Paleogeography, Paleoclimate & Source Rocks (AAPGStudies in Geology) (Aapg Studies in Geology)

343 Pages·1995·21.9 MB·English

by  A. Y. Huc

Paleogeography,
Paleoclimate, and
Source Rocks
Edited by
A.-Y. Huc
AAPG Studies in Geology, No. 40
�
Published by
The American Association of Petroleum Geologists
Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.A.
Printed in the U.S.A.
Copyright © 1995
By the American Association of Petroleum Geologists
All Rights Reserved
Published July 1995
ISBN: 0-89181-048-X
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Wishes to thank the following
for their generous contributions
to
Paleogeography, Paleoclimate, and
Source Rocks
❖
Mobil Exploration & Producing
Technical Center
❖
Contributions are applied against the production
costs of the publication, thus directly reducing the
book’s purchase price and making the volume
available to a greater audience.
◆
About the Editor
◆
Alain-Yves Huc is currently Head of the Organic Geochemistry group at
the Institut Français du Pétrole (also known as IFP, or French Petroleum
Institute).
Dr. Huc was educated at the University of Nancy (France) and received his
Ph.D. in Organic Geochemistry from the University of Strasbourg (France) in
1978. He spent a year and a half as a postdoctoral fellow at Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institution (Woods Hole, Massachusetts) and two years as a
CNRS researcher at the Applied Geology Department of the University of
Orléans (France). Following that, he joined IFP.
Dr. Huc spent three years on research devoted to the chemical structure of
asphaltenes in crude oils. For the next six years, his research interest focused
on the study of the sedimentology of organic matter and its application to oil
exploration. During the past three years, his main scientific concern has been
reservoir geochemistry.
◆
Acknowledgments
◆
I am most grateful to the many individuals who have helped to make this volume possible. In particular, I thank
the contributing authors; the reviewers (E. Barron, M. M. Blanc-Valleron, J. Calvert, J. Connan, J. Curiale, H. Cook, T.
Cross, W. Dean, J. Dercourt, K. Emeis, A. Fleet, H. Ganz, D. Hollander, J. Golonka, J.-P. Herbin, G. Isaksen, B. Katz,
K. Kelts, J. Kriest, M. Mello, P. A. Meyers, M. Moldowan, G. Moore, M. Pasley, J. Rullkotter, M. Stefani, N. Telnaes,
F. van Buchem, W. Visser); C. Williams, former AAPG Publications Manager, for guiding us in the volume
elaboration; M. F. Bellenoux for secretarial assistance; and M. Maguet for designing the pictorial project on the cover.
Alain-Yves Huc
iv
◆
Table of Contents
◆
Preface....................................................................................................................................................................vii
Chapter 1
Paleogeography of Corg-Rich Rocks and the Preservation Versus Production Controversy .......................1
Judith Totman Parrish
Chapter 2
Paleoceanography of Marine Organic-Carbon–Rich Sediments ....................................................................21
William W. Hay
Chapter 3
Factors Controlling the Development of Lacustrine Petroleum Source Rocks—An Update ....................61
Barry Jay Katz
Chapter 4
Organic Geochemistry of Paleodepositional Environments with a Predominance of
Terrigenous Higher-Plant Organic Matter ........................................................................................................81
Gary H. Isaksen
Chapter 5
Effect of Late Devonian Paleoclimate on Source Rock Quality and Location............................................105
Allen R. Ormiston and Robert J. Oglesby
Chapter 6
The Effects of Paleolatitude and Paleogeography on Carbonate Sedimentation
in the Late Paleozoic ...........................................................................................................................................133
D. A. Walker, J. Golonka, A. Reid, and S. Reid
Chapter 7
Kimmeridgian (Late Jurassic) General Lithostratigraphy and Source Rock Quality for the
Western Tethys Sea Inferred from Paleoclimate Results Using a General Circulation Model................157
George T. Moore, Eric J. Barron, and Darryl N. Hayashida
Chapter 8
Paleoclimatic Controls on Neocomian–Barremian (Early Cretaceous)
Lithostratigraphy in Northern Gondwana’s Rift Lakes Interpreted from a
General Circulation Model Simulation ............................................................................................................173
George T. Moore, Eric J. Barron, Karen L. Bice, and Darryl N. Hayashida
Chapter 9
Depositional Controls on Mesozoic Source Rocks in the Tethys .................................................................191
François Baudin
Chapter 10
Cenomanian–Turonian Source Rocks: Paleobiogeographic and
Paleoenvironmental Aspects .............................................................................................................................213
Wolfgang Kuhnt and Jost Wiedmann
Chapter 11
The Hydrocarbon Source Potential in the Brazilian Marginal Basins:
