EVIDENCE FOR A NEW OIL FAMILY IN THE NANCAR TROUGH AREA, TIMOR SEA

2002 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 387 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.C. George ◽  
H. Volk ◽  
T.E. Ruble ◽  
M.P. Brincat

Geochemical evidence is presented for a previously unrecognised oil generative source rock in the Nancar Trough area. This source rock supplements the middle to late Jurassic source rocks, which have previously been shown to have generated most of the oils in the northern Bonaparte Basin and the Vulcan Sub-basin. Fluids with a strong contribution from this new source rock, defined here as the Nancar oil family, have an unusually high abundance of mid-chain substituted monomethylalkanes. In comparison, oils from the Vulcan Sub-basin contain mostly terminally substituted monomethylalkanes and the overall abundance is much lower. Oils from the Laminaria High and some from the northern Vulcan Sub-Basin show intermediate characteristics and may be co-sourced. Evidence from the analysis of fluid inclusion oils was important in establishing the presence of the new oil family because interference from drilling mud contaminants could be excluded. The detailed geochemistry of Ludmilla–1 fluid inclusion oil suggests the source rock for the Nancar oil family was deposited in a marine environment under sub-oxic conditions with limited sulphur content, a low contribution of terrestrial organic matter and a high contribution of organic matter from bacterial activity. Since monomethylalkanes are typical biomarkers of cyanobacteria, the source rock that gave rise to the new oil family may be rich in cyanobacterial organic matter. Further studies on sediment extracts are needed to establish an explicit oil-source rock correlation and to identify the stratigraphic location/palaeo-environment of the source rock. Such information will be valuable in determining the prospectivity of the large and relatively unexplored province draining the Nancar Trough kitchen.

2004 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 223 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Volk ◽  
S.C. George ◽  
C.J. Boreham ◽  
R.H. Kempton

The molecular composition of fluid inclusion (FI) oils from Leander Reef–1, Houtman–1 and Gage Roads–2 provide evidence of the origin of palaeo-oil accumulations in the offshore Perth Basin. These data are complemented by compound specific isotope (CSI) profiles of n-alkanes for the Leander Reef–1 and Houtman–1 samples, which were acquired on purified n-alkane fractions gained by micro-fractionation of lean FI oil samples, showing the technical feasibility of this technique. The Leander Reef–1 FI oil from the top Carynginia Formation shares many biomarker similarities with oils from the Dongara and Yardarino oilfields, which have been correlated with the Early Triassic Kockatea Shale. The heavier isotopic values for the C15-C25 n-alkanes in the Leander Reef–1 FI oil indicate, however, that it is a mixture, and suggest that the main part of this oil (~90%) was sourced from the more terrestrial and isotopically heavier Early Permian Carynginia Formation or Irwin River Coal Measures. This insight would have been precluded when looking at molecular evidence alone. The Houtman–1 FI oil from the top Cattamarra Coal Measures (Middle Jurassic) was sourced from a clay-rich, low sulphur source rock with a significant input of terrestrial organic matter, deposited under oxic to sub-oxic conditions. Biomarkers suggest sourcing from a more prokaryotic-dominated facies than for the other FI oils, possibly a saline lagoon. The Houtman–1 FI oil δ13C CSI n-alkane data are similar to those acquired on the Walyering–2 oil. Possible lacustrine sources may exist in the Early Jurassic Eneabba Formation and are present in the Late Jurassic Yarragadee Formation. The low maturity Gage Roads–2 FI oil from the Carnac Formation (Early Cretaceous) was derived from a strongly terrestrial, non-marine source rock containing a high proportion of Araucariacean-type conifer organic matter. It has some geochemical differences to the presently reservoired oil in Gage Roads–1, and was probably sourced from the Early Cretaceous Parmelia Formation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 398-415
Author(s):  
He Bi ◽  
Peng Li ◽  
Yun Jiang ◽  
Jing-Jing Fan ◽  
Xiao-Yue Chen

AbstractThis study considers the Upper Cretaceous Qingshankou Formation, Yaojia Formation, and the first member of the Nenjiang Formation in the Western Slope of the northern Songliao Basin. Dark mudstone with high abundances of organic matter of Gulong and Qijia sags are considered to be significant source rocks in the study area. To evaluate their development characteristics, differences and effectiveness, geochemical parameters are analyzed. One-dimensional basin modeling and hydrocarbon evolution are also applied to discuss the effectiveness of source rocks. Through the biomarker characteristics, the source–source, oil–oil, and oil–source correlations are assessed and the sources of crude oils in different rock units are determined. Based on the results, Gulong and Qijia source rocks have different organic matter primarily detrived from mixed sources and plankton, respectively. Gulong source rock has higher thermal evolution degree than Qijia source rock. The biomarker parameters of the source rocks are compared with 31 crude oil samples. The studied crude oils can be divided into two groups. The oil–source correlations show that group I oils from Qing II–III, Yao I, and Yao II–III members were probably derived from Gulong source rock and that only group II oils from Nen I member were derived from Qijia source rock.


