scholarly journals GEOCHEMICAL AND GEOSTATISTICAL ASSESSMENT OF CRETACEOUS COALS AND SHALES IN SOME NIGERAIN SEDIMENTARY BASINS FOR THEIR HYDROCARBON PRONESS AND MATURITY LEVELS

The Rock–Eval pyrolysis and LECO analysis for 9 shale and 12 coal samples, as well as, geostatistical analysis have been used to investigate source rock characteristics, correlation between the assessed parameters (QI, BI, S1, S2, S3, HI, S1 + S2, OI, PI, TOC) and the impact of changes in the Tmax on the assessed parameters in the Cretaceous Sokoto, Anambra Basins and Middle Benue Trough of northwestern, southeastern and northcentral Nigeria respectively. The geochemical results point that about 97% of the samples have TOC values greater than the minimum limit value (0.5 wt %) required to induce hydrocarbon generation from source rocks. Meanwhile, the Dukamaje and Taloka shales and Lafia/Obi coal are found to be fair to good source rock for oil generation with slightly higher thermal maturation. The source rocks are generally immature through sub-mature to marginal mature with respect to the oil and gas window, while the potential source rocks from the Anambra Basin are generally sub-mature grading to mature within the oil window. The analyzed data were approached statistically to find some relations such as factors, and clusters concerning the examination of the source rocks. These factors were categorized into type of organic matter and organic richness, thermal maturity and hydrocarbon potency. In addendum, cluster analysis separated the source rocks in the study area into two groups. The source rocks characterized by HI >240 (mg/g), TOC from 58.89 to 66.43 wt %, S1 from 2.01 to 2.54 (mg/g) and S2 from 148.94 to 162.52 (mg/g) indicating good to excellent source rocks with kerogen of type II and type III and are capable of generating oil and gas. Followed by the Source rocks characterized by HI <240 (mg/g), TOC from 0.94 to 36.12 wt%, S1 from 0.14 to 0.72 (mg/g) and S2 from 0.14 to 20.38 (mg/g) indicating poor to good source rocks with kerogen of type III and are capable of generating gas. Howeverr, Pearson’s correlation coefficient and linear regression analysis shows a significant positive correlation between TOC and S1, S2 and HI and no correlation between TOC and Tmax, highly negative correlation between TOC and OI and no correlation between Tmax and HI. Keywords- Cretaceous, Geochemical, Statistical, Cluster; Factor analyses.

Author(s):  
V. Yu. Kerimov ◽  
Yu. V. Shcherbina ◽  
A. A. Ivanov

Introduction. To date, no unified well-established concepts have been developed regarding the oil and gas geological zoning of the Laptev Sea shelf, as well as other seas of the Eastern Arctic. Different groups of researchers define this region either as an independently promising oil and gas region [7, 8], or as a potential oil and gas basin [1].Aim. To construct spatio-temporal digital models of sedimentary basins and hydrocarbon systems for the main horizons of oil and gas source rocks. A detailed analysis of information on oil and gas content, the gas chemical study of sediments, the characteristics of the component composition and thermal regime of the Laptev sea shelf water area raises the question on the conditions for the formation and evolution of oil and gas source strata within the studied promising oil and gas province. The conducted research made it possible to study the regional trends in oil and gas content, the features of the sedimentary cover formation and the development of hydrocarbon systems in the area under study.Materials and methods. The materials of production reports obtained for individual large objects in the water area were the source of initial information. The basin analysis was based on a model developed by Equinor specialists (Somme et al., 2018) [14—17], covering the time period from the Triassic to Paleogene inclusive and taking into account the plate-tectonic reconstructions. The resulting model included four main sedimentary complexes: pre-Aptian, Apt-Upper Cretaceous, Paleogene, and Neogene-Quaternary.Results. The calculation of numerical models was carried out in two versions with different types of kerogen from the oil and gas source strata corresponding to humic and sapropel organic matter. The results obtained indicated that the key factor controlling the development of hydrocarbon systems was the sinking rate of the basins and the thickness of formed overburden complexes, as well as the geothermal field of the Laptev Sea.Conclusion. The analysis of the results obtained allowed the most promising research objects to be identified. The main foci of hydrocarbon generation in the Paleogene and Neogene complexes and the areas of the most probable accumulation were determined. Significant hydrocarbon potential is expected in the Paleogene clinoforms of the Eastern Arctic.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian Chen ◽  
Jie Xu ◽  
Zhenyu Sun ◽  
Susu Wang ◽  
Wanglu Jia ◽  
...  

