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AREA A - POTWAR BASIN

LOCATION Area A comprises three blocks lying along the southern margin of the Potwar Plateau and the Salt Range of the Punjab Province. The majority of the area lies at over 300m above sea level, rising to over 600m in places. Both road and rail access exists within the block, linking the towns of Kallar Kahar and Chakwal to Rawalpindi, Sargodha and Mianwali. GEOLOGICAL SETTING The Potwar Plateau and the Salt Range are part of the Himalayan foreland fold-and -thrust belt, a product of ongoing collision between Eurasian and Indo-Pakistani Plates. The Potwar Plateau is a large depression thrusted southward over the northwesterly dipping flank of the Sargodha High, along a basal decollement in the Eocambrian evaporite sequence of the Salt Range Formation. In the western and central Salt Range / Potwar Plateau, deformation primarily consists of southward verging thrusting along the main Salt Range thrust whilst in the eastern Salt Range / Potwar Plateau, thrusting and crustal shortening has given rise to intense folding and complex imbrication. STRATIGRAPHY The evaporite sequence of the Eocambrain Salt Range Formation unconformably overlies the Pre-Cambrian metamorphic basement of the Indo-Pakistani Plate. Shallow marine sediments of the Cambrian to Eocene age overlie the Salt Range Formation with major unconformities at the base of the Permian and the Paleocene. Thick Neogene non-marine molasse sediments represents the erosional products of the southward advancing Himalayan thrust sheets. PETROLEUM GEOLOGY Reservoir rocks within the Potwar Basin include the Khewra Sandstone (Cambrian), Tobra (Permian), Amb (Late Permian), Datta (Jurassic), Lockhart (Paleocene), Patala (Paleocene), Sakessar (Eocene), Chorgali (Eocene) and Murree (Miocene). All these horizons have proved to be oil bearing in different fields within the Potwar Basin. The main producing reservoirs are the Cambrian sandstones and fractured Paleogene carbonates. The recognized source rocks for the Potwar Basin are the Paleocene Patala shales. These shales are regarded as attaining maturity for oil generation during the Miocene. Other potential sources are organic rich shales of Eocambrian, Cambrian, Permian and Jurassic age. Shales and clays within the Paleozoic, Paleogene and Early Neogene act as regional seals. PLAY TYPE The play type within the area is dominantly structural with thrusted anticlines, hanging wall anticlines and pop-ups cored with thick salt. Recent successes within the Potwar Basin have resulted from the redrilling of previously-tested structures where either the

well did not reach the target horizon, the well was located off structure or the well penetrated the target horizons but hole condition and formation damage prevented the execution of valid tests. PREVIOUS EXPLORATION Within Area A, previous exploration activity has resulted in the acquisition of the approximately 2000 kms of seismic data and the drilling of eleven exploratory wells. Exploration began as early as 1922 with the drilling of shallow Gabhir-1 and Khabakki-1 wells (TD 600m and 319m respectively). This was followed in 1925 by the Jhatla-1 well, drilled to a depth of 2426m and which had oil shows in the Eocene Sakessar carbonates. Oil discoveries were made in the 1940s in Eocene reservoirs in Balkassar and Joya Mair, immediately to the north of the area. However, no further activity occurred in the area until 1952 when Dhariala-1 was drilled. In 1957 the Karsal oilfield was discovered on the northern edge of the area. This field produced 8.2 MMB 25o API oil from the Eocene. In 1958 the Kallar Kahar -1 well was drilled to a depth of 2173m in the Salt Range Formation and had oil shows in the Eocene Sakessar. In the 1970s and 1980s further wells were drilled at Karang Gib-1, Dhadambar-1, Dhermund-1, Hayal-1, Dulmial-1 and Lilla-1 all of which were dry holes. Recent discoveries at Ratana (Occidental), Pindori (Occidental) and Missa Keswal (OGDC), which were redrills of Mianwala (Amoco, 1979), Chak Beli Khan (POL, 1959) and Qazian-1 (Gulf, 1959) respectively have shown that it is possible that potential large reserves of oil remain to be discovered in previously explored structures.

