1. for Hydrocarbon Exploration
New Opportunities
for Hydrocarbon Exploration
in Offshore Atlantic
Morocco
Ladies and Gentlemen, Good morning!
I am very pleased to make this presentation in this important event of the petroleum industry about the New opportunities for Hydrocarbon Exploration in offshore Atlantic Morocco.
Mohamed EL ALJI
ONHYM
March 3, 2010

2. Outline Introduction Exploration Status Petroleum System Open Acreage
Play Concepts & Prospects
The outline of the presentation includes a brief introduction of Morocco, then ……………..
Summary of Atlantic Prospetivity
March 3, 2010

3. Morocco Profile of an Attractive Destination Open & Growing Economy
Challenging and Promising
HC Potential
Attractive fiscal terms
There are many reasons that make Morocco an attractive country for exploration.
Its geographic location in the crossroads between Europe, the Middle East, the sub-Saharan Africa and the Americas;
Open & Growing Economy with growth rate of about 5% over the last 5 years.
Morocco has a stable socio political environment.
Challenging and Promising HC Potential
Attractive fiscal terms and Finally;
It has also world class basic infrastructures.
Robust infrastructure
March 3, 2010

4. Morocco Exploration Status Variety of thick Sedimentary Basins (S.B)
Under- explored S.B onshore
& offshore
3 500 Km of Coast line
Where adequately explored,
these S.B have produced HC
Let’s go to the EXPLORATION STATUS
Morocco, as shown this geologic map offer a variety of sedimentary basins onshore and offshore ranging from Precambrian and Paleozoic in Zag and Anti Atlas, Mesozoic in the Atlas Domain, Tafaya lagwira, the Rif and the offshore atlantic and Cenozoic basins in the Garb, Guercif and Mediterranean sea.
Most of these S.B are Under- explored. For example with Km of Coast line we have only 33 exploratory wells.
Where adequately explored, these S.B have produced HC.
In the last decade; Adequate data base has been acquired in some S.B
These data base leads to the definition of Myriade of Play concepts.
Adequate data base acquired
in some S.B.
Myriade of Play concepts
defined
March 3, 2010

5. Petroleum Exploration Activities in Morocco
Achieved objectives:
2010
Partnership Portfolio:
133 Exploration Permits
4 Reconnaissance
Licenses
10 Concessions
The promotional effort done by ONHYM during the last decade allows the increasing of Partnership Portfolio, as you can notice in these two maps:
The first one in 1997 with few partners located mainly in the offshore and Gharb basin, and the second one in 2008 with 29 partners active in Exploration Permits, 7 Reconnaissance licenses (onshore) and 10 Concessions for production
You can notice that only a few onshore areas still open.
March 3, 2010

6. Morocco 18 Blocks offshore 12 blocks onshore Open Acreage status
The actual open acreage situation is shown in this map with
- 21 Blocks offshore
- 05 blocks onshore
- 5 of these blocks are under négociations
March 3, 2010

7. Open Acreage Petroleum Systems March 3, 2010
Now we will have a look to the petroleum system of the offshore open acreage.
I will start first by presenting the chronostratigraphic chart of the Moroccan sedimentary basin then I will develop the elements of the Atlantic offshore petroleum systems.
March 3, 2010

8. SOURCE ROCKS Petroleum Systems March 3, 2010
For the source rock they are aged within the Jurassic-Upper Cretaceous interval.
March 3, 2010

9. Source Rocks Distribution
Petroleum Systems
Source Rocks Distribution
BTS-1
Marcan-1
AGM-1
AGM-2
TanTan-1
DSDP 545
DSDP 547
Miocene
Oligocene
Eocene
TOC 4-7%
Paleocene
Maas
Camp
Sant
Con
Tur
TOC 2%
Cen
TOC 1-2%
Alb
TOC 1%
Apt
Bar
Haut
Val
Ber
U Jur
M Jur
L Jur
Triassic
Maastrichtian - Santonian
Coniacian - Turonian
Cenomanian - Albian
Aptian - Neocomian
Jurassic
Rich source rock
TOC 1-3%
TOC 3-4%
TOC 1-5%
TOC 2-4%
TOC 1-7%
Tertiary
DSDP369
Alisio 15
Spansah 51
TOC 2-3%
Log Response
TOC 3.8%
TOC 19%
AMB-1
RAK-1
TOC 6-15%
TOC 2-6%
TOC 2.5
TOC 1-3%
MO-6
Highest TOC values
March 3, 2010

10. RESERVOIR ROCKS
Let us move to the resrvoirs
March 3, 2010

11. Reservoir Rocks: Lower and Middle Jurassic Lower Cretaceous
Petroleum Systems
Reservoir Rocks:
Lower and Middle Jurassic
Lower Cretaceous
Upper Cretaceous
Tertiary
Concerning the U C reservoirs, it’s well documented so far just in outcrops along the Atlantic cost and need more investigations in deep offsore.
March 3, 2010

12. Reservoir Rocks (Data Evidence from wells)
Jurassic Carbonate
Tarfaya m net reservoir with an average porosity of 13.7%.
MO m net reservoir with an average porosity of 15%.
Lower Cretaceous
15A – m net sandstone with an average porosity of 20%.
51a m with an average porosity of 15%.
Upper Cretaceous
47a to 75 m of sandstone with an average porosity of 15-25%.
51a m of limestone with an average porosity of 25%.
Tertiary
51a m of silty limestone with an average porosity of 30%.
15a m of limestone with an average porosity of 20%.
DSDP 369 & Turbidite with porosity up to 25%.
We have also data evidence of the reservoirs from wells.
Here, I will show hou some examples of them from different ages:
March 3, 2010

