PETROLEUM GEOLOGY AND HYDROCARBON POTENTIAL OF THE GUBAN BASIN,NORTHERN SOMALILAND

The Guban Basin is a NW‐SE trending Mesozoic‐Tertiary rift basin located in northern Somaliland (NW Somalia) at the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden. Only seven exploration wells have been drilled in the basin, making it one of the least explored basins in the Horn of Africa – southern Arabia region. Most of these wells encountered source, reservoir and seal rocks. However, the wells were based on poorly understood subsurface geology and were located in complex structural areas. The Guban Basin is composed of a series of on‐ and offshore sub‐basins which cover areas of 100s to 1000s of sq. km and which contain more than 3000 m of sedimentary section. Seismic, gravity, well, outcrop and geochemical data are used in this study to investigate the petroleum systems in the basin. The basin contains mature source rocks with adequate levels of organic carbon together with a variety of reservoir rocks. The principal exploration play is the Mesozoic petroleum system with mature source rocks (Upper Jurassic Gahodleh and Daghani shales) and reservoirs of Upper Jurassic to Miocene age. Maturity data suggest that maximum maturity was achieved prior to Oligocene rift‐associated uplift and unroofing. Renewed charge may have commenced during post‐ Oligocene‐Miocene rifting as a result of the increased heat flows and the increased depth of burial of the Upper Jurassic source rocks in localised depocentres. The syn‐rift Oligocene‐Miocene acts as a secondary objective owing to its low maturity except possibly in localised offshore sub‐basins. Seals include various shale intervals some of which are also source rocks, and the Lower Eocene evaporites of the Taleh Anhydrite constitute an effective regional seal. Traps are provided by drag and rollover anticlines associated with tilted fault blocks. However, basaltic volcanism and trap breaching as a consequence of the Afar plume and Oligocene‐Miocene rifting of the Gulf of Aden cause considerable exploration risk in the Guban Basin.     

PETROLEUM GEOLOGY OF THE NOGAL BASIN AND SURROUNDING AREA,NORTHERN SOMALIA,PART 2: HYDROCARBON POTENTIAL

Seismic reflection profiles and well data show that the Nogal Basin, northern Somalia, has a structure and stratigraphy suitable for the generation and trapping of hydrocarbons. However, the data suggest that the Upper Jurassic Bihendula Group, which is the main source rock elsewhere in northern Somalia, is largely absent from the basin or is present only in the western part. The high geothermal gradient (～35–49 °C/km) and rapid increase of vitrinite reflectance with depth in the Upper Cretaceous succession indicate that the Gumburo Formation shales may locally have reached oil window maturity close to plutonic bodies. The Gumburo and Jesomma Formations include high quality reservoir sandstones and are sealed by transgressive mudstones and carbonates. ID petroleum systems modelling was performed at wells Nogal‐1 and Kalis‐1, with 2D modelling along seismic lines CS‐155 and CS‐229 which pass through the wells. Two source rock models (Bihendula and lower Gumburo) were considered at the Nogal‐1 well because the well did not penetrate the sequences below the Gumburo Formation. The two models generated significant hydrocarbon accumulations in tilted fault blocks within the Adigrat and Gumburo Formations. However, the model along the Kalis‐1 well generated only negligible volumes of hydrocarbons, implying that the hydrocarbon potential is higher in the western part of the Nogal Basin than in the east. Potential traps in the basin are rotated fault blocks and roll‐over anticlines which were mainly developed during Oligocene–Miocene rifting. The main exploration risks in the basin are the lack of the Upper Jurassic source and reservoirs rocks, and the uncertain maturity of the Upper Cretaceous Gumburo and Jesomma shales. In addition, Oligocene‐Miocene rift‐related deformation has resulted in trap breaching and the reactivation of Late Cretaceous faults.     

