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Thermal maturity of the Upper Triassic–Middle Jurassic Shemshak Group (Alborz Range, Northern Iran) based on organic petrography, geochemistry and basin modelling: implications for source rock evaluation and petroleum exploration

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2011

ALI SHEKARIFARD ,
FRANÇOIS BAUDIN ,
KAZEM SEYED-EMAMI ,
JOHANN SCHNYDER ,
FATIMA LAGGOUN-DEFARGE ,
ARMELLE RIBOULLEAU ,
MARIE-FRANÇOISE BRUNET  and
ALIREZA SHAHIDI
ALI SHEKARIFARD
Affiliation:
UPMC-Univ. Paris06 et CNRS, UMR 7193 iSTeP, Equipe Evolution et Modélisation des Bassins Sédimentaires, case 117, 4, pl. Jussieu, F-75252 Paris cedex 05, France University College of Engineering, Institute of Petroleum Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
FRANÇOIS BAUDIN*
Affiliation:
UPMC-Univ. Paris06 et CNRS, UMR 7193 iSTeP, Equipe Evolution et Modélisation des Bassins Sédimentaires, case 117, 4, pl. Jussieu, F-75252 Paris cedex 05, France
KAZEM SEYED-EMAMI
Affiliation:
University College of Engineering, School of Mining Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
JOHANN SCHNYDER
Affiliation:
UPMC-Univ. Paris06 et CNRS, UMR 7193 iSTeP, Equipe Evolution et Modélisation des Bassins Sédimentaires, case 117, 4, pl. Jussieu, F-75252 Paris cedex 05, France
FATIMA LAGGOUN-DEFARGE
Affiliation:
Université d'Orléans et CNRS, UMR 6113 ISTO, 1A rue de la Férollerie, 45071 Orléans cedex 2, France
ARMELLE RIBOULLEAU
Affiliation:
Université Lille 1 et CNRS, UMR 8157 Géosystèmes, bâtiment SN5, 59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq cedex, France
MARIE-FRANÇOISE BRUNET
Affiliation:
UPMC-Univ. Paris06 et CNRS, UMR 7193 iSTeP, Equipe Evolution et Modélisation des Bassins Sédimentaires, case 117, 4, pl. Jussieu, F-75252 Paris cedex 05, France
ALIREZA SHAHIDI
Affiliation:
UPMC-Univ. Paris06 et CNRS, UMR 7193 iSTeP, Equipe Evolution et Modélisation des Bassins Sédimentaires, case 117, 4, pl. Jussieu, F-75252 Paris cedex 05, France Geological Survey of Iran, Azadi Square, Meraj Av., 13185–1494 Tehran, Iran
*
†Author for correspondence: francois.baudin@upmc.fr
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Abstract

Organic petrography and geochemical analyses have been carried out on shales, carbonaceous shales and coals of the Shemshak Group (Upper Triassic–Middle Jurassic) from 15 localities along the Alborz Range of Northern Iran. Thermal maturity of organic matter (OM) has been investigated using vitrinite reflectance, Rock-Eval pyrolysis and elemental analysis of kerogen. Reflectance of autochthonous vitrinite varies from 0.6 to 2.2% indicating thermally early-mature to over-mature OM in the Shemshak Group, in agreement with other maturity parameters used. The shales of the Shemshak Group are characterized by poor to high residual organic carbon contents (0.13 to 5.84%) and the presence of hydrogen-depleted OM, predominantly as a consequence of oxidation of OM at the time of deposition and the hydrogen loss during petroleum generation. According to light-reflected microscopy results, vitrinite/vitrinite-like macerals are dominant in the kerogen concentrates from the shaly facies. The coals and carbonaceous shales of the Shemshak Group show a wide range in organic carbon concentration (3.5 to 88.6%) and composition (inertinite- and vitrinite-rich types), and thereby different petroleum potentials. Thermal modelling results suggest that low to moderate palaeo-heat flow, ranging from 47 to 79 mW m−2 (57 mW m−2 on average), affected the Central-Eastern Alborz basin during Tertiary time, the time of maximum burial of the Shemshak Group. The maximum temperature that induced OM maturation of the Shemshak Group seems to be related to its deep burial rather than to a very strong heat flow related to an uppermost Triassic–Liassic rifting. The interval of petroleum generation in the most deeply buried part of the Shemshak Group (i.e. Tazareh section) corresponds to Middle Jurassic–Early Cretaceous times. Exhumation of the Alborz Range during Late Neogene time, especially along the axis of the Central-Eastern Alborz, where maximum vitrinite reflectance values are recorded, probably destroyed possible petroleum accumulations. However, on the northern flank of the Central-Eastern Alborz, preservation of petroleum accumulations may be expected. The northern part of the basin therefore seems the best target for petroleum exploration.

Keywords

thermal maturityorganic petrographyorganic geochemistrybasin modellingTriassic–JurassicShemshak GroupAlborz basin
Type
Original Articles
Information
Geological Magazine , Volume 149 , Issue 1 , January 2012 , pp. 19 - 38
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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