FIRST RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION OF SUBSALT DEPOSITS OF THE NORTHERN CASPIAN SEA BY THE COMMON REFLECTION POINT SOUNDING TECHNIQUE

Abstract

Investigations done in the northern Caspian Sea more than 20 years ago have defined the general structure of the Jurassic-Cretaceous and Cenozoic deposits, but information on older complexes was lacking until recently. In 1985, the Yuzhmomeftegeofizika Trust resumed geophysical studies in the area, performing seismic soundings (by the common reflection point and correlation of refracted wave techniques), as well as electrical and gravity soundings, a geochemical survey, and ecological observations. Thus, the shallow-water field technique and subsequent processing of the seismic data have provided the first information on the structure of subsalt deposits in the northern Caspian Sea. We have located promising features for oil and gas prospecting that are assumed to be reef structures analogous to the Tengiz structure, suggesting that large oil and gas pools will be found there.