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Tectonic evolution of sedimentary basins of northern Somalia

Article in Basin Research · February 2015

DOI: 10.1111/bre.12113

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Basin Research (2015) 1–25, doi: 10.1111/bre.12113

Tectonic evolution of sedimentary basins of northern

Somalia
M. Y. Ali* and A. B. Watts†
*The Petroleum Institute, Abu Dhabi, UAE
†Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

ABSTRACT
Regional seismic reflection profiles tied to lithological and biostratigraphic data from deep explora-
tion wells have been used to determine the structure and evolution of the poorly known basins of
northern Somalia. We recognize six major tectonostratigraphic sequences in the seismic profiles:
Middle-Late Jurassic syn-rift sequences (Adigrat and Bihen Group), ?Cenomanian-Campanian
syn-rift sequences (Gumburo Group), Campanian-Maastrichtian syn-rift sequences (Jesomma
Sandstones), Palaeocene post-rift sequences (Auradu Limestones), Early-Middle Eocene post-rift
sequences (Taleh Formation) and Oligocene-Miocene (Daban Group) syn-rift sequences. Backstrip-
ping of well data provides new constraints on the age of rifting, the amount of crustal and mantle
extension, and the development of the northern Somalia rifted basins. The tectonic subsidence and
uplift history at the wells can be explained by a uniform extension model with three episodes of rif-
ting punctuated by periods of relative tectonic quiescence and thermal subsidence. The first event
initiated in the Late Jurassic (~156 Ma) and lasted for ~10 Myr and had a NW-SE trend. We inter-
pret the rift as a late stage event associated with the break-up of Gondwana and the separation of
Africa and Madagascar. The second event initiated in the Late Cretaceous (~80 Ma) and lasted for
~20–40 Myr. This event probably correlates with a rapid increase in spreading rate on the ridges
separating the African and Indian and African and Antarctica plates and a contemporaneous slowing
down of Africa’s plate motion. The backstripped tectonic subsidence data can be explained by a
multi-rift extensional model with stretching factor, b, of 1.09–1.14 and 1.05–1.28 for the first and
second rifting events, respectively. The model, fails, however, to completely explain the slow subsi-
dence and uplift history of the margin during Early Cretaceous to Late Cretaceous. We attribute this
slow subsidence to the combined effect of a sea-level fall and regional uplift, which caused a major
unconformity in northern Somalia. The third and most recent event occurred in the Oligocene
(~32 Ma) and lasted for ~10 Myr. This rift developed along the Gulf of Aden and reactivated the
Guban, Nogal and Daroor basins, and is related to the opening of the Gulf of Aden. As a result of
these events the crust and upper mantle were thinned by up to a factor of two in some basins. In
addition, several distinct petroleum systems developed. The principal exploration play is for Meso-
zoic petroleum systems with the syn-rift Oligocene-Miocene as a subordinate objective owing to low
maturity and seal problems. The main seals for the different plays are various shales, some of which
are also source rocks, but the Early Eocene evaporites of the Taleh formations can also perform a
sealing role for Palaeogene or older generated hydrocarbons migrating vertically.

Northern Somalia is affected by several rifting events

INTRODUCTION
since Late Jurassic time. Seafloor spreading between
Rifted basins form in response to continental breakup. Somalia and Madagascar-Seychelles-India began during
Heating and thinning of the continental lithosphere at the the Jurassic Magnetic Zone during Calovian-Early Oxfor-
time of rifting causes a localized subsidence and the accu- dian time (Bosellini, 1986, 1989; Coffin & Rabinowitz,
mulation of syn-rift sediments (e.g. McKenzie, 1978; 1987). Consequently, a number of NW-SE trending rift
Buck et al., 1999; Lavier & Manatschal, 2006). After the basins were initiated in the Late Jurassic. Seafloor spread-
cessation of rifting, the heated and thinned lithosphere ing ceased in the Early Cretaceous as signified by mag-
cools and post-rift sediments accumulate. netic anomaly M0–M10, the youngest anomaly mapped
in the Somali basin (Rabinowitz et al., 1983; Coffin &
Rabinowitz, 1987; Cochran, 1988; Bosellini, 1989). This
Correspondence: M. Y. Ali, The Petroleum Institute, P. O. Box was followed by regional uplift in northern Somalia
2533, Abu Dhabi, UAE. E-mail: [email protected] during the Neocomian, which caused removal of Late

© 2015 The Authors

Basin Research © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers and International Association of Sedimentologists 1
M.Y. Ali and A.B. Watts

Jurassic sequences and deposition of the Main Gypsum Loosveld et al., 1996; Al-Husseini, 2000). Throughout
sequence (Bosellini, 1992). the Palaeozoic northern Somalia and southern Arabia
A transcurrent motion that caused separation of India were most likely emergent. Therefore, the region under-
and Madagascar occurred at about 80 Ma (Norton & went considerable erosion that caused removal of Palaeo-
Sclater, 1979; Bosellini, 1992). Furthermore, in Late Cre- zoic strata (Beydoun, 1970).
taceous and Palaeocene times, Indian Ocean spreading
rates were very high. This has led to E-W trending rift
basins that exhibit considerably thick stratigraphic
Mesozoic successions
sequences. The northern Somalia margin has also been The Jurassic and Cretaceous successions in northern
influenced by the Oligocene-Miocene rifting of the Gulf Somalia have been described under a variety of rock unit
of Aden (Leroy et al., 2012; Bellahsen et al., 2013a,b). terminologies, many of which have not been clearly
Recently, Ali & Watts (2013) determined multiple rifting defined or consistently applied. This has led to consider-
episodes on the conjugate margin of the Gulf of Aden. able confusion and misunderstanding. The following sec-
They also deduced the crustal structure of the conjugate tion reviews the stratigraphic framework of northern
margins from the thermal modelling of exploration well Somalia.
biostratigraphic data and flexure and gravity modelling.
Topographic and gravity data reveal low relief areas and
Bathonian-Kimmeridgian: Adigrat sandstone formation
short-wavelength gravity “highs” and “lows”, respec-
tively, that are associated with the Mesozoic rift basins of The Adigrat Formation unconformably overlies the base-
northern Somalia (Fig. 1a, b). ment (Luger et al., 1990; Bosellini, 1992). The formation
The northern Somalia margin has all the characteristics is poorly dated and the age span may be quite variable. In
of a young rift, including a flanking rim shoulder uplift. northern Somalia it is regarded as being entirely Jurassic,
There have been very few stratigraphic studies, however, possibly Bathonian-Kimmeridgian (Abbate et al., 1974;
of the region (e.g. Bosellini, 1992). As a result, we know Merla et al., 1979). The Adigrat Formation represents
little about its subsidence and uplift history and its ther- the Mesozoic pre-rift sequence, which is regionally wide-
mal and mechanical evolution. One problem has been that spread. Regionally, the Adigrat formation correlates with
the geology of northern Somalia is not well-known due to the Kohlan Formation in Yemen (Beydoun, 1970). The
limited field geological studies, subsurface control points formation consists of conglomerates and sandstones
and geophysical surveys. To date, a total of only 34 strati- deposited in a predominantly fluvial environment, with
graphic and exploration wells have been drilled in the localized marginal marine influence. The thickness of the
region (Fig. 1). The data comprise variable amounts, Adigrat Sandstone varies from a few metres to more than
qualities and vintages of exploration borehole samples, 282 m at Cotton-1 well. The Adigrat, however, is missing
reports and logs and seismic data, acquired between 1956 in several localities in northeastern Somalia as a conse-
and 1991 by a variety of oil companies. quence of uplift during the Cretaceous.
The main aim of this article is, therefore, to use seis-
mic reflection profiles, deep exploratory wells and sur-
Oxfordian-Tithonian: Bihendula group
face geology together with modern basin analysis
techniques, to determine the tectonic subsidence and Overlying the Adigrat Sandstone Formation is a succes-
uplift history of the northern Somalia basins. By back- sion of limestones generally with some marl and shale
stripping the data, we have determined the tectonic intervals establishing the transition to a marine environ-
subsidence history and used it to constrain the rifting ment (MacFadyen, 1933; Hunt, 1956; Bosellini, 1992).
history of the margin. We show that the northern The Bihendula Group in central northern Somalia
Somalia basins have been subjected to three main rifting comprises (from the base upwards) the Bihen Limestone,
events. This result has allowed us to revise the strati- Gahodleh Shale, Wandarer Limestone, Daghani Shale
graphy of the northern Somalia and provide a frame- and Gawan Limestone Formations (MacFadyen, 1933).
work in which the regional basin development and In more eastern parts of northern Somalia, to the east of
hydrocarbon potential can be reassessed. Erigavo, the entire succession above the Adigrat
Sandstone Formation has sometimes been referred as the
Ahl Medo Sequences, with no formation subdivisions
GEOLOGICAL SETTING AND (Luger et al., 1990; Fantozzi & Ali Kassim, 2002). In
northwestern Somalia this group is equivalent to the Sa
STRATIGRAPHY
Wer Formation.
The crystalline basement of northern Somalia consists of
Proterozoic terranes amalgamated during the Neoprote- Bihen limestone formation. The unit consists of dense
rozoic compressional event of island-arc and microconti- limestones in beds up to 2 metres thick, which are slightly
nent terrane accretion that led formation of the argillaceous, particularly towards the base. The unit is
Afro-Arabian margin of Gondwana (Fig. 2; Warden & equivalent to at least the lower part of the Sa Wer Lime-
Daniels, 1982, 1984; Husseini, 1989; Sassi et al., 1993; stone Formation of northwestern Somalia (Abbate et al.,

© 2015 The Authors

2 Basin Research © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers and International Association of Sedimentologists
 Sedimentary basins of northern Somalia

(a)
12°
DSDP-231
Gardafui-1
Bandar
Zeila-2 Harshau-1
Dab Qua-1
Bosaso
Zeila-4
Zeila-1 Gulf of Aden Ras Binnah
11°

Zeila-3 Marine-1

Heemaal-1 Northern Somalia Highlands Gumbah-1

Darin-1
Hordio-1
Berbera Biyo Dader-1 Erigavo Shabeel North-1 Hafun
Buran-1 Daroor Basin Terrestre-1
Guban/Bebera Berbera-1 Figure 4 Shabeel-1
Hafun-1
Basin
10°

