Organic geochemical characteristics of crude oils from the Masila Basin, eastern Yemen

The Masila Basin is an important hydrocarbon province in Yemen, but the origin of hydrocarbons and their generation history are not fully understood. In this regard, 10 crude oils from different petroleum reservoir sections in the Masila Basin were characterized by a variety of biomarker and non-biomarker parameters using GC, GC-MS and stable carbon isotope techniques. Oils from the Masila Basin display pristane/phytane (Pr/Ph) ratios ranging from 1.7 to 2.0, low sulfur content, high C₃₅ homohopane index, relatively high C₂₇ sterane concentrations and relatively high tricyclic terpanes suggesting a marine clay source rock that was deposited in mildly anoxic to suboxic conditions with dominantly algal organic matter. C₂₉ 20S/(20S + 20R) steranes and ββ/(ββ + αα) sterane ratios indicate that the Masila oils have reached peak oil window maturity. Another related feature of these oils is the absence of 18α (H)-oleanane, which suggests a source age older than Cretaceous. The carbon isotope compositions are similar to those of the potential source rocks, which range from −25.4‰ to −28.3‰, indicating a marine environment. The new data presented in this paper suggest that the Masila oils constitute one oil family and that the oil originated from the Upper Jurassic Madbi source rock in the basin.