Geochemistry of crude oils in Oman

Grantham, P.J.; Lijmbach, G. W. M.; Posthuma, J.

doi:10.1144/gsl.sp.1990.050.01.17

Cited by 14 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…The most likely origin for all this bitumen is northern Iraq (Fattah, Hammam al-Aliel). This bitumen is completely different from the Haushi tars of Oman which have an Infra-Cambrian origin in the Hufq formation(68).…”

mentioning

confidence: 64%

A comparative geochemical study of bituminous boat remains from H3, As‐Sabiyah (Kuwait), and RJ‐2, Ra's al‐Jinz (Oman)

Connan

Robert

Crawford

et al. 2005

Arab Archaeol Epigr

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This paper presents a geochemical analysis of fragments of bituminous amalgam from H3, As‐Sabiyah (Kuwait), and RJ‐2, Ra's al‐Jinz (Oman). The fragments bear barnacles on one side and reed impressions on the other, and are thought to have been part of the coating of reed‐bundle boats. The material from H3 dates to between 5300–4900 BC, while that of RJ‐2 dates to 2500–2100 BC. Samples from both sites were geochemically compared to archaeological and ethnographic material from Kosak Shamali (northern Syria, c.5000–4400 BC), RH‐5 (Oman, 4400–3500 BC) and Baghdad (central Iraq, 1900 AD). The composition of the bituminous amalgams was studied in detail. Rock‐Eval Pyrolysis gave a measure of Total Organic Carbon in the samples, and allowed an initial comparison of the data sets using various parameters. Examination of the proportions of soluble and insoluble organic matter allowed an assessment of the quantity of vegetal matter added to the bitumen to make the bituminous amalgam. The composition of the Ra's al‐Jinz material was studied using X‐Ray Diffraction analysis and thin‐section petrography, in order to assess the proportions of various minerals in the bituminous amalgams. It was concluded that the recipe for the bituminous mixture used to coat reed‐bundle and wooden boats did not differ significantly from that commonly used to make ‘mortar’ for architectural purposes in Mesopotamia. Traces of animal fats or fish oils were not found in the analysed Ra's al‐Jinz material, in contrast to previous hypotheses regarding the composition of the mixture. Comparison of the gross composition of extractable organic matter (the constituents of pure bitumen, soluble in chloroform or dichloromethane) showed the progressive effects of weathering on the samples. The isotopic composition of the bituminous material from H3 and the other sites was then compared to that of bitumen seeps and crude oils from Mesopotamia, Iran and Oman. The most significant result is that the material from As‐Sabiyah originated in Kuwait, at a surface seep at Burgan, while the material from Ra's al‐Jinz had a source in northern Mesopotamia.

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confidence: 64%

A comparative geochemical study of bituminous boat remains from H3, As‐Sabiyah (Kuwait), and RJ‐2, Ra's al‐Jinz (Oman)

Connan

Robert

Crawford

et al. 2005

Arab Archaeol Epigr

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“…The extent of these Silurian 'source' shales is not well known. However, similar marine shales with source potential have been recorded from wells in western Oman, termed the Sahmah Member of the Silurian Safiq Formation (Grantham et a/., 1988(Grantham et a/., , 1990Hughes Clarke, 1988).…”

Section: Wajid Formationmentioning

confidence: 90%

The interior rifts of the Yemen ‐ analysis of basin structure and stratigraphy in a regional plate tectonic context

