The Southwest African margin, offshore Namibia and South Africa, has become a focal point for hydrocarbon exploration in recent years following multiple significant light oil discoveries in the Orange Basin.  

A Focal Point for Hydrocarbon Exploration

The Orange Basin contains a range of Early to Late Cretaceous clastic plays sourced by the Aptian Kudu shale which likely extend northwards into the Walvis and Lüderitz basins. The Venus, Graff and Mopane discoveries highlight the diversity of reservoirs and structural styles in the Orange Basin.

Reservoir distribution and trapping mechanisms have been strongly influenced by the presence of an Outer High. TGS’ extensive data library provides both regional and more detailed context for exploration, linking the recent discoveries with analogous features in unexplored acreage and enabling detailed mapping of reservoir fairways from source to sink. 

Namibia Mopane_Depth
Dip line through the 2024 Mopane discovery on newly reprocessed PSDM data, the velocity model flattens out the base of the gravitational fold belt to accurately reflect the true structural dip in depth versus time data

Data Availability

TGS holds over 97,500 km of 2D multi-client seismic data across the Namibian margin, including ~15,600 km of modern Geostreamer 2D and 11,800 km of sparse regional 2D PSDM with deep crustal imaging down to 40 km. In the Orange Basin, ~30,000 line km of this 2D has recently been reprocessed into a contiguous PSDM dataset and 2Dcubed volume. These data are supported by gravity and magnetic surveys that enhance imaging and help identify potential hydrocarbon traps. 

In addition, TGS offers ~22,500 km of reprocessed 2D seismic data across the Orange Basin in South Africa. These data cover untested areas with significant exploration potential, offering operators comprehensive tools to understand the subsurface geology. 

Imaging

TGS provides industry-leading imaging capabilities for Southwest Africa, particularly in the Orange Basin. The seismic data library offers detailed subsurface imaging and includes regional seismic surveys linked to exploration wells, including Venus, Graff and Mopane, enabling a nuanced understanding of petroleum systems. 

Advanced seismic acquisition and processing techniques deliver high-resolution imaging of complex subsurface structures, including stratigraphic, structural and combination traps. Gravity and magnetic surveys further bolster imaging capabilities in geologically challenging areas, ensuring precise identification of exploration targets. These capabilities position TGS as a leader in the region, helping operators unlock vast hydrocarbon opportunities in underexplored frontier areas.

Venus_3D view_Aptian RMS
3D view of the Top Aptian RMS amplitude extraction around the Venus discovery on the newly processed 2Dcubed dataset
South Africa_AJ-1
Dip line through the AJ-1 discovery in South Africa, oil was recovered within syn-rift clastic reservoirs sourced from syn-rift lacustrine shales

Geology 

The Southwest African margin is a Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous rifted passive margin containing three main depocentres (Walvis, Lüderitz and Orange basins) separated by local highs. The margin is characterized by thick post-rift sedimentary successions, including clastic reservoirs and well-preserved source rocks within inner and outer sub-basins separated by the Outer High. The stratigraphy includes the world-class Aptian Kudu shale source interval, which has been proven to be mature on oceanic crust in areas with suitable overburden, extending the Cretaceous play fairways into deepwater. 

The margin's tectonic evolution through rifting, transition, and break-up has resulted in a variety of trapping mechanisms, including basin floor fans, slope fans with stratigraphic pinch outs, sub-thrust, tilted fault-block and combination traps. These features, coupled with effective regional marine seals, offer enhanced potential for hydrocarbon accumulations. The inner and outer sub-basins, delineated by the Outer High, host a range of exploration targets across distinct depositional environments. 

TGS’ high-resolution seismic data supports the detailed mapping of these geological units, from deepwater plays linked to recent discoveries to shallower shelfal plays with untapped potential. Gravity and magnetic data complement these data by providing structural context, aiding in identifying traps and migration pathways. By delivering high-quality datasets, TGS enables operators to confidently explore Southwest Africa’s diverse and promising geological settings, supporting the discovery and development of significant hydrocarbon resources. 

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