Las Durah-1
Dagah Hedad-1
Shabel-1-3
Borama
Cotton-1
Faro Hills-1
Hargeisa Burao Bur Dab-1 Sagaleh-1

Odweyne
9°

Basin Nogal-1
Yaguri-1 Figure 5 Kalis-1
Las
Indian Ocean
Anod-1 Nogal Basin
ETHIOPIA Las Anod Garowe
Burhisso-1
8°

SOMALIA 0 50 100
(km)

43° 44° 45° 46° 47° 48° 49° 50° 51°

–4650 –1909 –1226 –510 –48 48 195 347 454 532 602 667 729 793 866 937 1011 1131 1318 1665

Topography (m)
(b)
12°

DSDP-231
Gardafui-1
Bandar
Zeila-2 Harshau-1 Bosaso
Zeila-1
Gulf of Aden Dab Qua-1
Zeila-4 Ras Binnah
11°

Zeila-3 Marine-1

Heemaal-1 Gumbah-1
Darin-1
Hordio-1
Berbera Biyo Dader-1 Erigavo Shabeel North-1 Hafun
Buran-1 Daroor Basin Terrestre-1
Guban/BeberaBerbera-1 Shabeel-1
Hafun-1
Basin Las Durah-1
10°

Dagah Shabel-1-3
Hedad-1
Borama
Cotton-1
Faro Hills-1
Hargeisa Burao Bur Dab-1 Sagaleh-1
Odweyne
9°

Basin Nogal-1
Yaguri-1
Nogal Basin Kalis-1
Las Anod
Indian Ocean
Las Anod-1
Burhisso-1
Garowe
8°

0 50 100
ETHIOPIA SOMALIA
(km)

43° 44° 45° 46° 47° 48° 49° 50° 51°

–85 –51 –39 –33 –28 –24 –19 –15 –12 –9 –7 –5 –3 –1 1 2 4 5 6 8 9 11 14 17 20 24 29 36 45 60 96

Free-Air Gravity (mGal)

Fig. 1. (a) Topographic and bathymetric map of northern Somalia and surrounding areas based on SRTM30 Plus (Becker et al.,
2009). Also shown are exploration and stratigraphic wells drilled in northern Somalia. (b) Free-air anomaly map of northern Somalia
and surrounding areas based on Earth Gravitational Model EGM2008 (Pavlis et al., 2012).

1974) and to the Hamanlei Formation of eastern Ethio- Bosellini, 1992). Fossil identification suggest that the
pia (Barnes, 1976). Bihen Limestone was deposited in a Bihen Limestone is Callovian-Oxfordian to possibly
marginal marine setting at the base, gradually deepen- Kimmeridgian in age (Mackay et al., 1954). The Bihen
ing upwards through lagoonal facies to a shallow mar- Limestone outcrops in scattered regions of northern
ine, carbonate platform (Bruni & Fazzuoli, 1977; coastal Somalia, varying from 63 m to 125 m in

© 2015 The Authors

Basin Research © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers and International Association of Sedimentologists 3
M.Y. Ali and A.B. Watts
12°

DSDP-231
Gardafui-1
Bandar
Zeila-2 Harshau-1 Bosaso
Zeila-1 Gulf of Aden Dab Qua-1
Ras Binnah
Zeila-4
11°

Zeila-3 Marine-1

Heemaal-1 Gumbah-1
Darin-1
Hordio-1
Berbera Biyo Dader-1 Erigavo Shabeel North-1 Hafun
Guban/Bebera Berbera-1 Buran-1
Shabeel-1 Daroor BasinTerrestre-1
Basin Hafun-1
Dagah Shabel-1-3 Las Durah-1
10°

Hedad-1
Borama
Cotton-1
Hargeisa Faro Hills-1
Burao Bur Dab-1 Sagaleh-1
Odweyne
Basin
9°

Nogal-1
Yaguri-1
Nogal Basin Kalis-1
Las Anod
Indian Ocean
Las Anod-1
Garowe
Burhisso-1
8°

ETHIOPIA SOMALIA 0 50 100

(km)

43° 44° 45° 46° 47° 48° 49° 50° 51°

Late Miocene basalt Paleocene-Eocene Basement

(undifferentiated)
Pleistocene-present Cretaceous Faults
Jurassic Wells
Miocene-Oligocene

Fig. 2. Simplified geological and structural map of the northern Somalia, modified from Abbate et al. (1993b).

thickness (Mackay et al., 1954). Subsurface data in the shale is not present in the wells drilled in Nogal and
Guban basin indicate the Bihen Limestone varies from Daroor basins. This may be due to Cretaceous uplift that
40 m in Dagah Shabel-2 well to 116 m in the Biyo caused removal of Late Jurassic sequences.
Dader-1 and Dagah Shabel-1 wells.
Wanderer limestone formation. The succession consists of
Gahodleh Shale formation. The Gahodleh Shale Forma- grey, thin bedded limestones that are mainly hard and
tion is generally regarded as Oxfordian to early Kim- fine-grained but sometimes fairly argillaceous. The suc-
meridgian (MacFadyen, 1933; Hunt, 1956) and is cession was deposited on an open marine, continental
probably laterally equivalent to the upper part of the shelf in moderately shallow water (Bruni & Fazzuoli,
Sa Wer Limestone Formation and lower part of the 1977). Wanderer Limestone is laterally equivalent to the
Uarandab Formation. The formation was deposited in uppermost part of the Sa Wer Limestones in northwest-
moderately deep water (Bruni & Fazzuoli, 1977). It ern Somalia (Abbate et al., 1974) and to part of the Ethio-
consists of grey coloured gypsiferous shale. Thin layers pian Uarandab Formation (Barnes, 1976). It is considered
of argillaceous limestones are found in the succession. to be Kimmeridgian in age (MacFadyen, 1933). Well data
Gahodleh shale outcrops are scattered across coastal in central northern Somalia show that the thickness of
northern Somalia from Bihendula eastwards at least as Wanderer varies from 60 m in the Dagah Shabel-1 well to
far as Las Khoreh (Mackay et al., 1954). Westward 337 m in Dab Qua-1 well.
outcrop extent cannot be established because of variable
interpretation of age equivalent rock units (Merla et al., Daghani shale formation. The formation consists of grey
1979). Barnes (1976) used Uarandab Formation to to green-brown shales and mudstones, occasional grey-
describe all occurrence of Late Jurassic, gypsiferous black calcareous shale and an appreciable amount of thin-
shale-dominated sequences in northern Somalia. In this bedded and concretionary limestone. The formation
description Uarandab Formation is exactly equivalent is Tithonian in age, but probably extends into the
with the Gahodleh shale. In northern Somalia Kimmerdigian (MacFadyen, 1933; Abbate et al., 1974).
Gahodleh shale is the preferred term to describe such The formation is suggested to have been deposited in an
successions. open marine setting (Bruni & Fazzuoli, 1977). Daghani
Subsurface data in central northern Somalia shows that shale outcrops widely in northern Somalia. It thins rap-
the Gahodleh shale is 60–80 m thick. However, Gahodleh idly in the west near Borama (Abbate et al., 1974; Merla

© 2015 The Authors

4 Basin Research © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers and International Association of Sedimentologists
 Sedimentary basins of northern Somalia

et al., 1979). In the subsurface, the formation varies in erable confusion and misunderstanding. The name
thickness from 60 m to 319 m. ‘Nubian Sandstone’ was applied to describe outcrops of
arenaceous deposits making up the entire Cretaceous suc-
Gawan limestone formation. Gawan Limestone consists of cession in parts of northern Somalia (Wyllie, 1925; Mac-
a thick unit of grey to grey-white and brown, dense, fine- Fadyen, 1933; Hunt, 1956). However, as ‘Nubian
grained limestones with well bedded mudstone and Sandstone’ is used to describe sediments representing a
wackestone with thin shale intercalations. The formation wide variety of ages, it is suggested that all Cretaceous
is late Tithonian in age (MacFadyen, 1933). Gawan arenaceous successions in northern Somalia should be
Limestone Formation is considered to be an exact equiva- referred to the Jesomma Sandstone Formation, a term
lent of the Gabredarre Formation of eastern Ethiopia that was originally used in southern Somalia (e.g. Bosel-
(Barnes, 1976). Gawan limestone is known only from lini, 1992).
scattered outcrops in central northern and northwestern The best-exposed section of Jesomma Sandstone in the
Somalia (MacFadyen, 1933; Abbate et al., 1974), proba- country is at Bihendula, east of Berbera (10.4356°N,
bly due to the effects of post-Jurassic erosion. Subsurface 45.0164°E, Fig. 1). The succession consists of highly
data shows that the unit is present only in the wells drilled weathered course grained quartz-rich sandstones. A major
in central northern Somalia (e.g. Biyo Dader-1 and Dagah disconformity separates the Jesomma Sandstone from
Shabel wells). underlying Late Jurassic Gawan Limestone (Bosellini,
1989). Also, Jesomma Sandstone rests unconformably on
crystalline basement in parts of northern Somalia. The
Sa Wer formation
Jesomma Sandstone was deposited in a variety of fluvial
Sa Wer Formation is described from outcrops in north- environments and it is considered not older than Turo-
westernmost Somalia, where it does not appear to be pos- nian (Bruni & Fazzuoli, 1977; Luger et al., 1990). The
sible to establish clear lithological correlation with the Shabel Beds consist of a shaly facies developed within the
Bihendula Group. A tentative chronostratigraphic corre- Jesomma Sandstone Formation, suggesting a possible
lation suggests that the Sa Wer Limestone Formation is coastal plain or deltaic environment (Wyllie, 1925). The
time equivalent to the Bihen Limestone, Gahodleh Shale Shabel Beds are restricted to parts of coastal northern
and Wanderer Limestone Formations of central northern Somalia, south of Berbera.
Somalia and to the Hamanlei Formation and part of the In most parts of northwestern Somalia, the Jesomma
Uarandab Formation of eastern Ethiopia (Fig. 3). The Sandstone Formation is very thick (>700 m) and makes
formation was deposited in shallow marine carbonate up the entire Cretaceous succession. However, in central
depositional environments (Abbate et al., 1974). and eastern northern Somalia the succession is much
thinner and absent in northeasternmost Somalia (Mackay
et al., 1954; Beydoun, 1970). In the eastern part of north-
Ahl Medo group
ern Somalia, east of Erigavo, the Jesomma sandstone
Ahl Medo Group is used to describe all Jurassic deposits grades into the Tisje carbonate Formation (Merla et al.,
above the Adigrat Sandstone Formation in the more east- 1979; Luger et al., 1990). The Tisje Formation was
erly parts of northern Somalia (northeast of Erigavo), deposited in a shallow marine environment, and is pre-
where the succession is more sandy than that seen further dominantly limestone, with a basal, sandy conglomerate
west (Brown, 1931; Merla et al., 1979; Luger et al., and intercalations of sandstones in the upper part (Luger
1990). However, the Ahl Medo Group has not been used et al., 1990).
extensively in discussions of subsurface sequences of The Gumburo Group has been used mainly by oil
the northern Somalia. Ahl Medo Group was deposited companies operating in the country to describe the entire
in a range of marginal marine and shallow marine Late Cretaceous succession in northeastern Somalia
environments, including tidal inlet, tidal flat, fan delta, where it is predominantly carbonate (Barnes, 1976). In
shoreface, foreshore, lagoon, barrier and shelf (Luger the Nogal basin, Nogal-1 and Kalis-1 show that Gumburo
et al., 1990). is predominantly clastic which consists of poorly sorted
fluvio/deltaic sandstones deposited in the rift axis of the
basin. Jesomma Sandstone is probably a lateral equivalent
Cretaceous successions of the Gumburo Group as well as the Cotton Formation.
A major pre-Aptian deformational event is documented The Cotton Formation comprises interbedded lime-
over northern Somalia, where the Neocomian-Barremian stones, dolomites and shales deposited in forereef and
interval is generally absent (Bosellini, 1992). In the south- medium-depth neritic environment and coined by oil
ern and eastern parts of northern Somalia, the Neocomi- companies that were operating in the country (Barnes,
an-Barremian interval is represented by a varied suite of 1976). The type locality of the formation is Cotton-1
sediments, including a thick evaporate succession known well. The Cotton Formation is considered to form part
as Main Gypsum. The Cretaceous successions have been of the Tisje Formation. It also appears to be laterally
described under a variety of different terminologies. equivalent to part of Gumburo. The formation may
Many of these are not clearly defined, resulting in consid- also overlie the Gumburo Group.

