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Paper Number: 3666

Petroleum Systems of the Angolan Margin

Mackay, L.M.1

1BP Exploration Op Co Ltd, Sunbury-on-Thames, TW16 7LN, UK. laura.mackay@bp.com

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The Angolan margin is a prolific hydrocarbon province with several billion-barrel oil fields currently in production. Hydrocarbon exploration in Angola began over 50 years ago and continues to the present day, moving from exploring onshore and shallow-water areas in Cabinda and northern Angola, towards deep water targets in the Tertiary play of the Lower Congo basin and, most recently, southwards along the Angolan Margin targeting the Cretaceous pre-salt potential of the Kwanza and Benguela basins. This talk will describe the petroleum plays of the Angolan margin, grouping them into three themes: the pre-salt Cretaceous plays, the post-salt Cretaceous plays and the Tertiary turbidite play.