To actually believe that all the oil and minerals in Somalia lies within the territory of the north is not only misleading but also very irrational. Studies conducted by leading researchers have all pointed out that oil is found throughout the Somali land. In fact, the conventional view that all the oil is in the north and all the gas in the south is no longer accepted in the scientific community as oil fields have been popping up places that science has restricted during the 1950s and 1960s when the search for oil was in full swing. According to the esteemed Somali geologist and engineer Abdulkadir Abiikar Hussein:
“The lithology and structure of the Somali embayment ( Lower Mudug, Galgaduud and the fringe lands of Hiiraan adjacent to Galgaduud ) are similar to those of the Midland basin of West Texas. The Somali embayment is Mesozoic basin, while West Texas basin is Paleozoic basin, but they have many similarities. The offshore marine environment, adjacent to Hobyo coast includes probably among the numerous promising zones that contains petroleum.”
He continues:
” Nearly, all the oil shows in Somalia have been in carbonate rocks, although in the coastal areas of the Banaadir, there have been petroleum shows, especially gas, trapped in Tertiary sandstones. These reservoirs have good potentials and may yield oil/gas if prospected properly. The known shows for the Tertiary sandstones are located in Marka and Afgoye. This area offers good possibilities for commercial oil and gas production because there is a thick Tertiary section of 4267 m. In the Banaadir area, gas shows have been reported, and the sedimentary column thickens seaward. Offshore exploration would appear to offer the good possibilities.”
He further breaks down the oil prospects in different regions and concludes based on scientific studies available to him:
“These zones are:
• the Guban area of the north, particulary the new Sahel and Awdal regions.
• the Banaadir region between Mogadishu-Afgooye and Baraawa, including Marka.
• the Somali embayment of Lower Mudug and Galgaduud regions, including offshore Hobyo.
• the Nugaal Valley between Qardho and Bandar Beila.”
In fact, the prime minister who is close to numerous multi-national companies recently said to the effect, “ to think oil is only in the north is stupid,” and I will trust what he has to say!
Eng. Abdulkadir Abiikar (Former researcher and lecturer in the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; Foundation Engineer in the Extension of Prophet's Mosque, Madinah, Saudi Arabia, and Quality Control Manager for Cosmos Company in the construction of Kuala Lumpur International Airport at Sepang, Malaysia).
You can read the rest of the article on:
http://www.qarxis.com/node/1757