Longitudinal and Temporal Evolution of the Tectonic Style Along the Cyprus Arc System, Assessed Through 2‐D Reflection Seismic Interpretation

Symeou, Vasilis; Homberg, Catherine; Nader, Fadi H.; Darnault, Romain; Lecomte, J. C.; Papadimitriou, Nikolaos

doi:10.1002/2017tc004667

Cited by 32 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…13). Back thrusts are also documented along the Lattakia Ridge itself and are believed to have been initiated during the Pliocene as a result of transpression (Hall et al, 2005;Symeou et al, 2018).…”

Section: Structural Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Petroleum Systems of Lebanon: An Update and Review

Ghalayini

Nader

Daher

et al. 2018

Journal of Petroleum Geology

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This paper presents a new interpretation of the Levant margin, offshore Lebanon, with a review of Lebanese onshore geology and a new evaluation of the petroleum systems of the Eastern Mediterranean. Here, we divide the Lebanese onshore and offshore into four domains: the distal Levant Basin, the Lattakia Ridge, the Levant margin, and the onshore. Each domain is characterised by a particular structural style and stratigraphic architecture, resulting in different source‐reservoir‐trap configurations. This new division draws attention to specific areas of exploration interest in which there are distinct petroleum systems. Following a review of previously published data, this study presents new results from stratigraphic, structural and geochemical investigations. The results include a new interpretation of the Levant margin, focussing on the carbonate‐dominated stratigraphy of this area and its petroleum potential. New petroleum systems charts are presented for each of the four domains to refine and summarize the updated geological knowledge.

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Section: Structural Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Petroleum Systems of Lebanon: An Update and Review

Ghalayini

Nader

Daher

et al. 2018

Journal of Petroleum Geology

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“…The samples of this study were collected from the cores that were drilled along the northern slope of the ESM during the ODO Leg 160 campaign. Modified after Hawie et al (2013) and Symeou et al (2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Source rock characterization of mesozoic to cenozoic organic matter rich marls and shales of the Eratosthenes Seamount, Eastern Mediterranean Sea

Grohmann

Fietz

Littke

et al. 2018

Oil Gas Sci. Technol. – Rev. IFP Energies nouvelles

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Several significant hydrocarbon accumulations were discovered over the past decade in the Levant Basin, Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Onshore studies have investigated potential source rock intervals to the east and south of the Levant Basin, whereas its offshore western margin is still relatively underexplored. Only a few cores were recovered from four boreholes offshore southern Cyprus by the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) during the drilling campaign Leg 160 in 1995. These wells transect the Eratosthenes Seamount, a drowned bathymetric high, and recovered a thick sequence of both pre- and post-Messinian sedimentary rocks, containing mainly marine marls and shales. In this study, 122 core samples of Late Cretaceous to Messinian age were analyzed in order to identify organic-matter-rich intervals and to determine their depositional environment as well as their source rock potential and thermal maturity. Both Total Organic and Inorganic Carbon (TOC, TIC) analyses as well as Rock-Eval pyrolysis were firstly performed for the complete set of samples whereas Total Sulfur (TS) analysis was only carried out on samples containing significant amount of organic matter (>0.3 wt.% TOC). Based on the Rock-Eval results, eight samples were selected for organic petrographic investigations and twelve samples for analysis of major aliphatic hydrocarbon compounds. The organic content is highly variable in the analyzed samples (0–9.3 wt.%). TS/TOC as well as several biomarker ratios (e.g. Pr/Ph < 2) indicate a deposition under dysoxic conditions for the organic matter-rich sections, which were probably reached during sporadically active upwelling periods. Results prove potential oil prone Type II kerogen source rock intervals of fair to very good quality being present in Turonian to Coniacian (average: TOC = 0.93 wt.%, HI = 319 mg HC/g TOC) and in Bartonian to Priabonian (average: TOC = 4.8 wt.%, HI = 469 mg HC/g TOC) intervals. A precise determination of the actual source rock thickness is prevented by low core recovery rates for the respective intervals. All analyzed samples are immature to early mature. However, the presence of deeper buried, thermally mature source rocks and hydrocarbon migration is indicated by the observation of solid bitumen impregnation in one Upper Cretaceous and in one Lower Eocene sample.

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“…Although the northern Levant Basin offshore Lebanon and Syria remains an underexplored province, several authors have recently addressed scientific questions related to its stratigraphic (Hawie, Deschamps, et al, ), geodynamic and structural evolution (Ghalayini, 2015 ; Inati et al, ; Symeou et al, ), and its source rock potential (Bou Daher, Nader, Müller, & Littke, ; Bou Daher, Nader, Strauss, & Littke, ).…”

Section: Introduction and Objectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrated 3D forward stratigraphic and petroleum system modeling of the Levant Basin, Eastern Mediterranean

et al. 2018

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The Eastern Mediterranean Levant Basin is a proven hydrocarbon province with recent major gas discoveries. To date, no exploration wells targeted its northern part, in particular the Lebanese offshore. The present study assesses the tectono‐stratigraphic evolution and related petroleum systems of the northern Levant Basin via an integrated approach that combines stratigraphic forward modeling and petroleum systems/basin modeling based on the previous published work. Stratigraphic modeling results provide a best‐fit realisation of the basin‐scale sedimentary filling, from the post‐rift Upper Jurassic until the Pliocene. Simulation results suggest dominant eastern marginal and Arabian Plate sources for Cenozoic siliciclastic sediments and a significant contribution from the southern Nilotic source mostly from Lower Oligocene to Lower Miocene. Basin modeling results suggest the presence of a working thermogenic petroleum system with mature source rocks localised in the deeper offshore. The generated hydrocarbons migrated through the deep basin within Jurassic and Cretaceous permeable layers towards the Latakia Ridge in the north and the Levant margin and offshore topographic highs. Furthermore, the basin model indicates a possibly significant influence of salt deposition during Messinian salinity crisis on formation fluids. Ultimately, the proposed integrated workflow provides a powerful tool for the assessment of petroleum systems in underexplored areas.

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Longitudinal and Temporal Evolution of the Tectonic Style Along the Cyprus Arc System, Assessed Through 2‐D Reflection Seismic Interpretation

Cited by 32 publications

References 54 publications

Petroleum Systems of Lebanon: An Update and Review

Petroleum Systems of Lebanon: An Update and Review

Source rock characterization of mesozoic to cenozoic organic matter rich marls and shales of the Eratosthenes Seamount, Eastern Mediterranean Sea

Integrated 3D forward stratigraphic and petroleum system modeling of the Levant Basin, Eastern Mediterranean

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