DELINEATION OF NEW HORIZON FOR DISCOVERY OF HYDROCARBON POTENTIAL IN PAKISTAN

During the last four decades, several tectonic models have been proposed by various researchers to explain the geologic setup and association of different minerals and hydrocarbon potential in the southwestern part of Pakistan comprising of Chagai Volcanic Arc, Kharan-Mashkhel-Panjgure Trough and the Makran Flysch Basin. In 1960's, several exploratory wells were drilled for the hydrocarbon exploration following the oil & gas discoveries in the neighboring country (Iran). The exploration activities were focus particularly in offshore areas along the coastal areas of Makran region. The exploratory wells encountered technical problems due to very high pressures within the upper strata and as such the exploration efforts were abandoned. Simultaneously, most of the researchers proposed an active subduction of the Arabian oceanic plate beneath the Afghanistan Craton (block of continental landmass) bounded on eastward by the left lateral north-south striking Chaman-Ornach-Nal transcurrent fault system originating from Hirat in Afghanistan to the Arabian Sea. Both the conditions, i.e., the failure of hydrocarbon exploratory drilling and the proposed models of subduction for the region, have diverted the attention from further hydrocarbon exploratory activities in the region till present decade. The results of present study reveal the conducive environments by delineating the new horizon, first time, for discoveries of new hydrocarbon potentials in the region. Based on present integrated geophysical analyses, it is identified that the exposed or near-surface geologic trends are camouflaging the deep-seated geologic trends those are entirely different in their tectonic style and other geologic characteristics. Considerably larger sedimentary basins have been identified in Kharan-Mashkhel-Panjgur region based on the satellite gravity anomalies. Moreover, the results of the fault-plane solutions indicate the rifting nature of these basins. It is inferred that these basins may be the excellent targets for the hydrocarbon discoveries in Pakistan. Present paper is extracted from the Ph.D. theses of principal author and one of co-authors.