Bell
Geospace, the world leaders in gravity gradiometry, has conducted
the first aerial mapping of petroleum resources in Sri Lanka in Q4 of 2021, and
will be presenting these insights – together with Wintermoon Geophysics- at the
prestigious SEAPEX (South East Asia Petroleum Exploration Society) Asia Pacific
Conference in London on Thursday the 30th of June.
The mapping
project was conducted during the last quarter of 2021 as part of a
collaboration between Bell Geospace and the Government of Sri Lanka, with the
aim to explore offshore oil and gas potential in the seas off the North and Northwest
of the island.
This
entailed the acquisition, processing and interpretation of data from Airborne 3D
Full Tensor Gravity Gradiometry (FTG), Gravity Gradiometry, and Magnetic
Surveys that were employed to gather data on hydrocarbon potential below the
surfaces around the Cauvery Basin off the Northern peninsula and the Mannar Basin
off the West coast. Data and interpretationfrom this survey has revealed new
insights into the structure, tectonic history, and hydrocarbon potential of Sri
Lanka’s Mannar Basin M1, M2, and the Cauvery Basin C1 blocks.
With Sri
Lanka outlaying US$ 6-7 billion annually to purchase fuel, and the domestic
hydrocarbon potential estimated at several billion barrels of oil and 9
trillion cubic feet of gas, this is a potential multibillion-dollar revenue
stream for the Government of Sri Lanka. Especially taking into consideration
that Cairn India, which explored the Mannar M2 block, invested US$200 million
in the region 10 years ago.
Additionally,
with Bell Geospace’s modern geophysical data and interpretation, the publicity
created at a major Oil and Gas conference such as SEAPEX in London holds the
potential for Sri Lanka to attract a new round of foreign investors bringing in
US$ to the country.
US-based Bell Geospace is the leading provider of
high quality airborne Full Tensor Gravity Gradiometry (FTG) data for the mining
industry. This data is used to map geology and thus define the shape and scale
of existing mineral deposits as well as highlight potential new areas of
exploration.
Wintermoon Geophysics is a premier consulting firm for integrated exploration
applications of Gravity, Magnetics, GIS, and Remote Sensing.
