The onshore Kwanza Basin is a proven petroleum system, one of Angola’s most compelling, yet underexplored hydrocarbon provinces. More than a century after exploration first began, a new generation of airborne geophysical technologies is transforming our understanding of the basin, revealing fresh opportunities and breathing new life into one of Africa’s oldest petroleum frontiers.

The Kwanza Basin has a long exploration history; however, much of its potential remains poorly understood due to sparse seismic coverage, limited well control, and imaging challenges associated with complex salt tectonics. Historically, exploration efforts have focused on post-salt objectives, leaving significant uncertainty surrounding the architecture and prospectivity of deeper pre-salt plays. Recent changes in the Angolan exploration framework have enticed both local and international operators to take a fresh look at the basin’s remaining potential.

In collaboration with the Agência Nacional de Petróleo, Gás e Biocombustíveis (ANPG) and local partner Striped Horse, Metatek has successfully completed a multiclient Enhanced Full Tensor Gravity Gradiometry (eFTG) survey over the onshore Kwanza Basin. The dataset provides clarity on the subsurface basin architecture, overcoming long-standing challenges posed by limited data and the intricate nature of salt-related structural complexity. The following article explores how airborne eFTG can contribute to a more integrated understanding of the basin and its remaining exploration potential.