OIL POTENTIAL IN FIJI

Fiji forms part of the South-West Pacific island arc system which marks the boundary between the Indo-Australia and Pacific plates. The territorial waters cover almost 1.3 million km² and contain two shallow-water Tertiary sedimentary basins. Bligh Water Basin, covering some 9500 km², has sediment thicknesses in excess of 5km and has excellent potential for hydrocarbons. Bau Waters Basin is also prospective, having a shallow-water area of about 1600km², with sediment thicknesses up to 4km.
Fiji lies on the same regional play trend of Miocene reefs which produce oil in Irian Jaya, Indonesia and gas/condensate in offshore Papua New Guinea. Indeed Fiji's basins have many similarities with the oil and gas producing, arc-related basins of Southeast Asia.
Source rocks of Oligocene, Miocene and Pliocene age are exposed onshore in Fiji and have been encountered by drilling in the offshore basins. An oil seep in Bligh Water Basin and oil and gas shows in wells provide evidence that hydrocarbons have been generated in the basins. Modeling studies indicate peak oil generation to be at about 2.6km below sea floor.

Fiji forms part of the South-West Pacific island arc system which marks the boundary between the Indo-Australia and Pacific plates. The territorial waters cover almost 1.3 million km² and contain two shallow-water Tertiary sedimentary basins. Bligh Water Basin, covering some 9500 km², has sediment thicknesses in excess of 5km and has excellent potential for hydrocarbons. Bau Waters Basin is also prospective, having a shallow-water area of about 1600km², with sediment thicknesses up to 4km.
Fiji lies on the same regional play trend of Miocene reefs which produce oil in Irian Jaya, Indonesia and gas/condensate in offshore Papua New Guinea. Indeed Fiji's basins have many similarities with the oil and gas producing, arc-related basins of Southeast Asia.
Source rocks of Oligocene, Miocene and Pliocene age are exposed onshore in Fiji and have been encountered by drilling in the offshore basins. An oil seep in Bligh Water Basin and oil and gas shows in wells provide evidence that hydrocarbons have been generated in the basins. Modeling studies indicate peak oil generation to be at about 2.6km below sea floor.

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Permalink Reply by Me Damu on February 11, 2010 at 10:40pm: 10/29/2009 fijisun

The oil and gas extraction operation expected to make Fiji one of the richest countries in the world, is still going ahead.
However, the lack of expertise in the field according to Minister of Mineral Resources Netani Sukanaivalu has been the main cause of delay.

Yesterday, Mr Sukanaivalu confirmed that exploration by overseas companies is still ongoing along the Bligh Waters and Bau Waters basins where oil and gas has been identified.

“There are conditions that have to be met by the companies who are exploring. The problem is that we do not have the expertise in my ministry,” Mr Sukanaivalu said.

Conditions to be met, according to Mr Sukanaivalu, is the setting of infrastructure for drilling and so fourth.

“Right now they are working on those conditions and policies before they can start with the drilling,” he said.

Mr Sukanaivalu, however, did not wish to elaborate on when extraction is expected to begin.

In July, the Ministry completed its series of meetings with interested overseas companies. Their bid to explore oil in Fiji was based on their findings in the early 80s where a lot of big oil companies drilled for oil in the country.

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Permalink Reply by Kai Ra-sia on February 14, 2010 at 8:01pm: Sere qo votai tiko ga yani vei Paula Hapanui na turaga ni Rapanui mai Easter Is lolz. Levu tiko na nomu vakadidike turaga ni polynesia :); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Paula Hapanui on February 16, 2010 at 11:36pm: Kivei Kai - Ra sia, Kerekekere kevaka sa na kune na i yau talei ena lomani nomuni yavusa qai qiriti yau mai lols.; ▶ Reply to This