Petroleum system of the fold-and-thrust belt of the United Arab Emirates: New insights based on 1D and 2D basin modeling

Abstract

The hydrocarbon potential of the fold-and-thrust belt (FTB) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)-Oman mountains has received limited attention to date, leading to a poor understanding of the petroleum systems in this region. Despite the existence of hydrocarbon fields within the FTB, the source rock potential has not been adequately studied. This study aims to address this knowledge gap using 1D and 2D basin modeling approaches to evaluate the petroleum system of the FTB. In addition, gas chromatographs are also used to correlate hydrocarbon occurrences with their source rock. This study's findings identify the Silurian, Upper Cretaceous, Paleocene–Eocene, and Oligocene formations as the primary source rocks in the study area. Silurian shales, encountered in a well in the northern UAE, are currently considered overmature. The Cenozoic source rocks exhibit a spectrum of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) content, ranging from less than 1 to as high as 2 wt%, leading to variable degrees of expulsion efficiency. The maturity of these rocks varies based on their position in relation to the FTB and foredeep, with increasing maturity towards the north. The Upper Cretaceous sequences display low TOC and Hydrogen Index, indicating very low expulsion efficiency. The present-day distribution of maturity is largely influenced by Late Cretaceous and Oligocene–Miocene compressional events that affected the northern and northeastern Arabian Plate. This analysis shows that hydrocarbon expulsion from the Silurian source rocks was initiated during the Middle-Late Jurassic. These hydrocarbons are presumed to have migrated through Upper Permian, Jurassic, and Lower and middle Cretaceous reservoirs. Westward hydrocarbon migration, towards a regional bulge, may have also occurred following compressional events that resulted in lithospheric flexure and formation of the foreland basin. Notably, certain exceptions to migration towards the bulge include structural entrapment of hydrocarbons beneath the main frontal thrust zone of FTB and some structural traps beneath the Lower Fiqa Formation.