Georesursy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 6-25
Author(s):  
Antonina V. Stoupakova ◽  
Maria A. Bolshakova ◽  
Anna A. Suslova ◽  
Alina V. Mordasova ◽  
Konstantin O. Osipov ◽  
...  

Identification of the source rock potential and distribution area is the most important stage of the basin analysis and oil, and gas reserves assessment. Based on analysis of the large geochemical and geological data base of the Petroleum geology department of the Lomonosov Moscow State University and integration of different-scale information (pyrolysis results and regional palaeogeographic maps), generation potential, distribution area and maturity of the main source rock intervals of the Barents-Kara Sea shelf are reconstructed. These source rocks wide distribute on the Barents-Kara Sea shelf and are characterized by lateral variability of generation potential and type of organic matter depending on paleogeography. During regional transgressions in Late Devonian, Early Permian, Middle Triassic and Late Jurassic, deposited source rocks with marine organic matter and excellent generation potential. However in the regression periods, during the short-term transgressions, formed Lower Carboniferous, Upper Permian, Induan, Olenekian and Late Triassic source rocks with mixed and terrestrial organic matter and good potential. Upper Devonian shales contain up to 20.6% (average – 3%) of marine organic matter, have an excellent potential and is predicted on the Eastern-Barents megabasin. Upper Devonian source rocks are in the oil window on the steps, platforms and monoclines, while are overmature in the basins. Lower Permian shale-carbonate source rock is enriched with marine organic matter (up to 4%, average – 1.4%) and has a good end excellent potential. Lower Permian source rocks distribute over the entire Barents shelf and also in the North-Kara basin (Akhmatov Fm). These rocks enter the gas window in the Barents Sea shelf, the oil window on the highs and platforms and are immature in the North-Kara basin. Middle Triassic shales contain up to 11.2% of organic matter, there is a significant lateral variability of the features: an excellent generation potential and marine organic matter on the western Barents Sea and poor potential and terrestrial organic matter in the eastern Barents Sea. Middle Triassic source rocks are in the oil window; in the depocenters it generates gas. Upper Jurassic black shales are enriched with marine and mixed organic matter (up to 27,9%, average – 7.3%) and have an excellent potential. On the most Barents-Kara Sea shelf, Upper Jurassic source rock are immature, but are in the oil window in the South-Kara basin and in the deepest parts of the Barents Sea shelf.


Author(s):  
Mohammed Hail Hakimi ◽  
Shadi A. Saeed ◽  
Ameen A. Al-Muntaser ◽  
Mikhail A. Varfolomeev ◽  
Richard Djimasbe ◽  
...  

AbstractFour oil samples were collected from oilfields in the western Siberian Basin, and analyzed using conventional geochemical and physical methods. The results of this study were used to evaluate the oil samples, focusing on the characteristics of their source rocks, including the origin of organic matter input; redox depositional conditions and degree of thermal maturity of their probable source rock were studied. The obtained SARA results show that the examined oils are paraffinic oils owing to their high saturated hydrocarbon fraction values of greater than 70% volume. The observed API gravity values (23.55° to 32.57°) and low sulfur content of less than 0.25% wt indicate that the examined oils are sweet oils and were generated from source rock containing Type-II, with low sulfur content. The low sulfur content combined with the vanadium (V) and nickel (Ni) ratios indicates that the examined oils were scoured from a mixture of aquatic and terrestrial organic matter, depositing under generally suboxic environmental conditions. The n-alkane and isoprenoid distributions, with their ratios and parameters further suggest that the examined oil samples were generated from source rock containing a mixed organic matter input and deposited under suboxic to relatively oxic environmental conditions. Bulk compositions and distributions of n-alkane and isoprenoid indicate that the oil samples were generated from mature source rock.


