Organic geochemistry, petrology and palynofacies of Middle Devonian lacustrine flagstones in the Orcadian Basin, Scotland: depositional environment, thermal history and petroleum generation potential

2016 ◽  
Vol 155 (4) ◽  
pp. 773-796 ◽  
Author(s):  
ASSAD GHAZWANI ◽  
RALF LITTKE ◽  
VICTORIA SACHSE ◽  
REINHARD FINK ◽  
NICOLAJ MAHLSTEDT ◽  
...  

AbstractDuring Middle Devonian time a thick succession of organic-rich, mainly lacustrine flagstones developed within the Orcadian Basin. These petroleum source rocks crop out in northern Scotland. Nineteen samples were studied using organic petrology, palynology and organic geochemistry in order to characterize kerogen type, depositional environment, thermal maturity and petroleum generation potential. Corg, carbonate and sulphur content as well as hydrogen index (HI) values are quite variable (e.g. HI from 79 to 744 mg HC/g Corg). Based on biomarker data, organic material mainly originates from aquatic organic matter deposited under lacustrine conditions with oxygen-depleted, but not permanently anoxic, bottom waters. Petrography reveals small quantities of vitrinite particles, indicating minor input of terrestrial material. This is supported by biomarker data and the palynofacies, which is characterized by a high amount of oil-prone amorphous organic matter (AOM) and generally few miospores. Maturity of the succession studied in Caithness and Orkney is between immature and oil mature. One-dimensional basin modelling shows that a significant remaining hydrocarbon generation potential exists within the Middle Devonian succession. In contrast to the low hydrocarbon generation in the onshore area, offshore oil generation was significant, especially after deposition of thick Upper Jurassic – Upper Cretaceous sediments. At the end of Cretaceous time, hydrocarbon generation ceased due to uplift. The contribution to known oil fields from the Devonian flagstones is a realistic scenario, including a contribution to the Beatrice oil field in the south of the modelled area.

2021 ◽  
Vol 71 ◽  
pp. 125-138
Author(s):  
Fawzi M.O. Albeyati ◽  
◽  
Rzger A. Abdula ◽  
Rushdy S. Othman ◽  

Thirty four cuttings samples from the Jurassic rock succession in well Balad-1 in the Balad Oil Field, Central Iraq have been collected. Using various organic geochemical techniques, the organic matter’s quantity, quality, maturity, and their source rock’s depositional setting were determined. The samples were evaluated to determine the amount of their organic matter content, type of organic matter, δ13C carbon isotopes abundance for both saturated and aromatic, and molecular properties. The results of organic geochemistry analysis show that Sargelu, Gotnia, and Chia Gara formations contain fair to decent amounts of organic matter. Naokelekan Formation encompasses fair to excellent organic matter, while Najmah Formation comprises very high to exceptional organic matter. The analyzed samples revealed the existence of kerogen types III and II/III mainly within oil window. Thermal maturity related biomarkers are in a good agreement with Rock-Eval parameters, but did not reach equilibrium phase. Source related biomarkers show that these rock units rich in organic matter were mainly deposited in an anoxic marine depositional setting which consists of carbonate influenced by terrestrial input.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 3663-3688
Author(s):  
Amin Tavakoli

AbstractThe aim of this study is to provide a better understanding of the type of source input, quality, quantity, the condition of depositional environment and thermal maturity of the organic matter from Bukit Song, Sarawak, which has not been extensively studied for hydrocarbon generation potential. Petrological and geochemical analyses were performed on 13 outcrop samples of the study location. Two samples, having type III and mixed kerogen, showed very-good-to-excellent petroleum potential based on bitumen extraction and data from Rock–Eval analysis. The rest of the samples are inert—kerogen type IV. In terms of thermal maturity based on vitrinite reflectance, the results of this paper are akin to previous studies done in the nearby region reported as either immature or early mature. Ph/n-C18 versus Pr/n-C17 data showed that the major concentration of samples is within peat coal environment, whilst two samples were associated with anoxic marine depositional environment, confirmed by maceral content as well. Macerals mainly indicated terrestrial precursors and, overall, a dominance of vitrinite. Quality of the source rock based on TOC parameter indicated above 2 wt. % content for the majority of samples. However, consideration of TOC and S2 together showed only two samples to have better source rocks. Existence of cutinite, sporinite and greenish fluorescing resinite macerals corroborated with the immaturity of the analysed coaly samples. Varying degrees of the bitumen staining existed in a few samples. Kaolinite and illite were the major clays based on XRD analysis, which potentially indicate low porosity. This study revealed that hydrocarbon-generating potential of Bukit Song in Sarawak is low.


