The African Atlantic Margin

Eddy Ong 2023

Posted on LinkedIn
 Major Oil Producers BOPD Major Gas Producers MMCFD

The African Atlantic Margin: (musings from the desk of a retired geologist)
West Africa accounts for a large proportion of recent global deep water discoveries. The
passive margin contains an enviable list of headline discoveries equaled by only those in
Guyana/ Suriname, Brazil, Mozambique and GOM. Some prominent recent discoveries are:
1) Mauritania: Tortue Ahmeyim, Orca
2) Senegal: Yakaar Teranga, SNE
3) Cote D’Ivoire: Baleine
4) Ghana: Sankofa, Eban- Akoma, Afina
5) Nigeria: Owowo 2/3
6) Gabon: Leopard, Boudji
BP World Energy Stats 2021, World Odometers Info
7) Angola: Agogo, Ndungu, Azul, Cameia
8) Namibia: Venus, Graff, La Rona, Jonker
9) S Africa: Brulpadda, Liuperd
Current major Players in West Africa are Total, ENI, Shell, Exxon, Chevron, BP and NNPC.

West Africa’s largest producers (Nigeria and Angola) are currently facing declining crude oil
and condensate production with only a small number of new projects set to come online in Declining Oil Prod
the next five years. IOCs have been more cautious than ever over their OG investments in
their legacy areas in West Africa … as some of the huge discoveries made over the past
decade have seen significant delays due to above ground issues (Niger Delta) with no final
investment decision (FID) in sight.
There is additional pressure on European majors to decarbonize and a lot of capital is being OGJ 2021, Rystad
diverted to more gas-intensive, lower-carbon projects in countries with better fiscal terms
such as Mauritania, Senegal and Mozambique. Some of these new frontiers are poised to
be major LNG producers as their gas discoveries come online over the next few years.
(Offshore 2021)

The lack of significant new IOC investments in W Africa outside of their existing core areas New LNG Gas Projects is
opens up quite a lot of business opportunities for savvy smaller players who can deal with expected to replace declining
the above ground issues in the region. Deepwater oil exploration will still be the main draw oil prod.
in the region due to fresh impetus from SNE in MSGBC, Baleine in Tano and Venus/ Graff in
the Orange basin.

Eddy Ong 2023

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Tectonic Setting and Reconstruction

200 150 120

100 65 25

Eddy Ong 2023

Bally et al 2020
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OG Fields and Reg Structure

Eddy Ong 2023

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Some Generalized Stratigraphic Columns

Morocco MSGBC S Leon Tano Niger D R Mu Dou Gabon Lw Congo Kwanza Orange Outeniq
Liberia
Morocco

MSGBC

S Leon
Liberia Niger D
Tano

R Mu Dou

Gabon

Lw Congo

Kwanza

Orange

Outeniq

Eddy Ong 2023

Posted on LinkedIn
 Regional Struct Profiles
1 2

3
2 4

3
4

7 5

8 7 6

ONHYM 2018, Lawrence GeoExpro 2019, Chin n Wallace 2020, Sachse et al 2016, Pichel et al 2019, Lee et al 2004, Galhom Theses 2020 Eddy Ong 2023
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Regional Struct Profiles
1.0 1.0
1 2.0 2
2.0
3.0
3.0 4.0
5.0
4.0
6.0
5.0 7.0

6.0 8.0

7.0

1 8.0

2 1.0
3 1.0
2.0 3 4
4 2.0
3.0
3.0
4.0
5 4.0
5.0
5.0
6.0
6.0
6 7.0
7.0
8.0
8.0

1.0
1.0 6
2.0
2.0

3.0 5 3.0

4.0 4.0

5.0
5.0
6.0
6.0
7.0
7.0
8.0 Eddy Ong 2023
Posted on LinkedIn
 Top Cret 1 2
Regional Struct Profiles Top Alb

Top JR

1
2

3
9
7 8
A
4 SW

5 TWT SW NE
0.0 0.0

1.0
3 1.0
Carmine Deep-1
4
Mercury-2
2.0 2.0
Jupiter-1

3.0 3.0
6 4.0 4.0
B Tertiary
5.0 5.0
Turon-Cenom
6.0 6.0
Alb Unconf
7.0 7.0

8.0 8.0

N S
SW NE
N S TWT
B
5 Lynx-1 A-8X
60.0
C
Teak

7
TWT
1.0 1.0
Jubilee

2.0
2.0
East Grand Lahou-1
3.0
3.0
Kosrou-1X 4.0
4.0
5.0
5.0
6.0

6.0 7.0
B Tertiary
7.0 8.0
Turon-Cenom
8.0 Alb Unconf
NW SE
N S
TWT D
TWT
2.0 0.0
8 Nunya-1
Cuda-1
91.0
E

