Abstract

The Levantine Basin has proven hydrocarbons. Recent discoveries by Noble Energy in the Levantine Basin (Tamar, Leviathan, and Aphrodite) have established a structural trap gas play in Oligo-Miocene sands. These discoveries have led to changes in the United States Geological Survey estimate of undiscovered reserves in the Levantine Basin from zero to 122 TCF gas and 1.7 Bbbl oil. Though these discoveries are suggested to be biogenic, there is abundant evidence of deeper working thermogenic petroleum systems. Burial history and petroleum systems models also suggest there are working thermogenic petroleum systems. The Mango well located in the southeastern part of the basin tested 10,000 bopd from Lower Cretaceous sands. Additionally, wells on the southeastern shelf have numerous oil and gas shows in several Mesozoic and Cenozoic intervals in both siliciclastic and carbonate facies. There are slick/seeps documented on the sea surface from satellite data. The Levantine Basin evolved along the Tethyan Margin alongside other regions with established petroleum systems. Numerous onshore working petroleum systems can be extrapolated offshore into the Levantine Basin. The tectonostratigraphic and burial history was conducive to oil and gas generation. A petroleum systems model suggests source rocks generated oil and gas throughout the basin. The generated hydrocarbons would have accumulated in both structural and stratigraphic traps in several stratigraphic intervals.