© 2015 The Authors

Basin Research © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers and International Association of Sedimentologists 5
M.Y. Ali and A.B. Watts

SOURCE
PERIOD TECTONIC
EPOCH/AGE W FORMATION/LITHOLOGY E RESERVOIR
(Ma) SEAL INTERPRETATION

Plio-
Piacenzan

cene
Aden Volcanic
Zanclean ?
Messinian
Upper Tortonian ? Post-
?
Miocene

rift 3
Serravallian
Middle

Scushuban
Langhian Bandar
Dubar Harshau
Burdigalian Hafun

Guban Group
Lower

20 Group
Aquitanian
TERTIARY

Lower Upper
Oligocene

Chattian Syn-
Daban Evaporite Unit Gulf of Aden rifting
Group rift 3
Rupelian Mudstone Unit
Upper

Priabonian
Lower
Bartonian Daban Hordio/ Post-
40
Middle
Eocene

Obbia rift 2
Lutetian Karkar

Taleh
Lower

Ypresian
Auradu Allahkajid Sagaleh
Paleocene

Thanetian
Upper

60 Selandian
Syn-
Lower

Danian
rift 2
Masstrichtian
Gumburo Group

Campanian Jesomma
(Nubian)
Upper

80
Santonian Tisje
CRETACEOUS

Coniacian
?
Turonian Shabel
beds
?
Cenomanian
100
Albian
Cotton

? ? ? Gondwana intra-cratonic rifting

Post-
rift 1
Aptian
Lower

120
LEGEND
Sandstone
Berrmian
Hauterivian Shale

Valanginian ? ? Limestone
Main Gypsum
140 Evaporite/
Berriasian ? ?
Anhydrite
Tithoniaan Gabre Volcanic/Basalt
JURASSIC

darre Gawan
Malm

Coal
Uarandab

Kimmeridgian Daghani Syn-

Ahl
rift 1 Non-deposition
Wanderer Medo
Oxfordian or erosion
Sawer

160 Gahodleh Potential source rock

Callovian
? Pre-rift
Hamanlei

? Potential reservoir rock

Dogger

Bathonian Bihen
Potential seal rock
Bajocian
Aalenian Adigrat Adigrat
Basalt
PROTEROZOIC Basement

Fig. 3. Summary tectono-stratigraphy of northern Somalia.

© 2015 The Authors

6 Basin Research © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers and International Association of Sedimentologists
 Sedimentary basins of northern Somalia

The Hordio Formation is a deeper marine equivalent

Cenozoic successions of the Karkar Formation. It is only reported from a few
Palaeocene to early Eocene: Auradu formation subsurface sections in northeastern Somalia. In the Hor-
dio-1 well, the unit consists of 384 m of dark grey shales.
Limestones of the Auradu Formation were deposited in a
shallow marine environment during the Palaeocene to
Early Eocene (MacFadyen, 1933; Mackay et al., 1954). Oligocene – Miocene sequences
The formation rests disconformably upon the Cretaceous Oligocene and Miocene sediments are mostly restricted to
sequences as a Palaeocene marine transgression pro- narrow and isolated sub-basins along the coastal belt
gressed across the region from east to west. Auradu For- bordering the Gulf of Aden, occasionally extending
mation is equivalent to the Umm Er Radhuma inland in low-lying regions. The sequences were depos-
Formation of the Arabian Peninsula (Beydoun, 1970, ited in localized grabens caused by the rifting of the Gulf
1989). The formation consists of thick-bedded grey to of Aden. The best outcrops of Oligocene-Miocene sedi-
white, hard and massive limestone. A sequence of lime- ments occur in Daban basin (south-east of Berbera) which
stones with interbedded shales, at times chalky and gyp- is a down-faulted rotated block bordering the northern
siferous, with calcareous shales forms a local member of Somalia plateau and some 20 by 40 km in extent, where a
the Auradu Formation and is assigned to the Allahkajid thick succession (up to 2700 m) of Middle Eocene to
member (MacFadyen, 1933). Auradu Formation occurs Early Miocene clastic deposits accumulated (Farquhar-
in fairly extensive outcrops over much of northern Soma- son, 1924; Wyllie, 1925; MacFadyen, 1933; Hunt, 1960;
lia (MacFadyen, 1933; Mackay et al., 1954; Merla et al., Beydoun, 1989; Abbate et al., 1993a).
1979). The Auradu limestone is also widely exposed in
the Nogal valley. Subsurface data show that the Auradu Daban group. The Daban Group consists of a thick
Formation varies from 262 m in Hordio-1 well to 750 m sequence of red-brown, green sand and silts, gypsiferous
in Buran-1 well. Furthermore, the Auradu Formation sandstone, and gypsiferous sands and marls. The Scushu-
thickens and becomes more basinal facies to the east indi- ban Formation (Azzaroli, 1957; Merla et al., 1979) is con-
cating continued subsidence along the Indian Ocean mar- sidered to be equivalent to the Daban Group, at least in
gin (Beydoun, 1970). For example, Sagaleh-1 well part. The Guban Group (Azzaroli, 1958) can also be sug-
intersected a basinal succession consisting of dark grey gested to be at least partly equivalent to the Daban
shales and clays with silts or fine sands. The unit is Group. On the Yemeni side, partly age-equivalent sedi-
assigned to the Sagaleh Formation and is equivalent to ments are recognized forming the Shihr Group, which is
the lower part of the Auradu Formation. divided into the Ghaydah, Hami and Sarar Formations
(Bott et al., 1992; Hughes & Beydoun, 1992).
Early to middle Eocene: Taleh formation
Guban group. The Guban Group is used to describe the
The Taleh Formation consists of massive to banded gyp- sedimentary sequence restricted to the narrow down
sum and anhydrite, irregularly bedded with chalky gypsif- faulted belt along the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden
erous limestones. It was deposited in a predominantly (Azzaroli, 1958). The group includes all marine Oligocene
intertidal-supratidal environment during the Early to and Miocene sediments. In the down-faulted Gulf of
possibly Middle Eocene (Boeckelmann & Schreiber, Aden in the vicinity of Bandar Harshau-1 and Dab Qua-1
1990). It is equivalent to the Rus Formation of the Ara- wells, the Guban Group consists of Mudstone Unit,
bian Peninsula (Beydoun, 1970, 1989). Taleh Formation Evaporite Unit and Bandar Harshau Formation.
outcrops over vast areas of central and eastern parts of
northern Somalia (Fig. 2; Farquharson, 1924; Brown,
Miocene sequences
1931; MacFadyen, 1933; Mackay et al., 1954; Hunt,
1956). Dubar formation. The Dubar Formation is considered to
be Miocene in age (MacFadyen, 1933). Referred also as
the Coastal Limestone Series (Farquharson, 1924), the
Middle Eocene: Karkar formation
Dubar Formation is probably equivalent to the Hafun
The Karkar Formation predominantly consists of a marly Group, which is outcropping in northeastern Somalia
limestone. Over most of northern Somalia, the formation is along the Indian Ocean coast. The Hafun Group is mainly
entirely of Middle Eocene age. In the extreme northeast, carbonate and unconformably overlies the Karkar Forma-
the Karkar Formation may range up to the Late Eocene tion. The occurrence of the Dubar Formation only along
(Azzaroli, 1952, 1958). The lower subdivision of the Daban the coastal areas of the Gulf of Aden suggests that their age
Series (Farquharson, 1924) may be a lateral facies variation is Miocene, younger than that of the faulting which formed
of the upper part of Karkar Formation. The formation was the northern Somalia plateau during the Oligocene.
deposited in a shallow marine environment, except for the
Lower Daban Beds, a clastic succession, which appears to Scushuban formation. The Scushuban Formation
be mainly of non-marine to very shallow marine origin. outcrops along the coast of the Indian Ocean (Azzaroli,

© 2015 The Authors

Basin Research © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers and International Association of Sedimentologists 7
M.Y. Ali and A.B. Watts

