Abstract
The north Cyrenaica region forms part of the northeastern area of Libya. The Cyrenaica Platform and the uplifts, basins, and sub-basins surrounding it constitute the main tectonic elements of the region. The Cyrenaica Platform accommodates considerably thick Paleozoic sediments which appear to have escaped erosion until the Hercynian Orogeny.
A negative Bouguer anomaly (closure) of the order of twenty milligals is recorded over the Cyrenaica Platform. This anomaly is attributed to the thick sedimentary cover in this Platform compared to the parts around it. The deep well drilling data also support this view. Relatively high gravity gradients are present in the region bordering the Platform. These gradients are interpreted in terms of the major fault patterns. A large positive Bouguer gravity anomaly is located in the northernmost extension of the region, outside the Cyrenaica Platform. It is apparently associated with the basement high in Al Jabal Al Akhdar Uplift.
The magnetic anomalies recorded in the region are believed to have been caused by basement or intrabasement sources at depths varying from 1 to 8 kilometers. The narrow and relatively weak magnetic trends are attributed to sources within the sediments.
The seismic reflection data in the region totals about 30,000 line-kilometres. The data of early seismic surveys (1960’s) are invariably of poor quality compared to the recent improved coverages.
The results of seismic coverages, by modern techniques, have helped to sharpen the insights into the complicated structural and stratigraphic features occurring in the region. The available geological, geophysical and drilling data indicate the presence of thick sedimentary sequence containing source and reservoir rocks. The potential of the region for hydrocarbon accumulations, therefore, appear encouraging.