki Graben is the Lake Edward Graben. The two grabens are asymmetrical and separated by a large Precambrian basement block, Mount Ruwenzori, which culminates at 5,100 meters above sea level. The latter creates favourable conditions for setting up structural and stratigraphic traps, thus constituting exploration objectives.
Petroleum Potential of the Albertine Graben
The oil potential of the Albertine Graben is clear.
The various discoveries made in the Ugandan part of the Basin sufficiently prove that the oil system has worked well in the Albertine Graben Basin.
In addition to the discoveries mentioned above, several favorable factors for oil exploration and production have been identified in this Basin. These include oil seeps and gas fumes reported along the border faults respectively at Kibiro, Kibuku, Butiaba, Kasenyi and Waki on the Ugandan side of this Graben and at the localities Ziga, Songa Mbili, Gobu Jii , Muganga and Nzonzo on the Congolese side of the Basin. (Experts from the General Secretariat for Hydrocarbons in 2007 and 2008).
Based on the various discoveries made on the Ugandan side of the Albertine Graben, the probability of success in Blocks I, II, III, IV and V is high (70%). The volume of oil in place (OOIP) that can be exploited without risk is estimated at approximately ~5463 MMbbl divided into 23 onshore prospects and 5 offshore prospects.
Petroleum Systems of the Albertine Graben
The various exploration works carried out on both the Ugandan and Congolese sides further prove that the oil system has worked very well in the Albertine Graben.
Reservoir Rocks and Cap Rocks
Middle and Upper Miocene sandstone (Kisegi sandstone)
The fault formation of Garamba covered by the argillites of Waki
Source Rocks
Bituminous shales: Waki formation
Bituminous argillites and flubvio-lacustrine sandstone argillites
Lacustrine sandstone argillites: Kaiso formation
Traps
Structural traps
Stratigraphic traps
Tilted blocks
Faulted blocks in flower structure
Main Plays
Middle and Upper Miocene sandstone (Kisegi sandstone)
The fault formation of Garamba covered by the argillites of Waki
The seismic and drilling work carried out in the blocks adjacent to blocks I and II of the Democratic Republic of Congo, highlighted the structures in flower recalling on a small scale a system of collapse made of Horsts and grabens and which suddenly constitute safe from structural pitfalls.
Since the Albertine Graben is deeper in the Democratic Republic of Congo, it is assumed that trapping structures of large dimensions could contain economically exploitable reserves.
