Late Jurassic bituminous shales from Marib oilfields in the Sabatayn Basin (NW Yemen): Geochemical and petrological analyses reveal oil-shale resource

Abstract

In this study, bituminous shale samples were collected from Late Jurassic sedimentary section in the Marib oilfields to study their petrologic and organic geochemical properties. The results of this study indicate that the Late Jurassic bituminous shales can be considered as an oil-source rocks in the Sabatayn Basin (NW Yemen). The analyzed Late Jurassic shales have high organic matter (TOC up to 10%) content of kerogen Types I/II. These kerogen types in the analyzed samples are consistent with the high dominance of alginite and amorphous organic matter. Open pyrolysis–gas chromatography results are generally consistent with the Rock-Eval results and further indicate that the analyzed shale samples contain Types I/II and II-S kerogen and generally can produce paraffinic oils with low to high wax content. Type II-S kerogen can produce oil with high sulphur content at low maturity level. The maturity data reflect immature and very early maturity stages of petroleum formation of the Late Jurassic bituminous shales. Therefore, the kerogen types in the Late Jurassic bituminous shales has not been altered by thermal maturity for oil generation, thus, artificial heating is required of kerogen cracking generate significant oil.