Title	Geochemical Surveys for Hydrocarbon Exploration in Spitti- Zanskar- Karewa basins
Participants	D. J. Patil, M. S. Kalpana, A. Uppaliah, M. A. Rasheed, N. Pundaree, Devleena Mani Tiwari, T. Madhavi, M. Lakshmi, P. L. Srinivas Rao, S. Kavitha, A. Uppalaiah and A. M. Dayal (Consultant)
Sponsoring Agency

Work Description:

Surface geochemical studies were carried out in Spitti- Zanskar- Karewa basins in Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh areas (Fig.14.1 and 14.2). The total area of the state??? is about 12850 sq. Kms. Spitti valley is exposed between the central Himalaya and Zanskar range and contains the complete set of formations from Precambrian to the Cretaceous. The Lahaul‐Spitti basin is the south eastern extension of Zanskar basin and is part of larger Spitti‐Zanskar Tethyan basin. The rocks exposed in the area cover almost entire Phanerozoic span. These rocks are affected by numerous faults and shears; the Lingti, Syarma and Spitti and Kauirik faults are prominent. The Lahaul‐Spitti and Kinnaur areas fall under Tethys Himalayan Tectogen, which is separated by Lesser Himalaya Tectogen by MCT, a major tectonic zone. Zanskar basin is northerly branch of the Himalayas lying between the Ladakh range on the north and Great Himalaya on the south. A complete sequence of marine sedimentary rocks occurring north of the Great Himalayan Range and ranging in age from Precambrian to Tertiary is reported by the previous workers. The Karewa deposits of fluvial, lacustrine and aeolin origins were initially deposited in large lakes. The Karewa group includes the entire succession of the sedimentary cover of Pliocene to Holocene age, lying over the Precambrian and Mesozoic with unconformity. The total thickness of Karewa succession is about 1300 m. Based on the anomaly map of C1, C2, C3 the regions of Srinagar, Anantnag, Kalakot, Jammu, Shimla and Kalka, Rajgarh in Karewa, and Spitti basin look promising for future hydrocarbon research and exploration.

Concentration distribution of C₁, C₂, and C₃ shows high concentrations for these gases near Ney Nimmoo, Kargil, south of Leh and centre of the basin.

Fig.14.1:
Geological map of Jammu & Kashmir showing sampling locations

Fig.14.2:
Geological map of Ladakh region showing sampling locations