3.0

2.0
4.0 Fifa-1

3.0
Houmelan-1

5.0
4.0

6.0 5.0

6.0
7.0
7.0 Tertiary
8.0
8.0

Early Post Rift Eddy Ong 2023

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 Greater Bonga 1800 MMBO
1 Bosi
Erha and Erha N
695 MMBO
2
Regional Struct Profiles 400 MMBO
3.5 TCFG

1 Mathew et al 2010 Inyang et al 2017

3 Agbami
800 MMBO
2

3
4
5

Moser et al 2006
5 4 Lemba-1 30 MMBO Bolia
50 BCF 185 MMBO

Bellingham et al 2017 GeoExpro Eddy Ong 2023

EG Min Mines Energy
Posted on LinkedIn
Regional Struct Profiles 1

Dailly et al 2002
1
2 3

2
3

4
5

A Chen et al 2013 A Chen et al 2013

4 5

Lentini et al 2010

Eddy Ong 2023

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Regional Struct Profiles 1

Vanco Presentation

Wonham et al 2010

3
1
2

3
4

Cramez 2013

Cramez 2013
Eddy Ong 2023
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Regional Struct Profiles 1

Cramez 2013

2 3

Guevara et al 2010 Lentini et al 2010

1
Jackson n Hudec 2009
2
3
6
4
5

5 Tyrell n Vartan 2018

Quirk et al 2013 Eddy Ong 2023

6
Posted on LinkedIn
 2 1

Regional Struct Profiles

4 3

3
Venus
6 5

Venus
7
7

Eddy Ong 2023

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 2 1

Regional Struct Profiles

4 3

5 7

2 S N

6
3 Tertiary
Tertiary Turon-Maas
Alb-Cen
6 Turon-Maas S Apt-Albian
S
Alb-Cen
Valang - Haut
4 Apt-Albian Berriasian Basement
S
Valang - Haut

Berriasian S
5
7
Eddy Ong 2023
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Indicative OG Shows and Paleofacies: Jurassic
Early Jurassic Middle Jurassic Late Jurassic Early Cretaceous
S

S
S

Modified after Golonka 2007, Golonka 2009

Jurassic Eddy Ong 2023

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Indicative OG Shows and Paleofacies: Lw Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous Albo Aptian Cenom Turonian Late Cret Lw Tertiary

S
S
S S
S

S
S S S
S S

S S

Modified after Golonka 2007, Golonka 2009

Lw Cret Aptian and Older

Eddy Ong 2023
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Indicative OG Shows and Paleofacies: Late Cretaceous
Early Cretaceous Albo Aptian Cenom Turonian Late Cret Lw Tertiary

S
S
S S
S

S
S S S
S S

S S

Modified after Golonka 2007, Golonka 2009

Up Cret Post Aptian

Eddy Ong 2023
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Indicative OG Shows and Paleofacies: Paleogene
Cenom Turonian Late Cret Lw Tertiary Eocene Oligocene

S
S S

S
S S
S
S

Modified after Golonka 2007, Golonka 2009

Paleogene
Eddy Ong 2023
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Indicative OG Shows and Paleofacies: Neogene
Cenom Turonian Oligocene Early Miocene Middle Miocene

S
S S

S
S S
S
S

Modified after Golonka 2007, Golonka 2009

Neogene
Eddy Ong 2023
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Predictive and Proven SRK Types
Lower Jurassic Middle Jurassic Upper Jurassic Lower Cret Albo Apt Turonian Lw Tertiary

USGS 2006 mod after Schiefelbein et al 1999, 2000

Namibia
Aptian

Mello et al., 2011,

Modified after Golonka 2007, Golonka 2009
2012, 2014 and 2015

Anoxic
Sub- Oxic
Oxic

Eddy Ong 2023

Mod after Mutterlose n Sherwood 1990 Posted on LinkedIn
 Stacked Generative Windows
Indicative Thermal Maturity
150

110

100 Lw Tertiary- Mio

90 Alb Cenom Turon
80

70
Barrem Apt Apto Alb
60

50
Up Jurassic Valangin
40

Hamza & Vieira (2012)

