Thrace-Samsun

Commentary

The benign regulatory regime and relatively underexplored status makes the Basin attractive, and could raise the potential for further activity.

Updated

February 26, 2024

Location

Description

The Thrace-Samsun basin is broadly demarkated by the Bosphoros, with the Thrace lying to the west and the Samsun to the east. Study shows that the Thrace basin has its origins in the sedimentary successions in the Middle Eocene-Late Eocene Sogucak carbonate unit. The Sogucak Formation has been the only potential reservoir for Thrace basin hydrocarbons for a long time, throughout its exploration history. While contradictory age determinations for teh basion have been recorded, this has been deemed to be the result of the transgressive character of Sogucak carbonates. Shales of the Eocene Hamitabat Formation are the principal petroleum source rocks in the Thrace. The Samsun basin is typified by Liassic to Quaternary in the Middle Black Sea Region overlying the metamorphic rocks that form the basement. Petrological studies have been carried out on the volcanic rocks which have formed in different stages.

Summary

The basin has been sparsely explored, but recent activity has resulted in an uptick in prospectivity. There remains significant potential, especially in the shale series, where drilling and completion methods are seen as being key to success.