Analysis of Hydrocarbon Accumulation Conditions and Exploration Potentials in Lower Congo Basin

The lower Congo basin is rich in hydrocarbon resources, with great hydrocarbon exploration potentials. Influenced by the complex salt movements, the tectonic features and hydrocarbon accumulation conditions are very complex in the reservoirs of carbonate rocks of the lower Congo basin, resulting in great difficulty in understanding the geological conditions. By analysis of regional geology setting, hydrocarbon accumulation conditions, and exploration potentials, it is concluded that Lower Congo Basin have experienced four tectonic evolution phases, including pre-rift stage, syn-rift stage, transition stage and drift stage. Two sets of main source rocks are well developed in pre-salt and post-salt layers. The reservoir-cap plays are both very good in pre-salt and post-salt. The post-salt strata have experienced three evolution stages and two evolutionary series. There are mainly three source rock-reservoir-cap plays in the study area, including pre-salt source rock-pre-salt reservoir play, pre-salt source rock-post-salt reservoir play, post-salt source rock-post-salt reservoir play. It is believed that salt related structures in the Cretaceous carbonate rocks have high hydrocarbon potential. Much attention should be paid on post-salt structures in the next exploration. At the same time, pre-salt structures also have some hydrocarbon potentials. This study results are very significant for China companies who want to do research or conduct exploration in Lower Congo Basin or other similar basins.