Abstract
The Cretaceous Kazhdumi and Gurpi formations, Ahmadi Member of the Sarvak Formation, and Paleogene Pabdeh Formation are important source rock candidates of the Middle Cretaceous–Early Miocene petroleum system in the Persian Gulf. This study characterizes generation potential, type of organic matter, and thermal maturity of 262 cutting samples (marls and argillaceous limestones) from these rock units taken from 16 fields in the Iranian sector of the Persian Gulf. In addition, the burial and thermal histories of these source rocks were analyzed by one-dimensional basin modeling. Based on the total organic carbon and genetic potential values, fair hydrocarbon generation potential is suggested for the studied samples. Based on T max and vitrinite reflectance values, the studied samples are thermally immature to mature for hydrocarbon generation. The generated models indicate that studied source rocks are immature in central wells. The Gurpi and Pabdeh formations are immature and the Ahmadi Member and Kazhdumi Formation are early mature in the western wells. The Pabdeh Formation is within the main oil window and other source rocks are at the late oil window in the eastern wells. The hydrocarbon expulsion from the source rocks began after deposition of related caprocks which ensures entrapment and preservation of migrated hydrocarbon.
Highlights
The Persian Gulf and its coastal areas (Fig. 1) contain the largest occurrence of crude oil in the world (Haghi et al 2013) accounting for two-thirds of the world’s proven oil reserves and approximately more than one-third of total proven world gas reserves (Rabbani 2007)
The Gurpi and Pabdeh formations are immature and the Ahmadi Member and Kazhdumi Formation are early mature in the western wells
This study tries to investigate hydrocarbon generation potential, depositional environment, and thermal maturity of the Kazhdumi Formation, Ahmadi Member, Gurpi Formation, and Pabdeh Formation in 16 fields located in the Iranian sector of the Persian Gulf (Fig. 1) by using Rock-Eval pyrolysis, molecular composition, and vitrinite reflectance measurement
Summary
The Persian Gulf and its coastal areas (Fig. 1) contain the largest occurrence of crude oil in the world (Haghi et al 2013) accounting for two-thirds of the world’s proven oil reserves and approximately more than one-third of total proven world gas reserves (Rabbani 2007). The Oligo-Miocene Asmari and Cretaceous Bangestan are the main reservoirs and the Cretaceous Kazhdumi Formation, Ahmadi Member of the Sarvak Formation, Gurpi Formation, and Paleogene Pabdeh Formation are important source rock candidates of this petroleum system. This study tries to investigate hydrocarbon generation potential, depositional environment, and thermal maturity of the Kazhdumi Formation, Ahmadi Member, Gurpi Formation, and Pabdeh Formation in 16 fields located in the Iranian sector of the Persian Gulf (Fig. 1) by using Rock-Eval pyrolysis, molecular composition, and vitrinite reflectance measurement. 1D basin modeling, a very useful tool in exploration-related studies, was applied to investigate the thermal maturity evolution and timing of hydrocarbon generation of these source rock candidates in the study area. Accurate identification of a source rock helps to characterize the petroleum system and predict the location of future prospects charged by that source rock
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