Petroleum potential of the Upper Ordovician Maquoketa Group in Illinois: A coordinated geological and geochemical study

Conference · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA)

OSTI ID:6857460

Crockett, J E; Oltz, D F ^[1]; Kruge, M A ^[2]

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1. Illinois State Geological Survey, Champaign (USA)
2. Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale (USA)

The Ordovician Maquoketa Group in Illinois, predominantly composed of shale, calcareous shale, and carbonates, has long been considered a potential source for Illinois basin hydrocarbons. Methods used to better define the petroleum potential of the Maquoketa in the Illinois basin were lithostratigraphic study, Rock-Eval (pyrolysis) analyses, comparison of molecular markers from whole-rock extracts and produced oil, and construction of burial history models. Organic-rich submature Maquoketa potential source rocks are present in western Illinois at shallow depths on the basin flank. Deeper in the basin in southern Illinois, Rock-Eval analyses indicate that the Maquoketa shale is within the oil window. Solvent extracts of the Maquoketa from western Illinois closely resemble the Devonian New Albany Shale, suggesting that past studies may have erroneously attributed Maquoketa-generated petroleum to a New Albany source or failed to identify mixed source oils. Subtle differences between Maquoketa and New Albany solvent extracts include differences in pristane/phytane ratios, proportions of steroids, and distribution of dimethyldibenzothiophene isomers. Maquoketa solvent extracts show little resemblance to Middle Ordovician oils from the Illinois or Michigan basins. Lithostratigraphic studies identified localized thick carbonate facies in the Maquoketa, suggesting depositional response to upper Ordovician paleostructures. Sandstone facies in the Maquoketa in southwestern Illinois offer a potential source/trap play, as well as serving as potential carrier beds for hydrocarbon migration. Maquoketa source and carrier beds may feed older Ordovician rocks in faulted areas along and south of the Cottage Grove fault system in southern Illinois.

• OSTI ID: 6857460
• Report Number(s): CONF-900605--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA) Journal Volume: 74:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
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& Exploration
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000 -- Geosciences
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
BLACK SHALES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CARBONATE ROCKS
CHATTANOOGA FORMATION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPLORATION
FEDERAL REGION V
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOCHEMICAL SURVEYS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGIC SURVEYS
GEOLOGY
ILLINOIS
LITHOLOGY
MATERIALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
OIL SHALES
ORDOVICIAN PERIOD
PALEOZOIC ERA
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PYROLYSIS
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SOURCE ROCKS
STRATIGRAPHY
SURVEYS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
USA