1957). It is considered to represent a marginal marine lat- SEISMIC STRATIGRAPHY OF GUBAN

eral facies equivalent of the Miocene formations of the AND NOGAL RIFTED BASINS
Hafun and Guban Groups as well as the Upper and Mid-
dle Daban Group. The Group outcrops along a continu- Two regional seismic reflection profiles that have total
ous narrow belt along the Indian Ocean between Ras lengths of 101 km (Fig. 4) and 146 km (Fig. 5), respec-
Hafun and Eyl. tively, were used to determine the subsurface structure of
The stratigraphy of northern Somalia is summarized in the Guban and Nogal rift basins.
Fig. 3. The figure also shows the major formations, gen- The east-west striking Nogal rift basin as defined by
eral thicknesses and known occurrences of oil shows in seismic data is approximately 200 km long and 40 km
these rocks. wide (Fig. 1). It is a half-graben with its deepest depocen-

(a) SW Dagah Shabel-1 Biyo Dader-1

NE

0.5

1.0
TWT (sec)

1.5

2.0

2.5

0 10
3.0
km

(b) Dagah Shabel-1 Biyo Dader-1

SW NE

0.5
?
1.0

?
TWT (sec)

1.5

?
2.0
Oligocene-Miocene
(Daban)

2.5
Lower-Middle Eocene
(Taleh) ?
Paleocene
(Auradu) ?
Maastrichtian
(Jesomma) 0 10
3.0 Middle-Upper Jurassic
(Adigrat and Bihen) ? km

Fig. 4. (a) Uninterpreted and interpreted seismic reflection profile across the Guban basin crossing Dagah Shabel-1 and Biyo Dader-
1 wells. Quintana Somalia Ltd acquired the seismic data in 1982. Acquisition and processing parameters are not available. (b) Well-to-
seismic tie and the lateral continuity of seismic horizons allowed identification of five mapable stratigraphic sequences. These are: (1)
Middle-Late Jurassic syn-rift sequences (Adigrat Group), (2) Maastrichtian syn-rift sequences (Jesomma Sandstones), (3) Palaeocene
post-rift sequences (Auradu Limestones), (4) Early-Middle Eocene post-rift sequences (Taleh Formation) and (5) Oligocene-Miocene
syn-rift sequences. For location see Figure 1a.

© 2015 The Authors

8 Basin Research © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers and International Association of Sedimentologists
 Sedimentary basins of northern Somalia

(a) SSW SP Nogal -1 NNE

1840 1760 1680 1600 1520 1440 1360 1280 1200 1120 1040
0

1.0
TWT (sec)

2.0

3.0

4.0
0 10

km

(b) SSW SP Nogal -1 NNE

1840 1760 1680 1600 1520 1440 1360 1280 1200 1120 1040
0

1.0
TWT (sec)

?
2.0

Oligocene-Miocene-Recent ?
Lower-Middle Eocene ?
3.0 (Taleh )
Paleocene
? ? ?
(Auradu)
Maastriichtian
(Jesomma)
4.0 ?Cenomanian-Campanian
(Gumburo)
? 0 10
Middle-Upper Jurassic
(Adigrat) km

Fig. 5. (a) Uninterpreted and interpreted seismic reflection profile across Nogal basin crossing Nogal-1 well. Conoco Somalia Ltd
acquired the seismic data in 1988 using a vibrator source and split spread geometry with shot point interval of 120 m, group interval of
60 m, near offset of 150 and far offset of 3690 m. This geometry resulted a maximum CDP coverage of 30-fold. Standard processing
sequences were used. However, a pseudo-dynamite correction was applied. (b) Well-to-seismic tie and the lateral continuity of seismic
horizons allowed identification of six mapable stratigraphic sequences. These are: (1) Middle-Late Jurassic syn-rift sequences (Adigrat
Group), (2) ?Cenomanian-Campanian syn-rift sequences (Gumburo Group), (3) Maastrichtian syn-rift sequences (Jesomma Sand-
stones), (4) Palaeocene post-rift sequences (Auradu Limestones), (5) Early-Middle Eocene post-rift sequences (Taleh Formation) and
(6) Oligocene-Miocene (Nogal Group) syn-rift sequences. For location see Figure 1a.

tre located in the west (northeast of Nogal-1 well). physical properties of formations. As a result, well-to-
Normal faulting with northerly tilted fault blocks is the seismic ties and the lateral continuity of seismic horizons
common style. Guban is a rift basin in a continental mar- allowed identification of six regionally mapable strati-
gin setting along the coast of the Gulf of Aden which graphic sequences (Figs 4 and 5). These are: (1) ?Middle-
formed as a result of Mesozoic and Tertiary rifting. Late Jurassic sequences (Adigrat and Bihen Group), (2) ?
The seismic profile in Fig. 4 extends from southwest of Cenomanian-Campanian syn-rift sequences (Gumburo
Dagah Shabel-1 well to northeast of Biyo Dader-1 well. Group), (3) Campanian-Maastrichtian syn-rift sequences
The profile crosses thick Oligocene-Miocene sequence of (Jesomma Sandstones), (4) Palaeocene post-rift sequences
Daban basin. The seismic profile in Fig. 5 traverses the (Auradu Limestones), (5) Early-Middle Eocene post-rift
Nogal basin and crosses Nogal-1 well in a SSW-NNE ori- sequences (Taleh Formation) and (6) Oligocene-Miocene
entation. The seismic profiles were part of large seismic (Daban Group) syn-rift sequences. Gumburo Group was
surveys acquired and processed in the 1980s and early not identified in the seismic data from Guban basin.
1990s for hydrocarbon exploration activities in the region.
The quality of seismic profiles is reasonably good except
Middle-Late Jurassic sequence (Adigrat and
in the northeastern part of the seismic profile across Gu-
ban basin where the quality is poor due mainly to static
Bihen Group)
problems and intense faulting. The seismic profiles reveal The deepest drilled sequence corresponds to stratigraphic
the sedimentary structure of the basins, but do not distin- units of Middle-Late Jurassic. The top of the sequence
guish the syn-rift sequence from the post-rift sequence or exhibits laterally continuous weak reflector. Internally the
the underlying basement. sequence exhibits high-amplitude, continuous to discon-
Wireline logs (gamma ray, resistivity and sonic) com- tinuous reflectors although some of the reflectors may be
bined with well reports provided information on subsur- due to multiples. The crystalline basement cannot be
face geology at the well locations including lithology and clearly imaged.

© 2015 The Authors

Basin Research © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers and International Association of Sedimentologists 9
M.Y. Ali and A.B. Watts

Seismic profiles show that Bihen Group sediments Moreover, this second rift phase appears to be associated
generally thicken from west to east into the faults that with horsts and grabens, which provide potential struc-
bound the Guban and Nogal basins. However, the quality tural traps.
of the seismic data in the Jurassic, together with lack of
penetration by Nogal-1 well, means that we are unable to
identify a syn-rift and post-rift sequence with any confi-
Palaeocene post-rift sequence (Auradu
dence. Nevertheless, the seismic profiles indicate that
Limestones) and Early-Middle Eocene post-
what appear to be pre-Cretaceous basins, expressed as on-
rift sequence (Taleh Formation).
lap of deep reflectors (below the base Cretaceous section) The Palaeocene and Early-Middle Eocene post-rift
onto older surfaces. It is unlikely that this geometry would sequences are characterized by high-amplitude, continu-
be preserved within metamorphosed basement, and they ous, sub-parallel reflectors. Internally the sequences dis-
may therefore represent a Late Jurassic rifting event in play strong amplitude, continuous, parallel reflectors that
this area. can be mapped throughout the seismic sections. The bot-
Furthermore, the seismic profiles (Figs 4 and 5) sug- tom section of the sequence is disconformable with the
gest the presence of rollover anticlines and major normal Jesomma sandstone and is characterized by high-ampli-
faults that cut through all the sequences including the tude, continuous reflectors. The top of the sequence is lat-
overlying Oligocene and Miocene syn-rift sequences. erally continuous, high to moderate amplitude reflector.
Therefore, there is evidence that some of the Mesozoic The thicknesses of the sequences (e.g. Fig. 5) are gener-
faults may have been reactivated during Oligocene-Mio- ally constant throughout the basin, which suggests to us
cene rifting episode. that they were deposited in a post-rift rather than syn-rift
tectonic setting.
?Cenomanian-Campanian syn-rift sequence
(Gumburo Group) Oligocene-Miocene (Daban Group) syn-rift
sequence
This sequence is only present in the Nogal basin, where it
is ~1200 m thick (0.8 s TWT) at the centre of the basin. This sequence exhibits strong amplitude, continuous,
The top of the sequence is a laterally continuous to dis- sub-parallel reflectors that can be mapped throughout the
continuous reflector that can be traced across the profile. seismic section. In the Guban basin the sequence forms
Internally the sequence exhibits high-amplitude, continu- 2250 m (1.5 s TWT) thick Daban Group that is shown in
ous to discontinuous reflectors. Figure 5 clearly shows the centre of the seismic profile (Fig. 4). In the Nogal
that the sequence generally thickens from SSW to NNW basin the sequence clearly thickens towards the basin-
towards the basin-bounding normal fault. The thickening bounding normal fault with a maximum thickness of
suggests growth on the fault and that the Gumboro ~1500 m (1 s TWT) at the NNE of the profile (Fig. 5).
Group is a syn-rift sequence. The sequence also shows The sudden increase in thickness is related, we believe, to
evidence of localized horsts and grabens which might the initiation of another episode of rifting related to the
reflect reactivation of earlier Jurassic faults. opening of Gulf of Aden.
Seismic data clearly indicate that a major period of
growth of the Guban basin occurred in the Oligocene-
Campanian-Maastrichtian syn-rift sequence Miocene, by development of spectacular half-graben
(Jesomma Sandstones) forming the Daban sub-basin (Fig. 4). In the Nogal
The top of this sequence is a prominent, readily traceable basin, the Oligocene unconformity is clearly seen from
reflector of high amplitude and medium continuity across seismic profile. The Oligocene-Miocene sequence is
most of the study area. The sequence generally increases onlapping on the Eocene Taleh and Karkar formations.
in thickness towards the basin-bounding normal fault, Furthermore, the seismic profiles indicate that the Gulf
although the amount of thickening appears to be less than of Aden rifting reactivated many of the Mesozoic rift
in the underlying sequence. In the Guban basin the faults. The Mesozoic faults that bounded earlier rifts
sequence is up to 3300 m (2.2 s TWT) and in Nogal cut through the overlying Oligocene–Miocene syn-rift
basin the sequence is about 750 m (0.5 s TWT) at the sequences.
centre of the basin. Internally the sequence has variable
amplitude, discontinuous, low-frequency, low-vertical
spacing reflectors as well as chaotic pattern. The sequence BACKSTRIPPING, SUBSIDENCE AND
is interpreted as shallow-marine Jesomma sandstones that UPLIFT HISTORY OF NORTHERN
were deposited as the basin rapidly subsided as a result of
another episode of rifting.
SOMALIA
The stratigraphy of the Gamburo Group and Jesomma Backstripping is a powerful tool for analysing the subsi-
Sandstone is consistent with a second, later rifting that dence and uplift history of a sedimentary basin (e.g. Watts
post-dates a possible Middle Jurassic event. The seismic & Ryan, 1976; Ali & Watts, 2009). The procedure, which
profiles suggest that sedimentation was fault controlled. corrects the stratigraphic record for the effects of