A Geochemical and Paleoenvironmental Assessment...................................................................................233
M. R. Mello, N. Telnaes, and J. R. Maxwell
v
Chapter 12
Source Rock Occurrence in a Sequence Stratigraphic Framework:
The Example of the Lias of the Paris Basin......................................................................................................273
G. Bessereau, F. Guillocheau, and A.-Y. Huc
Chapter 13
The Organic Carbon Distribution in Mesozoic Marine Sediments and the Influence of
Orbital Climatic Cycles (England and the Western North Atlantic) ...........................................................303
F. S. P. van Buchem, P. L. de Boer, I. N. McCave, and J.-P. Herbin
Index .....................................................................................................................................................................337
vi
◆
Preface
◆
A research conference on paleogeography, paleo- additions in mature basins have become increasingly
climate, and source rocks was held in Paris in July important. This situation limits the need for deeper
1992 as a special meeting co-sponsored by the knowledge of source rocks and suggests that we
American Association of Petroleum Geologists transfer and adapt our technology to finer-scale
(AAPG) and the Institute Français du Pétrole (IFP). It problems. In spite of these developments, however, oil
was co-convened by Alain-Yves Huc of IFP and companies continue to explore for additional value in
Nahum Schneidermann of Chevron Overseas Pe-tro- a variety of basin types. This activity is necessary in
leum. Following the conference, the convenors were order to maintain stable and trained teams of
asked to make the proceedings available to the exploration geologists and geophysicists in spite of the
public. The convenors duly organized an AAPG current adverse economic situation. Accompanying
Research Symposium on the topic at the 1993 AAPG research is consequently still required.
Annual Meeting and began preparing this volume 2. Reduction of risk in exploration: With respect to the
for publication. last statement, petroleum explorers need to improve
The goal of the research conference was to evaluate understanding of several points: the scale of
current understanding of source rocks as a guide for investigation (basin scale, field scale, play scale), and
petroleum exploration. One of the purposes of the the maturity of the considered province.
conference was to bring together researchers working In very mature basins, the distribution of the
separately in the fields of climate modeling, source rock, its quality, and its characteristics are
paleogeographic reconstruction, and source rock usually known. However, in addition, it is important
sedimentology. The intent was to ensure cross- to quantify the generated oil and the trapped oil, and
disciplinary discussions and to encourage contri- to compare these quantities to the amount of oil that
butions reflecting the various approaches of scientific has been discovered. More research effort must be
endeavor involved in the exciting task of studying the devoted to the development of oil-generation
occurrence and formation of organic-rich strata. This modeling and transfer from source rock to traps, and
conference also proposed to create an opportunity for to quantification of loss during secondary migration.
a privileged exchange of ideas among scientists, from In less mature basins, the stratigraphic location of
both academia and industry, concerning how the source rock is usually known, but research is
accumulated experience and existing technology required to determine its vertical/lateral extension and
related to source-rock assessment could be quality change. Sequence stratigraphy and cyclicity are
transferred to the new needs of the oil industry. promising areas of research. Moreover, this approach
During the course of the conference, special is likely to decipher the geometrical and regional
emphasis was placed on paleoplates and paleo- relationship between source rocks and reservoir strata
geographic reconstructions, paleoclimate recreation and to provide guides for understanding hydrocarbon
and modeling, global source rock distribution, migration behavior.
depositional setting of organic-rich sediments, In frontier basins, presence or absence of source
sequence stratigraphy, cyclostratigraphy, and rocks and a working petroleum system are often
molecular fossils. unknown. In such instances, the only available guides
The discussions that were led by senior oil industry for predicting the regional presence of organic-rich
representatives G. Demaison (consultant), D. Irwin strata in the sedimentary column are based on
(Texaco), N. Schneidermann (Chevron), B. Tissot paleogeography and paleoclimatic considerations and
(IFP), and C. Tranter (Mobil) identified three main on geologic analogs. Improvement in paleoclimatology
points to be carefully considered for future and climate and oceanic circulation modeling is
collaboration with the oil industry. needed, and related research should be supported.