AREA B - SULAIMAN FOLD BELT / PUNJAB PLATFORM


LOCATION Area B comprises three blocks located on the eastern part of the Central Sulaiman Fold Belt Lobe and the adjacent part of Punjab Platform, immediately to the north of the NNWSSE trending Khandkot - Mari High. The western part of the area is of moderate relief with an average height above sea level of 500m. The eastern part of the area lies within the Indus Valley with the River Indus running NE / SW through extreme western part of Area B dividing Sulaiman Fold Belt from the Punjab Platform area. GEOLOGICAL SETTING The central Lobe of the Sulaiman Fold Belt developed during the latest stages of the IndoPakistani and Eurasian Plate collision. A number of generally east-west arcuate anticlines are mapped, many of which are thrusted on their southern margin. Structural development prior to these compressional events is completely masked. In contrast the Punjab Plateform is dominated by an increasingly steep monoclinal dip of the plateform to the west. Apart from the pre-Gondwanaland break-up sediment distribution, all sedimentary units thickens and become more marine from east to west. Faulting is relatively minor, generally trending north-south and down thrown to the west. There is some evidence of minor reactivation during the Early Tertiary with a strong northwest-southeast trending wrench component. STRATIGRAPHY Within the Sulaiman Fold Belt only Early Pliocene continental sandstones, clays and conglomerates are exposed at the surface. To the north of the area progressively older stratigraphic units become exposed from south to north, ranging from Eocene, Paleocene to Late Cretaceous in age. Wells drilled within the fold belt bottom in thick, Jurassic age, pelagic limestones (Chiltan Formation) having penetrating thick Upper Cretaceous clastics (Mughalkot) and shales (Parh/Goru and Sembar).The Paleogene was a period of general transgression when mostly marine carbonates and shales were deposited. The Early Tertiary, Paleocene and Eocene shales become increasingly calcareous and thicken towards the south as the Paleo-carbonates shelf edge is approached between the Pirkoh and Sui gas fields. To the east , on the Punjab Platform, the Precambrian Salt Range Formation (evaporites, carbonates and shales) are penetrated in the most easterly wells and are thought to subcrop Base Permian sediments towards the west. Permian continental clastics and mixed marine clastics/carbonates were deposited to the east along the Permian paleocoastline. The mixed lithology coastal influence continued throughout the Mesozoic. Rejuvenation of clastic source areas to the east in the Late Cretaceous and Early Paleocene resulted in the widespread deposition of Pab and Ranikot clastics. Carbonate Platform limestones were deposited over the whole area being only briefly interrupted by clastic inundation (Ghazij) from the northwest. In the Neogene widespread regression led to the deposition of continental fluvial and alluvial fan sediments derived from easterly southerly impinging mountain areas which were transported by the proto Indus River system.

PETROLEUM GEOLOGY Proven reservoir rocks within the area are Lower and Middle Eocene shelf edge reefal carbonates (Sui Main, Habib Rahi and Pirkoh Limestones). These carbonates form the reservoirs in the Sui, Loti, Pirkoh, Khandkot, Qadirpur and Mari gas fields. The Late Cretaceous Pab Sandstone is also a reservoir in the Loti and Pirkoh fields. On the Punjab Platform potential reservoirs include the Jurassic Datta/Shinawari clastics. Jurassic Samana Suk carbonates and Lower Cretaceous Sembar/Lower Goru clastics which are reservoirs in the Nandpur and Panjpir gas discoveries to the north. The organic rich shales of Early Cretaceous (Sembar) and Early Eocene (Ghazij) and carbonates of the Late Eocene (Habib Rahi)are considered to be the source rocks for the major gas fields previously discovered in the surrounding area. The primary source rocks are the Lower Cretaceous Sembar shales (TOC 1.05 - 5.01 %) which began to generate gas in the Sulaiman foredeep area in the Late Tertiary. Seals for any accumulations are provided by the regional distribution of intra-Eocene shales. PLAY TYPE Both structural and stratigraphic plays are expected within Area B. The western part of Area B lies within the Sulaiman Fold Belt where the Late Pliocene - Pleistocene deformation style is characterized by asymmetrical folding. A surface anticlinal lead is located within this part of Area B. To the east, on the Punjab Platform, the gas discoveries at Nandpur and Panjpir illustrate the potential of combination stratigraphic/structural traps along the trends of Cretaceous, Jurassic and Triassic subcrop beneath Tertiary cover. Structural traps in this part of Area B are gentle salt induced roll over and small scale fault displacements. PREVIOUS EXPLORATION Approximately 1800 km of seismic data have previously been acquired in the Area B, however, no wells have been drilled. The seismic data varies from 1975 vintage, 12 fold dynamite data acquired by OGDC to 1989 vintage, 60 fold Fibroses data acquired by Premier Exploration. Exploration in the surrounding area began in earnest after Pakistan Petroleum Limited discovered the 8.6 TCF Sui gas field in 1951. Following extensive field work in the region five more gas fields were discovered at Zin,, Uch, Khairpur, Mazarani and Kandhkot between 1954 and 1958. The discovery of the Pirkoh gas field in 1977 and the Loti gas field in 1985 after seismic acquisition in both areas highlighted the further potential of the area. This has continues with the confirmation during 1991 of the major gas field at Qadirpur with possible reserves of up to 4 TCF.