Redfern¹,

Jones²

1995

Basin Research

133

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The full extent of Mesozoic rift basins within interior Yemen has only recently been established. This work presents a detailed documentation of the stratigraph)., structure and basin development of the Marib‐Shabwa and Sirr‐Sayun basins, and the Jeza Trough. Yemen is located at the south‐western margin of the Arabian Plate, which for most of its early geological history formed part of the northern passive margin of Gondwanaland. Mesozoic break up of the super‐continent was associated with major rifting in the Late Jurassic (main phase) and Early Cretaceous. Orientation of the rift basins reflects an inheritance from deep‐seated Precambrian structural trends which cross the Arabian Plate. The resultant structure of basement highs, tilted fault blocks, marginal terraces and central graben highs is illustrated in a series of detailed cross‐sections. A comprehensive stratigraphic framework has also been established for the Jurassic and Cretaceous basin‐fill, enabling thickness and facies variations to be analysed. This reveals a clear shift in the main period of fault‐related, high sediment accumulation rates, both within and across the three interior basins of Yemen. In the western Marib‐Shabwa Basin, the fill is dominantly Late Jurassic, whilst the eastern Shabwa Basin and Sirr‐Sayun Basin exhibit a progressively increased, and younger, Early Cretaceous fill. The main period of fault‐related sedimentation in the most easterly basin, the Jeza Trough, is wholly Cretaceous. Plate tectonic reconstructions of the area for this period have documented the separation and subsequent north‐eastward movement of the Indian Plate, away‐ from Africa‐Arabia. We believe this may have been the causal mechanism in the progressive eastward migration of rift activity in the Yemen.

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“…The resulting extracts were quantified and, after n-heptane deasphalting, separated by thin layer chromatography into saturates, aromatics and NSO fractions. The saturates were then analysed by GC and by GC MS on a VG Autospec; m/z 191 and m/z 217 fragmentograms were extracted for comparison with existing regional data base (Grantham et al, 1990).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pyrobitumen occurrence and formation in a Cambro–Ordovician sandstone reservoir, Fahud Salt Basin, North Oman

Huc

Nederlof²,

Debarre

et al. 2000

Chemical Geology

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The Cambro–Ordovician Barik Sandstone reservoirs in the Fahud Salt Basin in Oman contain bitumen which may fill up to 40% of the porosity. In well Jaleel-1, this bitumen was isolated (according to kerogen procedure) and typed by NMR, elemental analysis and density measurements. The isolated bitumen is characterized by: (1) a highly aromatic character (NMR 75% CAro, H/C atomic ratio: 0.65), (2) a very high sulphur content (4.2%) and (3) a relatively high density (1.3–1.4 g/cm3). The insolubility and the reflectivity of the bitumen (1.2% Vr) qualify it as a low mature pyrobitumen. The combination of Rock-Eval and density data was used to calculate the actual volume of the pyrobitumen in the rock, as a percentage of porosity. It was found that the pyrobitumen volume shows a negative correlation with total porosity, indicating that small pores are more invaded by bitumen than larger ones. Finally, closed system pyrolysis experiments, performed on oils with different NSO contents, indicate that an in situ oil with a very high content of NSO compounds is required to generate such large amounts of pyrobitumen in the pore system. These observations suggest that the precursor oil of the current pyrobitumen was a very heavy oil tentatively assumed to be the result of a severe biodegradation. Basin modeling shows that the reservoir was charged already in Devonian times. A major uplift brought the oil accumulation near the surface during the Carboniferous and a rather regular burial to the present day position (4500 m, 140°C) (Loosveld et al., 1996). This scenario, involving a residence time at shallow depth, strengthens the biodegradation hypothesis. The numerical modeling, which involves the IFP kinetic model for secondary oil cracking, suggests that pyrobitumen formation is a very recent event. Inclusion of pyrobitumen particles within quartz overgrowth, containing fluid inclusions, provides an upper temperature limit for the beginning of pyrobitumen formation which comforts the result of kinetic modelling

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Geochemistry of crude oils in Oman

Cited by 14 publications

References 9 publications

A comparative geochemical study of bituminous boat remains from H3, As‐Sabiyah (Kuwait), and RJ‐2, Ra's al‐Jinz (Oman)

A comparative geochemical study of bituminous boat remains from H3, As‐Sabiyah (Kuwait), and RJ‐2, Ra's al‐Jinz (Oman)

The interior rifts of the Yemen ‐ analysis of basin structure and stratigraphy in a regional plate tectonic context

Pyrobitumen occurrence and formation in a Cambro–Ordovician sandstone reservoir, Fahud Salt Basin, North Oman

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