PROPERTIES OF SOURCE ROCKS OF

PAKISTAN

E a r th An d En vi r o n m e n ta l S c i en c e s , B ah r i a U ni ve r s i t y, ka r a c hi

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.

Introduction....................................................................3

2.

Source Rocks Of Pakistan.................................................3

2.1 Overview..........................................................................................3
3.

Upper Indus Basin............................................................4

3.1 Patala Formation..............................................................................4

4.

Middle and Lower Indus Basin...........................................4

4.1 Sember Formation Shales ...............................................................4

4.2 Kirthar Fold Belt................................................................................5
4.3 Sulaiman Fold Belt............................................................................5
5.

Baluchistan Basin............................................................5

5.1 Rakhshani Formation.......................................................................5

5.2 Kharan Limestone............................................................................5
6.

Pishin Basin.....................................................................5

6.1 Dark Grey to Black Shales................................................................5

6.2 Black Limestone................................................................................6
7. References.......................................................................6

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PROPERTIES OF SOURCE ROCKS OF PAKISTAN

1. INTRODUCTION
In petroleum geology, source rock refers to rocks from which hydrocarbons have been
generated or are capable of being generated. They form one of the necessary elements of a
working petroleum system. They are organic-rich sediments that may have been deposited in a
variety of environments including deep water marine, lacustrine and deltaic.
A rock rich in organic matter, which if heated sufficiently, will generate oil or gas. Typical source
rocks, usually shales or limestones, contain about 1% organic matter and at least 0.5% total
organic carbon (TOC), although a rich source rock might have as much as 10% organic matter.
Rocks of marine origin tend to be oil-prone, whereas terrestrial source rocks (such as coal) tend
to be gas-prone. Preservation of organic matter without degradation is critical to creating a good
source rock, and necessary for a complete petroleum system. Under the right conditions, source
rocks may also be reservoir rocks, as in the case of shale gas reservoirs.
A source rock is formed by the:

Sedimentation in areas of high organic productivity.

Preservation of organic matter in sediment.

2. SOURCE ROCKS OF PAKISTAN

2.1.

OVERVIEW

In Potwar Patala shale (Paleocene) is the source rock. Salt Range Fm (Neoproterozoic) also
reportedly contains random high TOC pockets, but salt being not permeable would inhibit the
movement of generated hydrocarbons. In rest of Pakistan, except Baluchistan Basin (west of
Ornach-Nal-Chaman faults), Sembar shales (Lower Cretaceous) are considered as the source
rock. Habib Rahi (Eocene) reportedly contains some higher TOC in Sulaiman Range and might
be mature in the foredeep, but not yet proven.
Any depression can act as a source rock, enabling it to generate hydrocarbons. There are no
names as such. In Potwar the main kitchen is Soan syncline, and other depressions between the
anticlines may also act as kitchen, under the required temperature-pressure conditions. The
Kirthar and Suliaman foredeeps are considered to feed the traps on their either side. Sui field has
its own kitchen right beneath the Sui dome, which fed the surrounding structures also. Badin area
represents horst-graben structural geometry, where grabens would act as kitchen.

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Potential source rocks ranging in age from the Cambrian to Eocene, are fairly well distributed in
the sedimentary basins of Pakistan. These source rocks differ in the type of organic matter,
abundance and maturity in the different basins and have generated oil, gas and condensate.
Pakistan has been divided into four basins for discussing the source rock distribution and
geothermal gradients as under:

Upper Indus Basin

Lower Indus Basin
Baluchistan Basin
Pishin Basin

3. UPPER INDUS BASIN

The source rock in Kohat area is probably Chichali formation (Lower Cretaceous), and in
Potwar, Patala shale (Paleocene) is considered as the source rock.
3.1.

PATALA FORMATION (EARLY PALEOCENE AGE)

Patala Formation of Early Paleocene age is the primary source rock in the basin responsible for
hydrocarbon generation. Some them working on Jurassic have suggested that Jurassic shales of
Datta Formation also have source potential for generation of lighter hydrocarbon and even for
gas.