BURIAL AND THERMAL HISTORY MODELLING OF THE MANNAR BASIN,OFFSHORE SRI LANKA

The Mannar Basin is a Late Jurassic – Neogene rift basin located in the Gulf of Mannar between India and Sri Lanka which developed during the break‐up of Gondwana. Water depths in the Gulf of Mannar are up to about 3000 m. The stratigraphy is about 4 km thick in the north of the Mannar Basin and more than 6 km thick in the south. The occurrence of an active petroleum system in the basin was confirmed in 2011 by two natural gas discoveries following the drilling of the Dorado and Barracuda wells, located in the Sri Lankan part of the Gulf. However potential hydrocarbon source rocks have not been recorded by any of the wells so far drilled, and the petroleum system is poorly known. In this study, basin modelling techniques and measured vitrinite reflectance data were used to reconstruct the thermal and burial history of the northern part of the Mannar Basin along a 2D profile. Bottom‐hole temperature measurements indicate that the present‐day geothermal gradient in the northern Mannar Basin is around 24.4 ^oC/km. Optimised present‐day heat flows in the northern part of the Mannar Basin are 30–40 mW/m². The heat flow histories at the Pearl‐1 and Dorado‐North well locations were modelled using SIGMA‐2D software, assuming similar patterns of heat flow history. Maximum heat flows at the end of rifting (Maastrichtian) were estimated to be about 68–71 mW/m². Maturity modelling places the Jurassic and/or Lower Cretaceous interval in the oil and gas generation windows, and source rocks of this age therefore probably generated the thermogenic gas found at the Dorado and Barracuda wells. If the source rocks are organic‐rich and oil‐ and gas‐prone, they may have generated economic volumes of hydrocarbons.     

THE HYDROCARBON PROSPECTIVITY OF LOWER OLIGOCENE DEPOSITS IN THE MARAGH TROUGH, SE SIRT BASIN, LIBYA

The main phase of rifting the Sirt Basin (Libya) had ceased by the mid-Cretaceous but Alpine-related tectonic pulses in the late Eocene resulted in northward tilting of the basin. In the Maragh Trough (SE Sirt basin), a regional unconformity consequently separates Eocene carbonates from the overlying Oligocene succession. The unconformity marks a change from Eocene carbonate sedimentation to more mixed shallow-marine deposition in the Oligocene. A regional transgression re-established fully marine conditions in the Miocene.
Deeply-buried (Triassic) source rocks in the Maragh Trough reached peak oil generation during the Oligocene. Two potential reservoir intervals have been identified: upper Eocene rudstones of the Augila Formation, and unconformably-overlying sandstones of the Lower Oligocene Arida Formation. Mid-Oligocene shales provide a regional seal.
Facies distributions and reservoir properties are related to rift-related structural highs. Despite the absence of a nearby source kitchen, Upper Eocene carbonates have been found to be oil-bearing in the Maragh Trough at wells D1- and F1–96. This indicates that hydrocarbons have migrated along graben-bounding faults from deeply-buried source rocks to platform and sub-platform areas. Traps are of combined structural and stratigraphic type.     

BURIAL HISTORY AND THERMAL MATURITY EVOLUTION OF THE TERMIT BASIN,NIGER

Reconstruction of the burial history and thermal evolution of the Cretaceous – Tertiary Termit Basin, a sub‐basin within the larger Eastern Niger Basin of Niger, indicates spatially and temporally variable conditions for organic matter maturation during the basin's multi‐phased evolution. Three episodes of tectonic subsidence which correspond to the observed fault mechanical stratigraphy within the Termit Basin are identified: Late Cretaceous, Maastrichtian to early Paleocene, and Oligocene. These episodes fall within the regional tectonic phases of the West African Rift System delineated by previous studies. The basin exhibits substantial heterogeneity in the magnitude of the tectonic episodes and in consequent thermal maturities. For this paper, 1D burial and thermal histories of eight widely dispersed wells in the Agadem permit area in the SW of the Termit Graben were modelled to investigate the maturation of organic matter in source rocks ranging from Santonian to Oligocene in age. The kinetic modelled maturities match with maturities based on Rock‐Eval T_max values for four wells if present‐day heat flows are elevated. Future exploration strategies in the Termit Basin should take into consideration these heterogeneities in thermal histories and tectonic pulses, which may lead to the development of hydrocarbon accumulations with different oil‐gas compositions in different reservoir compartments.     

TECTONIC SUBSIDENCE OF THE SIRTE BASIN, LIBYA

The Sirte Basin of Libya has a history of faulting and differential subsidence brought about by lithospheric extension during a 25 MM (million) year period beginning in the Late Cretaceous. The first phase of extension and initial subsidence, with faulting and graben formation, occurred from Cenomanian to Campanian times. Following extension. there occurred widespread thermally-driven subsidence from Maastrichtian through Eocene and Oligocene times, accounting for about half of the total subsidence.
Details of basin subsidence, sediment accumulation rates. and facies variations have been reconstructed for the northern Sirte Basin from a suite of approximately 100 completion well logs and numerous seismic lines. These show that at various times in the Late Cretaceous and Paleocene-Eocene, renewed differential subsidence followed fault reactivation. Tectonic subsidence maps show a sysrematic SE to NW shift in the loci of maximum and minimum subsidence, which parallels the structural trend of the basin. The greatest subsidence observed in the Sirte Trough is 2,085 meters, whereas subsidence of the horsts is generally less than 1,000 meters.
The stretching factor (β: in the range of 1.1 to 1.75). corresponds to an extension of 10–75%. with an average of less than 50%. The greatest stretching is associated with the central graben.     

BURIAL AND MATURATION HISTORY OF THE HEGLIG FIELD AREA, MUGLAD BASIN, SUDAN

The NW‐SE trending Muglad Basin (SW Sudan) is one of a number of Mesozoic basins which together make up the Central African Rift System. Three phases of rifting occurred during the Cretaceous and Tertiary, resulting in the deposition of at least 13 km of sediments in this basin. Commercial hydrocarbons are sourced from the Barremian‐Neocomian Sharaf Formation and the Aptian‐Albian Abu Gabra Formation. The Heglig field is located on a NW‐SE oriented structural high in the SE of the Muglad Basin, and is the second‐largest commercial oil discovery in Sudan. The high is characterised by the presence of rotated fault blocks, and is surrounded by sub‐basinal structural lows. We modelled the geohistories of three wells on different fault blocks in the Heglig field (Heglig‐2, Barki‐1 and Kanga‐1) and one well in the Kaikang Trough (May25–1). The models were calibrated to measured porosity‐depth data, temperature and vitrinite reflectance measurements. Predicted present‐day heat flow over this part of the Muglad Basin is about 55 mW/m². However, a constant heat‐flow model with this value did not result in a good fit between calculated vitrinite Ro and measured Ro at the wells studied. Therefore a variable heat‐flow model was used; heat flow peaks of 75, 70 and 70 mW/m² were modelled, these maxima corresponding to the three synrift phases. This model resulted in a better fit between calculated and measured Ro. The source rock section in the Sharaf and Abu Gabra Formations was modelled for hydrocarbon generation in the four wells. Model results indicate that the present‐day oil generation window in the Hegligfield area lies at depths of between 2 and 4 km, and that oil and gas generation from the basal unit of the Abu Gabra Formation occurred between about 90 and 55 Ma and from the Sharaf Formation between 120 and 50 Ma. The results suggest that the oils discovered in the Heglig area have been generated from a deep, mature as‐yet unpenetrated source‐rock section, and/or from source rocks in nearby sub‐ basinal areas.     

DISTRIBUTION OF SOURCE ROCKS AND MATURITY MODELLING IN THE NORTHERN CENOZOIC SONG HONG BASIN (GULF OF TONKIN), VIETNAM

The northern offshore part of the Cenozoic Song Hong Basin in the Gulf of Tonkin (East Vietnam Sea) is at an early stage of exploration with only a few wells drilled. Oil to source rock correlation indicates that coals are responsible for the sub‐commercial oil and gas accumulations in sandstones in two of the four wells which have been drilled on faulted anticlines and flower structures. The wells are located in a narrow, structurally inverted zone with a thick predominantly deltaic Miocene succession between the Song Chay and Vinh Ninh/Song Lo fault zones. These faults are splays belonging to the offshore extension of the Red River Fault Zone. Access to a database of 3,500 km of 2D seismic data has allowed a detailed and consistent break‐down of the geological record of the northern part of the basin into chronostratigraphic events which were used as inputs to model the hydrocarbon generation history. In addition, seismic facies mapping, using the internal reflection characteristics of selected seismic sequences, has been applied to predict the lateral distribution of source rock intervals. The results based on Yükler ID basin modelling are presented as profiles and maturity maps. The robustness of the results are analysed by testing different heat flow scenarios and by transfer of the model concept to IES Petromod software to obtain a more acceptable temperature history reconstruction using the Easy%R₀ algorithm. Miocene coals in the wells located in the inverted zone between the fault splays are present in separate intervals. Seismic facies analysis suggests that the upper interval is of limited areal extent. The lower interval, of more widespread occurrence, is presently in the oil and condensate generating zones in deep synclines between inversion ridges. The Yükler modelling indicates, however, that the coaly source rock interval entered the main window prior to formation of traps as a result of Late Miocene inversion. Lacustrine mudstones, similar to the highly oil‐prone Oligocene mudstones and coals which are exposed in the Dong Ho area at the northern margin of the Song Hong Basin and on Bach Long Vi Island in Gulf of Tonkin, are interpreted to be preserved in a system of undrilled NW–SE Paleogene half‐grabens NE of the Song Lo Fault Zone. This is based on the presence of intervals with distinct, continuous, high reflection seismic amplitudes. Considerable overlap exists between the shale‐prone seismic facies and the modelled extent of the present‐day oil and condensate generating zones, suggesting that active source kitchens also exist in this part of the basin. Recently reported oil in a well located onshore (BIO‐STB‐IX) at the margin of the basin, which is sourced mainly from “Dong Ho type” lacustrine mudstones supports the presence of an additional Paleogene sourced petroleum system.     

THE SEDIMENTARY EVOLUTION OF THE RED SEA AND GULF OF ADEN

Onset of rifting, and flooding by marine waters, occurred in the late Oligocene in the Gulf of Aden and southern Red Sea. The northern part of the Red Sea may have been a largely continental rift at this initial stage, but continued rifting established marine conditions throughout the system by the early Miocene. Episodic isolation of the Red Sea system, leading to evaporite deposition in some basins, commenced in the mid-Miocene and over two kilometres of salt had accumulated in most Red Sea basins by the end of the Miocene.
Re-establishment of persistently-marine conditions occurred in the Pliocene, and marine recharge is now sufficiently high to permit vigorous carbonate build-ups in shallow-water areas.
Clastic sediment textures suggest that marginal escarpments, which first developed during the onset of rifting, were strongly uplifted in the Pliocene-to-Recent period. Subsidence of basin floors seems to have been particularly rapid during the period dominated by salt deposition.
If eruption of sea-floor basalts in the axial rift areas is excluded, volumetrically important volcanism is centred on the present Afar triangle area, and is confined to the Oligocene and early Miocene. The amount of contemporary volcanic débris in the sandstones is consequently not particularly high. Some sandstones in northern Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt do contain abundant acidic volcanic clasts, but these are derived from the Proterozoic basement and cause less diagenetic reservoir damage than contemporary glassy volcanic ash.
Sandstones deposited in freely-drained alluvial fan settings are characterised by early diagenetic kaolinite, whereas those of sabkha and marginal-marine settings tend to show relatively early diagenetic chlorite. Those alluvial fan sandstones which were subsequently invaded by reduced pore waters expelled from the basin axis, and those in the basin axis, often developed later diagenetic chlorite.     

THE PETROLEUM SYSTEM IN THE SANDINO FOREARC BASIN, OFFSHORE WESTERN NICARAGUA

The underexplored Sandino Basin (Nicaragua Basin/Trough) is located within the forearc area of western Nicaragua and NW Costa Rica. Exploration activity since 2004 has focussed on the onshore sector of the basin, and has included the first drilling campaign for over 30 years. Recent 2D basin modelling of the offshore sector together with organic geochemical studies has attempted to reassess the basin's petroleum potential. Geochemical data from the deepest offshore well indicate that Middle Eocene to Lower Oligocene sediments of the Brito Formation, as well as Upper Oligocene to Lower Miocene sediments of the Masachapa Formation, may have source rock potential. A third and perhaps more significant potential source rock interval is associated with the Lower Cretaceous black shales of the Loma Chumico Formation, which has been studied in the adjacent forearc area in NW Costa Rica (Tempisque Basin) and is inferred to be present in the Sandino Basin.
The thermal history of the forearc basin is controlled by the low basal heat flow (39 mW/m²). 2D modelling has shown that the Sandino Basin is thermally mature, resulting in the potential for hydrocarbon generation in organic-rich intervals in the Brito and Masachapa Formations. A petroleum-generating "kitchen" has tentatively been identified on a NE-SW seismic section which crosses the basin. Modelling suggests that this kitchen has been active from the Late Eocene until the present day, and that the main phases of petroleum generation in general coincide with phases of maximum subsidence in the Late Eocene, Late Oligocene and Plio-Pleistocene. Hydrocarbon migration most probably occurred from the deep basin towards the flanks. Significant volumes of petroleum may have been lost prior to the Late Miocene before the formation of a coastal flexure which can be recognised in the NE of the seismic profile.     

THE STRUCTURAL STYLE OF SEDIMENTARY BASINS ON THE SHELVES OF THE LAPTEV SEA AND WESTERN EAST SIBERIAN SEA, SIBERIAN ARCTIC

A total of 11,700 km of multichannel seismic reflection data were acquired during three recent reconnaissance surveys of the wide, shallow shelves of the Laptev and western East Siberian Seas in the Siberian Arctic Ocean. Three seismic marker horizons were defined and mapped in both shelf areas. Their nature and age were predicted on the basis of regional tectonic and palaeoenvironmental events and corroborated using onshore geology. To the north of the Laptev Sea, the Gakkel Ridge, an active mid‐ocean ridge which separates the North American and Eurasian Plates, abruptly meets the steep slope of the continental shelf which is curvilinear in plan view. Extension has affected the Laptev Shelf since at least the Early Tertiary and has resulted in the formation of three major, generally north‐south trending rift basins: the Ust’Lena Rift, the Anisin Basin and the New Siberian Basin. The Ust’Lena Rift has a minimum east‐west width of 300km at latitude 75°N and a Cenozoic infill up to 6 s (twt) in thickness. Further to the NW of the Laptev Shelf, the downthrown and faulted basement is overlain by a sub‐parallel layered sedimentary succession with a thickness of 4 s (twt) that thins towards the west. Although this area was affected by extension as shown by the presence of numerous faults, it is not clear whether this depression on the NW Laptev Shelf is continuous with the Ust’Lena Rift. The Anisin Basin is located in the northern part of the Laptev Shelf and has a Cenozoic sedimentary fill up to 5 s (twt) thick. The deepest part of the basin trends north‐south. To the west is a secondary, NW‐SE trending depression which is slightly shallower than the main depocentre. The overall structure of the basin is a half‐graben with the major bounding fault in the east. The New Siberian Basin is up to 70 km wide and has a minimum NW‐SE extent of 300 km. The sedimentary fill is up to 4.5 s (twt) thick. Structurally, the basin is a half‐graben with the bounding fault in the east. Our data indicate that the rift basins on the Laptev Shelf are not continuous with those on the East Siberian Shelf. The latter shelf can best be described as an epicontinental platform which has undergone continuous subsidence since the Late Cretaceous. The greatest subsidence occurred in the NE, as manifested by a major depocentre filled with inferred (?)Late Cretaceous to Tertiary sediments up to 5 s (twt) thick.     

PREDICTION OF OPEN FRACTURES IN THE ASMARI FORMATION USING GEOMETRICAL ANALYSIS: AGHAJARI ANTICLINE,DEZFUL EMBAYMENT,SW IRAN

Reservoir quality in the carbonates of the late Oligocene – early Miocene Asmari Formation at oilfields in SW Iran is enhanced by the presence of a well‐developed fracture network. In anticlinal structures, fracture density is partly controlled by geometrical parameters such as the fold curvature. In this study, a geometrical analysis of the Asmari Formation at the NW‐SE oriented Aghajari Anticline in the Dezful Embayment is presented, and is based on inscribed circle and curvature analyses of the fold. Iso‐curvature and fracture potential maps of the Asmari Formation based on the geometrical analysis are compared to the results of fracture density logs determined from image logs at four widely‐spaced wells, and to dynamic mud loss data. The geometrical analysis demonstrates that in areas of high curvature (such as the SE and NW parts of the SW limb of the Aghajari Anticline and the central part of the NE limb), the fracture density is high. Regions of high curvature (in plan or section view) have the greatest potential to develop open fractures. The predicted fracture density distribution based on the geometrical analysis of the Asmari Formation is in good agreement with actual fracture data from the four wells and with mud loss data from the Aghajari oilfield.     

WORLD‐CLASS PALEOGENE OIL‐PRONE SOURCE ROCKS FROM A CORED LACUSTRINE SYN‐RIFT SUCCESSION,BACH LONG VI ISLAND,SONG HONG BASIN,OFFSHORE NORTHERN VIETNAM

Oil‐prone source rocks occurring in lacustrine syn‐rift successions have generated significant amounts of hydrocarbons in many Cenozoic basins in SE Asia. As most exploration wells are located on structural highs, the source rock successions are seldom drilled and their initial composition and generation potential are poorly known. The inverted Bach Long Vi Graben is located at the intersection of the NW–SE trending Song Hong Basin (Yinggehai Basin) and the NE–SW trending Beibuwan Basin in the Gulf of Tonkin, offshore northern Vietnam. The uppermost part of the inverted graben is exhumed and exposed on Bach Long Vi island. In order to investigate the amount and source rock quality of the syn‐rift mudstones, the ENRECA‐3 well was drilled on the island and cored some 500 m of the syn‐rift succession. The well provided excellent cores with a recovery of 99%, dominated by lacustrine mudstones interbedded with various gravity flow deposits. Organic petrography shows that the mudstones are thermally immature and contain sapropelic Type I and mixed Types I and III kerogen. Source rock screening data from more than 300 samples demonstrate that the lacustrine source rocks have an average TOC content of 2.88 wt% and an average Hydrogen Index of 566 mg HC/g TOC. The average Hydrogen Index of the reactive kerogen was determined to be 769 mg HC/g TOC. The Source Potential Index (SPI) is 9 tons HC/m² and the mudstones will, upon full maturation, generate black oil with a gas‐liquid ratio not exceeding ～1700 scf/stb. The mudstones are thus highly oil‐prone. In addition, several tens of metres of source rock within the overlying succession are exposed on Bach Long Vi island and in the surrounding seafloor, and the well did not reach the base of the source rock succession. Although the net‐source rock thickness of the ENRECA‐3 well is estimated to be 233 m, the net thickness of the entire source rock succession will be greater. The present study is the first organic geochemical assessment of a thick lacustrine source rock section in the petroliferous NE Song Hong Basin, and the promising results may be applied not only to other parts of the basin but also to other Cenozoic basins with syn‐rift successions containing significant source rock intervals.     

南苏门达腊盆地中国石油合同区块成藏组合分析

南苏门达腊盆地是典型的弧后裂谷盆地，其演化经历了4大构造期：始新世中期到渐新世早期为裂谷发育期；渐新世晚期到中新世初期为裂谷-坳陷过渡期；中新世早期到末期为坳陷期；上新世早期至今为盆地反转期。盆地形成以始新统湖相泥岩、生储盖组合特征、圈闭构造风格与油气富集特点，可将其油气成藏组合划分为深部组合、下部组合、中部组合和上部组合。深部组合以新生古储式潜山油气藏为主；下部组合以自生自储式油气藏为主；中部组合以古生新储式油气藏为主；上部组合以与晚期反转构造有关的油气藏为主。3个中国石油合同区块发现的成藏组合各不相同，每一区块还具有发现其它成藏组合的潜力。     

HYDROCARBON ACCUMULATION PROCESSES IN THE YANGTAKE FOLDBELT,KUQA FORELAND BASIN,NW CHINA: INSIGHTS FROM INTEGRATED BASIN MODELLING AND FLUID INCLUSION ANALYSES

Abundant gas and condensate resources are present in the Kuqa foreland basin in the northern Tarim Basin, NW China. Most of the hydrocarbons so far discovered are located in foldbelts in the north and centre of the foreland basin, and the Southern Slope region has therefore been less studied. This paper focusses on the Yangtake area in the west of the Southern Slope. Basin modelling was integrated with fluid inclusion analyses to investigate the oil and gas charge history of the area. ID modelling at two widely spaced wells (DB‐1 and YN‐2) assessed the burial, thermal and hydrocarbon generation histories of Jurassic source rocks in the foreland basin. Results show that the source rocks began to generate hydrocarbons (R_o >0.5%) during the Miocene. In both wells, the source rocks became mature to highly mature between 12 and 1.8 Ma, and most oil and gas was generated at 5.3–1.8 Ma with peak generation at about 3 Ma. Two types of petroleum fluid inclusions were observed in Cretaceous and lower Paleocene sandstone reservoir rocks at wells YTK‐5 and YTK‐1 in the Yangtake area. The inclusions in general occur along healed microfractures in quartz grains, and have either yellowish or blueish fluorescence colours. Aqueous inclusions coexisting with both types of oil inclusions in Cretaceous sandstones in well YTK‐5 had homogenization temperatures of 96–128 °C and 115–135 °C, respectively. The integrated results of this study suggest that oil generated by the Middle Jurassic Qiakemake Formation source rocks initially charged sandstone reservoirs in the Yangtake area at about 4 Ma, forming the yellowish‐fluorescing oil inclusions. Gas, which was mainly sourced from Lower Jurassic Yangxia and Middle Jurassic Kezilenuer coaly and mudstone source rocks, initially migrated into the same reservoirs in the Yangtake area at about 3.5 Ma and interacted with the early‐formed oils forming blueish‐fluorescing oil inclusions. The migration of gas also resulted in formation of the condensate accumulations which are present at the YTK‐1 and YTK‐2 fields in the Yangtake area.     