AREA C - INDUS RIFT FAULT PROVINCE


LOCATION Area C comprises four blocks which partially straddle and lie to the west of the NNW/SSE trending Jacobabad-Khairpur High. This area consists largely of relatively that, sand dune covered, desert terrain cut by various irrigation canals, lying to the east of the River Indus. GEOLOGICAL SETTING The whole province was affected by the rifting between Madagascar and the IndoPakistani Plates during the Early -Mid Cretaceous and between the Mascarene Plateau and the Indo-Pakistani Plate in the Late Cretaceous. This created NW/SE trending horst graben structures, rejuvenated clastic source areas, led to northwest tilting and finally resulted in the thermally induced subsidence. Faults were transcurrently reactivated during the first collision between the India and Eurasia causing the uplift of the blocks such as the Jacobabad-Khairpur High. STRATIGRAPHY Stratigraphy over the crustal part of the Jacobabad-Khairpur High, Triassic, Jurassic and Early Cretaceous clastics and carbonates (Chiltan Formation) lie unconformable beneath a relatively thin cover of Late Paleocene and Eocene carbonates (Dunghan and Ghazij). To the east and west, on the flanks of the high, progressively thicker sequence of early and Late Cretaceous sediments (Sembar, Lower and Upper Goru, Parh, Mughalkot and Pab) are preserved beneath the unconformity. The Lower Cretaceous sediments represents deltaic siliclastic depositional sequence prograding over a westerly inclined slope. PETROLEUM GEOLOGY Lower Cretaceous siliclastics of the Sembar and Lower Goru Formations are the potential reservoirs in this area. Lower Goru sandstones form the reservoir in the Kadanwari gas field immediately to the east of the area, and are the major producer of oil and gas in the Lower Indus Basin. The presence of gas in the Kandanwari accumulation indicates the possibility of locally generated oil from the Early Cretaceous (Sembar Formation) source rocks having been flushed from reservoir during the Early Tertiary structural movement. However the extension of the Lower Indus oil play (tilted Cretaceous fault blocks) cannot be ruled out, particularly on the flanks of the Jacobabad-Khairpur High. These areas are also considered favorable for the development of Early Cretaceous submarine fan clastics. Shale unit within the Sembar and the overlying Upper Goru shales provide effective regional seals for the Cretaceous reservoirs. PLAY TYPE At all prospective reservoir levels the play type is mainly structural. Tilted fault blocks within the Cretaceous sequence provide the dominant trapping mechanism. Potential also

exists for the combination of structure/stratigraphic trapping within thedeltaic siliclastics of the Lower Goru Formation. Low amplitude folds developed within the Paleogene sequence also represents a viable exploration target. PREVIOUS EXPLORATION Within Area C approximately 3300 kms of seismic data has been acquired and two exploration wells have been drilled. Initial exploration began in 1973 with the acquisition of 12 fold Vibroseis data by Amoca over the northern part of the area. However, the main phase of the exploration activity began in 1987, when Lasmo conducted a 60 fold, reconnaissance Vibroseis survey over the Tajjal Licence. Following the acquisition of infill surveys in 1988, the Kadanwari-1 gas discovery was drilled in 1989. This was followed by the successful Gorwar-1 (1990), Kadanwari-3 (1991) and Kadanwari-4 (1991) appraisal wells and established the commerciality of the Kadanwari field with proven gas reserves of 1.2 TCF. The two wells within the area, Judge-1 (1990)and Adiani-1 (1991), were also drilled by Lasmo. Both wells failed to extend the Kadanwari gas play but confirmed the presence of reservoir quality Lower Goru sands within the area.

