Applications of Petroleum

Geochemistry in Oil and Gas

Exploration
Dr. Djamel Boutoutaou
Managing Director and Petroleum Geochemistry Consultant

Pangaea Geochemistry Services Limited

Pangaea Geochemistry Services Ltd. Website: https://pangaeageochemistry.co.uk

Email: djamel.boutoutaou@pangaeageochemistry.co.uk
International Oil & Gas Consulting Company
Content

INTRODUCTION
Source Rocks
▪ Source rock evaluation
▪ Source rock kinetics
▪ Maturity evaluation
Fluids
▪ Oil/condensate evaluation: quality and property predictions
▪ Oil – oil and oil – source rock corelations
▪ Gas evaluation (PVT gas, mudgas, headspace and flowline gas)
▪ Geochemistry inversion
Introduction: The Petroleum System
The 5 elements of a conventional petroleum system

4
5

2
1

J. Craig and F. Quagliaroli,2020

Introduction: The Petroleum System
The 5 elements of a conventional petroleum system
4 5

222

11
Introduction: The Petroleum System
❑The Petroleum System consists of a:
❖Mature source rock – A rock with abundant hydrocarbon-prone organic matter
❖Migration pathway (carrier bed) – Avenues through which hydrocarbons move from source rock
to trap
❖Reservoir rock – A rock in which hydrocarbons accumulate
❖Trap – A structural and stratigraphic configuration that focuses hydrocarbons into an
accumulation
❖Seal – A rock through which hydrocarbons cannot move effectively
❑Appropriate relative timing of formation of these elements and the processes of generation,
migration, and accumulation are necessary for hydrocarbons to accumulate and be preserved.
❑The components and critical timing relationships of a petroleum system can be displayed in a chart
that shows geologic time along the horizontal axis and the petroleum system elements along the
vertical axis.
❑Exploration plays and prospects are typically developed in basins or regions in which a complete
petroleum system has some likelihood of existing.
Introduction: The Petroleum System Events Chart
Total petroleum system events chart for Central Arabia Qusaiba-Paleozoic Total Petroleum System of
the Greater Ghawar Uplift Province (2021) and surrounding geologic provinces of central Saudi
Arabia, showing total petroleum system element and timing of trap formation and Hydrocarbon
generation. Modified from Pollastro (2003)
Introduction: Source Rocks
❑Source rocks are the starting point of all petroleum systems
❑Source rocks are sediments that contain significant concentrations of oil and/or gas
prone kerogen
❑Source rocks are sediments that can generate or have generated hydrocarbons (oil
and/or gas) when heated
Outcrops Ditch cuttings
Cores
 Oil and Gas Exploration

Source Rock and Maturity

Evaluation

Pangaea Geochemistry Services Ltd. Website: https://pangaeageochemistry.co.uk

Email: djamel.boutoutaou@pangaeageochemistry.co.uk
International Oil & Gas Consulting Company
Rock Samples

Cores Ditch cuttings

Outcrops

Sidewall Cores
Source Rock Evaluation
Source rock screening analysis:

❖ Organic richness - total organic content (TOC, wt%)

❖ Organic matter type, quality, and potential – Rock-Eval Pyrolysis
❖ Kerogen composition

Outcrops
Source Rock Evaluation
Classification of source rock ‘richness’

SEDIMENT CLASSIFICATION BY TOC (Wt%)

SHALES Wt. % TOC LIMESTONES

Oil Shale >12.0

Very Good 4.0 – 12.0 Bituminous Limestone

Good 2.0 – 4.0 Very Good

Fair 1.0 – 2.0 Good
Poor 0.5 – 1.0 Fair
Very Poor <0.5 Poor
Source Rock Evaluation
Basic Interpretation (immature source rocks)
SOURCE ROCK POTENTIAL YIELD, S2 S2 = mg HC/g rock
Very Good >20 mg HC/g rock (>20,000ppm)
Good 6.0 – 20.0 mg HC/g rock (6,000 – HI = S2x100/TOC
20,000ppm) OI = S3x100/TOC
Fair 2.0 – 6.0 mg HC/g rock (2,000 - 6,000ppm)
Poor <2.0 mg HC/g rock (<2,000ppm)
HYDROGEN INDEX
Oil Prone Source Rock 400+ mg HC/g TOC
Mixed Oil- and Gas Prone 200 – 400 mg HC/g TOC
Source Rock
Gas Prone Source Rock <200 mg HC/g TOC
Inert (Carbonised) <50 mg HC/g TOC
Source Rock Evaluation
Source rock Potential and Type

Type III
kerogen

Type IV
TYPE IV
 Source Rock Evaluation
A

A
Hydrogen Index (mg HCs / g TOC)

Oxygen Index (mg CO2 / g TOC)

C
Van Krevelen-type diagram showing the chemical
composition of kerogen and its relationship with the
types of organic particles observed in microscopy of
transmitted and fluorescence lights. 2.34

A.L.D. Spigolon, 2010

Source Rock Types – van Krevelen Classification
Three main kerogen/maceral (microscopically recognisable components of kerogen):
Composition controlled by depositional environment and organic sources e.g. source
rock deposited in anoxic lakes tend to have very hydrogen rich kerogen.

