Maturity-level analyses utilizing vitrinite reflectance techniques on samples from several wildcat wells drilled in the Ogaden basin of Ethiopia showed a well-defined oil floor roughly coincident with the top of the Pliensbachian stage of the Lower Jurassic. Reflectance values obtained above and below this horizon show a marked increase. The sedimentary section within the proper thermal maturity range for oil has a thickness of 11,900 ft (3,570 m) in the Tenneco 1 Bodle wildcat in the southwestern part of the basin.

The best oil source rocks are within the Upper Jurassic Uarandab shales and Upper to Lower Jurassic Hamanlei carbonate rocks and evaporites. Oil source rocks occur locally in a clastic section near the base of the Lower Cretaceous.

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