Source Rock Characteristics, Organic Maturity, and Hydrocarbon Potential of the Lower Paleozoic Sequences in the Taurus Belt of Turkey

• Published in: Petroleum science and technology Vol. 26; no. 16; pp. 1869 - 1886
• Main Authors: Korkmaz, S., Gülbay, R. Kara, Demirel, İ. H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Colchester Taylor & Francis Group 01.01.2008; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Belts; Carbon; Crude oil; Crude oil, natural gas and petroleum products; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Exposure; Formations; Fuels; Hydrocarbons; Kerogen; Limestone; maturity; Paleozoic sequences; 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; source rock; TOC; Turkey; source rock; Hydrocarbon; maturity; Organic material; TOC; Paleozoic sequences; Carbon; Petroleum source rock; Kerogen
• ISSN: 1091-6466; 1532-2459
• DOI: 10.1080/10916460701304519

Like elsewhere in the world, Lower Paleozoic (Cambrian-Ordovician-Silurian) formations in Turkey are also exposed in limited areas. Lower Paleozoic sequences are exposed at various parts of the Taurus belt in southern Turkey. In this study, organic matter content, type, and maturity of organic matter and their hydrocarbon potential were investigated. In addition, the Lower Paleozoic is very restricted with respect to species and their diversity. Therefore, it is very important to investigate type and content of organic matter within the Lower Paleozoic sediments. In general, total organic carbon (TOC) values of Lower Paleozoic sequences are extremely low. TOC could not be measured in Cambrian, Ovacık, and Çaltepe limestones. Shales in the Emirgazi region have very low TOC values. Ordovician and Silurian units also have low TOC values. Total organic carbon in these sequences is residual carbon. In the S 2 -TOK kerogen diagram, all organic materials are plotted in the Type III kerogen field. All samples were composed dominantly of residual organic matter and lesser amounts of Type III kerogen. According to T max values, the Cambrian, Ordovician, and Silurian formations are over maturity character. In addition, these sequences have very low S 1 , S 2 , and HI values.