Petroleum Potential of Kohat Sub-Basin, Upper Indus Basin, Pakistan Based on Existing Data (P-0847) (MFN 2790)

Abstract

Kohat Sub-basin and its surrounding areas is a part of piece of land which witnessed very unique geological history, and has traveled northward from close to the south pole and then after crossing the equator, collided with the Eurasian land masses, about 50 million years ago, resulting in the development of Himalayan mountains. The study area constitutes the western part of the Himalayan fold and thrust belt and is approximately 70 km wide in north south direction. It is bounded to the north by the MBT, to the south by Surghar Range Thrust which is separated from the Salt Range Thrust by Kalabagh strike-slip fault and in the southwest it merges into Bannu basin. Indus River marks its eastern limit which separates it from the Potowar Plateau whereas towards west it is truncated by the Khurram Fault (Figure-1). In the Kohat Plateau, the Kalabagh Fault is the most prominent north south structural feature at the southern most fringe of the Kohat foreland fold and thrust belt and its trace on the surface runs for about 120km.