Geosciences and Remote Sensing

The findings are derived from public domain sources in the area of Kazakhstan. The geologic setting, plate tectonics, geothermal regime, satellite imagery, and gravity and magnetic data are discussed. Our analysis shows the presence of basin areas. These basins appear to contain sedimentary rocks of Paleozoic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous age, which are considered to be prospective for hydrocarbon accumulation, since they produce in the adjacent prolific Caspian and West Siberian basins. The basins are underlain

with a thick section of Paleozoic strata resting on a variegated granitic basement, associated with several tectonic plates. The Paleozoic

strata contain a series of extensional/trans-tensional older basins. Uplift and movement along strike-slip faults associated with

major lineaments produced a regional angular unconformity, was followed by further deposition. This can easily be identified on

nonproprietary seismic data. Abrupt surface elevation variations relate to the sub-thrusting and movement of the underlying tectonic

plates. Regional gravity shows the basin shape and major structural elements involving the geologic features. The work of Sandwell

etal, 1997, was reviewed and compared to WGM2012 to ensure that the best data was utilized. The difference between the Isostatic

and Bouguer values was displayed. This regional map portrays major tectonic features as positive features, and basins as negative

“noses” from larger negative elements. The magnetic data is enhanced with the utilization of published high resolution aeromagnetic

data. Observations from the magnetic data are consistent with the other data. There are amplitude and character changes between the

magnetic data overlying the various tectonic plates.