4. MIDDLE AND LOWER INDUS BASINS

In Middle Indus and Lower Indus basins the formations found are as follows:
4.1.

SEMBER FORMATIONS SHALES (EARLY CRETACEOUS)

Early Cretaceous Sembar Formations shales have been widely accepted as an essential source
rock for oil and gas. However, fields in Central Indus basin (Mari and Sui, Uch) may have been
charged from source rocks other than Sembar most probably in Eocene.
There are some other sources such as Ranikotshales, Ghazijshales and coals and shales of Nari
Formation (both of paleogene age). However, it needs more studies to conduct for the evaluation
on regional level and also to field level to authenticate it.
Lower Indus basin can further be divided into two fold belt basins:

Kirthar Fold Belt Basin

Sulaiman Fold Belt Basin

4.2.

KIRTHAR FOLD BELT BASIN

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The Paleocene (mainly Ranikot Formation) is considered as source horizon with TOC contents
up to 1 %. Sembar & Goru formations of Lower Cretaceous age are proven source rocks in the
Lower Indus Platform Basin.
These are considered as potential source rocks in the Kirthar Foldbelt. Excellent oil prone source
rocks are recorded in the Lower Cretaceous section in the east (Sann-1), which spans the top half
of the main oil window.
4.3.

SULAIMAN FOLD BELT BASIN

Source rocks exist in Cretaceous (Sembar & Goru formations), Paleocene (Ranikot Formation)
and Eocene (Habib Rahi) stratigraphic successions. However Sembar Formation of early
Cretaceous is considered to be the dominant source rock. The source rock maturation started in
Cretaceous and reached peak gas generation during Eocene-Miocene. The trap formation
coincides with the peak stages of gas generations.

5. BALUCHISTAN BASIN
The potential source rocks of the area are Rakhshani Formation of Paleocene age and Early to
Middle Eocene Kharan Limestone.
5.1.

RAKHSHANI FORMATION

Rakhshani Formation of Paleocene age contains source horizons in shale layers. Its source
potential in term of TOC is moderate to good.
5.2.

KHARAN LIMESTONE

Kharan Limestone has a fetid odor and the basal part of the formation, which is composed of
wackstone, deposited in an environment favorable for the accumulation and preservation of
organic matter.
These source rocks are predicted to be presently mid to late mature for oil generation and mature
for gas generation.

6. PISHIN BASIN
Two types of source rock facies are identified in three distinct horizons.
6.1.

DARK GRAY TO BLACK SHALES

The first type of source rock is dark gray to black shale associated with transgressive system. The
shale is considered to be linked with basal black shales in the subsurface and may be termed as
basal black shale. This shows similarity in facies and organic richness with the upper part of
Paleocene/Eocene Patala shale of the oil producing Potwar Depression. Further northwestward in
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the center of the basin the shale is supposed to carry well developed condensed section hence has
better source rock parameters. The gray shale associated with the low stand of sequence. These
source rocks are distributed throughout the basin.
6.2.
BLACK LIMESTONE
The second type of source rock is black limestone. This limestone possesses fairly high TOC
value and resembles in physical character and microfacies with Habib Rahi Limestone (oil shale)
of Sulaiman Range having very high TOC. The organic rich limestone is restricted to the
northwestern deeper part of the basin. Laboratory support proved that these horizons have fair to
high organic content.

7. REFERENCES
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Geology-1359/2011/1/stratigraphic-column-Pakistan-1.htm
www.glossary.oilfield.slb.com/Display.cfm?Term=source%20rock

http://www.fallsoftheohio.org/SourceRockforPetroleum.html
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/71832724/Petroleum-Geology-of-Pakistan-By-Dr-MuhammadMujtaba
http://ebookbrowse.com/petroleum-geology-of-pakistan-by-i-b-qadri-akbar-ali-asif-pdfd179084626

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