East Kalahari Precambrian Belt

Commentary

Recent exploration successes has established the basin as a highly prospective destination. While there will continue to be a period of study, the technical credentials of the basin have now been established. We have a Positive outlook on the basin.

Updated

June 18, 2024

Location

Description

The East Kalahari Precambrian Belt is the regional outline of a number of distinct sub basins, including the highly prospective Cabora Bassa basin. Generally, however, the EKPB pre the Pan-African Orogeny, it was significantly larger than it is today. the constituent Kaapvaal Craton, Zimbabwe Craton, and Limpopo Belt are made of Archaean terranes and are underlain by a 250km layer of buoyant mantle that believed to be actively producing gemstones. During the Paleoproterozoic period, the northwest margin of the EKPB core grew by accretion and had formed a Proto-Kalahari Craton. subsequently, subduction occurred along the northwest margin followed by continental collisions along the eastern and southern margins. By this time enough Mesoproterozoic crust had accreted to transform the Kalahari Craton. During the assembly of the supercontinent "Rodinia," the Kalahari Craton was affected by the Umkondo-Borg Large Igneous Province.

Summary

Historically, the basin has been largely unexplored, and what there has been has intersecting little on interest. However, more recent exploration has intersected gas, establishing the basin as a prospective basin for hydrocarbons. An active appraisal programme will continue to develop its role.