PETROLEUM RESOURCE POTENTIAL ASSESSMENT USING GRAVITY DATA IN LOWER SHIRE BASIN
Abstract
The Lower Shire Basin of Malawi is a region with a significant potential for petroleum resources, however, the exact extent and location of these resources are not well understood. This study aims to assess the petroleum potential of the Lower Shire Basin using gravity data. The Bouguer anomaly map obtained from Geological Survey Department of Malawi was interpreted to identify the geological structure of the basin and the depth to the basement rocks. The results indicate that the Lower Shire Basin is composed of several faulted blocks. The depth to the basement rocks ranges from 0.5 km to 3.5 km. The gravity data also revealed areas of low density, which may be indicative of hydrocarbon accumulations. These results suggest that the Lower Shire Basin has a significant potential for petroleum resources and further exploration is warranted.
Research summary
The Lower Shire Basin of Malawi is a region with a significant potential for petroleum resources, however, the exact extent and location of these resources are not well understood. This study aims to assess the petroleum potential of the Lower Shire Basin using gravity data. The Bouguer anomaly map obtained from Geological Survey Department of Malawi was interpreted to identify the geological structure of the basin and the depth to the basement rocks. These results suggest that the Lower Shire Basin has a significant potential for petroleum resources and further exploration is warranted.