97/04496 DTA and TG studies of Paleocene bituminous rocks from EI lusr oil deposit—Egypt: Markova, K. et al. J. Therm. Anal., 1997, 48, (2), 331–341

Abstract

The Sylhet Basin of Bangladesh is a sub-basin of the Bengal Basin. It contains a very thick (up to 22 km) Tertiary stratigraphic succession consisting mainly of sandstones and mudstones. The Sylhet succession is divided into the Jaintia (Paleocene–late Eocene), Barail (late Eocene–early Miocene), Surma (middle–late Miocene), Tipam (late Miocene–Pliocene) and Dupitila Groups (Pliocene–Pleistocene), in ascending order. The origin of the organic matter (OM) and paleoenvironment of deposition have been evaluated on the basis of C, N, S elemental analysis, Rock-Eval pyrolysis and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis of 60 mudstone samples collected from drill core and surface outcrops. Total organic carbon (TOC) content ranges from 0.11% to 1.56%. Sulfur content is low in most samples. TOC content in the Sylhet succession varies systematically with sedimentation rate, with low TOC caused by clastic dilution produced by high sedimentation rates arising from rapid uplift and erosion of the Himalaya.The OM in the succession is characterized by systematic variations in pristane/phytane (Pr/Ph), oleanane/C30 hopane, n-C29/n-C19 alkane, Tm/Ts [17α(H)-22,29,30-trisnorhopane/18α(H)-22,29,30-trisnorhopane] and sterane C29/(C27 + C28 + C29) ratios during the middle Eocene to Pleistocene. Based on biomarker proxies, the depositional environment of the Sylhet succession can be divided into three phases. In the first (middle Eocene to early Miocene), deposition occurred completely in seawater-dominated oxic conditions, with abundant input of terrestrial higher plants, including angiosperms. The second phase (middle to late Miocene) consisted of mainly freshwater anoxic conditions along with a small seawater influence according to eustasic sea level change, with diluted OM derived from phytoplankton and a lesser influence from terrestrial higher plants. Oxygen-poor freshwater conditions prevailed in the third phase (post-late Miocene). Planktonic OM was relatively abundant in this stage, while a high angiosperm influx prevailed at times. Tmax values of ca. 450 °C, vitrinite reflectance (Ro) of ca. 0.66% and methylphenanthrene index (MPI 3) of ca. 1 indicate the OM to be mature. The lower part (middle Eocene to early Miocene) of the succession with moderate TOC content and predominantly terrestrial OM could have generated some condensates and oils in and around the study area.