AREA D - HYDERABAD HIGH


LOCATION Area D comprises two blocks located on the northern fringe of the Thatta-Hyderabad High, which forms part of the central region of the Sind Platform within the Lower Indus Basin. Apart from a region of low hills in the western part of the area, the majority of Area D lies over cultivated plains of the Indus Valley. The River Indus runs N/S through the eastern part of the area with the city of Hyderabad located in the southwest corner. GEOLOGICAL SETTING The Thatta-Hyderabad High lies on the western margin of the Indo-Pakistani Plate. As a result of Early Cretaceous rifting of the Indo-Pakistani Plate, horst and graben structures were produced along this margin. The Thatta-Hyderabad-High, like other positive features in the region, was formed as a result of Tertiary convergence between the Indo-Pakistani and Eurasian Plates. The compressional tectonics of this episode gave rise to folded structures as well as the reactivation of older faults. STRATIGRAPHY The oldest formation penetrated by wells drilled in and around the area are Jurassic platform carbonates of the Chiltan Formation. The Jurassic is conformably overlain by clastic Early Cretaceous age (Upper Goru and Parh). Uplift in the Late Cretaceous variably erodes these sediments, resuming with the Pab Formation clastics in the Maastrichtian. Lower Tertiary deposits include the Palecoene Ranikot clastics, Deccan Trap volcanics, Paleocene Dunghan and Eocene Ghazij and Kirthar carbonates and shales. PETROLEUM GEOLOGY Lower Cretaceous siliclastics of the Sembar and Lower Goru Formations are the primary objectives in this area. They form the producing reservoirs in the Sanghar and Badin oil and gas fields of the Thar Platform immediately to the south west. Another potential reservoir is the sandstone of the Paleocene Ranikot Formation. These sands are the reservoir in the Sari and Hundi gas field in the Karachi Trough area to the south west. The Lower Cretaceous shales of the Sembar Formation are the proven source rocks for the oil and gas discovered in the Lower Indus Basin. Shale units within Sembar Formation and the overlying Upper Goru shales provide an effective regional seal for the Cretaceous reservoirs. Seal for the Ranikot Formation is provided by shales of the overlying Upper Ranikot. PLAY TYPE The play of the area essentially structural. Within the Cretaceous, extensional fault blocks with a Tertiary compression overprint and, in the Paleocene, compressional anticlinal folds constitute viable exploration targets.

PREVIOUS EXPLORATION Previous exploration in the area has resulted in the acquisition of approximately 1800 kms of seismic data and the drilling of 11 exploration wells. Hunt International began exploration in 1955 and carried out geological, seismic and gravity surveys over the area. Hunt drilled the Badhra-1, Sari Singh-1, and Sunbak-1 wells to the west of the area and the Lakhra-1,2,3 and 4 wells.

AREA E - THAR SLOPE LOCATION Area E comprises three blocks lying on the eastern margin of the Thar Slope which forms the eastern limit of the Lower Indus Basin. The area is flat lying (below 150m) and covered by recent alluvial sand dune deposits. GEOLOGICAL SETTING The structural history of the Eastern Sind area is characterized by an extensional regime which resulted in normal faulting and basement related structures within Late Paleozoic to Quaternary sediments. These sediments were deposited on the peneplained Pre-Cambrian basement along a stable margin of the Indian Shield. A series of extensional events during the Late Paleozoic to Cretaceous combined with the Mid Tertiary collision of the IndoPakistani and Eurasian Plates reactivated old faults and created new faults within the area. STRATIGRAPHY The sedimentary section in southeastern Pakistan consists of Permian, Jurassic and Cretaceous sediments overlying an angular unconformity of presumed Late Paleozoic age. The oldest sediments penetrated in this area are Triassic in age, in the Nabisar X-1 well to the east of Area E. The Triassic and Lower Jurassic sediments consist of interbedded sandstones. siltstones and of continental to shallow marine origin. Platform carbonates of the Chiltan Formation conformably overlie the Lower Jurassic clastics. The Jurassic is conformably overlain by the Cretaceous Sembar. Lower and Upper Goru Formations, a major progradational sequence which ranges from continental/shallow marine sedimentation in the east to dominantly basinal sedimentation in the west. The Sembar Formation consists largely of shale with some interbedded sands, the Lower Goru consists of a series of sand sequences separated by shale units while the Upper Goru is predominantly shale. These Cretaceous sediments dip regionally to the west and are truncated by unconformable volcanics and sediments of Paleocene age. PETROLEUM GEOLOGY Reservoir potential is present throughout the Jurassic-Cretaceous stratigraphic section. The Sembar Formation contains good quality sandstone reservoirs with some gas/oil shows in wells drilled in the area. The Lower Goru sandstones form the main productive oil and gas reservoirs in the Badin area immediately to the west. Additional objectives include the Upper Jurassic carbonates and Lower Jurassic clastics. The Lower Cretaceous shales of the Sembar Formation are the proven source for oil and gas discovered in the Lower Indus Basin. PLAY TYPE At all stratigraphic levels the trapping mechanism is primarily structural but there may also be some element of stratigraphic trapping. High angle normal faulting of the monoclinal dipping section produced tilted fault blocks in the area. The interbedded nature of the