13. Example of Prospects and Leads
The recent 2D and 3D seismic interpretation allows the identification of myriad of prospects and leads.
I will present you some examples from different areas of the open acreage.
March 3, 2010

14. Dakhla –Lagwira Offshore
Area : Km²
Seismic 2D : km
Well : DSDP
Prospects & Leads : 15
I will start by the Dakhla basin.
This basin offers 3 blocks X, T and U
March 3, 2010

15. Dakhla –Lagwira Offshore
Seismic and wells data
- Seismic 2D : km
- 1 DSDP
March 3, 2010

16. Dakhla - Lagwira Offshore Basin
Type of play concepts
Tilted Faulted Trap Play
Rollover Anticline Play
Carbonate Platform Play
Turbidite Play
The play concept developed in this basin are of different types: -
March 3, 2010

17. Dakhla –Lagwira Offshore
Prospects and leads: 15
Lead B
March 3, 2010

18. Dakhla Lagwira Offshore Basin: Albian Turbidite - Lead B
25 km N
1 km
Mid
Maxi
15 km
Lead B
Base Oligocene
Top Jurassic
10 km
Base Coniacian
Mid Albian
Upper Aptian
L. Albian
Base Tertiairy
Top Santonian
2000m
4000m
6000m
ESE
I will show you an example represented by the lead B
This lead has a combined structural and stratigraphic trap.
The two sections dip and strike show a pakcage of high reflexion with channel systems.
March 3, 2010

19. Agadir Offshore Area : 15 000 Km² Seismic 2D : 13 800 km
Well :
Prospect & Leads : 120
March 3, 2010

20. Agadir Offshore Seismic and wells data Seismic 2D : 13 800 km
March 3, 2010

21. Agadir Offshore Blocks
TYPE OF PLAY CONCEPTS
4-way closures highly faulted (Salt diapirs and pillows);
Diapir-flank, ponded sand;
Salt related fault tilted blocks;
Combined structural and stratigraphic (pinch outs and
reef build ups);
The plays developed are mainly related to salt tectonic they are characterized by: -
According to the most recent evaluation a total of 70 Prospects & leads were identified using 3D interpretation and 102
using 2D interprétation.
March 3, 2010

22. Agadir Offshore
Prospects and leads: 120
March 3, 2010

23. Base Tertiary Unconformity
Agadir Offshore: Tertiary plays NW SE
upper objective
middle objective
lower objective
Onlap
500m
Truncation
Base Tertiary Unconformity
Channel Scour
A1 Canyon Prospect
(Agadir Offshore Blocks ) A1
L. Tertiary Upper Sand Objective
LTS1 Objective
Max. area closure : 32 km2
Spill point : 2110m
2 Km
Salt A A’ B B’ W E
Shallow “flag”
Upper objective
Base Tertiary
A1 Canyon
DHI
An example of the Tertiary plays is the A1 Canyon Prospect. It’s illustrated by two seismic lines showing channels systems and shallow DHI evidence sourced from this prospect by faults.
Base Tertiary Depth Map
March 3, 2010

24. Essaouira Offshore Area : 17 600 Km²
Seismic 2D : km Seismic 3D : Km² 
Wells :
Prospects & Leads : 50
March 3, 2010

25. Essaouira Offshore Seismic and wells data
Seismic 2D : km Seismic 3D : Km² 
Wells :
March 3, 2010

26. Essaouira offshore Prospects and Leads
TYPE OF PLAY CONCEPTS
Toe thrust play (3D coverage)
Salt diapir play (mostly 3D coverage)
Salt sheet trend – subsalt plays (entirely 2D coverage)
Tertiary stratigraphic plays (shallow)
PreAlbian basin floor fan
The map and the Cross section here show respectively the location and the play types of the different prospects and leads:
Tertiary Stratigraphic
Albian Fans
Salt flancs
Subsalt Anticlines
Neocomian and Dogger inverted fans
I will present to you 2 examples: 1 from the Subsalt and the second from the Dogger.
March 3, 2010

27. Essaouira Offshore Prospects and leads: 50 March 3, 2010
Prospect Paprika
March 3, 2010

28. Middle Jurassic Depth Structure and RMS Amplitudes
Essaouira offshore: Jurassic Prospect (Paprika)
Middle Jurassic Depth Structure and RMS Amplitudes
Dip Line
The last example is from Middle Jurassic Turbidite illustrated by High Amplitude in the seismic lines and also by spectral decomposition in this 3D Bock .
Middle Jurassic 3D Amplitudes Anomalies
March 3, 2010

29. Safi Offshore Area : 14 000 Km² Seismic 2D : 4 900 km
Well :
Prospect & Leads : 9
March 3, 2010

30. Safi Offshore Seismic and wells data Seismic 2D : 4 900 km
March 3, 2010

31. Submarine Fan Prospect
Safi Offshore
Prospects and leads: 9
Lower Cretaceous
Submarine Fan Prospect
March 3, 2010

32. Safi Offshore Lower Cretaceous Submarine Fan Prospects (raft block)
Safi-1 Prospect
attribute maps at 072 reservoir level
Potential sinuous channel
Closure: 24 Km²; Crest: 4180 m; Spill point: m; Column height: 230 m ; Reservoir thickness: 40m; Recoverable (mean) oil : 112 Mmbo.
March 3, 2010

33. Summary of Atlantic Prospetivity
Seismic mapping identified more than 210 prospects and leads of
various types;
Data evidence from wells and outcrops show good Source Rocks;
Data evidence from wells, outcrops and 3D seismic interpretation supports the presence of various levels of reservoirs;
The Open Acreage in the Atlantic Deep Offshore offers many attractive 3D & 2D leads and mature prospects. At this stage, a substantial drilling efforts is necessary that will led to future discoveries.
March 3, 2010

34. ONHYM
MOROCCO
@ APPEX
Booth # 37