Effects of rifting and subsidence on thermal evolution of sediments in Canada's east coast basins

1993 ◽  
Vol 30 (9) ◽  
pp. 1782-1798 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. Dehler ◽  
C. E. Keen
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Gradient ◽  
Thermal Evolution ◽  
Vitrinite Reflectance ◽  
Thermal Maturity ◽  
Sediment Thickness ◽  
Gas Generation ◽  
Lithospheric Deformation ◽  
Grand Banks ◽  
Lithospheric Extension ◽  
Nova Scotian

Regional maps of lithospheric deformation and thermal history have been derived for the eastern continental margin of Canada. Subsidence associated with the rifting and cooling stages of rifted margin formation was calculated from gridded maps of sediment thickness and bathymetry along the Labrador, Grand Banks, and Nova Scotian margins. A two-layer lithospheric extension model was used to compute the deformation and thermal evolution of each region. Deformation results show that the crust and lower lithosphere have generally stretched by different amounts, and that either crustal or subcrustal lithospheric stretching dominates beneath the various basins. Thermal modelling results for the older Nova Scotian and Grand Banks margins show a strong correlation between thermal gradient, crustal stretching, and sediment thickness, and the predicted thermal gradient pattern for the younger Labrador margin correlates extremely well with predicted stretching of the still-cooling subcrustal lithosphere. Predictions of sediment maturity (vitrinite reflectance) of basin deposits were obtained from the derived time – temperature histories. Model results have been constrained with observations from individual boreholes and extrapolated away from these well-constrained areas into regions beyond the frontiers of present exploration. Results are presented as maps showing depths to present-day peak thermal maturity zones and the ages at which earliest post-rift sediments reached peak maturity levels. This reconnaissance approach has led to predictions of thermal maturity zones suitable for oil or gas generation in western Orphan Basin and beneath the continental slopes.

scholarly journals Differential Thermal Evolution between Oil and Source Rocks in the Carboniferous Shale Reservoir of the Qaidam Basin, NW China

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (21) ◽  
pp. 7088
Author(s):  
Qianru Wang ◽  
Haiping Huang ◽  
Chuan He ◽  
Zongxing Li
Keyword(s):  
Crude Oil ◽  
Thermal Evolution ◽  
Qaidam Basin ◽  
Vitrinite Reflectance ◽  
Hydrocarbon Exploration ◽  
Source Rocks ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Thermal Maturity ◽  
Maturity Level ◽  
Shale Reservoir

Shale oil and source rock samples of the Carboniferous Keluke Formation from well Chaiye 2 in the Delingha Depression were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Source rocks were highly mature at the gas generation stage with vitrinite reflectance (Ro) of 1.45–1.88%. However, the oil produced from the shale reservoir was characterized by abundant biomarkers but low abundance of diamondoid hydrocarbons with estimated Ro of ca. 0.78%, indicating hydrocarbons were still at a relatively low thermal maturity level. As the crude oil was generated and accumulated autochthonously, preliminary results indicate that crude oil and source rocks witnessed differential thermal evolution and significant disparity of the current thermal maturity in the shale reservoir due to rapid tectonic subsidence and clay mineral catalysts that accelerated the thermal maturation process. Although tectonic uplifts occurred afterwards, the vitrinite recorded the highest maturity that source rocks have ever reached, whereas the oil has not reached the same maturity level due to less impact from thermal alteration or mineral catalysis than source rocks in the shale reservoir. Such a discovery enlarges the hydrocarbon perseveration of maturity ranges in reservoirs, particularly for the unconventional tight formation, and benefits potential hydrocarbon exploration from highly mature sediments.

scholarly journals Structural and Thermal Evolution of the Siwaliks of Western Nepal

1995 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Mugnier ◽  
E. Chalaron ◽  
G. Mascle ◽  
B. Pradier ◽  
G. Herail
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Thermal Evolution ◽  
Vitrinite Reflectance ◽  
Great Depth ◽  
Burial Depth ◽  
Thermal Maturity ◽  
Thrust Sheets ◽  
Middle Siwalik ◽  
Stratigraphic Thickness

The piedmont of the Himalayas is formed in Western Nepal by: a) Siwalik sediments affected by folds, thrust and back­ thrust structures and b) intra-belt basins (Duns) that are dis laced piggyback above the thrust sheets. Vitrinite reflectance values (VRo) are found between 0.3% and 0.5% in Middle Siwalik sediments and between 0.6 and 1% in Lower Siwaliks. The thermal maturity of the organic matter agrees with maximum burial depth (3500 m for Middle Siwaliks and 6000 m for Lower Siwaliks) that do not strongly exceed the stratigraphic thickness of the Siwaliks Group. Intense erosion concomitant with deformation balances closely tectonic thickening and prevent burial of the Siwalik sediments at great depth. Nonetheless, Duns developed above the steeper part of the basal decollement and/or ahead of back-thrusts prevent the exhumation of rock and could lead to greater burial depth.