Lower Jurassic

Various Sources
Eddy Ong 2023
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 Up and M Jurassic Fract/
Some Typical Reservoirs Karstified CO3 Shelf Edge

Turonian: Ansah et al 2022

Cairn Energy

Post Salt CO3 Sendji : Y Yang et al 2020

Lw Cenom: J Ko 2018

Post Salt CO3 Pinda:

Granier 2019

Albian: Clayburn 2018

Petrosen 2010
PreSalt CO3 Toca:
Harris 2014
Miocene: Eradiri et al 2021

Oligocene Foramineferite
shoals over salt domes
Clastics
Post Salt Campanian: Carbonates
Dailly et al 2002 Pre Salt Aptian Gamba:
Robinson et al 2010
Aptian:
Energy Africa
Kwanza PreSalt CO3: Cazier et al 2014

Eddy Ong 2023

Oligocene: Y Huang 2018 Posted on LinkedIn
Miocene: Q Li et al 2020
 Niger Delta
Some Play Types
Offshore Morocco African Transform Margin

ONHYM 2020
MSGBC
Z Wen et al 2019

Rio Muni

Dim n Onuoha 2017

Niger Delta

Esestime et al 2020 USGS 2006

Zhixin et al 2016

Eddy Ong 2023

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 Lw Congo Lw Congo Lw Congo

Some Play Types

N Gabon

Huang n Zheng 2018 Huang n Zheng 2018

Orange Outeniqua
N Gabon Congo USGS 2006

USGS 2006 USGS 2006

S Gabon
Kwanza CGG Flyer Africa Energy
Kwanza

USGS 2006
Plummer n Tilton 2021 Cobalt Presentation
Eddy Ong 2023
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Some NW Africa Plays with Noteworthy Hyd Occurrence
Toukimt Meskala Area Anchois Area
2 1

3
4
Harker 2021 GeoExpro Chin n Wallace 2020 GeoExpro
5 Cap Juby Sidi Moussa
4 3

Chinguetti Cairn Presentation ONHYM Presentation

Cap Boujdour
6

ALB
5
HAUT
VALANG
JUR

DETACH

Eddy Ong 2023

Preview No114 2004 Cairn Presentation Posted on LinkedIn
 Yakaar Teranga 20 TCF
Some Large Fields 1

MSGBC

3 4 SNE 0.64 BBO, MSGBC Industry Presentations

Industry Presentations

Baleine 1.25 BBOE, Tano CDV Jubilee 1.0 BBO, Tano Ghana

Baleine-1 3 4

Gas Cloud

Ampl

PGS Dailly et al 2017 Eddy Ong 2023

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 Bonga 1.3 BBO, Niger Delta

Some Large Fields

Abagmi 1.0 BBO, Niger Delta

Chima et al 2019

Moser et al 2006

Zafiro 1.5 BBO, Niger Delta

Grondin Anguille Torpille Ceiba Okume Elon Complex 0.5 BBO

Leopard 10 TCF Complex 0.72 BBO

MMIE

Eddy Ong 2023

Dailly et al 2002 Posted on LinkedIn
Schematic: Ministry OG Gabon 2018
 N'kossa 0.38 BBO

Some Large Fields Kizomba Complex 1.85 BBO

Wonham et al 2010

Reeckmann et al 2003
Girassol, Dalia 2.50 BBO

Mavinga Cameia Bicuar

Guevara et al 2010
Cameia, 0.46 BBO, Kwanza

Eddy Ong 2023

CGG Posted on LinkedIn
Some Large Fields
Venus, Graff 3.5 BBO, Orange

Venus

TGS 2021

Luiperd, 2 TCF 0.1 BBC, Outeniqua Venus Fan, Orange

TGS 2022

Eddy Ong 2023

Africa Energy
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 Indicative Cum MMBOE Disc Sequence
MSGBC 1
Early Lw Cret
MMBOE

5,000 Maturity
Timing Lw Cret

Lw Cret

Up Jur

Disc Seq Early Up Cret

Maturity
2 6 Timing Up Cret
TANO LW CONGO
40,000 Up Cret
5,000
Up Cret
1
Up Cret

Up Cret Up Cret
2 3 Up Cret Neogene
3 7 Neogene
NIGER DELTA KWANZA Pet Up Cret
4,000 System 4
100,000 Up Cret
Failure ? Ovr Maturity
Up Cret
issues ? 5
50,000
Pre Salt
SS
6
Oligo Mio

4 8 7 Pre Salt
R MUNI DOUALA ORANGE CO3
4,000
2,000
Limited
Potential ?

