Characterization of Late Cretaceous to Miocene source rocks in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea: An integrated numerical approach of stratigraphic forward modelling and petroleum system modelling

Stratigraphic forward modelling was used to simulate the deposition of Upper Cretaceous, Eocene and Oligo‐Miocene source rocks in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and, thus, obtain a process‐based 3D prediction of the quantity and quality distribution of organic matter (OM) in the respective intervals. Upper Cretaceous and Eocene models support the idea of an upwelling‐related source rock formation along the Levant Margin and the Eratosthenes Seamount (ESM). Along the margin, source rock facies form a narrow band of 50 km parallel to the palaeo shelf break, with high total organic carbon (TOC) contents of about 1% to 11%, and HI values of 300–500 mg HC/g TOC. On top of the ESM, TOC contents are mainly between 0.5% and 3% and HI values between 150 and 250 mg HC/g TOC. At both locations, TOC and HI values decrease rapidly towards the deeper parts of the basin. In the Oligo‐Miocene intervals, terrestrial OM makes up the highest contribution to the TOC content, as marine organic matter (OM) is diluted by high‐sedimentation rates. In general, TOC contents are low (<1%), but are distributed relatively homogenously throughout the whole basin, creating poor quality, but very thick source rock intervals of 1–2 km of cumulative thickness. The incorporation of these source rock models into a classic petroleum system model could identify several zones of thermal maturation in the respective source rock intervals. Upper Cretaceous source rocks started petroleum generation in the late Palaeocene/early Eocene with peak generation between 20 and 15 Ma ca. 50 km offshore northern Lebanon. Southeast of the ESM, generation started in the early Eocene with peak generation between 18 and 15 Ma. Eocene source rocks started HC generation ca. 25 Ma ago between 50 and 100 km southeast of the ESM and reached the oil to wet gas window at present day. However, until today they have converted less than 20% of their initial kerogen. Although the Miocene source rocks are mostly immature, Oligocene source rocks lie within the oil window in the southern Levant Basin and reached the onset of the wet gas window in the northern Levant Basin. However, only 10%–20% of their initial kerogen have been transformed to date.     

Thermal history,hydrocarbon generation and migration in the Horn Graben in the Danish North Sea: a 2D basin modelling study

In this study a 2D basin model has been built along a transect crossing the Horn Graben in WNW-ESE direction. The aim of the investigation was to improve the understanding of the thermal evolution of the basin and its influence on possible petroleum systems. The 2D model of the subsurface is based on one seismic line and data from two exploration wells. Both wells TD’ed in Triassic sediments. The updoming of the Ringkøbing-Fyn High began during Late Carboniferous–Early Permian. At the end of the Permian the Horn Graben became active due to regional extension. The subsequent sedimentation history from Triassic to date is well recorded by well reports. A matter of debate has been whether or not significant amounts of Pre-Permian sediments exist in this area of the North Sea. Since organic material rich Paleozoic sediments serve as source rocks in widespread areas of North Germany and the southern North Sea it would be of great importance to know whether the same deposits exist in the Horn Graben. Nielsen et al. (Bull Geol Soc Denmark Copenhagen 45:1–10, 1998) introduced a model, which shows Paleozoic sediments covering the basement at a maximum depth of 6.5 km. Assuming, Paleozoic sediments are underlying the Permian salt deposits there should be an active petroleum system present. The 2D model includes the Paleozoic source rock and tries to explain why two exploration wells have not found petroleum.     

