MSGBC Basin
The MSGBC Basin, rich in hydrocarbon potential, features significant discoveries like SNE and Greater Tortue. TGS advances exploration with high-resolution 3D seismic imaging and detailed geochemical insights, providing significant opportunities in this prolific region.
Aiding the Next Steps in Exploration
The Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Republic of Guinea (MSGBC) Basin is home to several high-profile oil and gas discoveries in recent years. The palaeo-shelf edge carbonate trend extending south of the SNE field and other prospective areas north and south of the existing fields has led many explorers to the region.
TGS provides critical regional subsurface data for offshore areas across every country in the MSGBC Basin, spanning northern Mauritania to the southern Republic of Guinea and beyond. Our extensive regional 2D seismic data delivers continuous subsurface insights across the entire basin, while targeted 3D surveys focus on key exploration hotspots.
To further enhance exploration opportunities, particularly in light of recent major discoveries and increasing cross-border activity, TGS, in collaboration with GeoPartners, has developed a comprehensive regional 3D seismic dataset. The 28,000 km² Jaan 3D project integrates existing 3D seismic data with new acquisitions along the Palaeo Shelf-Edge Trend (PSET). This seamlessly processed and harmonized dataset provides a fully phased, amplitude-balanced, time- and depth-migrated 3D exploration volume, unlocking the potential for the next significant discovery in the region.
To complement this and gain vital additional information on the petroleum system(s) cost–effectively, TGS has undertaken a multi-beam and seafloor sampling (MBSS) project. This assessment covers an area of approximately 114,000 km² and incorporates approximately 230 targeted cores with state-of-the-art geochemistry analysis. These datasets play a crucial role in understanding and de-risking the basin, an active and planned exploration area.
Geology
The MSGBC Basin, along the Northwest Africa Atlantic Margin, is geologically rich, featuring multiple sub-basins with significant hydrocarbon potential. Early discoveries, such as Dome Flore and Dome Gea, revealed bio-degraded heavy oil, while wells like CM-7 and CM-10 confirmed excellent source rock characteristics, with high total organic carbon and hydrogen index values.
A milestone in understanding the basin’s geology came in 1975 with the drilling of DSDP-367 in ultra-deep water, which encountered high-quality source rock intervals from the Upper Aptian to Turonian, with total organic carbon levels reaching 28%. This discovery underscored the region’s potential for prolific hydrocarbon systems, making mapped slope and basin floor fans prime exploration targets along the margin.
The basin’s subsurface is defined by a carbonate platform margin and extensive paleo-shelf edge trends, stretching more than 550 kilometers from northern Mauritania to the Guinea Transform Fault in the south. These prospective targets, combined with slope floor fans and shelf-edge plays, offer diverse exploration opportunities, supported by the basin’s complex geological history. Through high-quality seismic surveys, TGS delivers critical data to unlock the basin’s full exploration potential.
Multi Beam & Seafloor Sampling
TGS is committed to deploying cutting-edge technology to unlock the MSGBC Basin's hydrocarbon potential. The Multi-beam and Seafloor Sampling (MBSS) project, running in parallel with the Jaan 3D survey, encompasses approximately 114,000 square kilometers and includes the collection of around 230 core samples. These studies are integral to mapping hydrocarbon occurrences and analyzing petroleum systems’ maturity and sources.
The MBSS process begins with a multi-beam survey that identifies core targets in real time while providing detailed bathymetry and seabed geo-hazard data. By analyzing backscatter anomalies, often indicative of hydrocarbon migration, we can pinpoint areas for targeted sampling. TGS has retrieved jumbo piston cores, conducted heat flow measurements, and gathered targeted anomaly cores. Geochemical analysis includes recovered oil samples and source rock typing.
By integrating seismic imaging with MBSS data, TGS provides comprehensive insights into the MSGBC Basin's geology, enabling more informed exploration in a region where modern wells remain scarce. This combination of innovative imaging and geochemical analysis underscores our commitment to delivering high-value solutions to our clients, driving exploration success in this resource-rich region.
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Imaging
The depth imaging workflow applied to Jaan 3D utilizes a layered tomography approach, which updates velocity in a top-down sequence. By integrating geological models and interpretations into the tomography, the process achieves an optimized, fine-tuned velocity model. The imaging workflow focuses on amplitude recovery, enhances the signal-to-noise ratio, and improves stacking and depth migration algorithms for superior subsurface imaging.
The resulting velocity model and depth imaging of Jaan 3D confirm that this advanced workflow is effective across large 3D datasets, incorporating geological data to refine interval velocities.
The Jaan 3D survey delivers high-resolution imaging, supporting regional interpretation, prospect mapping, and exploration decision-making. These insights play a crucial role in refining our understanding of the region’s petroleum systems, equipping exploration companies with valuable tools to assess opportunities in this high-potential basin.
Jaan 3D (Offshore Northwest Africa)
The Jaan 3D project brings together a number of multi-client 3D seismic datasets, enhanced through reprocessing and connected with modern triple-source broadband acquisition in between. The final depth migrated volume covers over 28,300 square kilometers of full pre-stack merged continuous 3D, spanning the MSGBC basin.
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