© 2015 The Authors

10 Basin Research © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers and International Association of Sedimentologists
 Sedimentary basins of northern Somalia

compaction, water depth and sea-level changes (e.g. Stec- were computed assuming densities of water and mantle of
kler & Watts, 1978), determines the depth-to-basement in 1030 and 3330 kg m 3, respectively, and an Airy model
the absence of sediment and water loading. By comparing of isostasy. A correction for compaction was calculated
this depth to predictions of thermal models it is possible using porosity-depth relationships based on neutron
to constrain the amount of thinning, and hence heating of porosity and sonic logs of each well and a grain and min-
a basin during rifting. eral density of 2670 kg m 3. The water depth was esti-
The analysis carried out in this study is based on bio- mated from the biostratigraphic data in the wells. Finally,
stratigraphic data from sixteen exploration wells across the resulting tectonic subsidence and uplift were cor-
the northern Somalia rifted basins (Fig. 6a, b, c). Four of rected for the effect of sea-level change using the smooth
the wells are located in the Guban basin and six wells are global curve of Watts & Steckler (1979), which has been
located in the Nogal basin. The other six wells are located shown by Miller et al. (2005); M€ uller et al. (2008) to be
in the Daroor basin. The wells were selected to determine representative of long-term sea-level change during the
the history of Mesozoic and Tertiary rifted events that Mesozoic and Cenozoic.
formed the northern Somalia basins. Figure 6a, b, c show The total sediment accumulation at the wells can be
the correlation of the exploration wells in Guban, Nogal divided into two parts: one represents the contribution of
and Daroor basins that we used for the analysis. The bio- sediment and water loading, the other the unknown tec-
stratigraphic data indicates that most of the sediments tonic driving subsidence and uplift. The main features in
sampled in the wells were deposited mainly in shallow the backstrip curves at all the wells in Guban, Nogal and
water environments. Daroor basins are similar. This reassures us that we have
Tectonic subsidence and uplift curves resulting from corrected the stratigraphic record at each well for local
the backstripping analysis at each of the wells (Figs 7–9) effects and that backstripping does indeed isolate the main

(a)

SW Bandar Harshau -1 NE
GR
0 API 100 NPHI
0 50
0 600

800
250 GR
Dab Qua - 1
(meters) 0 NPHI 50
STAGE

0 API 100
Q AGE

FORMATION 1000
500
Oligo-Mioc.

Lithology 1200
Guban Group

Harshau

800 Guban Group

Bandar

?
Sandstone Mudstone Evaporite Unit ?
(Bandar Harshau)
1400 1000
Limestone Shale
Taleh
TERTIARY
Paleocene-Eocene

Karkar ?
Evaporite Basement 1600 1200
Taleh Allah Kajid
1800
Allah-
Kajid

1400
Auradu
2000 Auradu
1600
Dagah Shabel - 1
Jesomma SP LLS 2200
Jesomma
Upper

(Nubian) mV Ohm.m Biyo 1800

CRETACEOUS

–40 40 0.2 200

Dader-1
2400
2000
200 TD 2504 m
200
2200
Lower

400 Tisje
400
2400
600
Tisje
600 Datum:
CRETACEOUS 2600
800
Malm

Gawan ? Gawan
? JURASSIC Daghani
JURASSIC

Daghani 800
Wanderer 2800
Gahodleh 1000
1000 Wanderer
Dogger

Bihen
1200 3000
Adigrat
1200 Gahodleh
PROTER Basement Adigrat
OZOIC TD 1372m TD 3159 m
1400 ?
TD 1476 m

Fig. 6. (a) Well correlation in the Guban basin. For location of the wells see Figs 1 and 2. (b) Well correlation in the Nogal basin. For
location of the wells see Figs 1 and 2. (c) Well correlation in the Daroor basin. The stratigraphy of the wells is dominated by shallow
water carbonates and sandstones. For location of the wells see Figs 1 and 2. SP, Spontaneous Potential; LLS, Laterolog Shallow
Resistivity; GR, Gamma Ray; NPHI, Neutron Porosity; DT, Δt, which measure formations’ capacity to transmit seismic waves.

© 2015 The Authors

Basin Research © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers and International Association of Sedimentologists 11
M.Y. Ali and A.B. Watts

(b) Nogal-1
GR SP
–67.94 gAPI 176.14 102.37 mV 204.38
0
STAGE
Q AGE

FORMATION
Lithology

Nogal Group
Kalis-1
Oligo-Mioc.

500 Sandstone 0 GR SP
–9.15 gAPI 110.92 113.10 mV 203.70
Nogal Group 0
Limestone Shale 250 Taleh
(meters)
?
TERTIARY

Karkar 1000 Evaporite Basement 500

Paleocence-Eocene

500
Taleh
Auradu
Auradu 1500
1000

Faro Hills -1 Burhisso-1

SP GR SP
GR
Maastrichtian

2.09 gAPI 54.56 –30.34 mV 59.40

10.03 –127 –4.53
Jesomma 0
0.93 gAPI mV

2000 Yaguri-1 Las Anod -1 0

Jesomma
(Nubian) GR SP 0 1500
CRETACEOUS

1.40 gAPI 50.95 –51.17 mV 68.20

0 ?

Campanian 500 500

2500
500 2000
500 Gumburo
Santonian Group
Gumburo
Group 1000 1000
Coniancian 3000
Turonian 1000 2500 Datum:
Cenomanian 1000
Neocamian CRETACEOUS
Gabredarre TD 3272 m 1500 Adigrat JURASSIC
1500 ?
Basement
Malm

Uarandab 1500 TD 1551 m TD 2947 m

?
JURASSIC

TD 1637 m TD 1441 m
?
Hamanlei TD 1664 m
Dogger

Adigrat
PROTER Basement
OZOIC

(c) Hordio-1
STAGE

Miocene
0
AGE

FORMATION Lithology Sandstone

Limestone Shale
Q

250
(meters) 500 Oligocene
Oligo-Mioc.

Evaporite Basement
500
Hafun/Daban
Group Cotton-1
Sagaleh-1
TERTIARY

1000
Karkar
Paleocene-Eocene

Karkar
Taleh
? Darin-1 500
SP Resistivity
–22 mV 110.9 0.2 Ohm.m 2000 500
1500
Auradu
?
Oligo-Mioc. Hafun-1 Taleh
GR DT
0 API 60 40 us/f 190
Karkar
1000
?
Maastrichtian

Buran-1 500 1000

Jesomma 2000
(Nubian) Taleh Auradu
500
1500 Jesomma
CRETACEOUS

1000 1500 (Tijse)

Campanian 2500
500

? 1000
Santonian ? 2000 Gumburo
Gumburo Group
Group 1500 2000
3000
Coniancian 1000
Turonian Cotton
Cenomanian 1500 Main Gypsum Datum
2500 Formation CRETACEOUS
Neocomian
Gabredarre 2000 TD 3414m 2500 Uarandab JURASSIC
1500 ?
Malm

Uarandab
JURASSIC

2000
3000 Hamanlei
Hamanlei 2500 3000
2000
TD 3312 m Adigrat Adigrat
Adigrat TD 3286 m
? 2500
PROTER Basement ? TD 2555 m
OZOIC ?
TD 2989 m
TD 2437 m

Fig. 6. Continued.

© 2015 The Authors

12 Basin Research © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers and International Association of Sedimentologists
 Sedimentary basins of northern Somalia

Age (Ma)
160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Fig. 7. Comparison of the backstrip curves of exploration wells
0 in Guban basin to the predictions of a uniform extension model
Dab Qua-1 Tectonic with crust and mantle extension. Note that the tectonic subsi-
subsidence dence curves are concave-up and resemble the tectonic subsi-
dence curves of rifted margins. The calculated value is based on
1 an initial rift of 156 Ma with rift duration of 10 Myr, a second
Depth (km)

β1=1.14 period of rifting starting at 80 Ma with duration of stretching of

β2=1.05 40 Ma. The best fit between the tectonic subsidence curve and
Corrected β3 =1.1 the calculated curve is for a stretching factor, b1, of 1.14 (Dab
0
sediment Qua-1 well) for the first rifting, b2 = 1.05–1.23 for the second
2
thickness rifting, and b3 = 1.10–1.50 for the third rifting episode.
β=
Total 3 1.
3 0
sediment β=
thickness 3 1
.50 features of the regional patterns of tectonic subsidence
3
and uplift. The tectonic subsidence and uplift curves
160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 show four main tectonic features:
0
Bandar Harshau-1
First rift phase: Kimmeridgian-Tithonian
The most striking feature of the backstrip curves at the
1 β1=1.14 Guban, Nogal and Daroor wells is the fast initial and
Depth (km)

then slowing subsidence. The curve shape resembles the

typical concave-up profile of a rifted basin and so we
interpret it as representative of a rapid initial syn-rift
2 subsidence followed by an exponential post-rift thermal
β2=1.23
β =1
3 .10
subsidence. The tectonic subsidence suggests that the rif-
β=
ting started on early Kimmeridgian (~156 Ma), and
3 1
.30 activity continued until the late Tithonian (~145 Ma),
3
with a syn-rift duration of about 10 Ma. In the Guban
160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 basin, the rifting was accompanied by deposition of the
0 Bihendula Group.
Biyo Dader-1 We interpret this first rift phase as corresponding to a
β1=1.05 late-stage breakup of the Gondwana when Africa and
β1 =1.09
Madagascar separated between 165 and 130 Ma (Coffin &
β1 =1.13
1 Rabinowitz, 1987). The rifting led to the development of
Depth (km)

a number of NW-SE trending grabens in the region. Evi-

dence for this event is found in the Late Jurassic rifted
basins in northern Somalia and Yemen (Mason, 1957;
2 Bott et al., 1992; Ellis et al., 1996; Birse et al., 1997;
Brannan et al., 1997; Morrison et al., 1997; Huchon &
Khanbari, 2003).