A comparison of burial,maturity and temperature histories of selected wells from sedimentary basins in The Netherlands

Sedimentary basins in The Netherlands contain significant amounts of hydrocarbon resources, which developed in response to temperature and pressure history during Mesozoic and Cenozoic times. Quantification and modelling of burial, maturity and temperature histories are the major goals of this study, allowing for a better understanding of the general geological evolution of the different basins as well as petroleum generation. All major basins in The Netherlands encountered at least one time of inversion and therefore moderate to high amounts of erosion. In order to determine the amount of inversion the basins have experienced, a 1D study was performed on 20 wells within three basins (West Netherlands, Central Netherlands and Lower Saxony Basins). New vitrinite reflectance values were obtained and existing data re-evaluated to gain a good data base. The burial histories of six wells, two for each studied basin, are presented here, to demonstrate the differences in basin evolution that led to their present shape and petroleum potential. The Permo-Triassic subsidence phase can be recognized in all three basins, but with varying intensity. In the Jurassic, the basins experienced different relative movements that culminated in the Cretaceous when the influence of the inversion caused erosion of up to 2,500 m. Most wells show deepest burial at present-day, whereas the timing of maximum temperature differs significantly.     

Late Cretaceous to Cenozoic geodynamic evolution of the Atlantic margin offshore Essaouira (Morocco)

After Mesozoic rifting, the Atlantic margin of Morocco has recorded the consequences of the continental collision between Africa and Europe and the relative northward motion of the African plate over the Canary Island hotspot during Cenozoic times. Interpretation of recently acquired 2D seismic reflection data (MIRROR 2011 experiment) presents new insights into the Late Cretaceous to recent geodynamic evolution of this margin. Crustal uplift presumably started during the Late Cretaceous and triggered regional tilting in the deep‐water margin west of Essaouira and the formation of the Base Tertiary Unconformity (BTU). An associated hiatus in sedimentation is interpreted to have started earlier in the north (presumably in the Cenomanian at well location DSDP 416) and propagated to the south (presumably in the Coniacian at well location DSDP 415). The difference in the total duration of this hiatus is postulated to have controlled the extrusion of Late Triassic to Early Jurassic salt during the Late Cretaceous to Early Palaeocene non‐depositional period, resulting in regional differences in the preservation of salt structures: the Agadir Basin in the south of the study area is dominated by salt diapirs, whereas massive canopies characterised the Ras Tafelnay Plateau farther north and salt‐poor canopies and weld structures the northernmost offshore Essaouira and Safi Basins. Accompanied by volcanic intrusions, a presumably Early Palaeogene reactivation of previously existing basement faults is interpreted to have formed a series of deep‐water anticlines with associated gravity deformation of shallow‐seated sediments. The orientation of the fold axes is roughly perpendicular to the present day coast and the extensional fault direction; therefore, not a coast‐line parallel pattern of extensional faults, related to the rifting and break‐up of the margin, but rather a coast‐line perpendicular oceanic fracture zone might have caused the basement faults associated with the deep‐water folds. Both the volcanic intrusions and the formation of the deep‐water anticlines show a comparable age trend which gets progressively younger towards the south. A potential tempo‐spatial relationship of the BTU and the reactivation of basement faults can be explained by the relative northward motion of the African plate over the Canary Island hotspot. Regional uplift producing the BTU could have been the precursor of the approaching hotspot during the Late Cretaceous, followed during the Early Palaeogene by a locally more pronounced uplift above the hotspot centre.     

Reprint of: Maturity modelling integrated with apatite fission-track dating: Implications for the thermal history of the Mid-Polish Trough (Poland)

