Source Rock Characteristics, Thermal History, and Oil Generation of the Upper Cretaceous Island Arc Sequences from Northeastern Turkey

• Published in: Petroleum science and technology Vol. 26; no. 14; pp. 1632 - 1647
• Main Authors: Gülbay, R. Kara, Korkmaz, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Colchester Taylor & Francis Group 01.01.2008; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Applied sciences; burial history; Crude oil; Crude oil, natural gas and petroleum products; Deviation; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Fuels; island arc; Islands; Kerogen; Marine; Mathematical analysis; maturity; oil generation; Petroleum products, gas and fuels. Motor fuels, lubricants and asphalts; Processing of crude oil and oils from shales and tar sands. Processes. Equipment. Refinery and treatment units; Pyrolysis; Rock; Shale; MED, Turkey; Turkey; Pyrolysis; burial history; Hydrocarbon; Hydrogen; maturity; island arc; Petroleum source rock; Kerogen; oil generation
• ISSN: 1091-6466; 1532-2459
• DOI: 10.1080/10916460701287664

The Upper Cretaceous eastern Pontide island arc sequence in northeastern Turkey is composed mainly of volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks and rarely of sediments. In this study, source rock characteristics and hydrocarbon potentials of shale and claystone sequences at Zigana, Çatak, and Hacimehmet areas of the volcanic island arc were investigated. According to pyrolysis data, Zigana, Çatak, and Hacimehmet sequences show poor source rock character and they mostly contain residual organic matter and type III kerogen. In addition, shales have low potential yield and hydrogen index values. In the burial diagram drawn on the basis of Lopatin method, Σ TTI values of the Zigana, Çatak, and Hacimehmet sequences are calculated as 93,222, 1,124 and 1, respectively. This diagram indicates that Zigana and Çatak sequences are out of oil generation zone while Hacimehmet sequence has not reached oil generation zone. T max values measured from pyrolysis data generally show over mature character for the Zigana and Çatak sequences and immature character for the Hacimehmet sequence. T max values are consistent with burial diagram. Irregularities and deviations observed particularly in Zigana and Çatak sequences may be explained with thermal effect of Late Cretaceous volcanism.