Cretaceous Sembar and Lower Goru sand/shale sequence provides the possibility of updip pinchouts. PREVIOUS EXPLORATION Within Area E previous exploration has resulted in the acquisition of approximately 1500 kms of seismic data and the drilling of four exploration wells. Exploration began in the 1950s when Standard Vacuum drilled Digh-1X (1956) within the area and Nabisar-1X (1958) further to the east. In 1961 Standard Vacuum also drilled Badin-1X on the western edge of the area. Exploration resumed in the 1970s when Union Texas acquired seismic data over the area and in 1983 drilled Bhadmi-1 in the southwest corner of the area. Recent exploration has been carried out by Ranger with the acquisition of 24 fold Vibroseis data and the drilling of Ranger-1 in 1988.

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AREA F - LOWER INDUS BASIN


LOCATION The Area F comprises two blocks located in the Lower Indus Basin on the South western margin of the Thar Slope and the Eastern margin of the Karachi Trough. The River flows along the eastern margin of the area and the terrain is generally covered by the alluvium. GEOLOGICAL SETTING The separation of the Indo-Pakistani Plate from Africa, Madagascar and the Seychelles during the Mesozoic-Early Cenozoic led to the development of a trailing passive margin. Extensional faulting the area is a result of this rifting episode. The Cenozoic collision and shear deformation of the western margin of the Indo-Pakistani Plate resulted in the development of a foreland fold and thrust belt to the west of the basin. The effect of this deformation extends eastwards into the Karachi Trough and partly into the northwestern part of the area. STRATIGRAPHY The oldest formations penetrated by wells drilled in the Thar slope are clastics of Triassic age. Clastics and carbonates of Jurassic age are disconformably overlain by silty shales and siltstones of the Lower Cretaceous Sembar Formation. Lower Cretaceous clastic of the Lower and Upper Goru Formation represents a deltaic-marginal marine environment. The conformable overlying Upper Cretaceous carbonates of the Parh Formation were deposited in a shelf to outer shelf environment. The Upper Cretaceous is unconformably overlain by interbedded basalts, shales and sandstones of the Khadro Formation. The Ranikot Formation of the Paleocene age is evenly distributed over the area and conformable overlies the Khadro Formation. It is overlain by carbonates and shales of the Ghazij Formation which are covered in turn by Recent alluvium. PETROLEUM GEOLOGY Potential reservoirs in the area include the Lower Cretaceous clastics of the Lower Goru, which are productive to the east in the Badin area, together with the Paleocene Ranikot Formation which forms the reservoir in the Sari and Hundi gas accumulations immediately to the north. The Lower Cretaceous shales of the Sembar Formation are the proven source rock for oil and gas discovered in the Lower Indus Basin and is expected to be present in the area. PLAY TYPE The area is dominantly affected by Cretaceous Extensional Tectonics and the prospective play types comprise tilted fault blocks and associated rollovers. The effect of Cenozoic compression has only marginal modified the structural geometry.

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PREVIOUS EXPLORATION Approximately 2000 Kms of seismic data has previously been acquired and four exploration wells drilled in the area. In the 1960s well were drilled on the western edge of the area at Dabbo Creek and Patiani Creek. Recent exploration was carried out by Canterbury resources that acquired Dynamite and Airgun data in 1989 and drilled Pir Patho-1 in the northwest corner of the area and Shaik Nadin-1 (1992) in the south west corner.

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