The Mid-Polish Trough (MPT) is situated in the easternmost part of the Central European Basin System (CEBS) and stretches NW–SE across the Polish Basin. It was characterised by pronounced subsidence and thick sediment accumulation between the Permian and the Late Cretaceous. Late Cretaceous–early Paleogene basin inversion led to the formation of the Mid-Polish Swell (MPS). The study area is located within the Pomeranian segment of the MPT/MPS (NW Poland) and experienced up to 7 km Permian-Mesozoic subsidence. PetroMod 1-D modelling was performed on several well-sections in order to study Permian to recent burial-uplift evolution. The modelling was calibrated with new vitrinite reflectance (VR_r) data and allowed to constrain the magnitude of uplift and related erosion as well as provided a first overview of the temperature history. The base of the studied Permian–Mesozoic successions attained maximum burial depths of 4800–5400 m before the onset of the inversion, less than in the axial trough area. The thickness of pre- and most probably also syn-inversion Upper Cretaceous deposits is estimated as 300 m. Erosion associated with inversion processes removed between 900 and 1400 m of the Mesozoic sediments, i.e. 1000–1500 m less than in the most inverted central part of the trough. VR_r data suggest constant Permian–Mesozoic heat flows corresponding to present-day values (40–45 mW/m²). Apatite fission-track (AFT) ages modelled with the PetroMod module PetroTracks show a good fit with AFT ages directly measured on well samples, and further support the assumption of steady heat flow in the range 40–45 mW/m². Palaeotemperatures appear to have decreased towards the East European Craton margin, which is compatible with the present day distribution of heat flow. Thermal history modelling shows a relatively simple Permian–Mesozoic heat flow pattern in the Pomeranian segment of the MPT. Such a scenario implies that the present-day heat flow distribution has not changed essentially since Mesozoic times.     

Basin modeling meets rift analysis – A numerical modeling study from the Jeanne d'Arc basin,offshore Newfoundland,Canada

The Jeanne d'Arc basin, on the Grand Banks offshore Newfoundland, is a confined, failed-rift basin. Its initial development and burial history were controlled by crustal stretching and thinning. This study provides a detailed analysis of the heat flow-, tectonic subsidence-, stretching factor-, maturation- and temperature history, based on 44 1D models- and one full 4D (space and time) model.     

应用CH4/N2指标估算塔里木盆地天然气热成熟度

通过对塔里木盆地满加尔凹陷低成熟煤岩在开放在线程序升温体系的热模拟实验,获得煤岩在不同温度点的热分解产物CH4、CO和N2,并对模拟后残留产物进行了镜质体反射率测试,建立了镜质体反射率与对应受热温度之间的关系。煤岩镜质体反射率与热温度之间的二阶关系表达为:Ro=0.0014×T+0.109,r=0.9931(Ro<0.6%);Ro=0.0067×T-1.5855,r=0.9996(Ro>0.6%)。通过上述方程建立CH4/N2值与煤岩镜质体反射率之间的对应关系,并利用CH4/N2值对塔里木盆地库车坳陷天然气热成熟度进行了预测。预测结果与实际地质分析结果相吻合,说明CH4/N2值可以作为塔里木盆地煤成气热成熟度预测指标应用于油气勘探中。     

Thermal history and source rock characterization of a Paleozoic section in the Awbari Trough,Murzuq Basin,SW Libya

In some areas of the Murzuq Basin, SW Libya, the lower Silurian member comprises highly radioactive shales (Hot Shale), which are regarded as the most significant factor controlling petroleum generation in the basin. In this context, it was the goal of our project to study the distribution and maturity of the Hot Shale in the framework of basin evolution. Organic geochemical, organic petrological and basin modelling methods were used to obtain a more thorough understanding. Four wells from the northern and central part of the Awbari Trough have been selected for this study.     

Quantitation of Nonextractable Anthropogenic Quantitation of Nonextractable Anthropogenic Sediments after Chemical Degradation

Four highly contaminated sediment samples obtained from three sampling locations of the Teltow Canal, Berlin, were investigated by quantitation of extractable and nonextractable organic contaminants. The selection of the anthropogenic contaminants (including chlorinated and brominated naphthalenes, 2, 4, 6‐tribromoaniline, phthalates, tri‐n‐butylphosphate, 2, 2, 4‐trimethyl‐1, 3‐pentanediol diisobutyrate, bisphenol A, butylated nitrophenols, 4‐nitrobenzoic acid, galaxolide, and tonalide) based on the results of extended GC‐MS screening analyses applied to the extracts of the sediment samples as well as to the extracts derived from selective chemical degradation procedures. In detail, alkaline hydrolyses, BBr₃‐treatment and RuO₄‐oxidation were applied to the pre‐extracted sediment samples in both a separate and a sequential mode.