2015 ◽  
Vol 52 (11) ◽  
pp. 1014-1026 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian Ma ◽  
Zhilong Huang ◽  
Xiaoyu Gao ◽  
Changchao Chen

Tight oil in the Permian Tiaohu Formation in the Santanghu Basin, northwest China, has a peculiar property such that the reservoir is sedimentary organic matter-bearing tuff characterized by high porosity (10%–25%) and very low permeability, mainly in the range of 0.01–0.50 mD. Biomarker and stable carbon isotope compositions of selected crude oils and source-rock extracts were analyzed to determine the source rock of the tight oil. Source rocks in the Lucaogou Formation consist of various rock types dominated by mudstones containing organic matter with intense yellow–green fluorescence. Mudstones in the Lucaogou Formation have total organic carbon (TOC) values mainly in the range of 1.0–8.0 wt%, hydrocarbon generation potential (S1 + S2) mostly >6 mg/g, and chloroform extractable bitumen “A” generally >0.1%. The maceral composition is predominantly fluorescing amorphinite. The hydrogen index (HI) varies from 300 to 900 mg HC/g TOC, indicating dominant Type I and Type II kerogen. Compared with the mudstones and tuffs in the Tiaohu Formation, the mudstones in the Lucaogou Formation are the best source rocks. The biomarker characteristics of mudstone extracts in the Lucaogou Formation differ from those in the Tiaohu Formation, based on the gammacerane index, β-carotane content, and the relative contents of C27, C28, and C29 regular steranes. Crude oil samples in the tuff show low pristane/phytane (Pr/Ph) ratios, high gammacerane indices, high β-carotane, and a dominance of the C29 regular sterane followed by C28 and C27 steranes, as well as depleted stable carbon isotope compositions. Oil–source correlation with biomarkers and δ13C values shows that the crude oil in the tuffs mainly originates from underlying source rocks in the Lucaogou Formation. The sedimentary organic matter in the tuffs also makes a small contribution to the tuffaceous reservoir. Therefore, the tuffaceous tight reservoir in the Tiaohu Formation is unusual in that the oil is not indigenous; rather, it migrates a long distance to accumulate in the upper reservoir.


Author(s):  
Sebastian Grohmann ◽  
Susanne W. Fietz ◽  
Ralf Littke ◽  
Samer Bou Daher ◽  
Maria Fernanda Romero-Sarmiento ◽  
...  

Several significant hydrocarbon accumulations were discovered over the past decade in the Levant Basin, Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Onshore studies have investigated potential source rock intervals to the east and south of the Levant Basin, whereas its offshore western margin is still relatively underexplored. Only a few cores were recovered from four boreholes offshore southern Cyprus by the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) during the drilling campaign Leg 160 in 1995. These wells transect the Eratosthenes Seamount, a drowned bathymetric high, and recovered a thick sequence of both pre- and post-Messinian sedimentary rocks, containing mainly marine marls and shales. In this study, 122 core samples of Late Cretaceous to Messinian age were analyzed in order to identify organic-matter-rich intervals and to determine their depositional environment as well as their source rock potential and thermal maturity. Both Total Organic and Inorganic Carbon (TOC, TIC) analyses as well as Rock-Eval pyrolysis were firstly performed for the complete set of samples whereas Total Sulfur (TS) analysis was only carried out on samples containing significant amount of organic matter (>0.3 wt.% TOC). Based on the Rock-Eval results, eight samples were selected for organic petrographic investigations and twelve samples for analysis of major aliphatic hydrocarbon compounds. The organic content is highly variable in the analyzed samples (0–9.3 wt.%). TS/TOC as well as several biomarker ratios (e.g. Pr/Ph < 2) indicate a deposition under dysoxic conditions for the organic matter-rich sections, which were probably reached during sporadically active upwelling periods. Results prove potential oil prone Type II kerogen source rock intervals of fair to very good quality being present in Turonian to Coniacian (average: TOC = 0.93 wt.%, HI = 319 mg HC/g TOC) and in Bartonian to Priabonian (average: TOC = 4.8 wt.%, HI = 469 mg HC/g TOC) intervals. A precise determination of the actual source rock thickness is prevented by low core recovery rates for the respective intervals. All analyzed samples are immature to early mature. However, the presence of deeper buried, thermally mature source rocks and hydrocarbon migration is indicated by the observation of solid bitumen impregnation in one Upper Cretaceous and in one Lower Eocene sample.


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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