Truth or dare: The Maquoketa-Trenton(!) petroleum system
- Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States)
Middle Ordovician carbonates produce hydrocarbons in many portions of the Illinois, Michigan and Appalachian basins. Although both reservoir and source potential of the superjacent Upper Ordovician shales are well characterized, little published work has combined these into a coherent description of this petroleum system. Building on the approach suggested by Magoon and Dow, we are developing a comprehensive petroleum system model for these reservoirs, their proven and potential source rocks, and the timing and style of hydrocarbon generation, migration and entrapment. We refer to this as the Maquoketa-Trenton(!) petroleum system, following the notation of Magoon and Dow for a proven oil-source correlation with {open_quotes}Maquoketa{close_quotes} representing the Upper Ordovician source rocks and {open_quotes}Trenton{close_quotes} referring to Middle Ordovician carbonate reservoirs, regardless of their local stratigraphic nomenclature. Recent published work has established the signature of at least two source rocks contributing to Trenton production; one is compatible with the Type 11 kerogen dominating the Maquoketa, and the other has Type I kerogen indicators, suggesting a possible New Albany (Upper Devonian) source. Our preliminary quantification of this petroleum system yields a source potential index of 0.75 metric tons/square meter and a generative potential for the Illinois basin alone of {approximately}1,011 metric tons (,1012 Barrels of oil equivalent). Given total Trenton production in the Illinois and Michigan region of {approximately}108 metric tons, this yields a generation-accumulation efficiency (GAE) of {approximately}0.1%. This low GAE, coupled with low exploration well density in prospective areas, suggests that significant hydrocarbon reserves remain in this petroleum system.
- OSTI ID:
- 411937
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9610180--
- Journal Information:
- AAPG Bulletin, Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 80; ISSN 0149-1423; ISSN AABUD2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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