Interpretation of Magnetic Data for the Determination of Geological Structures in Southern Part of the Cuvette-Centrale Sedimentary Basin

Abstract

The Democratic Republic of Congo is willing to develop its natural underground resources in sight to increase its economy. Tothis end, the oil and gas potential of its sedimentary basins is now the new target. Into the Cuvette-centrale sedimentary basinseveral exploration works were carried out since 1950s. Among these works we have the magnetic survey done in 1980 yearwhich provided us the data used in this paper. The source rocks as well as the potential reservoir rocks and some oil seeps thathave been recognized in this gigantic basin encourage researchers to find favorable geological structures for the accumulation ofhydrocarbons in this sedimentary basin. Indeed, it is for this purpose that we have been interested to determine the regionalgeological structures in the southern part of this basin from magnetic data. After analysis, processing, and interpretation of thedata, it found that the Kutu, Oshwe, Bagata, Bulungu and Idiofa areas contain geological structures contributing to the confirmation of the existence of an active petroleum system. Concretely, on one hand and from the shape of the crystallinebasement we arrived to determine several faults and folds that can be taken as the excellent hydrocarbon traps and on the otherhand, ditches that are privileged and favorable environments for the maturation of source rocks.