scholarly journals Distribution and Thermal Maturity of Devonian Carbonate Reservoir Solid Bitumen in Desheng Area of Guizhong Depression, South China

Geofluids ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuguang Hou ◽  
Yaqi Liang ◽  
Sheng He ◽  
Yukun Liu ◽  
Zhiwei Fan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infrared Spectroscopy ◽  
Thermal Evolution ◽  
Vitrinite Reflectance ◽  
Optical Microscope ◽  
Carbonate Reservoir ◽  
Thermal Maturity ◽  
Solid Bitumen ◽  
Laser Raman ◽  
History Of ◽  
Main Period

The distribution of solid bitumen in the Devonian carbonate reservoir from well Desheng 1, Guizhong Depression, was investigated by optical microscope and hydrocarbon inclusions analysis. Vb and chemical structure indexes measured by bitumen reflectance, laser Raman microprobe (LRM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were carried out to determine the thermal maturity of solid bitumen. Based on the solid bitumen thermal maturity, the burial and thermal maturity history of Devonian carbonate reservoir were reconstructed by basin modeling. The results indicate that the fractures and fracture-related dissolution pores are the main storage space for the solid bitumen. The equivalent vitrinite reflectance of solid bitumen ranges from 3.42% to 4.43% converted by Vb (%) and LRM. The infrared spectroscopy analysis suggests that there are no aliphatic chains detected in the solid bitumen which is rich in aromatics C=C chains (1431–1440 cm−1). The results of Vb (%), LRM, and FTIR analysis demonstrate that the solid bitumen has experienced high temperature and evolved to the residual carbonaceous stage. The thermal evolution of Devonian reservoirs had experienced four stages. The Devonian reservoirs reached the highest reservoir temperature 210–260°C during the second rapid burial-warming stage, which is the main period for the solid bitumen formation.

Burial History Reconstruction of the Appalachian Basin in Kentucky, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York, Using 1D Petroleum System Models

2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 365-396
Author(s):  
Debra Higley ◽  
Catherine Enomoto
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Vitrinite Reflectance ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Appalachian Basin ◽  
Source Rocks ◽  
Burial History ◽  
Gas Generation ◽  
Deep Basin ◽  
Utica Shale ◽  
Wet Gas

Nine 1D burial history models were built across the Appalachian basin to reconstruct the burial, erosional, and thermal maturation histories of contained petroleum source rocks. Models were calibrated to measured downhole temperatures, and to vitrinite reflectance (% Ro) data for Devonian through Pennsylvanian source rocks. The highest levels of thermal maturity in petroleum source rocks are within and proximal to the Rome trough in the deep basin, which are also within the confluence of increased structural complexity and associated faulting, overpressured Devonian shales, and thick intervals of salt in the underlying Silurian Salina Group. Models incorporate minor erosion from 260 to 140 million years ago (Ma) that allows for extended burial and heating of underlying strata. Two modeled times of increased erosion, from 140 to 90 Ma and 23 to 5.3 Ma, are followed by lesser erosion from 5.3 Ma to Present. Absent strata are mainly Permian shales and sandstone; thickness of these removed layers increased from about 6200 ft (1890 m) west of the Rome trough to as much as 9650 ft (2940 m) within the trough. The onset of oil generation based on 0.6% Ro ranges from 387 to 306 Ma for the Utica Shale, and 359 to 282 Ma for Middle Devonian to basal Mississippian shales. The ~1.2% Ro onset of wet gas generation ranges from 360 to 281 Ma in the Utica Shale, and 298 to 150 Ma for Devonian to lowermost Mississippian shales.

