REGARDING REAL PROSPECTS FOR DISCOVERING NEW DEPOSITS AND INCREASING OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION IN THE WESTERN REGION OF UKRAINE

Abstract

The article deals with the research of the potential of oil-and-gas content within the Western Ukrainian oil and gas region. The main directions and ways of increasing oil and gas production are determined. Consequently, the discovery of new hydrocarbon fields is the major direction to boost oil and gas production. The issue of the discovery of new oil and gas fields is suggested to divide into the following directions: a search for oil and gas fields at shallow depths (short-term prospect), a search for oil and gas fields at mid-depths and a search for oil and gas fields at great depths (the main prospects of increasing oil and gas production). The geological and geophysical data were thoroughly analyzed throughout structural and tectonic units within the Western region of Ukraine with the aim of substantiating the prospects of their oil-and-gas content and introduction of new directions of oil-and-gas exploration. The prospects of oil-and-gas content of the Neogene and the Mesozoic deposits of the exterior of the pre-Carpathian depression and flysch of the interior of the pre-Carpathian depression are provided. The prospects of oil-and-gas content of the Cretaceous and the Paleogene deposits of folded Carpathians are characterized. The promising directions for further oil-and-gas exploration within indicated tectonic elements of Carpathian region are identified; the top priority project sites are suggested. Wildcat drilling and further oil-and-gas exploration are strongly recommended for all identified project sites. The research has identified the most promising exploration project sites. All of them are illustrated with appropriate maps and cross-sections. Thus, the most promising ones at shallow depths (up to 2000 m) are the following ones: South-Slyvkinske, Anhelivka, Hoshiv and Verkhnii Hutyn elevations. At mid-depths there are Pechenizhyn, Kliuchiv, Uhilnia and Boratychi elevations. At depths over 4000 m there are the following ones: Horodyshche structure, Posada, Dubliany, South-Lopushnia, Biskiv, Sloboda-Dolyna and Mizhrichchia elevations, Pidrezhzhia and Dobromyl-Strilbychi structures. The assessment of the resource potential of identified exploration project sites was done.