Tectonics and Petroleum Potential of Sedimentary Basins in the Bering, Okhotsk, Japan Seas, and Island Arcs

Abstract

In this vast region located in the northwestern part of the Pacific rim, basins of two main genetic types possess petroleum potential. These two types are represented by basins of the recent active margin and basins of the transitional zone between analogs of the passive margin and the recent active margin. For basins of the active margin, the mean density of potential resources is estimated at 5000 MT/km[sup 2] or more. The total area of these basins is 324,000 km[sup 2] among which 120,000 km[sup 2] are in the Russian sector. Ultimate resources of hydrocarbons are estimated at 1.62 billing MT of oil equivalent. Basins of the zone, transitional from analogs of the passive margin to the recent active margin, are characterized by a number of factors favorable for petroleum occurrence. One of the important factors is the presence of rift trough and foredeeps that are potential sites for zones of oil and gas accumulation. The age of the rifts varies from the late Cretaceous through the Oligocene-Miocene in the Olyutorsky and Litke basins, to the Neogene in the Okhotsk Sea and Tatar-Japan basins. Only a small area of the rifts has been proven to contain zones of oil andmore » gas accumulation. Based on the structural characteristics, the rifts are subdivided into oil-gas bearing, potentially oil-gas bearing, and nonprospective for hydrocarbon exploration. Potential hydrocarbon resources of basins of this type are estimated to be not less than 15.12 billion MT of oil equivalent including 9.2 billion MT in the Russian sector. New large zones of oil and gas accumulation are expected to be found both on the shallow shelf and in some deep-water basins such as in the Aleutian and Kuril basins.« less