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Introduction: &lt;/strong&gt;Organic acids which are commonly detected in oilfield waters, can partially enhance reservoir properties. Previous studies have suggested that cleavage of the oxygen-containing functional group in kerogen is a major source of organic acids. However, this cleavage is assumed to occur before the source rock enters the oil window. If this is correct, then these acids can dissolve only minerals in the source rocks. Presently, no detailed study of the generation of organic acids during the whole thermal maturation of source rocks has been conducted. It is unclear whether organic acids could migrate into reservoirs.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Aim: &lt;/strong&gt;This research simulated the thermal evolution of source rocks in order to build a coupled model of organic acid and hydrocarbon generation, and investigate if organic acids generated in source rocks can migrate into reservoirs.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;Three immature source rocks containing type I, II, and III kerogens were crushed to 200 mesh. These powders, along with deionized water, were sealed in Au tubes and heated to 220&amp;#8211;360&amp;#176;C for 72 h (EasyRo 0.37-1.16%). All the run products, including organic acids, gas, and bitumen, were analyzed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;At all temperatures, the organic acids dissolved in the waters are composed of formate, acetate, propionate, and oxalate. Acetate is the major compound with a modal proportion of &gt;83%. The maximum yield of total organic acids was from source rocks containing type I kerogen (31.0 mg/g TOC), which was twice that from source rocks containing type II and III kerogens (13.3&amp;#8211;15.4 mg/g TOC). However, for the type I and II kerogen-bearing source rocks, the organic acids reached a maximum yield (EasyRo = 1.16%) following the bitumen generation peak (EasyRo = 0.95%). Organic acids from type III kerogen-bearing source rocks reached their maximum yield (EasyRo = 0.95%) before the source rock entered the gas window (EasyRo &gt; 1.16%).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;Our data suggest that the generation of organic acids is coupled with the generation of oil from type I and II kerogen-bearing source rocks, but form earlier than gas from type III kerogen-bearing source rocks. As such, some organic acids dissolved in pore waters are possibly expelled from source rocks containing type I and II kerogen with oils, which can then migrate into reservoirs. Migration of organic acids into reservoirs from source rocks containing type III kerogen is also possible in some situations. For example, when a source rock is rapidly buried for a short period, such as in the Kuqa Depression, Tarim Basin, China, the generation interval of organic acids and gas is short. Both could be expelled outside and migrate upwards into reservoirs. In conclusion, organic acids derived from source rocks can contribute to reservoir alteration.&lt;/p&gt;


2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (27) ◽  
pp. 157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olajubaje T. A. ◽  
Akande S.O. ◽  
Adeoye J. A. ◽  
Adekeye O. A. ◽  
Friedrich C.

This paper focuses on investigating the paleoenvironments and hydrocarbon generation potentials of the outcropping Eocene Bende-Ameki Formation at Ogbunike quarry, Anambra Basin southeastern Nigeria, which is the Niger Delta Agbada Formation subsurface equivalent. The fine to coarse sandstones interbedded with parallel laminated grey, coaly shales, and bioturbated claystones were the dominant rock facies. The shales contain Ammobaculities, Ammontium, lenticulina, and Reophax benthic foraminifera of brackish to outer shelf environments. The rock sequence and biofacies associations indicate a fluvial, shoreface to delta environments. The marine and continental paleoenvironments are supported by the concentration and association of redox-sensitive trace elements such as vanadium and nickel of oxic to dysoxic paleoconditions. The twenty shales have a range of TOC from 0.39 - 8.81 wt% (mean 2.2 2 wt%), suggesting a good to very good source rocks. The organic richness is highest within the depth of 2 – 6 m across the quarry. Their genetic potential (S1+S2) ranges from 0.22 - 27.35 (mean 2.8 kgHC/ton) of rock, and hydrogen index from 26 to 292 mgHC/gTOC with a mean of 67.3 mgHC/gTOC. This, however, indicates dominance of Type III gas prone kerogen of terrestrial origin. The oxygenated water column characterized by the presence of benthonic scavengers may not preserve lipidenriched organic constituents of anoxic paleoenvironments which could account for the rare Type II oil and gas prone kerogen in the source rock. The thermal history inferred from the Tmax between 401°C - 424°C suggests that the source rocks are immature at the present stratigraphic level.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Salufu ◽  
Rita Onolemhemhen ◽  
Sunday Isehunwa

