A B S T R A C TA gravity survey on the scale of 1: 250 000 was carried out in Block L2 located in the Lamu basin of south-east Kenya in order to study tectonic features and find out favourable petroleum prospects in the block. This paper, through data processing and synthetic interpretation of the measured gravity data in the block, discusses characteristics of the gravity field and their geological implications, determines the fault system and the basement depth, analyses features of the main strata, divides structure units and predicts favourable petroleum zones. In the block, the regional gravity anomaly is mainly caused by the inclined Moho surface that rises in the east and subsides in the west topographically and the Bouguer gravity anomaly primarily reflects the superimposition of the gravity effect derived from the Moho surface and the basement relief. Two groups of faults extending NW (NWW) and NE (NEE) respectively are dominant in the block and their activities resulted in the framework of east-west zoning and south-north blocking. The basement depth greatly changes in an alternative high and low pattern. The Permian-Triassic, Jurassic and Tertiary strata are extensively developed, while the Cretaceous is only developed in the east of the block. Structurally, the block can be divided into five units, of which the Tana sag shows excellent source-reservoir-seal associations and is a favourable target for future petroleum exploration.