Evidence from the Changing Carbon Isotopic of Kerogen, Oil, and Gas during Hydrous Pyrolysis from Pinghu Formation, the Xihu Sag, East China Sea Basin

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (24) ◽  
pp. 8317
Author(s):  
Qiang Cao ◽  
Jiaren Ye ◽  
Yongchao Lu ◽  
Yang Tian ◽  
Jinshui Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Isotopes ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Thermal Evolution ◽  
Vitrinite Reflectance ◽  
Heating Time ◽  
Source Rocks ◽  
Evolution Process ◽  
Carbon Isotopic ◽  
Hydrous Pyrolysis ◽  
Increasing Temperature

Semi-open hydrous pyrolysis experiments on coal-measure source rocks in the Xihu Sag were conducted to investigate the carbon isotope evolution of kerogen, bitumen, generated expelled oil, and gases with increasing thermal maturity. Seven corresponding experiments were conducted at 335 °C, 360 °C, 400 °C, 455 °C, 480 °C, 525 °C, and 575 °C, while other experimental factors, such as the heating time and rate, lithostatic and hydrodynamic pressures, and columnar original samples were kept the same. The results show that the simulated temperatures were positive for the measured vitrinite reflectance (Ro), with a correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.9861. With increasing temperatures, lower maturity, maturity, higher maturity, and post-maturity stages occurred at simulated temperatures (Ts) of 335–360 °C, 360–400 °C, 400–480 °C, and 480–575 °C, respectively. The increasing gas hydrocarbons with increasing temperature reflected the higher gas potential. Moreover, the carbon isotopes of kerogen, bitumen, expelled oil, and gases were associated with increased temperatures; among gases, methane was the most sensitive to maturity. Ignoring the intermediate reaction process, the thermal evolution process can be summarized as kerogen0(original) + bitumen0(original)→kerogenr (residual kerogen) + expelled oil (generated) + bitumenn+r (generated + residual) + C2+(generated + residual) + CH4(generated). Among these, bitumen, expelled oil, and C2-5 acted as reactants and products, whereas kerogen and methane were the reactants and products, respectively. Furthermore, the order of the carbon isotopes during the thermal evolution process was identified as: δ13C1 < 13C2-5 < δ13Cexpelled oil < δ13Cbitumen < δ13Ckerogen. Thus, the reaction and production mechanisms of carbon isotopes can be obtained based on their changing degree and yields in kerogen, bitumen, expelled oil, and gases. Furthermore, combining the analysis of the geochemical characteristics of the Pinghu Formation coal–oil-type gas in actual strata with these pyrolysis experiments, it was identified that this area also had substantial development potential. Therefore, this study provides theoretical support and guidance for the formation mechanism and exploration of oil and gas based on changing carbon isotopes.

Study on the Forming Conditions of Shale Gas in Coal Measure of Wuli Area, Qinghai Province, China

2013 ◽  
Vol 295-298 ◽  
pp. 2770-2773 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dai Yong Cao ◽  
Jing Li ◽  
Ying Chun Wei ◽  
Xiao Yu Zhang ◽  
Chong Jing Wang
Keyword(s):  
Shale Gas ◽  
Thermal Evolution ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Source Rocks ◽  
Coal Measure ◽  
Gas Generation ◽  
Qinghai Province ◽  
Coal Measures

Besides coal seam, the source rocks including dark mudstone, carbon mudstone and so on account for a large proportion in the coal measures. Based on the complex geothermal evolution history, the majority of coal measure organic matters with the peak of gas generation have a good potential of gas. Therefore, shale gas in coal measure is an important part of the shale gas resources. There are good conditions including the thickness of coal measures, high proportion of shale rocks, rich in organic matter content, high degree of thermal evolution, high content of brittle mineral and good conditions of the porosity and permeability for the generation of shale gas in Wuli area, the south of Qinghai province. Also the direct evidence of the gas production has been obtained from the borehole. The evaluation of shale gas in coal measure resources could broaden the understanding of the shale gas resources and promote the comprehensive development of the coal resources.

scholarly journals Tectono-thermal evolution of Oman's Mesozoic passive continental margin under the obducting Semail Ophiolite: a case study Jebel Akhdar, Oman

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arne Grobe ◽  
Christoph von Hagke ◽  
Ralf Littke ◽  
István Dunkl ◽  
Franziska Wübbeler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Inclusion ◽  
Continental Margin ◽  
Thermal Evolution ◽  
Carbonate Platform ◽  
Passive Continental Margin ◽  
Passive Margin ◽  
Temperature Evolution ◽  
Thermal Maturity ◽  
Solid Bitumen ◽  
Shear Sense

