Executive Summary
The Kavango Basin formed through a combination of rifting and shearing, most likely in the Permian to Triassic period. According to ReconAfrica and studies on the basin, the basin represents one of the largest onshore undeveloped hydrocarbon basins in the world. Based on a tight grid aeromagnetic survey, up to 30,000 feet of sedimentary fill has been estimated. Up to 6,000 feet of which could be a Permian age petroleum system. According to ReconAfrica, extrapolation from a control well indicates that source rocks should be present in the lower intervals of the Permian. Modelling has shown that this potential source rock is overlain by classic tilted fault block traps, which have provided the basis for conventional traps in other hydrocarbon rich basins. Geochemical and other studies have estimated that the basin could have significant in place volumes of hydrocarbons, further details of which can be found on ReconAfrica’s website (www.reconafrica.com).
A number of the characteristics identified in the basin to date indicate that the basin could have the right combination of factors to have a working petroleum system. Further exploration is required to determine if this is the case, which ReconAfrica is scheduled to undertake in Q1 2021 (2D seismic campaign & 3 exploration wells). However, should that exploration be successful, it is useful to consider how exploration and development has progressed in other basins that have some of the same characteristics as the Kavango Basin. Wood Mackenzie undertook a process to identify a number of these basins. The selected basins are shown in the table below alongside their rationale for inclusion.
Download the full review from Wood Mackenzie here
Conclusion
From the characteristics identified in the Kavango Basin, Wood Mackenzie identified three analogous basins, and evaluated their evolution. The basins evaluated included the Midland Basin, the Southern North Sea Basin and the Doba Basin. Key value and reserve metrics were provided, as well as production profiles over the basins’ life. Should exploration undertaken by ReconAfrica in the Kavango Basin be successful, the details of how exploration and development has progressed in these three basins provides a useful benchmark as to what basin evolution may look like.
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