Abstract
An integrated geochemical study, including GC, GC–MS and stable carbon isotope analyses, was conducted on a suite of oil samples from the Khami Group reservoirs to provide new insights into the Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous petroleum system in the South Dezful Embayment. Possible source rocks were also characterized using Rock–Eval pyrolysis to address the likely potential source rocks. The oil samples representing four major reservoirs (Surmeh, Fahliyan, Gadvan and Dariyan) constitute a single genetic oil family according to bulk and biomarker parameters. High API (> 38°), highly saturated hydrocarbons (Sat > 65%), very low asphaltene content (Asp < 2%) and raised saturates/aromatics ratio (Sat/Aro > 2) are the bulk diagnostic characteristics of the studied oils implying more dominant terrigenous nature of the precursor organic matter. The predominance of C29 regular steranes (~ 40%), presence of C29Ts as well as very low gammacerane (< 10%) and moderate C35/C34 homohopane (< 1) are consistent with the mixed marine–terrigenous dysoxic organic matter input. The oils are assumed to be originated from Early Cretaceous source rocks at the peak of the oil generation window in a kitchen area located to the south of the studied region (i.e., the Binak–Borazjan Trough). The hydrocarbons were migrated from this kitchen to the structurally shallow-seated reservoirs in the center and west of the Kharg-Mish local paleo-high. The Khami Group reservoirs are not effectively sealed by the thin Hith anhydrites, and the Kazhdumi Formation finally trapped the migrated hydrocarbons. This study improves our knowledge regarding one of the active petroleum systems in the South Dezful Embayment, enhancing petroleum exploration success by navigating further drillings into the more prosperous targets.
Highlights
The Upper Jurassic–Tertiary sedimentary succession of the South Dezful Embayment is the host for most of the oil and gas reserves in the southwest of Iran
The high maturity of the studied oils is indicated by the absence or very small amount of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with prominent naphthalene and phenanthrene compounds in the aromatic fraction (Fig. 3)
The typical fingerprints of Khami Group oils in the South Dezful Embayment show that the source rock was deposited in an open marine intra-shelf basin with semi-anoxic conditions prevailing at the bottom
Summary
Upper Jurassic Surmeh and the Lower Cretaceous Fahliyan/ Khalij/Dariyan reservoirs in the study area. Lack of mature samples of the possible source rocks, as well as the oil samples from the deep Khami reservoirs in the main kitchen area (Binak–Borazjan depression), has created a limitation to conduct a well-established biomarker–isotopic source–oil correlation. To overcome this limitation, here, an indirect predictive approach had to be performed for source rock characterization, including source rock aging, maturity and organic facies, solely based on evidence from the oil fingerprints
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