Nabil M. Al-Areeq
University of Thamar
Yemen
Title: Organic geochemical characteristics of crude oils and oil-source rock correlation in the Sunah oilfield, Masila Region, Eastern Yemen
Biography
Biography: Nabil M. Al-Areeq
Abstract
The objective of this study is to provide information on source organic matter input, depositional conditions and the correlation between crude oils recovered from Sunah oilfield and Upper Jurassic Madbi Formation. A suite of twenty-six crude oils from the Lower Cretaceous reservoirs (Qishnclastic) of the Masila Region (Eastern Yemen) were analyzed and geochemically compared with extracts from source rock of the Upper Jurassic (Madbi Formation). The investigated biomarkers indicated that the Sunah oils were derived from mixed marine and terrigenous organic matter and deposited under suboxic conditions. This has been achieved from normal alkane and acyclic isoprenoids distributions, terpane and sterane biomarkers. These oils were also generated from source rock with a wide range of thermal maturity and ranging from early-matureto peak oil window. Based on molecular indicators of organic source input and depositional environment diagnostic biomarkers, one petroleum system operates in the Masila Region; this derived from Upper Jurassic Madbi organic-rich shales as source rock. Therefore, the hydrocarbon exploration processes should be focused on the known location of the Upper Jurassic Madbi strata for predicting the source kitchen.