ABSTRACT This paper sought to use information from outcrop sections to characterize the source and reservoir rocks in a basin in order to give indication(s) for hydrocarbon generation potential in a basin in minimizing uncertainty and risk that are allied with exploration and field development of oil and gas, using subsurface data from well logs, well sections, seismic and core. The methods of study includes detailed geological, stratigraphical, geochemical, structural,, petro-graphical, and sedimentological studies of rock units from outcrop sections within two basins; Anambra Basin and Abakaliki Basin were used as case studies. Thirty eight samples of shale were collected from these Basins; geochemical analysis (rockeval) was performed on the samples to determine the total organic content (TOC) and to assess the oil generating window. The results were analyzed using Rock wares, Origin, and Surfer software in order to properly characterize the potential source rock(s) and reservoir rock(s) in the basins, and factor(s) that can favour hydrocarbon traps. The results of the geological, stratigraphical, sedimentological, geochemical, and structural, were used to developed a new model for hydrocarbon generation in the Basins. The result of the geochemical analysis of shale samples from the Anambra Basin shows that the TOC values are ≥ 1wt%, Tmax ≥ 431°C, Vitrinite reflectance values are ≥ 0.6%, and S1+S2 values are &gt; 2.5mg/g for Mamu Formation while shale samples from other formations within Anambra Basin fall out of these ranges. The shale unit in the Mamu Formation is the major source rock for oil generation in the Anambra Basin while others have potential for gas generation with very little oil generation. The shale samples from Abakaliki Basin shows that S1+S2 values range from&lt; 1 – 20mg/g, TOC values range from 0.31-4.55wt%, vitrinite reflectance ranges from 0.41-1.24% and Tmax ranges from423°C – 466°C. This result also shows that there is no source rock for oil generation in Abakaliki Basin; it is either gas or graphite. This observation indicates that all the source rocks within Abakaliki Basin have exceeded petroleum generating stage due to high geothermal heat resulting from deep depth or the shale units have not attained catagenesis stage as a result of S1+S2 values lesser than 2.5mg/g despite TOC values of ≥ 0.5wt% and vitrinite reflectance values of ≥ 0.6%. The novelty of this study is that the study has been able to show that here there is much more oil than the previous authors claimed, and the distribution of this oil and gas in the basins is controlled by two major factors; the pattern of distribution of the materials of the source rock prior to subsidence and during the subsidence period in the basin, and the pattern and the rate of tectonic activities, and heat flow in the basin. If these factors are known, it would help to reduce the uncertainties associated with exploration for oil and gas in the two basins.


2021 ◽  
Vol 114 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Damien Do Couto ◽  
Sylvain Garel ◽  
Andrea Moscariello ◽  
Samer Bou Daher ◽  
Ralf Littke ◽  
...  

AbstractAn extensive subsurface investigation evaluating the geothermal energy resources and underground thermal energy storage potential is being carried out in the southwestern part of the Swiss Molasse Basin around the Geneva Canton. Among this process, the evaluation of the petroleum source-rock type and potential is an important step to understand the petroleum system responsible of some oil and gas shows at surface and subsurface. This study provides a first appraisal of the risk to encounter possible undesired occurrence of hydrocarbons in the subsurface of the Geneva Basin. Upon the numerous source-rocks mentioned in the petroleum systems of the North Alpine Foreland Basin, the marine Type II Toarcian shales (Lias) and the terrigenous Type III Carboniferous coals and shales have been sampled from wells and characterized with Rock–Eval pyrolysis and GC–MS analysis. The Toarcian shales (known as the Posidonia shales) are showing a dominant Type II organic matter composition with a Type III component in the Jura region and the south of the basin. Its thermal maturity (~ 0.7 VRr%) shows that this source-rock currently generates hydrocarbons at depth. The Carboniferous coals and shales show a dominant Type III organic matter with slight marine to lacustrine component, in the wet gas window below the Geneva Basin. Two bitumen samples retrieved at surface (Roulave stream) and in a shallow borehole (Satigny) are heavily biodegraded. Relative abundance of regular steranes of the Roulave bitumen indicates an origin from a marine Type II organic matter. The source of the Satigny bitumen is supposedly the same even though a deeper source-rock, such as the lacustrine Permian shales expelling oil in the Jura region, can’t be discarded. The oil-prone Toarcian shales in the oil window are the most likely source of this bitumen. A gas pocket encountered in the shallow well of Satigny (Geneva Canton), was investigated for molecular and stable isotopic gas composition. The analyses indicated that the gas is made of a mixture of microbial (very low δ13C1) and thermogenic gas. The isotopic composition of ethane and propane suggests a thermogenic origin from an overmature Type II source-rock (> 1.6 VRr%) or from a terrigenous Type III source at a maturity of ~ 1.2 VRr%. The Carboniferous seems to be the only source-rock satisfying these constraints at depth. The petroleum potential of the marine Toarcian shales below the Geneva Basin remains nevertheless limited given the limited thickness of the source-rock across the area and does not pose a high risk for geothermal exploration. A higher risk is assigned to Permian and Carboniferous source-rocks at depth where they reached gas window maturity and generated large amount of gas below sealing Triassic evaporites. The large amount of faults and fractures cross-cutting the entire stratigraphic succession in the basin certainly serve as preferential migration pathways for gas, explaining its presence in shallow stratigraphic levels such as at Satigny.