Up Cret
Immaturity
issues ?
5 9 Up Cret
GABON OUTENIQUA
8,000
8
1,000
Up Cret

9 Up Cret

Eddy Ong 2023

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Some Fairway Ideas
NW Africa
JR CO3 seal poss compromised
NW Africa by Atlas Uplift. Sag basin
Biogenic gas potential.

Reservoir
Presence
Risk
Poss Interesting
JR CO3 area ??

Cret Clastic Play

w AGR Issues
(W Sahara)
Cret Clastics
Lw JR Up JR Lw Cret M-Up Cret
JR CO3 Shelf Edge

Modified after ONHYM International Pavilion 2018, A Galhom 2020

Eddy Ong 2023

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Some Fairway Ideas Tano Basin MSGBC Basin

M Cret
Shelf Edge

M Cret Jurassic
Depo CO3 Shelf Edge

M Cret
Depo

?
?
Guinea
Plateau

Eddy Ong 2023

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Some Fairway Ideas
Niger Delta Basin

Niger Delta
Structural provinces

Landward dipping
normal faults
Aptian
Seaward dipping
Lw tertiary normal faults

Mobile shale Belt

Thrusted mobile Nwaezeapu et al 2019, Wiener et al 2010

shale belt

ACT Detachment fold Belt

Fold Thrust Belt

Eddy Ong 2023

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Some Fairway Ideas Lw Cret ACT

W Afr Aptian Salt Basin

Albo Apt
Sourced

Tertiary
Late K Late K
Depo Depo

ACT ACT
Synrift Sourced Sourced
Late Late
Synrift Sourced Synrift
Depo Depo

Synrift Synrift
Sourced Sourced
Synrift Synrift
Salt Sourced Salt Sourced
Rafts Rafts

Salt Salt
Bsmt Highs Rafts Albo Apt Rafts Albo Apt
Bsmt Highs
Sourced Sourced

Synrift Salt Salt

Sourced

Pre Salt Cret Pre Salt Cret Post Salt Cret Post Salt Cret
Clastics Carbonates Clastics Carbonates

Eddy Ong 2023

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Some Fairway Ideas Lw Cret ACT

W Afr Aptian Salt Basin

Paleog Paleog
Sourced Sourced
Paleog Paleog Neog Neog Tertiary
Depo Depo Depo Depo

ACT ACT
Sourced Sourced

Paleog Paleog Neog Neog

Depo Depo Depo Depo
ACT – ACT –
Paleog Paleog
Sourced Sourced

Paleog Paleog Neog Neog

Depo Depo Depo Depo

Albo Apt Albo Apt

Sourced Sourced

Salt Salt Salt Salt

Paleogene Paleogene Neogene Neogene

Clastics Carbonates Clastics Carbonates
Eddy Ong 2023
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Some Fairway Ideas
W Afr Aptian Salt Basin

Tertiary Apto Barrem

Kitchen Kitchen

Lw Cret ACT ACT

Kitchen

ACT
Kitchen Apto Barrem
ACT Kitchen
Kitchen
Apto Barrem Tertiary
Kitchen Kitchen
ACT
Kitchen Tertiary

Aptian CO3

Apto Barrem
Kitchen

Apto Barrem
Kitchen

Apto Barrem
Kitchen

Eddy Ong 2023

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Some Fairway Ideas
SW Africa

Venus Venus
3.0 BBO 3.0 BBO

Graff La Rona Graff La Rona

0.4 BBO 0.4 BBO

ACT OG Window ACT OG Window

Outer High

Jonker Jonker

Aptian Aptian
Oil Window Oil Window
Paddavissie
Paddavissie
1.7 BBOE
Aptian 1.7 BBOE Aptian
Gas Window Gas Window

Aptian Aptian
Oil Window Gas Window

Aptian Aptian
Gas Window Oil Window

Eddy Ong 2023

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 Tarfaya CO3 Shelf Edge
Hero Lines
Tarfaya Basin

Uranga et al 2022 A

MSGBC Basin

Tano Cote d’Ivoire Basin

Powell et al GeoExpro
Eddy Ong 2023
Esestime et al 2020 Posted on LinkedIn
Hero Lines
Niger Delta Basin Lower Congo Basin

Zhang et al 2021

Li et al 2020
Kwanza Basin Orange Basin

Duval et al 2015 Vera et al 2010

Eddy Ong 2023

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