3
Early to Late Cretaceous uplift
160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0
0
The tectonic subsidence curves of the Guban basin show
Dagah Shabel-2 a period of slower subsidence or uplift during Early to
β1=1.06 Late Cretaceous times (Fig. 7). The decrease in subsi-
β1 =1.10 dence may be related to the post-rift thermal subsidence.
β1 =1.14
1 Additionally, the tectonic subsidence curves of the Nogal
Depth (km)

and Daroor basins show a major unconformity separating

Jurassic and Late Cretaceous sediments (Figs 8 and 9).
This unconformity may be linked with the Neocomian-
2 Barremian uplift of the region and a period of a pro-
nounced long-term sea-level lowstand, caused by an
eustatic fall in sea-level (Haq et al., 1988; Bosellini, 1992;
Miller et al., 2005), and so we believe it reflects uplift and
3 erosion rather than non-deposition. This resulted in the
removal of any Late Jurassic syn-rift and post-rift such

© 2015 The Authors

Basin Research © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers and International Association of Sedimentologists 13
M.Y. Ali and A.B. Watts

Age (Ma) Age (Ma)

160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0
0 0
Lower Cretaceous Lower Cretaceous
Unconformity Unconformity

Tectonic
Yaguri-1 subsidence Faro Hills-1

1 1
Corrected sediment

Depth (km)
Depth (km)

thickness

2 2

3 3

160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

0 0
Lower Cretaceous Lower Cretaceous
Unconformity Unconformity

Las Anod-1 Nogal-1

1 1
Depth (km)
Depth (km)

2 2

3 3

160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

0 0
Lower Cretaceous
Unconformity Lower Cretaceous
Unconformity

Burhisso-1 Kalis-1

1 1
Depth (km)
Depth (km)

2 2

3 3

Fig. 8. Backstripping of biostratigraphic data from exploration wells in the Nogal basin showing the total sediment accumulation at the
wells together with the backstripped tectonic subsidence and uplift. Note the major uplift period in the Early Cretaceous, which resulted
in the removal of Late Jurassic sequences. The vertical colour bars show interpreted syn-rift subsidence for the three rifting events.

© 2015 The Authors

14 Basin Research © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers and International Association of Sedimentologists
 Sedimentary basins of northern Somalia

Age (Ma) Age (Ma)

160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0
0 0
Hordio-1 Hafun-1
Lower Cretaceous
Unconformity Tectonic Lower Cretaceous
subsidence Unconformity

1 1

Depth (km)
Depth (km)

Corrected sediment
thickness

2 2

3 3

160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

0 0
Darin-1 Cotton-1

Lower Cretaceous
Unconformity Lower Cretaceous
Unconformity

1 1
Depth (km)

Depth (km)

2 2

3 3

160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

0 0
Buran-1 Sagaleh-1
Lower Cretaceous
Unconformity
Lower Cretaceous
Unconformity
1 1
Depth (km)
Depth (km)

2 2

3 3

Fig. 9. Backstripping of biostratigraphic data from exploration wells in the Daroor basin showing the total sediment accumulation at the
wells together with the backstripped tectonic subsidence and uplift. Note the major uplift period in the Early Cretaceous, which resulted
in the removal of Late Jurassic sequences. The vertical colour bars show interpreted syn-rift subsidence for the three rifting events.

© 2015 The Authors

Basin Research © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers and International Association of Sedimentologists 15
M.Y. Ali and A.B. Watts

that these sequences are only preserved in localized rifting, lateral heat flow and flexure (Cochran, 1981), and
depressions. multiple rift events (Cunha, 2008). The initial, pre-rift,
crustal thickness, Tc, was assumed to be 35 km, based on
seismic refraction data and receiver function analysis in
Second rift phase: Campanian-Maastrichtian Yemen (Tiberi et al., 2007; Watremez et al., 2011;
The tectonic subsidence curves of all the basins indicate a Ahmed et al., 2013). Other model parameters are summa-
renewed phase of rifting at ~80 Ma (Figs 7–9). This sec- rized in Table 1.
ond rift event started in the Campanian and subsidence Figure 7 shows that the backstrip curves for the two
continued through to the Palaeocene. We are not sure of offshore wells (Dab Qua-1 and Bandar Harshau-1) are
the cause of the second rift event, but it might be related well explained by the thermal models. The comparisons
to a far-field stress associated with the development of the between observed and calculated tectonic subsidence sug-
Reunion plume head which has been linked with the rapid gest three rifting events, one in the Middle/Late Jurassic,
northward motion of India and the contemporaneous one in Late Cretaceous/Early Tertiary and the other in
slowing down of Africa’s plate motion (Cande & Stegman, the Oligocene/Miocene.
2011). The comparison between observed and calculated tec-
The tectonic subsidence curves indicate the subsidence tonic subsidence for some onshore wells (e.g. the wells in
rate of the second phase of rifting is faster than the first Nogal and Daroor basins, Figs 8 and 9), however, are
phase. Furthermore, the subsidence rate is highest in the complicated by the occurrence of the major unconformity
Nogal-1 and Kalis-1 wells (Fig. 8). Therefore, the basin separating Jurassic and Late Cretaceous sediments. We
infill in Nogal is mainly of Campanian-Maastrichian age. have previously attributed this unconformity to an uplift
The increase in subsidence could be related to the fact and erosion event. To better understand the tectonic sub-
that these wells are located at the centre of the basin, sidence during this event, we have restored the missing
whereas other wells are located at the margins. Moreover, sediments, incorporated them into the stratigraphic col-
some of the differences in tectonic subsidence between umn and backstripped them. The thickness of the missing
wells are probably relate to other effects such as flexure or sediment was estimated by first shifting the calculated tec-
spatial variations in thinning and heating resulting in tonic subsidence curve vertically until a good fit with the
locally more stretching in the east close to the Nogal-1 observed backstrip data was obtained. Since the shift can
and Kalis-1 wells. be considered as an estimate of the missing tectonic subsi-
During the Eocene, the northern Somalia basins dence we then loaded it with sediment (assuming a zero
underwent regional thermal subsidence with very little water depth) and calculated the total missing sediment
tectonic activity. The Auradu limestones and Taleh evap- thickness.
orates represent the post-rift subsidence. Further thermal The corrected backstripped data (Figs 10 and 11) sug-
subsidence is witnessed by deposition of shallow marine gest a multiple rifting history for the northern Somalia
carbonates of Karkar formation. basins. The wells (except Bandar Harshau-1 and Nogal-1,
which did not penetrate the Jurassic sequences) show that
the first rift event started at ~156 Ma and ~146 Ma
Third rift phase: Oligocene-Miocene appears to mark the onset of the exponential post-rift
The final event began in the Oligocene (~32 Ma) and is thermal subsidence, giving an estimate for the duration of
only seen on the wells located in the Nogal basin or along stretching of 156–146 Ma, i.e., 10 Ma. The linear
the Gulf of Aden (Figs 7–9). In the Nogal basin, Nogal-1 subsidence during this event reflects the crustal thinning
well shows rapid subsidence during Oligocene where associated with the syn-rift phase. The subsidence then
Kalis-1 has not been affected by the third rift phase. We decreases exponentially, reflecting the thermal subsidence
attribute this increase in subsidence to the separation of associated with the post-rift phase.
Arabia from Africa and the subsequent opening of the
Gulf of Aden.
Table 1. Summary of parameters used in the thermal model-
ling
Rifting history and extension factor b
Parameter Value
We verified our interpretation of the rifting history of
northern Somalia by comparing the tectonic subsidence Density of water 1030 kg m 3
derived from backstripping to the predictions of a uni- Density of crust 2800 kg m 3
form extension model (McKenzie, 1978) with different Density of mantle 3330 kg m 3
values of the amount of crust and mantle stretching, b. Thickness of zero elevation crust 35 km
Young’s Modulus 100 GPa
This is a kinematic model based on the one-dimensional
Poissons Ratio 0.25
heat diffusion equation in which the amount of extension Thermal thickness of the lithosphere 125 km
b determines the amount of heating. We use here a modi- Temperature at base of lithosphere 1333°C
fied form of the McKenzie model based on finite width Coefficient of volume expansion 3.28 9 10 5°C 1

blocks that incorporate the effects of a finite duration of

© 2015 The Authors

16 Basin Research © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers and International Association of Sedimentologists
 Sedimentary basins of northern Somalia

Age (Ma) Age (Ma)

160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0
0 0
Yaguri-1 Faro Hills-1
Tectonic
subsidence

1 β1=1.14 1 β1=1.14
β2 =1.04
Depth (km)

Depth (km)
β2 =1.20

β2 =1.12
β2 =1.28
2 2 β2 =1.20
β2 =1.36
Corrected
sediment
thickness

3 3

160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

0 0
Las Anod-1 Nogal-1

1 β1=1.14 1 β1=1.14
Depth (km)

Depth (km)

β2 =1.07

β2 =1.15

2 β2 =1
2 .20
β2 =1.23
β2 =1
.28

β =1
2 .3 6

3 3

160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

0 0
Burhisso-1 Kalis-1

1 β1=1.14 1 β1=1.14
β2 =1.04
Depth (km)

Depth (km)

β2 =1.1
β2 =1.12 0

β2 =1.1
8
2 β2 =1.20 2
β2 =1.2
6

3 3

Fig. 10. Comparison of the backstrip curves of exploration wells in Nogal basin after correcting for the missing sediments that
were removed by erosion to the predictions of a uniform extension model with crust and mantle extension. The calculated
value is based on an initial rift of 156 Ma with rift duration of 10 Myr, a second period of rifting starting at 80 Ma with
duration of stretching of 20 Ma. A stretching factor, b1, of 1.14 was assumed for the first rift. The best fit between the early
part of the tectonic subsidence curve and the calculated curve is for b2 = 1.12–1.28 for the second rifting episode. Nogal-1
well shows evidence of subsidence related to the third rifting event.

