Differentiation between source and reservoir rocks using statistical analysis of radiogenic heat production: A case study on Alam El Bueib Formation, north Western Desert, Egypt

Abstract

The process of differentiation between source and reservoir rocks requires the presence of many geological, physical, and geochemical data. The scope of this research is to evaluate a new approach to separate source rocks from reservoir rocks by calculating the heat that results from the decaying of radioactive materials in the rocks. The average value of radiogenic heat production produced (RHP) for studied formation is calculated as 0.97 μW/m3, while the standard deviation value is 0.67 μW/m3. The zones with average values of more than (0.97) are referred to be the zones that have higher amounts of total organic carbon materials (TOC) with an agreement coefficient of 95%. The RHP value ranging from an average value (0.97) to the sum of this value plus one standard deviation (1.66) are recorded in low shale content zones which are considered as reservoir rocks. The RHP values of more than 1.66 were recorded in the zones of moderate and high volume of shale content, which can be considered as source rocks.