Bell Geospace, the world leaders in gravity gradiometry, has conducted the first aerial
mapping of petroleum resources in Sri Lanka in Q4 of 2021, and will be presenting
these insights – together with Wintermoon Geophysics- at the prestigious SEAPEX
(South East Asia Petroleum Exploration Society) Asia Pacific Conference in London on
Thursday the 30th of June.
The mapping project was conducted during the last quarter of 2021 as part of a
collaboration between Bell Geospace and the Government of Sri Lanka, with the aim to
explore offshore oil and gas potential in the seas off the North and Northwest of the
island.
This entailed the acquisition, processing and interpretation of data from Airborne 3D Full
Tensor Gravity Gradiometry (FTG), Gravity Gradiometry, and Magnetic Surveys that
were employed to gather data on hydrocarbon potential below the surfaces around the
Cauvery Basin off the Northern peninsula and the Mannar Basin off the West coast.
Data and interpretationfrom this survey has revealed new insights into the structure,
tectonic history, and hydrocarbon potential of Sri Lanka’s Mannar Basin M1, M2, and
the Cauvery Basin C1 blocks.
With Sri Lanka outlaying US$ 6-7 billion annually to purchase fuel, and the domestic
hydrocarbon potential estimated at several billion barrels of oil and 9 trillion cubic feet of
gas, this is a potential multibillion-dollar revenue stream for the Government of Sri
Lanka. Especially taking into consideration that Cairn India, which explored the Mannar
M2 block, invested US$200 million in the region 10 years ago.
Additionally, with Bell Geospace’s modern geophysical data and interpretation, the
publicity created at a major Oil and Gas conference such as SEAPEX in London holds
the potential for Sri Lanka to attract a new round of foreign investors bringing in US$ to
the country.
US-based Bell Geospace is the leading provider of high quality airborne Full Tensor
Gravity Gradiometry (FTG) data for the mining industry. This data is used to map
geology and thus define the shape and scale of existing mineral deposits as well as
highlight potential new areas of exploration.
applications of Gravity, Magnetics, GIS, and Remote Sensing.