Session Descriptions:
Session 1: Tectono-Sedimentary Evolution and Structural History
Although the evolution of the South Atlantic is well understood, aspects such as rift propagation, driving mechanisms, mantle-crust interactions, post-rift subsidence including the controls and timing on evaporites are tentative. The rifting event along the South Atlantic possesses a general N/S polarity which is common along the South Atlantic margin and is governed by structural fabrics inherited from Gondwana assembly. Segmentation along the margin is observed along pervasive NE/SW transfer zones which corresponds to trans-tensional movements. These transfer zones are believed to be reactivated lineaments associated with Pan-African mobile belts.
Following the emplacement of the Tristan da Cunha plume, the Paraná-Etendeka continental flood basalts erupted at 132-130 Ma onshore South America and West Namibia respectively, marking the lower age for rifting onshore. The tectonic evolution of the South Atlantic passive continental margin can be summarized as follows:
- The pre-rift phase, which constitutes the basement rocks of the Karoo formations and older as defined within the main Karoo Basin and onshore.
- The rifting phase in late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous and associated syn-rift deposits.
- A transitional phase which lasted from Late Barremian to Early-mid Aptian. This phase marks the initial effects of thermal sag following the end of rifting and is characterised by the deposition of a regional marine source rock.
- A drift phase ranging in age from mid-late Cretaceous to Tertiary, characterized by continued sagging and tilting of the continental margin and development of the oceanic crust. The characteristic Fold-Thrust systems of the Orange and Southern Lüderitz Basins, Mass Transport deposits and large turbiditic systems were formed during this phase.
This session explores the dynamic interplay between tectonics and sedimentation, focusing on how structural processes shape sedimentary basin development over geological time offshore the South Atlantic Margin and Onshore, and the distribution of petroleum systems elements.
Session 2: Petroleum Systems: Source Rock
Source rocks—organic-rich sediments that serve as the origin of hydrocarbon generation—are a fundamental component of any working petroleum system. Across southern Africa, both offshore and onshore basins host multiple proven and potential source intervals. Offshore Namibia, exploration has identified several key source rocks, most notably the Apto-Albian aged transgressive marine “Kudu” shale. This unit is regionally extensive, seismically mappable, and modeled as mature and capable of generating and expelling significant hydrocarbons. Onshore, geochemical, and stratigraphic evidence supports the presence of both marine and lacustrine source rocks. The tectonostratigraphic evolution of these basins—from syn-rift to post-rift phases—has strongly influenced source rock deposition, preservation, and thermal maturity.
The Cenomanian–Turonian marine shale has been intersected in several offshore wells. Though immature at current depths, geochemical screening and biomarker data confirm its high organic richness and oil-prone character. With deeper burial, this interval is expected to become a significant contributor to hydrocarbon generation. Beneath the post-rift section, a deeper lacustrine source rock has been identified within the Early Cretaceous syn-rift sequence. Biomarker and isotopic analyses from multiple wells across the Namibian and South African sectors of the Orange Basin support the presence of a Barremian-aged lacustrine shale with high TOC and favorable generative potential.
Onshore, source rocks have been encountered in both well penetrations and surface outcrops across the Owambo and Nama Basins. These intervals span marine and non-marine depositional settings, including carbonate platforms and coal-bearing sequences. Variability in kerogen type and maturity reflects the complex burial and tectonic histories of these basins. Regional correlations suggest genetic links to equivalent source rocks in South Africa and South America, underscoring the broader paleogeographic continuity of Gondwanan petroleum systems. Though less explored than offshore equivalents, these onshore intervals remain an important component of the regional petroleum framework.
This session will highlight integrated approaches to source rock evaluation, including seismic interpretation, geochemical screening, and stratigraphic modeling. Emphasis will be placed on depositional environment, burial history, and thermal evolution, as well as migration pathways and charge scenarios. By drawing on recent discoveries and basin modeling efforts, the session will provide a platform for advancing the understanding of source rock systems and their role in southern Africa’s exploration potential.
Session 3: Reservoirs and Seals
Onshore Namibia, the main reservoir and seal target is in the Proterozoic Otavi Group carbonates. The deeper interbedded marine and continental clastics of the Nosib Group remain underexplored. The Palaeozoic Mulden Group has disappointed regarding reservoirs, but could act as a regional seal to the underlying Otavi. The Karoo section is normally shallow in Namibia, but can be deeper in South Africa. A key risk in all onshore basins is whether the seals are able to maintain integrity following early trap formation and charge.
The offshore Kudu gas discovery is in a post-breakup, Lower Cretaceous aeolian sandstone that laterally passes into sub-aerial volcanics and is sealed by a transgressive marine section. Post the break-up of Gondwanaland, reservoirs range from sandstones on the shelf, which have more seals to the south in South Africa; Upper Aptian to Lower Albian shallow marine carbonates sealed by marine mudstones in the northern offshore; and, more distally, Albian to Paleocene deep-water sandstones with deep water mudstone seals. The Albian and Upper Cretaceous sandstones form the giant discoveries in the Orange Basin.
This session will discuss reservoir distribution, depositional facies and seismic characteristics, provenance, the impacts of re-working by contourite currents and diagenesis to give insights into reservoir presence, quality and architecture. In addition, the effects of seals both vertical and lateral will be covered. Lastly, analogues will be examined, including those from the conjugate margin.
Session 4: Technology Advancements and Current Understanding
Advancements in technological innovations, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have profoundly reshaped the landscape of petroleum system modelling and hydrocarbon exploration. These advancements are enabling geoscientists and engineers to better resolve the complexities and uncertainties inherent in subsurface systems, ultimately improving the chances of exploration success. AI and ML algorithms can detect subtle patterns and correlations across large and disparate geological and geophysical datasets that may not be readily visible through traditional interpretation methods. As a result, subsurface models become more accurate and reflective of real geological processes, aiding in better predictions of reservoir quality, trap integrity, and source rock maturity. These tools drastically reduce interpretation time while ensuring improved accuracy and an accelerated efficient seismic-to-reservoir workflows. Machine learning models have become integral in predictive simulations of petroleum systems, especially in frontier or underexplored basins where limited data makes conventional modelling less reliable. The models generated through such sophisticated technologies can forecast hydrocarbon generation, migration pathways, and accumulation zones with improved confidence. Additionally, probabilistic models driven by AI can better quantify geological uncertainty and reduce exploration risk. AI and ML also offer better optimization techniques for reservoir simulation for production strategies through rapid scenario testing.
This session will review and discuss recent advances in interpretation methodologies, artificial intelligence, machine learning, quantitative tolls, new challenges and other ways to apply innovative techniques in petroleum exploration. The session explores how the synergy between AI and traditional geoscience are used to revolutionize how exploration strategies are conceived and executed.