3. Data and information transfers from oil companies to
1. Interest trends in oil companies: Because of past academia: In order to efficiently address the research
intensive worldwide exploration, proved reserves areas identified above, academia needs access to hard
have substantially increased in the last several decades data to constrain their results and their models.
and new discoveries of economically attractive giant Unfortunately, academic researchers usually lack
fields will become more and more problematic. In money to obtain such data directly. Oil companies
view of new producing opportunities worldwide, as currently have a considerable amount of invaluable
well as emphasis on creation of value rather than on information, but the data are not easy to collect and
finding reserves, reservoir management and reserve sort because they are often not well organized.
vii
Researchers working in climate modeling face specific Isaksen). Chapters 5 through 11 attempt to integrate
problems in obtaining global information. The oil the occurrence of source rocks and their geochemical
companies that may have such data are increasingly characteristics within a paleogeographic, paleoclimatic
organized according to geographical zones, must (eventually using global climate models), and
meet the stringent requirements of their own budgets, paleoenvironmental framework. They cover the Late
and may have little interest in global scale studies. A Devonian (A. R. Ormiston and R. J. Oglesby), the late
great effort should be made to ensure that industry Paleozoic (Walker et al.), the Kimmeridgian in the
data are available in a usable format for academic Western Tethys Sea (Moore et al.), the Neoco-
researchers. mian–Barremian in the Northern Gondwana rift
(Moore et al.), the Mesozoic of the Tethys realm (F.
Most of the papers in this volume were presented at Baudin), the Cenomanian–Turonian (W. Kuhnt and J.
the conference. However, a few were solicited later in Wiedmann), and on a more regional petroleum theme,
order to fill in what were believed to be critical gaps in the Brazilian margin (M. R. Mello et al.). The final two
the original list of contributions. The first three chapters consider the source rocks in the sedimentary
chapters address the factors controlling the deposition column according to sequential stratigraphy
of organic-rich sediments in marine environments (J. perspective (G. Bessereau et al., F. van Buchem et al.).
T. Parrish, W. W. Hay) and in lacustrine settings (B. J.
Katz). Chapter 4 reviews the specificity of biomarkers
related to paleodepositional environments with a pre- Alain-Yves Huc
dominance of terrigenous higher-plant input (G. H. Nahum Schneidermann
viii
Chapter 1
◆
Paleogeography of C -Rich Rocks and the
org
Preservation Versus Production Controversy
Judith Totman Parrish
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A.
◆
ABSTRACT
New analyses of previously examined data sets had the following results:
(1) Nearly half of organic-carbon- (Corg-) rich units were deposited in geo-
graphic settings that do not have modern analogs. (2) If upwelling associat-
ed with western boundary currents is included, predicted upwelling zones
can explain up to 93% of oil-prone, Corg-rich deposits through the
Phanerozoic. The remaining deposits occur in only three settings—rift
basins; low-latitude, enclosed, epicontinental seaways; and mid-latitude
shelves. (3) Thirty-four phosphate deposits can be identified in the literature
that are part of the Si-P-C association, which is widely regarded to be indica-
tive of high productivity. Another 100 deposits had one of the pairs of adja-
cent facies, phosphate-glauconite or phosphate–Corg-rich rock, which occur
together in upwelling zones. Together, these account for 82% of the 164
phosphate deposits identified in the literature.
These results support conclusions that high biologic productivity has
strongly influenced sedimentation of organic carbon. Although mechanisms
for the genesis of anoxia have been widely discussed, mechanisms for the
genesis of high biologic productivity have not; it is suggested that considera-
tion be given to mechanisms, in addition to localized upwelling, that might
promote high productivity in the oceans and the resulting high organic accu-
mulation in sediments.
INTRODUCTION ment and/or bottom-water conditions are anoxic, and
that biologic productivity, that is, the rate of produc-
One of the most intractable problems in sedimen- tion of organic matter, is irrelevant, except perhaps in
tology concerns the mechanisms by which organic determining the overall organic-carbon (Corg) rich-
matter accumulates in the geologic record. Numerous ness. The other school of thought, represented by
papers have been written on the subject, and the dis- Calvert, Pedersen, and their colleagues (e.g., Calvert
cussion has become known informally as the “preser- et al., 1992a), holds that organic matter will accumu-
vation versus production controversy.” One school of late wherever biologic productivity in the water col-
thought, represented by Tyson (Tyson, 1987) and umn is high—subject to the constraints of water
Tyson and Pearson (Tyson and Pearson, 1991), holds depth—and, further, that the oxygen content of the
that organic matter will accumulate wherever sedi- water above the sediments is irrelevant. The problem
1