Magnetic Structure of Agadem Petroleum Block (Termit Basin, Eastern Niger): Analysis and Interpretation of Aeromagnetic Data

Authors

  • Abdourhamane Halidou Amadou

    Intelligent Systems Georesources and Renewable Energy Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdallah University,  Imouzzer Road, Fez BP: 2202, Morocco

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/jees.v7i5.7086
Received: 19 August 2024 | Revised: 25 October 2024 | Accepted: 30 October 2024 | Published Online: 15 May 2025

Abstract

The Agadem block is an area of major oil interest located in the large sedimentary basin of Termit, in the south-east of the Republic of Niger. Since the 1950s, this basin has known geological and geophysical research activities. However, despite the extensive research carried out, we believe that a geophysical contribution in terms of magnetic properties and their repercussions on the structure of the Agadem block allowing the improvement of existing knowledge is essential. The present study aims to study the structural characteristics of the Agadem block associated with magnetic anomalies. For this, after data shaping, several filtering techniques were applied to the aeromagnetic data to identify and map deep geological structures. The reduction to the pole map shows large negative wavelength anomalies in the southeast half of the block and short positive wavelength anomalies in the northwest part embedded in a large positive anomaly occupying the lower northern half of the block. The maps of the total horizontal derivative and tilt angle show lineaments globally distributed along the NW-SE direction in accordance with the structural style of the study area. The resulting map highlights numerous lineaments that may be associated with faults hidden by the sedimentary cover. The calculation of the Euler deconvolution allowed us to locate and estimate the depths of magnetic sources at variable depths of up to 4000 m. The compilation of the results obtained allowed us to locate zones of high and low intensities which correspond respectively to horsts and grabens as major structures of the Agadem block.

Keywords:

Magnetic Structure; Reduction to the Pole; Magnetic Lineaments; Filtering; Interpretation; Agadem Block

References

[1] Dumont, M., Reninger, P.A., Pryet, A., 2018. Agglomerative hierarchical clustering of airborne electromagnetic data for multi-scale geological studies. Journal of Applied Geophysics. 157, 1–9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jappgeo.2018.06.020

[2] Oskooi, B., Maysam, A., 2015. An airborne magnetometry study across Aagros collision zone along Ahvaz-isfahan route in Iran. Journal of Applied Geophysics. 123, 112–122. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jappgeo.2015.10.001

[3] Thomas, E., Mougin, B., Debeglia, N., et al., 2002. Apport des levés géophysiques aéroportés à la recherche et à la protection des ressources en eau: application à la région du Léon (Finistère). Office of Geological and Mining Research, Paris, France. p. 63.

[4] Elkhateeb, S.O., Mahmoud, A., Gaballah, A., 2018. Delineation potential gold mineralization zones in a part of central eastern desert, egypt using airborne magnetic and radiometric data. Journal of Astronomy and Geophysics. 7(2), 361–376. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nrjag.2018.05.010

[5] Genik, G.J., 1992. Regional framework, structural and petroleum aspects of rift basins in Niger, Chad and the Central African Republic (C.A.R). Tectonophysics. 213, 169–185. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-89912-5.50036-3

[6] Guiraud, R., Maurin, J.C., 1992. Early cretaceous rifts of Western and Central Africa: an overview. Tectonophysics. 213, 153–168. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0040-1951(92)90256-6

[7] Genik, G.J., 1993. Petroleum Geology of Cretaceous-Tertiary Rift Basins in Niger, Chad, and Central African Republic. AAPG Bulletin. 77, 1405–1434. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1306/BDFF8EAC-1718-11D7-8645000102C1865D

[8] Ajakaiye, D.E., Burke, K., 1972. A bouguer gravity map of Nigeria. Tectonophysics. 16(2), 103–115. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0040-1951(73)90134-0

[9] Binks, R.M., Fairhead, J.D., 1992. A plate tectonic setting for Mesozoic rifts of West and Central Africa. Tectonophysics. 213(1–2), 141–151. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0040-1951(92)90255-5

[10] Fairhead, J.D., Binks, R.M., 1991. Differential opening of the central and South Atlantic oceans and the opening of the Central African rift system. Tectonophysics. 187(1–3), 191–203. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0040-1951(91)90419-S

