Geochemical Characterizations of Source and Depositional Environment of Hydrocarbons in the Lake Albert Rift Basin

Despite the upsurge in hydrocarbon exploration in the Lake Albert Rift Basin(LARB)over the past three decades,systematic characterization of hydrocarbon compositions remains lacking,leading to uncertainties in source rock and oil generation determination.We characterized crude oil compositions and oil sand samples in the northern and southern subbasins of LARB.The relative abundance of normal and branched linear alkanes,hopanes,steranes,and aromatic hydrocarbon suggest that northern and southern hydrocarbons were deposited in anoxic to suboxic lacustrine environments and share similar biological source compositions(i.e.,a mixture of plants and aquatic algae and bacteria).Relative to southern samples,northern samples show more negative δ^(13)C values for oils,saturates and aromatics,indicating longer migration paths,and exhibit higher MPI-1,DNR-1 and 4-/1-MDBT ratios,indicating higher maturity.Between the two possible sets of source rocks(upper Miocene and Jurassic strata),the positive δ^(13)C values of saturated hydrocarbons(average=-20.5‰)suggest that the upper Miocene lacustrine shale is the most likely candidate.Oleanane index(<5% in our samples)does not exclude either source rock possibility,and C_(28)/C_(29) regular sterane(average=0.63)may be biased by high terrestrial inputs in a lacustrine setting.Together,our data show that northern and southern oils originate from the same source rocks but different oil kitchens.Given the similar geochemical characteristics of southern and northern oils,previous exploration successes in the northern subbasin likely suggest similar potential in the southern sector,while other elements influencing exploration success must be also evaluated.

Influences of the Basin Brines on Hydrocarbons of the Anthracosia Shales from Southwestern Poland

Abstract: Previous studies have shown that the oxidizing brines from the Early Permian Rotliegende sequence have influences on the organic matter of Kupferschiefer. However, inside the Rotliegende sequence there are two other black shales: the Lower and Upper Antracosia shales, which have not been studied as much in detail as in Kupferschiefer. In the present study 12 samples from the Lower and Upper Antracosia shales were analyzed by organic geochemical methods in order to clarify the influences of the oxidizing brines on organic matter. The results indicate that the organic matter of the samples from the Upper Antracosia shale and the bottom of the Lower Antracosia shale was oxidized under the influences of the oxidizing brines. The oxidation resulted in a depletion of saturated hydrocarbons and the alkyls of the aromatic compounds.

Integrated Modelling and Reservoir Characterization of Ataga Field, Niger Delta Basin, Nigeria

Integrated modelling, well correlation and petrophysical analysis were performed to characterize the reservoirs for optimum hydrocarbon correlation using 3-D seismic reflection data and suites of well logs from Ataga 5, 7, 10 and 11 wells respectively in Ataga field, shallow offshore, Niger Delta Basin, Nigeria. The study revealed the presence of two viable hydrocarbon bearing reservoirs, AT1 and AT2 and the average values of porosity, permeability, water saturation, hydrocarbon saturation, Net to Gross (NTG) and volume of shale are in the ranges of 15% - 77%, 44.5% - 75.5%, 25.5% - 85%, 15% - 75.5%, 0.70 - 0.88 and 0.11 - 0.38 respectively which goes further to show that the both reservoirs have fair characteristics that are suggestive of the presence of hydrocarbon accumulation. It can therefore be deduced that the permeability values are reflective of fair interconnectivity of pore spaces of sands within the well areas and their ability to transmit fluids, the depth and depth structural map generated for the horizons and structures shows that the most dominant trapping mechanism in the area under study is the crescentic growth fault and the rollover anticlines trending in the Northwest-Southeast direction and from the volumetric analysis. It can be deduced that the recoverable gas for AT1 and AT2 reservoirs is 2 × 106 mscf and 6 × 106 mscf respectively.

A NEWLY-PROPOSED TOPOLOGICAL INDEX AND ITS APPLICATION

This paper proposed a topological index S which combined the graph feature and chemical surroundings. It can reflect the essential properties of chemical compounds better. The capacity of distinguishing structural isomers of saturated hydrocarbons is high.

Reservoir Characterization of the Early Cretaceous Sarmord and Garagu Formations from Atrush-1 and Mangesh-1 Wells, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Petrophysical properties of the Early Cretaceous Sarmord and Garagu formations from the Atrush and Sarsang Blocks in the Kurdistan Region are studied. These formations are generally composed of limestones and dolomitic limestones interbedded with thin to medium layers of yellowish-gray marl (calcareous mudstone). The current study shows that the average shale volume in the Sarmord and Garage formations is between 16% and 20%. In Atrush-1 Well, the average porosity ratio of the Sarmord and Garagu formations is fair to good (15% and 11%, respectively). However, in Mangesh-1 Well, the porosity value is poor;it is around 4% on average. Generally, most of the hydrocarbons that have been observed within the pore spaces are residual oil type in Atrush-1 Well and movable hydrocarbon type in Mangesh-1 Well. In Atrush-1 Well, out of 362 m thickness of both formations, only 180 m is considered to be a pay zone;whereas, the pay zone is just around 8.0 m thick out of 347 m of the total thickness. According to the calculated porosity values, the Garagu and Sarmord formations are not considered as good reservoirs in the studied wells, with the exception of Atrush-1 Well where the Sarmord Formation has fair potential reservoir characteristics.