Constraining the burial history of the Ghadames Basin, North Africa: an integrated analysis using sonic velocities, vitrinite reflectance data and apatite fission track ages

Constraining the burial history of a sedimentary basin is crucial for accurate prediction of hydrocarbon generation and migration. Although the Ghadames Basin is a prolific hydrocarbon province, with recoverable oil discovered to date in excess of 3.5 billion bbl, exploration on the eastern margin is still limited and the prospectivity of the area depends on the identification of effective source rocks and the timing of hydrocarbon generation. Sonic velocity, apatite fission track (FT) and vitrinite reflectance analysis offer three complementary methods to determine burial history and provide independent analytical techniques to evaluate the timing and amount of exhumation. The results indicate that two phases of tectonic activity had the biggest influence on basin evolution: the Hercynian (Late Carboniferous–Triassic) and Alpine (Late Mesozoic/Cenozoic) tectonic events. Exhumation during the Hercynian tectonic event increases from the SE, where an almost complete Palaeozoic section is preserved, towards the NW. This study quantifies the significant regional Alpine exhumation of the southern and eastern margins of the basin, with important implications for the timing of hydrocarbon maturation and expulsion, particularly for the Silurian source rock interval. Incorporating elevated Alpine exhumation values into burial history models for wells in the eastern (Libyan) part of the basin allows calibration with available maturity (Ro_eq) data using moderate values of Hercynian erosion. The result is preservation of the generation potential of Silurian (Tanezzuft) source rocks until maximum burial during Mesozoic/Cenozoic time, which improves the chance for preservation of hydrocarbon accumulations following entrapment.