In recent years, methods have been developed to enable robust pressure prediction in the presence of multiple pressure mechanisms including undercompaction, unloading processes (secondary pressure mechanisms) and at great depth, the onset of secondary chemical compaction. These models utilize geological and geophysical information to constrain the calibration models and the depths at which they must be applied to develop a multilayer pressure calibration model that will accurately predict pressures for prospect-level analysis and pre-drill prediction. These models are then integrated with the velocity field and the geological and geophysical information to predict pore pressures and fracture pressures at greater depths than have been previously feasible. This methodology has been tested in multiple basins and has been proven to be effective in helping drilling engineers improve well performance through more effective mud and casing program designs that significantly reduces well costs and rig time. Recent application of elastic and acoustic inversion in complex carbonate environments have also proven effective in predicting pressures in environments where the shales can be separated from the carbonates. The approach requires that the inverted data be separated into the shale and carbonate velocity trends to allow the shales to be used for effective stress prediction while the complete velocity field is used for time-depth conversion. These studies have revealed that pore pressure prediction from mixed lithology (carbonate and shale) environments is feasible using advanced inversion methods. Successful pressure prediction in this type of geology requires seismic data that is of sufficient quality to enable a robust acoustic and/or elastic inversion to be performed that can separate the shale velocities for effective stress calculation, and perform time-depth conversion from the complete velocity field. As the amount of shale present in the geologic section becomes smaller, the ability to predict pressures decreases. The presence of marls also presents a problem because the carbonate material within the shale suppresses the sensitivity of the shale velocity to pore pressure.

The main phase of rifting the Sirt Basin (Libya) had ceased by the mid‐Cretaceous but Alpine‐related tectonic pulses in the late Eocene resulted in northward tilting of the basin. In the Maragh Trough (SE Sirt basin), a regional unconformity consequently separates Eocene carbonates from the overlying Oligocene succession. The unconformity marks a change from Eocene carbonate sedimentation to more mixed shallow‐marine deposition in the Oligocene. A regional transgression re‐established fully marine conditions in the Miocene. Deeply‐buried (Triassic) source rocks in the Maragh Trough reached peak oil generation during the Oligocene. Two potential reservoir intervals have been identified: upper Eocene rudstones of the Augila Formation, and unconformably‐overlying sandstones of the Lower Oligocene Arida Formation. Mid‐Oligocene shales provide a regional seal. Facies distributions and reservoir properties are related to rift‐related structural highs. Despite the absence of a nearby source kitchen, Upper Eocene carbonates have been found to be oil‐bearing in the Maragh Trough at wells D1‐ and F1–96. This indicates that hydrocarbons have migrated along graben‐bounding faults from deeply‐buried source rocks to platform and sub‐platform areas. Traps are of combined structural and stratigraphic type.

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