Petroleum potentialities of central Tunisia as deduced from identification and characterization of oil source rocks

Conference · Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Geobyte; (United States)

OSTI ID:5893462

Saidi, M; Acheche, M H; Inoubli, H ^[1]; Belayouni, H ^[2]

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1. ETAP, Tunis (Tunisia)
2. Faculte des Sciences de Tunis (Tunisia)

Many potential oil source rocks occur within the Tunisian stratigraphic column, including Silurian-Devonian shales, Albian and upper Albian-Vraconian carbonates, Cenomanian-Turonian black shales and lower Eocene carbonates. This focuses on the inventory of potential oil source rocks in central Tunisia ranging from middle Jurassic to Turonian. The emphasis is on determining their genetic potential and whether they could have generated oil and gas. Geochemical data obtained from the analysis of at least 2,147 samples show this region to be of significant interest as a petroleum prospective area. The main source rocks identified are Toarcian shales, upper Albian-Vraconian carbonates and Cenomanian-Turonian black shales. They contain predominantly type 2 organic matter (oil and gas prone) and are at the low maturity limit of the oil window. The occurrence of those source rocks close to numerous potential reservoir facies supports the conclusion that central Tunisia is a very interesting area for petroleum exploration.

• OSTI ID: 5893462
• Report Number(s): CONF-910978-; CODEN: GEOBE
• Journal Information: Geobyte; (United States), Vol. 75:8; Conference: International conference and exhibition of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG): the way ahead-hydrocarbons for the 1990s, London (United Kingdom), 29 Sep - 3 Oct 1991; ISSN 0885-6362
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
58 GEOSCIENCES
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
SOURCE ROCKS
GEOCHEMISTRY
TUNISIA
BLACK SHALES
CARBONATE ROCKS
DEVONIAN PERIOD
EXPLORATION
JURASSIC PERIOD
PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
SILURIAN PERIOD
STRATIGRAPHY
AFRICA
CHEMISTRY
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGY
MESOZOIC ERA
MINERAL RESOURCES
PALEOZOIC ERA
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SHALES
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
580000 - Geosciences