© 2015 The Authors

Basin Research © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers and International Association of Sedimentologists 17
M.Y. Ali and A.B. Watts

Age (Ma) Age (Ma)

160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0
0 0

Hordio-1 Hafun-1
Tectonic
subsidence
1 β1=1.14 1 β1=1.14
β2 =1.04

Depth (km)
Depth (km)

β2=1.07
Corrected β2 =1.12
sediment β2 =1.15

2
thickness β =1 2 β2 =1.20
2 .23

3 3

160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

0 0

Darin-1 Cotton-1

1 β1=1.14 1 β1=1.14
β2=1.04
Depth (km)
Depth (km)

β2 =1.09
β2 =1.12
β2 =1.17
β2 =1.20
2 2
β2 =1.25

3 3

160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

0 0

Buran-1 Sagaleh-1

1 β1=1.14 1 β1=1.14
Depth (km)
Depth (km)

β2 =1.08

β =1
2 .13
β2 =1
.16
2 2 β =1
2 .21
β2 =1
.24
β =1
2 .29

3 3

© 2015 The Authors

18 Basin Research © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers and International Association of Sedimentologists
 Sedimentary basins of northern Somalia

Fig. 11. Comparison of the backstrip curves of exploration wells in the Daroor basin after correcting for the missing Early Cretaceous
sediments to the predictions of a uniform extension model with crust and mantle extension. The calculated value is based on an initial
rift of 156 Ma with rift duration of 10 Myr, a second period of rifting starting at 80 Ma with duration of stretching of 40 Ma. A
stretching factor, b1, of 1.14 was assumed for the first rift. The best fit between the early part of the tectonic subsidence curve and the
calculated curve is for b2 = 1.12–1.21 for the second rifting episode. Hordio-1, Darin-1 and Hafun-1 wells show evidence of subsi-
dence related to the third rifting event.

The second rifting phase started at ~80 Ma with a rif- occurred during Kimmeridgian-Tithonian and was fol-
ting duration of 20–40 Ma as seen in the increase subsi- lowed by period of erosion. The rifting may have been
dence at all the wells except Biyo Dader-1 and Dagah linked to the separation of Madagascar in a south-south-
Shabel-2 wells. It seems that the duration of rifting of easterly direction in the Late Jurassic. Furthermore,
Nogal wells was shorter than other wells. Therefore, the subsurface data and outcrops of Late Jurassic, syn-rift
post-rift phase associated with this event is only observed age-equivalent sequences, at the edges of the Guban and
in the Nogal wells. The third rift event is observed in all Daroor basins may be indicative of their activity during
the wells located along the Gulf of Aden (Bandar Hars- this first rift phase. In addition, the stratigraphy of the
hau-1, Dab Qua-1, Hordio-1, Darin-1 and Hafun-1). In Guban basin, and possibly other basins in northern Soma-
the Nogal basin, this rifting is only seen on Nogal-1 well lia, indicate that the seas deepened during the Late Juras-
located at the depocentre of the basin. The rifting of the sic confirming a rift event then in this segment of the
Gulf of Aden began in Oligocene (34 Ma) up to 18 Ma Gondwana rifted continental margin. The depositional
(Watchorn et al., 1998; Leroy et al., 2010, 2012). How- environment favoured accumulation of the organic rich
ever, wells in northern Somalia suggest that rifting started source rocks of the Daghani and Gahodleh Formations.
at ~32 Ma. In Yemen, the oldest dated syn-rift sediments In the northern Somalia and Yemen the Late Jurassic
are reported to be Middle Oligocene age, whereas those in Daghani formation has been identified to have good
northern Somalia are of Upper Oligocene age and may source-rock potential (Beydoun, 1989, 1991; Beydoun &
indicate a slightly earlier onset of subsidence on the Sikander, 1992; Bott et al., 1992; Ali, 2006).
Yemen margin (Hughes & Beydoun, 1992). In the Guban, Nogal and Daroor basins, where it has
We used the onset ages and duration of the three rift not been removed by uplift and erosion, this formation is
events to construct a family of calculated tectonic subsi- very rich in organic matter and bituminous content. A
dence curves and compared them to the observed back- second rifting event in Campanian-Maastrichtian fol-
strip curves. The wells which penetrated the first rift lowed this erosional event. The final rifting phase
sequence (Dab Qua-1, Biyo Dader-1, Dagah Shabel-2, occurred in Oligocene-Miocene.
Cotton-1 and Sagaleh-1) yield a best fit stretching factor, Subsurface and gravity data demonstrate that the
b, of 1.09 to 1.14 for the first rift event. The b value of the Mesozoic rift basins strike WNW-ESE. The basins are
second rifting event range from 1.05 in Dab Qua-1 well to infilled up to 4000 m of predominantly Late Cretaceous
1.28 in Nogal-1 well indicating variable stretching that sediments (Figs 4 and 5). In Nogal basin, the Nogal-1
occurred in the region. The third rift event is associated well penetrated thick Late Cretaceous strata and did not
with a wide range of b values, and so the fit between cal- reach the Jurassic sequences. Kalis-1 encountered 103 m
culated and observed tectonic subsidence is not as good of Jurassic section probably thinned by post Jurassic ero-
for this event as it is for the first and second rift events sion. All other wells in the basin penetrated only a thin
(Fig. 7, Bandar Harshau-1 and Dab Qua-1 wells). Part of layer of Jurassic sediments before passing into basement.
these uncertainties may be due to errors in paleobathyme- However, these wells were drilled on highs and, therefore,
try, sea level and stratigraphic ages. Irrespective, the crus- syn-rift sediments may be present and better developed in
tal and mantle extension implies a thinning of the crust the basin. Furthermore, tectonic subsidence analysis sug-
from 35 km before rifting to 24-29 km after all the rifting gests that the Guban and Daroor basins have been active
events beneath the northern Somalia basins. during the Late Jurassic rifting event. Moreover, subsur-
face data indicate that the Nogal and Daroor rifts may be
a continuation of western and eastern Guban rifts, respec-
tively. In that case the Guban, Nogal and Daroor rifts
DISCUSSION may together constitute a complex failed triple junction
The tectonic evolution of northern Somalia basins can be system. Additionally, to the west of Nogal-Guban basins,
summarized by long periods of slow subsidence and uplift another basin named as Odwayne basin may have been
which are punctuated by short periods of fast subsidence. developed (Fig. 1). However, this basin has not been
Backstrip tectonic subsidence curves and regional seismic explored yet, and evidence for Mesozoic rifting is mainly
reflection profiles confirm that northern Somalia was based on gravity data (Fig. 1b), since no wells or seismic
affected by three phases of Mesozoic and Cenozoic conti- data exist in the inferred basin. These rifts probably
nental rifting. During the Mesozoic, two separate rifting extend northwards into Yemen. The Nogal and Guban
events controlled basin subsidence. The first rift phase basins connect to the Marib-Balhaf graben and the

© 2015 The Authors

Basin Research © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers and International Association of Sedimentologists 19
M.Y. Ali and A.B. Watts

Daroor basin to the Masila basin in Yemen (Bott et al., well understood than the first, Late Jurassic, rifting event.
1992; Leroy et al., 2012). However, it resulted in renewed subsidence in the north-
Early Cretaceous sediments are very rare and thin in ern Somalia basins and deposition of very thick, well
northern Somalia. In the Nogal basin, during the Early sorted, fluvio-deltaic sandstones (Gumburu and Jesomma
Cretaceous the rift system became restricted and experi- Formations) of up to 2100 to 2400 m. The Gumburo and
enced periods of isolation and, as a result, deposition of Jesomma Formations are between two-fold to five-fold
post-rift evaporitic sediments of Main Gypsum probably thicker in the Nogal rift compared to the graben shoul-
occurred in the centre part of the graben areas. Evaporites der/platform wells. Over most of northern Somalia, the
are well-known from other basins within Somalia and its Gumburo and Jesomma Formations provide excellent
vicinity (e.g. Ogaden basin). However, it seems that the reservoirs sealed by transgressive mudstones and carbon-
Guban rift developed in open marine conditions during ates. At the beginning of Palaeogene the rifting ceased.
the Late Jurassic and, therefore, does not contain salt. This is indicated by the deposition of Palaeogene shallow
The origin of the erosion event that has removed Early water sediments (platform carbonate of Auradu). These
Cretaceous sediments is not clear. It could be related to a sediments homogeneously cover the whole area of the
sea-level fall, tectonic uplift or some combination of these blocks (both platform and graben areas) with minor varia-
factors. The missing sediments used in the backstripping tion in thickness (Fig. 6). These carbonate sequences
of some of the onshore wells appear to thicken southeast provide potential reservoirs as indicated by a number of
towards the Indian Ocean margin (Fig. 12). They there- hydrocarbon shows in wells. In addition, anhydrites
fore appear to have accumulated on a relatively old, slowly of the Taleh Formation, developed during a period of
subsiding, rifted margin which would have been particu- restricted shallow water circulation in the Middle Eocene,
larly susceptible to changes in long-term sealevel. How- provide an ideal seal for underlying carbonate reservoirs.
ever, long-term sealevel was generally rising during the A major unconformity, which is considered to be asso-
Early Cretaceous to a peak in the Late Cretaceous and so ciated with initial rifting of the Gulf of Aden, is responsi-
we believe that some tectonic uplift, perhaps related to ble for the absence of Late Eocene sediments in the
magmatic underplating, was responsible for the wide- northern Somalia and western Yemen (Beydoun, 1970,
spread erosional event. 1982; Leroy et al., 2012). The opening of the Gulf of
The second rifting occurred in the Late Cretaceous Aden in Oligocene-Miocene time completed the struc-
and it is generally more pronounced than the first rift. tural history of the region as it did for the conjugate mar-
Backstripping results and detailed analysis of well data gin (Robinet et al., 2013). During this rift the
suggest that the second rifting occurred during the Camp- development of young half-graben system caused the
anian-Maastrichtian (Figs 7–9). This rifting event is less deposition of a predominantly clastic sequence (Figs 3
12°

DSDP-231
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9 P10 P11 P12 P13 P14 Gardafui-1
Bandar 0
Zeila-2 Harshau-1 Bosaso
Zeila-1 Gulf of Aden Dab Qua-1
Ras Binnah
Zeila-4
11°

Zeila-3 Marine-1
Northern Somalia Highlands 5 0 0 Gumbah-1
Heemaal-1 Darin-1
Hordio-1
Berbera Biyo Dader-1 Erigavo Shabeel North-1 Hafun
Buran-1 Daroor Basin Terrestre-1
Guban/Bebera Berbera-1 Shabeel-1
Hafun-1
Basin
10°

Las Durah-1
Dagah Hedad-1
Shabel-1-3
Borama
Cotton-1
Faro Hills-1
Hargeisa Burao Bur Dab-1
00

Sagaleh-1
0 0

10
0
1 0

150

Odweyne
9°

Basin Nogal-1
Yaguri-1
Kalis-1
Indian Ocean
ETHIOPIA Las
Anod-1 Nogal Basin
Las Anod Garowe
Burhisso-1
8°

0 50 100
SOMALIA (km)

43° 44° 45° 46° 47° 48° 49° 50° 51°

–4650 –1909 –1226 –510 –48 48 195 347 454 532 602 667 729 793 866 937 1011 1131 1318 1665
Topography (m)

Fig. 12. Topographic and bathymetric map of northern Somalia and surrounding areas showing contours of missing sediments (con-
tour interval is 500 m). The solid white lines show the location of topographic and free-air gravity anomaly Profiles 1–14 in Fig. 13.

