Hydrocarbon habitat of the west Netherlands basin

Conference · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:6851244

De Jager, J ^[1]; Doyle, M ^[2]; Grantham, P ^[3]; Mabillard, J ^[4]

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1. Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij, Assen (Netherlands)
2. Petroleum Development Oman, Muscat (Oman)
3. KSEPL/Shell Research, Rijswijk (Netherlands)
4. Shell Nigeria, Port Harcourt (Nigeria)

The complex West Netherlands Basin contains oil and gas in Triassic and Upper Jurassic to Cretaceous clastic reservoir sequences. The understanding has always been that the Carboniferous coal measures have generated only gas and the Jurassic marine Posidonia Shale only oil. However, detailed geochemical analyses show that both source rocks have generated oil and gas. Geochemical fingerprinting established a correlation of the hydrocarbons with the main source rocks. The occurrence of these different hydrocarbons is consistent with migration routes. Map-based charge modeling shows that the main phase of hydrocarbon generation occurred prior to the Late Cretaceous inversion of the West Netherlands Basin. However, along the southwest flank of the basin and in lows between the inversion highs, significant charge continued during the Tertiary. Biodegradation of oils in Jurassic and Cretaceous reservoirs occurred during the earliest Tertiary, but only in reservoirs that were at that time at temperatures of less then 70 to 80[degrees]C, where bacteria could survive. This study shows that also in a mature hydrocarbon province an integrated hydrocarbon habitat study with modern analyses and state-of-the-art technology can lead to a much improved understanding of the distribution of oil and gas in the subsurface. The results of this study will allow a better risk assessment for remaining prospects, and an improved prediction of the type of trapped hydrocarbons in terms of gas, oil, and biodegraded oil.

• OSTI ID: 6851244
• Report Number(s): CONF-9310237--
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States) Vol. 77:9; ISSN 0149-1423; ISSN AABUD2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
03 NATURAL GAS
030200 -- Natural Gas-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
BIODEGRADATION
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
COAL
CRETACEOUS PERIOD
DECOMPOSITION
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DISTRIBUTION
ENERGY SOURCES
EUROPE
EXPLORATION
FORECASTING
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGIC TRAPS
HYDROCARBONS
JURASSIC PERIOD
MATERIALS
MATURATION
MESOZOIC ERA
MIGRATION
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
NETHERLANDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESERVOIR ROCK
RESOURCES
RISK ASSESSMENT
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SHALES
SOURCE ROCKS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TRIASSIC PERIOD
WESTERN EUROPE