2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 223-233
Author(s):  
O.A. Oluwajana ◽  
A.O. Opatola ◽  
O.B. Ogbe ◽  
T.D. Johnson

AbstractSubsurface information on source rock potential of the Eocene shale unit of the Abakaliki Fold Belt is limited and has not been widely discussed. The total organic carbon (TOC) content and results of rock-eval pyrolysis for nine shale samples, as well as the one-dimensional (1D) geochemical model, from an exploration well in the Abakaliki Fold Belt were used to evaluate the source rock potentials and timing of hydrocarbon generation of Lower Eocene source rocks. The TOC content values of all the samples exceeded the minimum threshold value of 0.5 wt.% required for potential source rocks. A pseudo-Van Krevelen plot for the shale samples indicated Type II–III organic matter capable of generating gaseous hydrocarbon at thermally mature subsurface levels. The 1D burial model suggests that the Eocene source rock is capable of generating oil and gas at the present time. The modelled transformation ratio trend indicates that a fair amount of hydrocarbon has been expelled from the source rocks. The results of this study indicate that the Eocene source units may have charged the overlying thin Eocene sand bodies of the Abakaliki Fold Belt.


1997 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 285
Author(s):  
K. Mehin ◽  
A.G. Link

Evaluation of Early Cretaceous source rocks within the onshore Victoria Otway Basin has revealed that thick, mature shales containing predominantly gas-prone and in local concentrations, oil-prone macerals exist northwest of Portland, in the Tyrendarra Embayment, and around the Port Campbell region.Current results of Rock-Eval, bulk composition, gas chromatography, and biomarker analyses, coupled with geohistory and hydrocarbon generation interpretations, indicate that at least three phases of oil generation and expulsion occurred within the basin. The earliest phase, which coincided with the maximum heatflow in the crust around 100 Ma, resulted in the charging of the existing stratigraphic/shoestring traps of the basin. The second and third phases occurred in the eastern end of the basin at around 85 and 60 Ma. There is also evidence to suggest that structural traps of the eastern areas were formed later, during Oligocene time, and that these traps are probably still receiving late-stage charges of hydrocarbons.Although the sparse well density in the basin has resulted in limited, non-uniforin sampling opportunities, several regions with good Early Cretaceous source rocks can be recognised. Some of these good source rock areas are in close proximity to the several known hydrocarbon shows and producing fields. These current studies, which also include a source rock risk analysis indicating source rock adequacy, show that locations for future exploration could include the Casterton-Portland-Mt Gambier western region, the Peterborough-Port Campbell eastern region, and the prospective close peripheries and offshore extensions of these regions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 990-1002
Author(s):  
Shouliang Sun ◽  
Tao Zhang ◽  
Yongfei Li ◽  
Shuwang Chen ◽  
Qiushi Sun

AbstractMesozoic intrusive bodies play an important role in the temperature history and hydrocarbon maturation of the Jinyang Basin in northeastern China. The Beipiao Formation, which is the main source rock in Jinyang Basin, was intruded by numerous igneous bodies and dykes in many areas. The effects of igneous intrusive bodies on thermal evolution and hydrocarbon generation and migration in the Beipiao Formation were investigated. A series of samples from the outcrop near the intrusive body were analyzed for vitrinite reflectance (R0%) and other organic geochemical parameters to evaluate the lateral extension of the thermal aureole. The R0 values of the samples increase from a background value of ∼0.9% at a distance above 200 m from the intrusive body to more than 2.0% at the vicinity of the contact zone. The width of the altered zone is equal to the thickness of the intrusive body outcropped in the field. Organic geochemical proxies also indicate the intrusive body plays a positive and beneficial role in the formation of regional oil and gas resources. Due to the influence of the anomalous heat from the intrusive body, the hydrocarbon conversion rate of the source rocks of the Beipiao Formation was significantly improved. The accumulation properties and the storage capacity of the shales also greatly improved due to the intrusive body as indicated by the free hydrocarbon migration in the shales. This new understanding not only provides a reliable scientific basis for the accurate assessment of oil and gas genesis and resources in the Jinyang Basin but also provides guidance and reference for oil and gas exploration in the similar type of basin.


