Exclusive
Seismic survey reveals:
Oil, gas prospects in South sea belt
by L. S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI
There were positive signs of potential oil and gas reserves in the
southern sea belt of Sri Lanka from Galle to Hambantota as revealed by a
recent seismic survey conducted by the Petroleum Development Secretariat
of the Ministry of Petroleum and Petroleum Resource Development, highly
placed official sources told the Sunday Observer.
Explaning the latest Developments in the survey, Director General
PRDS, Dr. Neil R De Silva said the preliminary data collected using the
seismic vessel “Geonatuna” showed presence of sedimentary rocks in the
southern sea belt in the country.
“Oil and gas commonly known as petroleum, are generated in
sedimentary rocks.
Remains of tiny oceanic creatures and plants buried under several
kilometres of sediments will get converted to oil and gas under high
pressure of temperature.
At the initial stages of petroleum exploration gravity surveys are
commonly used to locate areas of thick sedimentary rocks called
sedimentary basins, where right conditions for the generation of
petroleum are found, he said.
He said that gravity surveys are relatively cheap compared to seismic
surveys. He said that the satellite gravity data in the region show two
gravity anomalies offshore south of the island from Galle to Hambantota.
A gravity anomaly could result from several geological phenomena and
the presence of a sedimentary basin is one of them.
Therefore the PRDS decided to collect reconnaissance 2D seismic data
over these gravity anomalies to verify whether they could have been
produced by the presence of sedimentary basins. 2D seismic profiles
produced by collecting and processing sound waves reflected from rock
layers below the sea bed, provide a cross-section of the earth where
presence of sedimentary rocks could be verified, he said.
He said that from last week of February approximately 600 km of 2D
seismic data were collected by “Geonatuna” seismic vessel crew and the
seismic crew from PRDS.
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Mannar basin
oil explorations
The Secretary to the
Ministry of Petroleum and Petroleum Resources Development W.
B. Ganegala said after signing the agreement with CAIRN
LANKA Ltd., which won the international bid for Mannar basin
block 2 oil explorations, on 7 July 2008, a license called
`Petroleum Exploration License’ was issued to them. It was
the first license of that nature issued by the Sri Lanka
government.
At present CAIRN LANKA Ltd.,
is handling the preliminary activities of their assignment,
he said.
He said that all activities
are in progress according to the oil exploration program of
the government.
Oil is found in sedimentary
rocks and areas of thick sedimentary rocks occur offshore
Sri Lanka in the Cauvery Basin to the north and in the
Mannar Basin to the west.
The current oil exploration
activities had already commenced in the northern part of the
Mannar Basin.
According to the agreement,
CAIRN Lanka Ltd., has to attend to the preliminary oil
exploration activities in the three years first phase of
eight year agreement period. |
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