A systematic analysis of petroleum system criticals can provide a robust review of a basin's hydrocarbon potential through time and space. The ten essential petroleum system criticals that express the extensive and intensive variables are: source generation volume (S
gv
), source-rock richness (S
gr
), source-rock quality (S
rq
), source-rock maturity (S
rm
), reservoir rock volume (R
rv
), reservoir rock quality (R
rq
), reservoir rock hydrocarbon type (R
rhct
), reservoir rock seal and closure (R
rsc
), flux migration path (F
mp
) and petroleum system timing (PS
t
). The Matruh–Shushan Basin of the Western Desert, Egypt, forms the basis for an example of the application of this technique.
Modelling and empirical data of source-rock criticals reveal that the Mesozoic source generation megasequence is restricted in the Matruh–Shushan Basin. Presently, these areas lie buried at their maximum experienced temperatures. Potential reservoirs in portions of the north and central Western Desert were dependent upon lateral migration path criticals for their charge. Progressive uplift and basin inversion since the middle Palaeozoic provided favourable conditions for lateral migration in the Mesozoic. The main potential source rocks in the present basins are the Lower Cretaceous Alam El Bueib (AEB) and the Jurassic Khatatba. Although both share mixed kerogen types (II/III), they attained their highest levels of thermal maturity at different times. Basin modelling suggests the Lower Cretaceous AEB entered the oil window in the Late Cretaceous, while the Jurassic Khatatba of the deeper part of the basin entered the oil window in the Turonian.
Charge risks increase in the deeper basin megasequences in which migration hydrocarbons must traverse the basin updip. The migration pathways were principally lateral ramps and faults which enabled migration into the shallower post-Late Cretaceous structured reservoirs.
Basin modelling incorporating an analysis of the petroleum system criticals has outlined the spatial and temporal extent of the different petroleum systems in the Matruh–Shushan Basin and can help guide the next exploration phase. While oil exploration is now focused appropriately along Late Cretaceous and Tertiary migration paths, these results suggest deeper sections may have reservoirs charged with significant unrealized gas potential.
In order to evaluate the hydrocarbon potential of the Matruh Basin, North Western Desert of Egypt, the tectonic history, basin analysis, and maturity modeling of the Albian-Cenomanian Formations of the Matruh Basin were investigated using well logs and 3D seismic data. Structural analysis of the tops of the Bahariya, Kharita, and Alamein Dolomite Formations reveals them to dip to the southeast. Burial history and subsidence curves show that the basin experienced a tectonic subsidence through the Middle-Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous times. Thermal maturity models indicated that Cenomanian clastics of the Bahariya Formation are in the early mature stage in the east portions of the area, increasing to the mid maturity level in the southwestern parts. On the other hand, the Albian Kharita Formation exhibits a mid maturation level in the most parts of the area. The petroleum system of the Matruh Basin includes a generative (charge) subsystem with Middle Jurassic and Cenomanian sources (for oil/gas) and Turonian sources (for oil), with peak generation from Turonian to Eocene, and a migration-entrapment subsystem including expulsion and migration during Early Tertiary to Miocene into structures formed from Late Cretaceous to Eocene.
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