[11] Guiraud, R., William, B., 1997. Senonian basin inversion and rejuvenation of rifting in Africa and Arabia: synthesis and implications to plate-scale. Tectonophysics. 282(1–4), 39–82. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0040-1951(97)00212-6

[12] Fairhead, J.D., Green, C.M., 1989. Controls on rifting in africa and the regional tectonic model for the nigeria and east Niger rift basins. Journal of African Earth Sciences. 8(2–4), 231–249. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0899-5362(89)80027-2

[13] Genik, G.J., 1993. Petroleum geology of cretaceous-tertiary rift basins in Niger, Chad and Central African Republic. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin. 77(8), 1405–1434. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1306/BDFF8EAC-1718-11D7-8645000102C1865D

[14] Maurin, J.C., Guiraud, R., 1993. Basement control in the development of the early cretaceous West and Central African Rift System. Tectonophysics. 228, 81–95. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0040-1951(93)90215-6

[15] CNPCNP., 2012. Cretaceous geological study and target evaluation in the Agadem block, Niger. p 218.

[16] Wan, L., Jiguo, L., Fengjun, M., 2014. The petroleum geochemistry of the Termit basin, eastern Niger. Marine and Petroleum Geology. 51, 167–183. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2013.11.006

[17] He, J.S., Jiang, T.L., Peng, F.Z., et al., 2020. Controlling factors of hydrocarbon accumulation in termit rift superimposed basin, Niger. Springer series in Geomechanics and Geoengineering. 44–64. DOI: 10.1007/978-981-15-2485-1_310

[18] CNPCNP., 2013. Cretaceous geological study and target evaluation in the Agadem block, Niger. p 253.

[19] Baranov, V., Nandy, H., 1964. Numerical calculation of the formula of reduction to the magnetic pole. Geophysics. 29(1), 67–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1190/1.1439334

[20] Macleod, I.N., Jones, K., Dai, T.F., 1993. 3D analytic signal in the interpretation of total magnetic field data at low magnetic latitudes. Exploration Geophysics. 24, 679–687. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/EG993679

[21] Grauch, V.J.S., Mark, R.H., Scott, A.M., et al., 2006. Sources of along-strike variation in magnetic anomalies related to intrasedimentary faults: a case study from the Rio Grande Rift, USA. Exploration Geophysics. 37(4), 372–378. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.1071/eg06372

[22] Lanza, R., Meloni, A., 2006. The earth’s magnetism an introduction for geologists. Springer-Verlag: Berlin/Heidelberg, Germany. p 287.

[23] Cordell, L., 1979. Gravimetric expression of graben faulting in Santa Fe Country and the Espanola Basin, New Mexico: New Mexico Geol. Soc. Guidebook, 30th Field Conf. 59–64. DOI: https://doi.org/10.56577/FFC-30.59

[24] Grauch, V.J.S., Cordell, L., 1987. Limitations of determining density or magnetic boundaries from the horizontal gradient of gravity or pseudogravity data. Geophysics. 52(1), 118–121. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1190/1.1442236

[25] Miller, H.G., Singh, V., 1994. Potential field tilt: a new concept for location of potential field sources. Journal of Applied Geophysics. 32(2–3), 213–217. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0926-9851(94)90022-1

[26] Beiki, M., 2010. Analytic signals of gravity gradient tensor and their application to estimate source location. Geophysics. 75(6), 159–174. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1190/1.3493639

[27] Reid, A.B., Allsop, J.M., Granser, H., 1990. Magnetic interpretation in three dimensions using euler deconvolution. Geophysics. 55(4), 80–91. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1190/1.1442861

[28] Ahmed, Y., Konaté, M., Harouna, M., 2016. Tectonomagmatic reactivation of Téfidet Cretaceous trough during Cenozoic (Aïr, Niger). REV.CAMES. 4(2), 58–66. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2113/GSSGFBULL.187.2.73

Downloads

How to Cite

Abdourhamane Halidou Amadou. (2025). Magnetic Structure of Agadem Petroleum Block (Termit Basin, Eastern Niger): Analysis and Interpretation of Aeromagnetic Data. Journal of Environmental & Earth Sciences, 7(5), 492–506. https://doi.org/10.30564/jees.v7i5.7086

Issue

Vol. 7 , Iss. 5 (May 2025)

Article Type

Article

License

Copyright © 2025 Abdourhamane Halidou Amadou

Creative Commons License

This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.

Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC