Organic geochemical and petrographical characteristics of the major lower cretaceous petroleum source rock (Makhul Formation) in Kuwait - Arabian Gulf

Authors

  • Fatma Khalil Bahman
  • Fowzia H. Abdullah Earth and Environmental Sciences Dept. Kuwait University, 72303, Kuwait
  • Abbas Saleh Earth and Environmental Sciences Dept. Kuwait University, 72303, Kuwait
  • Hossein Alimi Mark Family Dept. of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, University of Southern California, CA94501, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.48129/kjs.v49i1.10277

Keywords:

Cretaceous, Petroleum geology, Makhul Formation, organic geochemistry, source rocks.

Abstract

The Lower Cretaceous Makhul Formation is one of the major petroleum source rocks in Kuwait. It is composed of dark grey to black highly bituminous, pyrite-rich limestone with average thickness of 220 m.

             The purpose of this study is to evaluate the Makhul source rock for its organic matter richness and its relation to the rock composition and depositional environment. A total of 117 core samples were collected from five wells in Raudhatain, Ritqa, Mutriba, Burgan and Minagish oil fields north and south Kuwait. The rock petrographical studies were carried out using transmitted and polarized microscope, as well as, SEM and XRD analyses on selected samples. Total organic matter TOC and elemental analyses were done on isolated kerogen and followed by identification of kerogen type optically. Solvent extracts were analysed using GC and GC-MS as well as carbon isotope ratio.

 The results of this study show that at its earliest time the Makhul Formation was deposited in an oxic shallow marine shelf environment. During its middle part of deposition, the water oxicity level was fluctuating from oxic to anoxic condition as a result of changes in sea water level. At the end of Makhul and the start of upper Minagish Formation, the sea level raised forming oxic open marine ramp depositional condition.

 Organic geochemical results show that the average TOC of the Makhul Formation is 2.39% wt. High TOC values of 6.7% wt. were usually associated with the laminated mudstone intervals of the formation. The kerogen is type II and is dominated by marine amorphous sapropelic organic matter with a mixture of zoo- and phytoplankton and rare terrestrial particles.

Solvent extract results indicate non-waxy oils of Mesozoic origin that is associated with marine carbonate rocks. The formation is mature and at its peak oil generation in its deepest part in north Kuwait.

References

• Abdullah, F.H. and Kinghorn, R.R.F. (1996) A preliminary evaluation of Lower and Middle Cretaceous source rocks in Kuwait. Journal of Petroleum Geology, 19 (4):461-480.

• Abdullah, F.H., and Connan, J. (2002) Geochemical study of some Cretaceous rocks from Kuwait: comparison with oils from Cretaceous and Jurassic reservoirs. Organic Geochemistry, 33:125-148.

• Abdullah, F.H.A., Nederlof, P.J.R., Ormerod, M.P. and Kinghorn, R.R.F. (1997) Thermal history of Lower and Middle Cretaceous source rock in Kuwait. GeoArabia, 2(2):151-163.

• Al-Ameri, T.K., Al-Musawi, F.S. And Batten, D.J. (1999) Palynofacies indication of depositional environments and source potential for hydrocarbons: uppermost Jurassic-basal Cretaceous Sulaiy Formation, Southern Iraq. Cretaceous Research, 20:359-363.

• Al-Fares, A., Bouman, M. And Jeans, P. (1998) A new look at the Middle to Lower Cretaceous stratigraphy, Offshore Kuwait. GeoArabia, 3(4):543-560.

• Al-Refai, B.H. (1967) The stratigraphy and sedimentation of Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous of Kuwait: 6thArabPetroleumCongress, Bagdad, March 6-13, paper no. 47, B-3, Pp. 20.

• Al-Rifaiy, I.A. And Lemone, D. (1987) Calpionellids and the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous stratigraphy of Kuwait and the Gulf Region. Marine Micropaleontology. 12:383-388.

• Alsharhan, A. S., Strohmenger, C. J., Abdullah, F. H. And Al Sahlan G. (2014) Mesozoic Stratigraphic Evolution and Hydrocarbon Habitats of Kuwait. Memoir 106: Petroleum Systems of the Tethyan Region, Pp. 541-611.

• Alsharhan, A.S. And Nairn, A.E.M. (1997) Sedimentary basins and petroleum geology of the Middle East. Elsevier Science B.V., New York. Pp. 843.

• Arasu, R.T., Singh, S.K., Al-Adwani, T.F., Khan, B.Z., Macadan J. and Abu-Ghaneej, A.F.N. (2012) Hydrocarbon prospectivity of the Late Jurassic – Early Cretaceous Makhul Formation in North and Northwestern Kuwait. Proceedings of the 4th EAGE Workshop on Arabian Plate Geology. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

• Ayres, M.G., Bilal, M., Jones, R.W., Slentz, L.W., Tartir, M. (1982) Hydrocarbon habitat in marine producing areas, Saudi Arabia. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, 66(1):1-9.

• Bahman, F.K. (2004) Geochemical studies and source rock potential of Lower Cretaceous (Upper Hith, Sulaiy, Lower Minagish) formations in Kuwait. Unpublished MSc thesis in geology, Kuwait University. Pp. 165.

• Beydoun, Z.R. (1991) Arabian plate hydrocarbon geology and potential- A plate tectonic approach, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Tulsa, USA, Pp. 77.

• Bjorlykke, K. (1989) Sedimentology and petroleum geology. Heidelberg, Springer-Verlag, Berlin. Pp. 363.

• Chaube, A.N. and Al- Samhiji, J. (1994) Jurassic and Cretaceous of Bahrain: geology and petroleum habitat. Geo’94, I:292-305.

• Chung, H.M., Rooney, M.A., Toon, M.B. and Claypool, G.E. (1992) Carbon isotopic composition of marine crude oils. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, 76:1000-1007.

• Emery, D. and Robinson, A. (1993) Inorganic geochemistry, application to petroleum geology. Blackwell Scientific Publications, London. Pp. 254.

• Farrington, J.W., Davis, A.C., Tarafa, M.E., Mccaffrey, M.A., Whelan, J. (1988) Bitumen molecular maturity parameters in the Ikpikpuk well, Alaska North Slope. Organic Geochemistry, 13:303-310.

• Hughes, W. B., Holba, A. G. and Dzou, L. I. P. (1995) The Ratios of Dibenzothiophene to Phenanthrene and Pristane to Phytane as indicators of depositional environment and lithology of petroleum source rocks. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 59:3581-3598.

• Hussain, F.A. (1983) Source rock identification in the State of Kuwait using wireline Logs. 5th SPE Middle East Oil Show, Bahrain, SPE 15747:477-488.

• Kaufman, R.L., Ahmed, A. S. and Elsinger, R. J. (1990) Gas chromatography as a development and production tool for fingerprinting oils from individual reservoirs. Applications in the Gulf of Mexico. In: Proceeding of the 9th Annual Research Conference of the society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists (D. Schumacher and B.F. Perkins, eds), society of Paleontologists and Mineralogists, Tulsa, OK, Pp. 263-82.

• Kinghorn, R.R.F. and Rahman, M. (1983) Specific gravity as a kerogen type and maturation indicator with special reference to amorphous kerogens. Journal of Petroleum Geology, 6:179-194.

• Moldowan, J. M. and Peters, K. E. (1991) Effects of Source, Thermal maturity and biodegradation on the distribution and isomerization of Homohopanes in petroleum: Organic Geochemistry, 17:47-61.

• Moldowan, J. M., Seifert, W. K. and Gallegos, E. J. (1985) Relationship between petroleum composition and depositional environment of petroleum source rocks, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, 69:1255-1268.

• Murris, R.J. (1980) Middle East: stratigraphic evaluation and oil habitat. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, 64(5):597-618.

• Peters, K.E. (1986) Guidelines for evaluating petroleum source rocks using program pyrolysis. In: Beaumont, E.N., Forest, N.H. (Eds.), Geochemistry, AAPG Treaties of Petroleum Geology. Reprint Series 8. Pp. 392-403.

• Peters, K. E., Walters, C. C. and Moldowan, J. M. (2005) The biomarker guide volume 1 and 2 biomarkers and isotopes in petroleum exploration and earth history, Cambridge University Press., United Kingdom. Pp. 492.

• Peters, K.E. and Moldowan, J.M. (1993) The biomarker guide. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Pp. 363.

• Radke, M. and Welte, D.H. (1983) The Methylphenanthrene index (MPI): a maturity parameter based on aromatic hydrocarbons. In: advance in organic geochemistry 1981 (M. Bijotoy, C. Albrecht, C. Cornford et al., eds). John Wiley & sons, New York, Pp. 504-11.

• Radke, M., Welte, D.H. and Willsch, H. (1982) Geochemical study of a well in the Western Canada Basin: relation of Aromatic distribution pattern to maturity of organic matter. Geochimica Cosmochimica Acta, 46:1-10.

• Seifert, W.K. and Moldowan, J.M. (1980) The effect of thermal stress on source-rock quality as measured by Hopane Stereochemistry. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, 12:229-37.

• Sharland, P. R., R. Archer, D. M. Casey, R. B. Davies, S. H. and Hall, A. P. (2001) Arabian plate sequence stratigraphy. GeoArabia, Special Publication, 2, Pp. 371.

• Sofer, Z. (1984) Stable carbon isotope compositions of crude oils: application to source depositional environment and petroleum alteration. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, 68(1):31-49.

• Sofer, Z., Zumberge, J.E. and Lay, V. (1986) Stable carbon isotopes and biomarkers as tools in understanding genetic relationship, maturation, biodegradation and migration of crude oils in the Northern Peruvian Oriente (Maranon) basin. Organic Geochemistry, 10:377-389.

• Tissot, B.P. and Welte, D.H. (1984) Petroleum formation and occurrence. Springer-Verlag, New York. Pp. 699.

• Tucker, M.E. (1981) Sedimentary petrology an introduction, Blackwell Scientific Publications, London. Pp. 252.

Published

02-12-2021

Issue

Section

Earth & Environment