A Neotectonic based Geomorphic Analysis using Remote Sensing Data to Delineate Potential Areas of Hydrocarbon Exploration: Cachar Area, Assam

摘要

The Assam Arakan fold thrust belt has highly deformed folded units of Tertiary sediments bounded by eastward dipping thrust slices with a convexity towards west. In the Tripura-Cachar region, this folded belt is characterized by the occurrence of wide synclines and narrow anticlines that hosts a number of hydrocarbon producing fields. In the Cachar area of Assam, most of these fields occur in the culmination of anticlinal structures. Other wells drilled in analogous structural settings are found to be dry. In this paper a neotectonic based geomorphic analysis is carried out to delineate a fault network and geomorphic highs in Cachar area as expressions of sub-surface structures which had subsequently been validated by available geophysical data. Of these geomorphic highs, those that are in the synclinal areas are believed to represent subtle sub-surface structural highs. Synclinal structures associated with NNE-SSW faults might be considered interesting for hydrocarbon exploration and are subsequently categorized following their degree of confidence for exploration of hydrocarbon. Additionally, a genetic model of the structures in the region is also proposed.