Seismic stratigraphy and petroleum prospectivity in the Northern Rovuma Basin, offshore Tanzania

The upper slope area of the Northern Rovuma Basin has been poorly studied and little is known about its development and petroleum prospectivity. Interpretation of wellbore, 2D and 3D seismic reflection data in this area has allowed identification of seismic features reflecting key factors for understanding the development of the Cretaceous-Holocene stratigraphy and distribution of petroleum system elements. Our results show that infill of sediment into the basin was due to an interplay of three major factors. These are the sea level variations, extensional tectonics and sediment gravity flows. The Miocene and Pleistocene-Holocene tectonic events triggered gravity flows that supplied sediments to the basin. The resultant deposits include slides, slumps, debrites and turbidites some of which contain potential reservoirs that are interpreted to have been charged by the Permo-Triassic Karoo shales and Cretaceous-Cenozoic source rocks. These reservoirs are contained in both stratigraphic and structural traps with localized combinations in some places, and are encased by deep marine shales. Some of the potential reservoirs are positively inverted and compartmentalized, and they contain several bright and flat spots suggesting hydrocarbon accumulations within the Miocene and Oligocene intervals. It has also been revealed that major gravity flows and bottom currents, that supplied and distributed sediment to the basin, were confined in three long-lived channelized systems that were initiated during the Cretaceous (due to rapid regression), and the Oligocene and Pleistocene periods (due to rapid uplift). The channels migrated toward the southeast, with some shift toward the northeast, and had overall northeast traverse direction perpendicular to the shoreline. The reported gravity flows eroded previously deposited sediment in most places causing several unconformities in the whole Cretaceous-Holocene stratigraphy. Seismic stratigraphic interpretation and facies analysis have proved useful in the identification of key petroleum system elements and improve understanding of sedimentary fill evolution of the study area.