© 2015 The Authors

20 Basin Research © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers and International Association of Sedimentologists
 Sedimentary basins of northern Somalia

SW NE SW NE
2000 Profile 7 Profile 8
Northern Somalia
Topography (m)
Northern Somalia
highlands Gulf of highlands 100

FAA (mGal)
Aden
1000 Nogal Nogal
basin basin 0

0 Las Anod-1 Nogal-1 Faro Hills-1 −100

2000 Profile 6 Profile 9

Northern Somalia
Topography (m)

highlands Daroor 100

Gulf of

FAA (mGal)
Aden basin
1000 Nogal Nogal
basin basin 0

0 Yaguri-1 Hedad-1
Dab −100
Qua-1
2000
Northern Somalia
Profile 5 highlands Profile 10
Topography (m)

100

FAA (mGal)
Gulf of
1000 Aden Nogal
basin 0

0 Burhisso-1 −100
Bandar
Harshau-1
2000 Profile 4 Profile 11
Topography (m)

100

FAA (mGal)
Guban Daroor
1000 Gulf of Nogal basin
basin basin
Aden 0

0 −100

2000 Profile 3 Profile 12

Topography (m)

100
Guban

FAA (mGal)
Gulf of Nogal Daroor
1000 basin Aden basin
basin
0

0 Buran-1 −100

2000 Profile 2 Profile 13

Topography (m)

100
FAA (mGal)

Guban Nogal
1000 basin Gulf of Daroor
Aden basin basin
0

0 Kalis-1 −100

2000 Profile 1 Profile 14

Topography (m)

100
FAA (mGal)

1000 Guban Gulf of Aden Nogal

basin Daroor
basin basin 0
Dagah Biyo Dader-1
Shabel-1 Darin-1
0 −100
0 100 200 300 400 0 100 200 300 400
Distance (km) Distance (km)

Fig. 13. Topography and free-air gravity anomaly (FAA) profiles across the northern Somalia basins. The arrows indicate positions
of the wells along the profiles. For location of the profiles and wells see Fig. 12.

© 2015 The Authors

Basin Research © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers and International Association of Sedimentologists 21
M.Y. Ali and A.B. Watts

and 6). In the Guban basin, the Daban Group defines a While a flexural uplift model explains the broad fea-
package of syn- and post-rift clastic sediments associated tures of the correlation between the observed free-air
with the opening of the Gulf of Aden. gravity anomaly and topography, a close inspection of
Subsurface data indicate that the Mesozoic rift basins Fig. 13 shows that the correlation breaks down at short
have been reactivated in the Oligocene-Miocene leading wavelength over some of the basins. Gravity anomalies
to a marked tectonic subsidence (Figs 4 and 5). In partic- over the Gulf of Aden (Profiles 1–14, Fig. 13) and some
ular, Guban basin is characterized by well-developed Oli- profiles of the Daroor (Profiles 11–14, Fig. 13) and Nogal
gocene-Miocene fills. This is important in the petroleum (Profiles 10–14, Fig. 13) basins are higher than expected,
exploration of these basins. In the Nogal basin, the area suggesting a thinner crust than the warped crustal model
east of Nogal-1 well did not experience this tectonic pulse predicts, while the gravity anomaly over the northern
with the same intensity (Fig. 5). Hence, Kalis-1 did not Somalia highlands (Profiles 5–9, Fig. 13) is lower
record this rift phase. The Oligocene-Miocene Gulf of than expected, suggesting a thicker crust. One possibility
Aden rifting reactivates many of the Mesozoic rift faults is magmatic underplating the gravity effect of which has
(d’Acremont et al., 2005; Leroy et al., 2012; Bellahsen reduced the gravity anomaly high due to crustal warping.
et al., 2013a,b). This reactivation often enhanced struc-
tural closure but in many cases resulted in breaching of
top seal in particular Guban basin. Furthermore, the
CONCLUSIONS
three rift events would each be expected to be associated
with a heat flow pulse that would influence the time-tem- Seismic reflection profiles and deep exploratory well data
perature and, hence, maturation history of source rocks in have provided the key subsurface information needed to
the northern Somalia basins. Therefore, any assessment better understand the tectonic subsidence and uplift his-
of the maturation history of the margin should take into tory of the rifted basins in the northern Somalia. In sum-
account all the rifting events that have modified these mary this study has found that:
basins through time.
(1) Regional seismic reflection profiles show that the
The rift basins of northern Somalia are superimposed
northern Somalia sedimentary basins can be divided
on a distinct topographic high, known as the Somalia
into five main stratigraphic sequences: (1) Middle-
highlands (Fig. 13). The high, which reaches its peak
Late Jurassic syn-rift sequences (Adigrat Group), (2) ?
amplitude 1–2 km near the coast of the Gulf of Aden,
Cenomanian-Campanian syn-rift sequences (Gumbu-
has the characteristic form of a flexural uplift, ~300–
ro Group), (3) Campanian-Maastrichtian syn-rift
400 km in width. Separating the uplift from the Gulf of
sequences (Jesomma Sandstones), (4) Palaeocene
Aden is a prominent topographic escarpment with a ver-
post-rift sequences (Auradu Limestones), (5) Early-
tical offset of up to ~1.5 km. The fault scarp changes in
Middle Eocene post-rift sequences (Taleh Formation)
orientation along-strike, is segmented and has retreated
and (6) Oligocene-Miocene (Nogal Group) syn-rift
inland in places by up to 50–70 km. The form of the
sequences.
uplift and the nature of its bounding fault scarp suggest
(2) Backstripping of deep exploration wells suggests three
it is a rift-shoulder uplift related to the initiation of the
Mesozoic and a Cenozoic rifting events in northern
Gulf of Aden rift. Indeed, the uplift can be traced in
Somalia that are interrupted by periods of uplift and
from the Guban basins in the west to Socotra island in
erosion.
the east (Leroy et al., 2012). A similar uplift has been
(3) The first rifting event was initiated in the Kimmerid-
described bordering the Yemen conjugate margin (Luca-
gian (~156 Ma) and resulted in the deposition of syn-
zeau et al., 2008; As-Saruri et al., 2010; Autin et al.,
rift sequences of Bihendula Group. Both clastic and
2010; Bache et al., 2011).
carbonate reservoirs and significant source rocks are
The rift-shoulder uplift in northern Somalia correlates
developed in this group, sealed either by intraforma-
with a long-wavelength positive free-air gravity anomaly
tional shale or by overlying salt. Rifting resulted in
which reaches a maximum of up to ~100 mGal over the
the development of structural traps in the form of
peak uplift (Fig. 13). The gravity anomaly has been scaled
horsts and tilted fault blocks. The tectonic subsidence
with the topography in Fig. 13 so as to represent
phases are attributed to thermal contraction following
140 mGal/km, which is the correlation that would be
heating and thinning of the crust at the time of rifting.
expected if the uplift is underlain by a flexurally up-
The initial rifting phase is interpreted as result of the
warped, constant thickness crust, assuming the Bouguer
late-stage breakup of the Gondwana when Africa and
slab formula and a density of the mantle of 3330 kg m 3.
Madagascar separated.
A flexure model implies that the base of the crust or Moho
(4) The second rifting event was initiated during the
is at a shallower depth beneath the Somalia highlands
Campanian-Maastrichtian duration and resulted syn-
than beneath the interior of northern Somalia. A warped
rift sediments comprising Jessoma formation and
crust would be expected if, for example, the rift-shoulder
Gumburo sandstones. These reservoir facies provide
uplift formed by mechanical unloading of a normal fault
the primary exploration target in the Guban, Nogal
that was located at a scarp separating the Gulf of Aden
and Daroor basins.
from the interior of northern Somalia.

© 2015 The Authors

22 Basin Research © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers and International Association of Sedimentologists
 Sedimentary basins of northern Somalia

(5) The Bihendula and Jessoma/Gumburo sequences are AL-HUSSEINI, M.I. (2000) Origin of the Arabian plate structures;
separated by a major unconformity which probably Amar collision and Najd rift. GeoArabia (Manama), 5, 527–
formed as the result of a basin-wide erosion event. 542.
The origin of the event is not known, but it might be ALI, M.Y. (2006) Hydrocarbon potential of Somaliland. First
Break, 24, 49–54.
associated with a tectonic uplift that flanked the
ALI, M.Y. & WATTS, A.B. (2009) Subsidence history, gravity
Gondwana rifted margin. One possibility is magmatic
anomalies and flexure of the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS LUCAZEAU, F., RAZIN, P., D’ACREMONT, E. & AL-TOUBI, K.
We are grateful to The Petroleum Institute, Abu Dhabi (2011) Post-rift uplift of the Dhofar Margin (Gulf of Aden).
for sponsoring this project, The Ministry of Energy and Terra Nova, 23, 11–18.
Minerals, Somaliland for assisting to access the well and BARNES, S.V. (1976) Geology and oil prospects of Somalia, East
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seismic reflection data. We thank Ian Norton and two
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anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments.
DER, B., DEPNER, J., FABRE, D., FACTOR, J., INGALLS, S., KIM,
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