Mauritania is endowed with vast hydrocarbon resources, spread across two main regions: the Taoudeni Basin in the east of the country and the coastal basin in the Atlantic waters. These areas have attracted increasing interest from major global energy companies, thanks to promising geological indicators revealing substantial quantities of oil and gas.
Taoudeni Basin
The Taoudeni Basin is one of the largest sedimentary basins in Africa, covering a total area of about 1,500,000 km², a third of which is located within Mauritania's territory. This basin is considered one of the oldest formations, dating back to the end of the pre-Cambrian period, extending through the Paleozoic era, and formed due to tectonic changes associated with the Pan-African orogeny. This explains the diversity of its rock layers and its rich content of organic materials.
Exploration History
The basin has undergone two major phases of exploration:
- Phase 1 (1970s): Texaco and Agip were the first to obtain exploration licenses. Two-dimensional seismic surveys were conducted, followed by exploratory drilling of the Apolag-1 and Awasa-1 wells. The Apolag-1 well showed positive indicators, producing 13,600 cubic meters of gas per day during a two-hour test, which was considered the first tangible proof of the basin's potential.
- Phase 2 (since 2004): Exploration activities resumed at an increasing pace, involving major global companies like Total, Repsol, and Saipem, as well as the Mauritanian Petroleum Company (SMH). New wells, such as Ta8-1 (Atal-1), Ta7-1, and Oukiya-1, were drilled, and they showed promising signs of gas presence at various depths.
Petroleum Systems in the Basin
Two main petroleum systems have been identified in the Taoudeni Basin:
- The Paleozoic Petroleum System: It relies on source rocks from the Silurian and Devonian periods, which are rich in high-quality organic material and associated with Ordovician reservoirs suitable for gas accumulations.
- The Neoproterozoic Petroleum System: It is based on black shale source rocks from the Lower Cambrian period, characterized by fractured limestone reservoirs containing stromatolites, as well as sandstone layers.
To date, more than 15,000 km of 2D seismic data have been collected, and five major exploratory wells have been drilled. Although commercial exploitation has not yet started, technical and geological indicators confirm that the basin holds significant untapped potential.
Coastal Basin
The Mauritanian coastal basin stretches along the western coastline facing the Atlantic Ocean and was first explored in the 1960s, making it the country’s oldest active exploration area. Over the decades, about 45 exploration wells have been drilled out of 78 wells executed in the entire region, in addition to conducting 3D seismic surveys covering over 100,000 km², which helped in building an accurate image of the basin's geological structure.
Chinguetti Field: The First Commercial Discovery
In 2001, the Australian company Woodside Petroleum successfully discovered the Chinguetti oil field, which represented the first commercial oil exploitation in Mauritania’s history. The field was developed and entered into production but ceased operations in 2017, and its infrastructure was completely dismantled in 2018, marking the end of Mauritania's first experience in oil production.
Banda Gas Field: Located 70 km off the coast of Nouakchott, at a depth ranging from 200 to 350 meters, its exploitable reserves are estimated between 1.2 and 2 trillion cubic feet. Despite delays in its development, it has regained attention under a new and promising development contract in March 2024.
Walata Field (formerly known as Tiof): This significant discovery is estimated to have reserves of around 280 million barrels of oil. Work is underway to assess the feasibility of redeveloping it as part of future projects.
Tevet Field: A small oil discovery, containing an estimated 40 million barrels of crude oil. It is an extension of the Chinguetti field, originally planned to be exploited through the main field’s infrastructure.
Other Potential and Confirmed Discoveries: In addition to the major known fields, reports from the oil companies operating in the Mauritanian coastal basin have revealed a number of small and medium-sized discoveries, including Pelican, Cormoran, Frégate, Faucon, and Abelinda fields. These fields have shown promising signs through multiple gas columns and positive flow test results, reflecting their potential as supporting fields for nearby major projects or as standalone development pillars.
Major Discoveries in 2015
2015 marked a pivotal year in the history of the coastal basin with the announcement of giant gas discoveries that reshaped the country's energy landscape. Notable discoveries include:
- Turtle Ahmeyim Large Field (GTA): Located in the maritime boundary area with Senegal, it is one of the major gas fields in West Africa.
- Bir Allah Field: Located north of GTA, it is entirely within Mauritania's territorial waters, with larger reserves than its bordering counterpart.
Towards Regional Leadership in Gas
With these recent discoveries, Mauritania is strongly positioned to become a regional hub for natural gas production and export, especially with the GTA project entering the production phase in early 2025, along with other developments on the horizon such as Bir Allah and Banda. This qualitative leap will enable the country to diversify its economy, reduce dependence on energy imports, and enhance its presence in the global energy market.