琼东南盆地古近纪裂陷构造特征及其动力学机制

琼东南盆地是发育在南海北部大陆边缘西北部的新生代沉积盆地，经历了始新世-早渐新世和晚渐新世两期的伸展作用，形成了半地堑和地堑两种裂陷构造样式以及“南北分带、东西分段”的裂陷结构特征。从力学和岩石圈伸展角度分析了琼东南盆地形成的动力学机制，提出始新世-早渐新世盆地的裂陷作用是在印支地块旋转挤出相关的左行旋转力和东侧古南海俯冲产生的近南南东向拉伸力联合作用下发生的，而晚渐新世盆地伸展作用的主要构造动力是南海海底扩张；认为岩石圈热状态直接制约了上地壳伸展方式，北部坳陷带在相对冷岩石圈环境下发生伸展裂解，形成以半地堑构造为主的单断式裂陷带，而中央坳陷带在相对热岩石圈环境下发生伸展裂解，形成由半地堑和地堑组成的复式裂陷带。图12参23     

北部湾盆地东南部构造特征及控油作用分析

北部湾盆地发育有与华南陆缘陆相中小盆地相同的基底,大体经历了古新世—始新世断陷、渐新世断拗过渡及中新世以来区域沉降3大演化阶段。受神狐、珠琼、南海以及东沙4次成盆事件影响,盆地东南部福山及迈陈两凹陷发育了4期断裂,形成了NE、NEE与NW共3组优势走向断裂体系,构成了上、下2套构造层;凹陷中断层组合为花状、叠花状、花瓣状、花丛状4种形态,构成了基底掀斜走滑、基底伸展多米诺与盖层伸展拆离、盖层滑动牵引等4种样式;福山凹陷演化表现出有明显的非对称拉伸过程,中部发育有NE向构造转换带。盆地东南部发育的第Ⅳ期近EW向断裂体系是两凹陷今控藏控油的主要断裂体系,由此优选福山凹陷中部鼻状构造带及东南陡坡断阶带作为盆地东南部最有利的勘探区带。     

BASEMENT LITHOLOGY AND ITS CONTROL ON SEDIMENTATION, TRAP FORMATION AND HYDROCARBON MIGRATION, WIDURI-INTAN OILFIELDS, SE SUMATRA

The Widuri-Intan oilfields produce from late Oligocene sandstones of the Talang Akar Formation, which were deposited in a fluvial-to-deltaic setting on the NW side of the Asri Basin, offshore SE Sumatra. The Asri Basin is of rift origin and formed during the early Oligocene, with its axis oriented in a NE-SW direction. Approximately 310 million brls of oil have been produced from the fields within the 12-by-12 mile (20-by-20 km) study area. The oil occurs in a series of structural and stratigraphic traps within slightly sinuous to meandering channel sandstone bodies. The reservoir sequence (sandstone interbedded with minor mudstone and coal) overlies basement rocks, which are predominantly Cretaceous in age. Forty-nine well penetrations have shown that the basement is composed of one of four lithologies: (1) hornblende granodiorite; (2) metamorphic rocks, mainly mica schist; (3) plugs of metabasalt and related volcanic rocks; or (4) dolomitic limestone. A combination of drill cuttings, sidewall and conventional cores and FMS/FMI images has been used to identify and map the distribution of basement rock type. The basement was subjected to exposure and deep weathering prior to the formation of the Asri Basin, as evidenced by the zones of surface alteration encountered during drilling. The basement palaeotopography had a strong influence on the later distribution of major fluvial channels and sand pinch-outs. Several major faults appear to be controlled by basement lithology, especially at the boundaries of granodiorite and metabasalt intrusives. An important shear zone, oriented NW-SE, appears to have offset the basement between the main Widuri and Intan fields, and was subsequently the site of silicification of the mica schists in the basement. The Lidya field is situated where the reservoir pinches out onto eroded areas of basement silicification along this shear zone. Palaeocurrents in the upper 34–2 and 34–1 channel sandstones in the Widuri field were controlled by the orientation of this basement feature. Drape and compaction of Oligocene Talang Akar Formation sediments over eroded volcanic plugs have defined or enhanced a number of structural/stratigraphic plays, including the Widuri and Chesy fields. From seismic and well evidence, the reservoir sequence at the Indri field is underlain by dolomitic limestone and exhibits a series of unusual karst-related sinkhole and collapse structures. These are circular to slightly elliptical in shape, and extend from basement level to over 900 ft vertically into the overlying Talang Akar Formation.     

