Browsing by Author "Kagya, Meshacky"

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    Geologic review of hydrocarbons potential of the Rufiji Basin, Tanzania
    (Springer, 2022-05-06) Sabuni, Rachel; Mtelela, Cassy; Kagya, Meshacky
    The Rufiji Basin is one of the underexplored and least studied basins in the coastal Tanzania, despite the occurrences of oil and gas seeps that indicate the presence of a working petroleum system(s). Consequently, geology and distribution of key petroleum elements and hydrocarbon potentiality of the basin remains poorly understood. This study presents a geological review of the hydrocarbon potential of the Rufiji Basin based on a synthesis of published and unpublished reports of multifaceted studies in the basin, coupled with very limited additional data collected in the course of this study. This review identifies three petroleum plays (play I, play II, and play III) along with associated components, and includes: hydrocarbons play I, which constitutes a Permian–Triassic source rocks that are characterized by kerogen type III with TOC of ~ 6.1 wt% and Tmax values of 465 °C, along with Permian–Triassic fluvial–deltaic sandstone reservoir units, with porosity varying from 7 to 18%; and a Bajocian (restricted marine shales) as a seal. Play II has Bajocian restricted marine shale source rocks that are correlated to kerogen type II/III and III Makarawe shales, which have an average TOC of 1.7 w% and Tmax of 450 ℃, and is marked by Middle Jurassic carbonate reservoirs with an average porosity of 15%, capped with mid-Late Jurassic marine shales. Play III is characterized by Campanian shales as source rocks, Early Cretaceous fluvial–deltaic sandstone reservoir with a porosity of 15–20%, and is capped by Late Cretaceous transgressive marine shales. The analyses indicate that plays I and II are particularly more prospective, as manifested by the gas reserves discovered in offshore Songo Songo Island, making a Rufiji Basin a viable potential basin for hydrocarbon generation and accumulation. The findings of this review study support follow up exploration activities and researches, which can ultimately lead to a commercial discovery oil reserves in the basin.