Abstract
Paleozoic and Mesozoic reservoirs (Permo-Triassic, Neocomian and Cenomanian carbonates) could be considered as potential targets for hydrocarbon exploration in Northern Fars and in the Izeh Zone of Central Zagros. A regional study has been carried out to reconstruct the history of subsidence, temperature and maturity of source-rocks through geological times in that area. The relationship between the structural evolution of the fold-and-thrust belt and the thermal history of the source-rocks is recognized as a critical parameter for hydrocarbon exploration, together with the extension of the source-rocks, which might be present at various stratigraphic levels along regional transects crossing the study area.
This study is based on integration of field work, seismic profile interpretation and well data. Coupled structural, thermal and geochemical modelling was undertaken to handle compositional generation and expulsion.
Probable Early Paleozoic source-rock matured everywhere in the Izeh Zone in Jurassic time and expulsion of liquid hydrocarbon mostly occurred during the Cretaceous period, hence long before Zagros folding. It is suggested that the presence of paleo-structures and of Triassic evaporites, acting as top seal, are among the main factors for a successful Permo- Triassic gas exploration in the study area. Generation and expulsion behaviour of Jurassic and Albian source-rocks considerably varies within the Izeh Zone. Thickness of the Late Cretaceous-Eocene sediments and the first vertical movements at regional scale in the inner part of the belt considerably influenced the maturation expulsion, migration and entrapment of petroleum from these source-rocks. An accurate timing of structural formation and the source-rock distribution are therefore crucial factors for trap assessment in Mesozoic reservoirs.
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Rudkiewicz, J.L., Sherkati, S., Letouzey, J. (2007). Evolution of Maturity in Northern Fars and in the Izeh Zone (Iranian Zagros) and Link with Hydrocarbon Prospectivity. In: Lacombe, O., Roure, F., Lavé, J., Vergés, J. (eds) Thrust Belts and Foreland Basins. Frontiers in Earth Sciences. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-69426-7_12
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