MINERALOGICAL,BIB‐SEM AND PETROPHYSICAL DATA IN SEAL ROCK ANALYSIS: A CASE STUDY FROM THE VIENNA BASIN,AUSTRIA

The Vienna Basin is a major hydrocarbon province with a long exploration history. Within the basin, secondary migration from Upper Jurassic source rocks into stacked Middle Miocene (Badenian) sandstone reservoirs was formerly considered to have occurred almost entirely along major fault zones. However recent exploration data has suggested that in areas where no major faults are present, oil may have migrated vertically through the sandy mudstone intervals separating individual reservoir units, which are therefore imperfectly sealed. In order to investigate possible secondary migration through the semi‐permeable mudstones, this study links variations in gross depositional environment (GDE) to variations in mudstone properties (e.g. mineralogy and pore size distribution). The study focussed on the mudstones which seal reservoir sandstones referred to locally as the “8.TH” and “16.TH” units. The bulk mineralogical composition of 56 mudstone and sandy mudstone (and minor intercalated muddy sandstone) samples from seal layers in 22 wells was studied by X‐ray diffraction analysis, broad ion beam – scanning electron microscopy (BIB‐SEM), mercury intrusion porosimetry (MICP) and N₂ adsorption. These data are interpreted in the context of GDE maps of the Vienna Basin which were previously established using seismic and well log data. Results indicate that the gross depositional environment strongly controlled the pore space characteristics of the mudstones. The sandy mudstones in the NW part of the study area were influenced by a complex eastward‐prograding deltaic system which deposited coarse detritus into a major palaeo depression (“Zistersdorf Depression”) located in the centre of the basin. Higher overall porosity and a dominance of larger pore size classes, probably resulting in reduced seal quality, were observed for sandy mudstones from well locations within feeder channels and also from within the Zistersdorf Depression. Similarly, sandy mudstones from locations associated with the long‐term input of coarser sediments in shoreline, coastal and proximal offshore settings in the NW and central parts of the study area are considered to be of lower sealing quality compared to fine‐grained mudstones deposited in distal, open‐marine settings which prevailed in the SE part of the study area throughout the Middle Miocene. In general, pore geometries were influenced by mineralogical composition; quartz‐ and detrital carbonate‐rich samples show equidimensional pores, while more elongated pores (with a higher average aspect ratio) characterize clay‐rich samples. Furthermore, matrix mesopores (2‐50 nm) determined by N₂ sorption are more abundant in clay‐rich versus quartz‐rich samples, and show a pronounced positive trend with increasing percentage of illite‐smectite mixed‐layer clay minerals. This study shows that regional‐scale mudstone seals in the Vienna Basin have been influenced by variations in sedimentation associated with lateral variations in gross depositional environment during the Middle Miocene. The observed pore characteristics will serve as input data for future models of secondary migration.     

POST-DRILLING ANALYSIS OF THE NORTH FALKLAND BASIN— PART 1: TECTONO-STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK

Six wells were drilled in the extensional North Falkland Basin in 1998. The wells encountered a Devonian to Cenozoic stratigraphy dominated by thick Mesozoic syn‐ and post‐rift successions. Although most previously published models predicted that the succession would most likely be of marine origin, it is in fact predominantly terrestrial; marine conditions did not become established in the basin until the Late Cretaceous. The oldest rocks recorded are Devonian and these were penetrated in only one well. The overlying succession comprises: a fluvio‐lacustrine, early syn‐rft interval of ?mid‐Jurassic to Tithonian age; a late syn‐rift fluvio‐lacustrine interval of Tithonian to Berriasian age; a rift‐sag transitional unit of Berriasian to Valanginian age; an early post‐rift lacustrine unit of Valanginian to early Aptian age; a middle post‐rift, transgressive unit of Aptian to Albian age; a late post‐rift, terrestrial to marine unit of Albian to early Palaeocene age; and a post‐up lift thermal subsidence unit of Palaeocene to Recent age. Much of the sediment appears to have been derived from volcanic and/or metamorphic terranes, probably located to the north or NW of the basin. As well as the volcanic material which occurs in the ground mass and as lithoclasts in many of the units, some volcaniclastic rocks and minor amounts of ashfall tufls are observed, particularly within the late syn‐rift succession.