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Remotely constraining the temporal evolution of offshore oil systems
Alexander J Corrick1, David Selby2,3, David M McKirdy4
1Department of Earth Sciences, School of Physical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia. alexander.corrick@adelaide.edu.au.
Scientific Reports
|February 6, 2019
Summary
Rhenium-osmium geochronology applied to crude oil seepage reveals petroleum generation timing. This method aids in identifying source rocks in offshore basins, crucial for hydrocarbon exploration.
Area of Science:
- Geochemistry
- Petroleum Geology
- Geochronology
Background:
- Understanding petroleum system temporal evolution is key for hydrocarbon exploration.
- Traditional methods offer limited absolute constraints on petroleum generation timing.
- Natural crude oil seepage provides a potential window into subsurface petroleum systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To apply rhenium-osmium (Re-Os) geochronology to natural crude oil seepage.
- To determine the timing of petroleum generation in offshore sedimentary basins.
- To establish a novel approach for identifying crude oil origins and source rock intervals.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of asphaltites collected from the South Australian coastline.
- Application of 187Re/187Os geochronology to determine Re-Os ages.
- Calculation of initial 187Os/188Os composition to infer source rock characteristics.
Main Results:
- A Re-Os age of 68 ± 15 million years ago was determined for the asphaltites.
- This age aligns with derivation from a Late Cretaceous source rock in the Bight Basin.
- The initial 187Os/188Os composition suggests the source rock relates to the later stage of Oceanic Anoxic Event 2.
Conclusions:
- 187Re/187Os geochronology is a viable method for dating petroleum generation from crude oil seepage.
- This technique provides direct constraints on petroleum generation timing and source rock identification in poorly characterized basins.
- The findings offer a new tool for hydrocarbon exploration prior to drilling.
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