Abstract. The Mesozoic sequences of the Oman Mountains experienced only weak post-obduction overprint and deformation, thus they offer a unique natural laboratory to study obduction. We present a study of the pressure and temperature evolution in the passive continental margin under the Oman Ophiolite, using numerical basin models calibrated with thermal maturity data, fluid inclusion thermometry and low-temperature thermochronology. Thermal maturity data from the Adam Foothills constrain burial in the foredeep moving in front of the advancing nappes to be at least 4 km. Peak temperature evolution in the carbonate platform under the ophiolite is only weakly dependent on the temperature of the overriding nappes which have cooled during transport from the oceanic subduction zone to emplacement. Fluid-inclusion thermometry yields pressure-corrected homogenization temperatures of 225 to 266 °C for veins formed during progressing burial, 296–364 °C for veins related to peak burial and 184 to 213 °C for veins associated with late-stage strike-slip faulting. In contrast, the overlying Hawasina nappes have not been heated above c. 170 ºC, as witnessed by only partial resetting of the zircon (U-Th)/He thermochronometer. In combination with independently determined temperatures from solid bitumen reflectance, we infer that the fluid inclusions of peak-burial-related veins formed at minimum pressures of 225–285 MPa. This implies that the rocks of the future Jebel Akhdar Dome were buried under 8–10 km of ophiolite on top of 2 km of sedimentary nappes, which is in agreement with thermal maturity data of solid bitumen reflectance and Raman spectroscopy. Burial of the passive margin under the ophiolite results in sub-lithostatic pore pressures, in agreement with observations on veins formed in dilatant fractures in the carbonates. We infer that overpressure is induced by rapid burial under the ophiolite nappes. Obduction-related tilt of the passive margin in combination with overpressure in the passive margin caused fluid migration towards the south in front of the nappes. Exhumation of the Jebel Akhdar as indicated by our zircon (U-Th)/He data, integrated with existing data, started as early as the late Cretaceous to early Cenozoic, linked with extension along a major listric shear zone with top-to-NNE shear sense, together with an early phase of extensional dome formation. The carbonate platform and obducted nappes of the whole Jebel Akhdar cooled together below c. 170 °C between 50 and 40 Ma, before the final stage of anticline formation.

scholarly journals Thermal maturity of the Upper Triassic–Middle Jurassic Shemshak Group (Alborz Range, Northern Iran) based on organic petrography, geochemistry and basin modelling: implications for source rock evaluation and petroleum exploration

2011 ◽  
Vol 149 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
ALI SHEKARIFARD ◽  
FRANÇOIS BAUDIN ◽  
KAZEM SEYED-EMAMI ◽  
JOHANN SCHNYDER ◽  
FATIMA LAGGOUN-DEFARGE ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Middle Jurassic ◽  
Vitrinite Reflectance ◽  
Upper Triassic ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
Thermal Maturity ◽  
Northern Iran ◽  
Carbonaceous Shales ◽  
Petroleum Generation ◽  
Central Eastern ◽  
Alborz Range

AbstractOrganic petrography and geochemical analyses have been carried out on shales, carbonaceous shales and coals of the Shemshak Group (Upper Triassic–Middle Jurassic) from 15 localities along the Alborz Range of Northern Iran. Thermal maturity of organic matter (OM) has been investigated using vitrinite reflectance, Rock-Eval pyrolysis and elemental analysis of kerogen. Reflectance of autochthonous vitrinite varies from 0.6 to 2.2% indicating thermally early-mature to over-mature OM in the Shemshak Group, in agreement with other maturity parameters used. The shales of the Shemshak Group are characterized by poor to high residual organic carbon contents (0.13 to 5.84%) and the presence of hydrogen-depleted OM, predominantly as a consequence of oxidation of OM at the time of deposition and the hydrogen loss during petroleum generation. According to light-reflected microscopy results, vitrinite/vitrinite-like macerals are dominant in the kerogen concentrates from the shaly facies. The coals and carbonaceous shales of the Shemshak Group show a wide range in organic carbon concentration (3.5 to 88.6%) and composition (inertinite- and vitrinite-rich types), and thereby different petroleum potentials. Thermal modelling results suggest that low to moderate palaeo-heat flow, ranging from 47 to 79 mW m−2 (57 mW m−2 on average), affected the Central-Eastern Alborz basin during Tertiary time, the time of maximum burial of the Shemshak Group. The maximum temperature that induced OM maturation of the Shemshak Group seems to be related to its deep burial rather than to a very strong heat flow related to an uppermost Triassic–Liassic rifting. The interval of petroleum generation in the most deeply buried part of the Shemshak Group (i.e. Tazareh section) corresponds to Middle Jurassic–Early Cretaceous times. Exhumation of the Alborz Range during Late Neogene time, especially along the axis of the Central-Eastern Alborz, where maximum vitrinite reflectance values are recorded, probably destroyed possible petroleum accumulations. However, on the northern flank of the Central-Eastern Alborz, preservation of petroleum accumulations may be expected. The northern part of the basin therefore seems the best target for petroleum exploration.

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