The Petroleum System—From Source to Trap

Abstract

The petroleum system concept is a reliable and logical way to judge and describe the petroleum potential and exploration risks of undrilled propects, plays, and basins. In 19 chapters on petroleum system basics and 18 case study chapters, this comprehensive volume provides an integrated look at the processes of petroleum generation in active source rocks, migration, and accumulation in traps.

Sedimentary Patterns and Stratigraphic Trap Models of Deeply Buried Intervals in the Baxian Depression, North China

“…To discuss the advantageous conditions for petroleum accumulation in deeply buried intervals in the study area, we used the Magoon's concept of petroleum systems (Magoon, 1994).…”

Digital depth horizon compilations of the Alaskan North Slope and adjacent Arctic regions

“…The ANWR 1002 area, NPRA, state lands portions of the Alaskan North Slope, and the (federal) offshore are all sub-regions that are being or have been separately evaluated. A region-wide approach with emphasis on petroleum systems as described in Magoon and Dow (1994) is the ultimate goal. Modern, computer-based resource assessment requires the digitization, assembly, editing, and interpretation of three-dimensional geologic information.…”

“…Refinement and areal extension of resource estimates requires understanding and modeling of the tectonic and sedimentologic evolution of the region as well as derivative information on hydrocarbon generation, migration, and trapping processes in the greater basin region that encompasses the Alaskan North Slope and offshore areas. As a basis for such studies, including detailed modeling of basin formation and fluid movement (petroleum system modeling, see Magoon and Dow, 1994) and regional geophysical studies (e.g., Saltus and others, 2001), we have assembled digital compilations defining four depth horizons: present-day topography/bathymetry, the Lower Cretaceous unconformity, the Triassic Shublik Formation, and the pre-Carboniferous acoustic basement. These four horizons were selected because they mark critical times in the development of the petroleum prospective rocks making up this region.…”

Assessment of undiscovered copper resources associated with the Permian Kupferschiefer, Southern Permian Basin, Europe

“…Ma, mega-annum (millions of years ago); Re-Os, rhenium-osmium. (Magoon and Dow, 1994;Wyborn and others, 1994;Magoon and Schmoker, 2000). The formation of SSC deposits requires a source of metals, a fluid that extracts and moves metals away from the source rocks, a pathway that allows the movement of these ore-bearing fluids, and a physical and redox chemical trap that fixes metals in an ore body (table 3; Taylor, 2000;Hitzman and others, 2005;Hayes and others, in press).…”

“…The formation of SSC deposits requires a source of metals, a fluid that extracts and moves metals away from the source rocks, a pathway that allows the movement of these ore-bearing fluids, and a physical and redox chemical trap that fixes metals in an ore body (table 3; Taylor, 2000;Hitzman and others, 2005;Hayes and others, in press). The timing of the processes that control fluid generation, migration, storage, and preservation is crucial; if a single system component or process is missing or occurs out of order, the copper deposits cannot form (Magoon and Dow, 1994;Kreuzer and others, 2008;McCuaig and others, 2010). Essential mineral-system components for assessing SSC deposits include (1) permeable red-bed rocks juxtaposed against strata that contain reductants (typically organic material and earliest diagenetic pyrite), (2) basin history that indicates that the rocks experienced burial diagenesis (depths of 1 to 5 km at temperatures ranging from 70 to 220 °C), and (3) subsurface water that is enriched in copper.…”