Geofluids ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Haiping Huang ◽  
Hong Zhang ◽  
Zheng Li ◽  
Mei Liu

To the accurate reconstruction of the hydrocarbon generation history in the Dongying Depression, Bohai Bay Basin, East China, core samples of the Eocene Shahejie Formation from 3 shale oil boreholes were analyzed using organic petrology and organic geochemistry methods. The shales are enriched in organic matter with good to excellent hydrocarbon generation potential. The maturity indicated by measured vitrinite reflectance (%Ro) falls in the range of 0.5–0.9% and increases with burial depth in each well. Changes in biomarker and aromatic hydrocarbon isomer distributions and biomarker concentrations are also unequivocally correlated with the thermal maturity of the source rocks. Maturity/depth relationships for hopanes, steranes, and aromatic hydrocarbons, constructed from core data indicate different well locations, have different thermal regimes. A systematic variability of maturity with geographical position along the depression has been illustrated, which is a dependence on the distance to the Tanlu Fault. Higher thermal gradient at the southern side of the Dongying Depression results in the same maturity level at shallower depth compared to the northern side. The significant regional thermal regime change from south to north in the Dongying Depression may exert an important impact on the timing of hydrocarbon maturation and expulsion at different locations. Different exploration strategies should be employed accordingly.


Minerals ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Delu Li ◽  
Rongxi Li ◽  
Di Zhao ◽  
Feng Xu

Measurements of total organic carbon, Rock-Eval pyrolysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, maceral examination, gas chromatography, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry were conducted on the organic-rich shale of Lower Paleozoic Niutitang Formation and Longmaxi Formation in Dabashan foreland belt to discuss the organic matter characteristic, organic matter origin, redox condition, and salinity. The results indicate that the Niutiang Formation and Longmaxi Formation organic-rich shale are good and very good source rocks with Type I kerogen. Both of the shales have reached mature stage for generating gas. Biomarker analyses indicate that the organic matter origin of Niutitang Formation and Longmaxi Formation organic-rich shale are all derived from the lower bacteria and algae, and the organic matter are all suffered different biodegradation degrees. During Niutitang Formation and Longmaxi Formation period, the redox conditions are both anoxic with no stratification and the sedimentary water is normal marine water.


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. SF225-SF242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xun Sun ◽  
Quansheng Liang ◽  
Chengfu Jiang ◽  
Daniel Enriquez ◽  
Tongwei Zhang ◽  
...  

Source-rock samples from the Upper Triassic Yanchang Formation in the Ordos Basin of China were geochemically characterized to determine variations in depositional environments, organic-matter (OM) source, and thermal maturity. Total organic carbon (TOC) content varies from 4 wt% to 10 wt% in the Chang 7, Chang 8, and Chang 9 members — the three OM-rich shale intervals. The Chang 7 has the highest TOC and hydrogen index values, and it is considered the best source rock in the formation. Geochemical evidence indicates that the main sources of OM in the Yanchang Formation are freshwater lacustrine phytoplanktons, aquatic macrophytes, aquatic organisms, and land plants deposited under a weakly reducing to suboxic depositional environment. The elevated [Formula: see text] sterane concentration and depleted [Formula: see text] values of OM in the middle of the Chang 7 may indicate the presence of freshwater cyanobacteria blooms that corresponds to a period of maximum lake expansion. The OM deposited in deeper parts of the lake is dominated by oil-prone type I or type II kerogen or a mixture of both. The OM deposited in shallower settings is characterized by increased terrestrial input with a mixture of types II and III kerogen. These source rocks are in the oil window, with maturity increasing with burial depth. The measured solid-bitumen reflectance and calculated vitrinite reflectance from the temperature at maximum release of hydrocarbons occurs during Rock-Eval pyrolysis ([Formula: see text]) and the methylphenanthrene index (MPI-1) chemical maturity parameters range from 0.8 to [Formula: see text]. Because the thermal labilities of OM are associated with the kerogen type, the required thermal stress for oil generation from types I and II mixed kerogen has a higher and narrower range of temperature for hydrocarbon generation than that of OM dominated by type II kerogen or types II and III mixed kerogen deposited in the prodelta and delta front.


1980 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 68 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.M. McKirdy ◽  
A.J. Kantsler

Oil shows observed in Cambrian Observatory Hill Beds, intersected during recent stratigraphic drilling of SADME Byilkaoora-1 in the Officer Basin, indicate that oil has been generated within the basin. Shows vary in character from "light" oils exuding from fractures through to heavy viscous bitumen in vugs in carbonate rocks of a playa-lake sequence.The oils are immature and belong to two primary genetic families with some oils severely biodegraded. The less altered oils are rich in the C13 - C25 and C30 acyclic isoprenoid alkanes. Source beds within the evaporitic sequence contain 0.5 - 1.0% total organic carbon and yield up to 1900 ppm solvent-extractable organic matter. Oil-source rock correlations indicate that the oils originated within those facies drilled; this represents the first reported examples of non-marine Cambrian petroleum. The main precursor organisms were benthonic algae and various bacteria.Studies of organic matter in Cambrian strata from five other stratigraphic wells in the basin reveal regional variations in hydrocarbon source potential that relate to differences in precursor microbiota and/or depositional environment and regional maturation. Micritic carbonates of marine sabkha origin, located along the southeast margin of the basin, are rated as marginally mature to mature and good to prolific sources of oil. Further north and adjacent to the Musgrave Block, Cambrian siltstones and shales have low organic carbon values and hydrocarbon yields, and at best are only marginally mature. Varieties of organic matter recognised during petrographic studies of carbonates in the Officer Basin include lamellar alginite (alginite B) and "balls" of bitumen with reflectance in the range 0.2 to 1.4%.


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