2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamal A. Madi ◽  
Elhadi M. Belhadj

Abstract Oman's petroleum systems are related to four known source rocks: the Precambrian-Lower Cambrian Huqf, the Lower Silurian Sahmah, the Late Jurassic Shuaiba-Tuwaiq and the Cretaceous Natih. The Huqf and the Natih have sourced almost all the discovered fields in the country. This study examines the shale-gas and shale-oil potential of the Lower Silurian Sahmah in the Omani side of the Rub al Khali basin along the Saudi border. The prospective area exceeds 12,000 square miles (31,300 km2). The Silurian hot shale at the base of the Sahmah shale is equivalent to the known world-class source rock, widespread throughout North Africa (Tannezouft) and the Arabian Peninsula (Sahmah/Qusaiba). Both thickness and thermal maturities increase northward toward Saudi Arabia, with an apparent depocentre extending southward into Oman Block 36 where the hot shale is up to 55 m thick and reached 1.4% vitrinite reflectance (in Burkanah-1 and ATA-1 wells). The present-day measured TOC and estimated from log signatures range from 0.8 to 9%. 1D thermal modeling and burial history of the Sahmah source rock in some wells indicate that, depending on the used kinetics, hydrocarbon generation/expulsion began from the Early Jurassic (ca 160 M.a.b.p) to Cretaceous. Shale oil/gas resource density estimates, particularly in countries and plays outside North America remain highly uncertain, due to the lack of geochemical data, the lack of history of shale oil/gas production, and the valuation method undertaken. Based on available geological and geochemical data, we applied both Jarvie (2007) and Talukdar (2010) methods for the resource estimation of: (1) the amount of hydrocarbon generated and expelled into conventional reservoirs and (2) the amount of hydrocarbon retained within the Silurian hot shale. Preliminary results show that the hydrocarbon potential is distributed equally between wet natural gas and oil within an area of 11,000 square mile. The Silurian Sahmah shale has generated and expelled (and/or partly lost) about 116.8 billion of oil and 275.6 TCF of gas. Likewise, our estimates indicate that 56 billion of oil and 273.4 TCF of gas are potentially retained within the Sahmah source rock, making this interval a future unconventional resource play. The average calculated retained oil and gas yields are estimated to be 6 MMbbl/mi2 (or 117 bbl oil/ac-ft) and 25.3 bcf/mi2 (or 403 mcf gas/ac-ft) respectively. To better compare our estimates with Advanced Resources International (EIA/ARI) studies on several Silurian shale plays, we also carried out estimates based on the volumetric method. The total oil in-place is 50.2 billion barrels, while the total gas in-place is 107.6 TCF. The average oil and gas yield is respectively 7 MMbbl/mi2 and 15.5 bcf/mi2. Our findings, in term of oil and gas concentration, are in line or often smaller than all the shale oil/gas plays assessed by EIA/ARI and others.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 95-120
Author(s):  
Rzger Abdulkarim Abdula

Burial history, thermal maturity, and timing of hydrocarbon generation were modeled for five key source-rock horizons at five locations in Northern Iraq. Constructed burial-history locations from east to west in the region are: Taq Taq-1; Qara Chugh-2; Zab-1; Guwair-2; and Shaikhan-2 wells. Generally, the thermal maturity status of the burial history sites based on increasing thermal maturity is Shaikhan-2 < Zab-1 < Guwair-2 < Qara Chugh-2 < Taq Taq-1. In well Qara Chugh-2, oil generation from Type-IIS kerogen in Geli Khana Formation started in the Late Cretaceous. Gas generation occurred at Qara Chugh-2 from Geli Khana Formation in the Late Miocene. The Kurra Chine Formation entered oil generation window at Guwair-2 and Shaikhan-2 at 64 Ma and 46 Ma, respectively. At Zab-1, the Baluti Formation started to generate gas at 120 Ma. The Butmah /Sarki reached peak oil generation at 45 Ma at Taq Taq-1. The main source rock in the area, Sargelu Formation started to generate oil at 47, 51, 33, 28, and 28 Ma at Taq Taq-1, Guwair-2, Shaikhan-2, Qara Chugh-2, and Zab-1, respectively. The results of the models demonstrated that peak petroleum generation from the Jurassic oil- and gas-prone source rocks in the most profound parts of the studied area occurred from Late Cretaceous to Middle Oligocene. At all localities, the Sargelu Formation is still within the oil window apart from Taq Taq-1 and Qara Chugh-2 where it is in the oil cracking and gas generation phase.


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