1. Liptinite macerals produced from decayed leaf matter, spores, pollen and algal
matter, also resins, plant waxes. Kerogen is Hydrogen-rich and oil-prone, Type I
and II kerogen.

2. Vitrinite macerals are composed of cellular plant materials e.g. roots, plant
stems, tree trunks. Kerogen is gas-prone, Type III kerogen.

3. Inertinite is composed of degraded plant material and is highly oxidised. The

kerogen has an aromatic graphitic structure with a total absence of aliphatic
compounds, Type IV kerogen. (very little hydrogen, principally ‘dead carbon’)
Source Rock Types – Pepper and Corvi Classification
Type of organic material (Kerogen) – Five main Types (Organofacies): Pepper and
Corvi, 1995

F
C

D
E
F Notes:
A

B
Source Rock Types – Pepper and Corvi Classification
Type of organic material (Kerogen) – Five main Types (Organofacies): Pepper and
Corvi, 1995
Kerogen Type control on oil versus gas
A
A B
B C D/E
D/E FF
(Marine Carbonate) (Marine Clastic) (FW Lacustrine) (Lower Flood Plain) (Upper Flood Plain)
Maturity Evaluation

TOO
COOL

RIGHT FOR OIL

DEPTH ~80º-120ºC

RIGHT FOR
GAS
~150º-200ºC

TOO
HOT

TIME

Petroleum generation is a cooking process dependant on temperature and time: This cooking process is
termed maturation, and sediments become mature with heating/burial over time.
Note: upon maturation, TOC, and Hydrogen Index decrease and hydrocarbons are evolved until kerogen is
inert (i.e., it has no more potential).
Maturity Evaluation
▪ Rock-Eval Pyrolysis Tmax
▪ Vitrinite reflectance (%Ro)
▪ Spore colour Index (SCI) or Thermal Alteration Index (TAI)
▪ Biomarkers
Right for oil – 80°-120°C

Conversion of organic Peak mature OM Oil

matter (kerogen) to
hydrocarbons

Organic rich
source rock

Right for gas – 150°-200°C Gas mature OM Gas

Maturity Evaluation
Correlation between different maturity parameters
Organic
thermal
maturity

Immature

Early
oil window

Peak
oil window

Late oil
window

Gas window

Western Australian Naturalists’ Club, June 2017

Maturity Evaluation
Vitrinite reflectance (%Ro) Spore Colour (IAT & SCI)
against depth against depth
Vitrinite reflectance (%Ro)
0.1 0.2 0.5 0.7 1.0 1.3 2.0 3.0 5.0
0

500 Erosional event

(~1000m of missing sediments)

1,000

1,500

2,000
Depth (m)

2,500
Post-oil mature (Gas window)

3,000

3,500
Early oil mature
Peak oil mature
Late oil mature

4,000
Immature

4,500

5,000

T. K. Al-Ameri & R. Y. Al-Obaydi, 2011

Maturity Evaluation
Unconformity Unconformity Igneous intrusions Normal Faults
0 0 0

500 500 500

1000 1000 1000

1500 1500 1500

2000 2000 2000

Depth (m)

2500 2500 2500

Major Igneous Normal
unconformity intrusion fault
3000 3000 3000

3500 3500 3500

4000 4000 4000

4500 4500 4500

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.5
Vitrinite reflectance Vitrinite reflectance Vitrinite reflectance
Source Rocks – Kinetics (Type IIS Kerogen, Organofacies A)
Kerogen Microscopy Chemical structure High gravity, light oil
n-C10
n-C7

n-C6

n-C17
n-C18

n-C5 n-C26
Ph
Pr

n-C4 n-C35

Activation Energy Type and proportion of expelled HCs

1

> 46-52 Kcal/mol Cumulative HC6+ Expelled (/mass)

Cumulative HC1-5 Expelled (/mass)
Type of Generated
Cumulative HC6+ Expelled (/mass)

Cumulative HC Expelled (/mass)

0.8

Hydrocarbons:
0.6

Expulsion Temperature
Sour, heavy and Light
0.4
98-100°C Oil,
Condensate,
0.2
Wet and Dry Gas
0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Temperature (C)
Temperature (C)
Source Rocks – Kinetics (Type II Kerogen, Organofacies B)
Kerogen Microscopy Chemical structure

Activation Energy Type and proportion of expelled HCs

1

> 49-56 Kcal/mol

Cumulative HC6+ Expelled (/mass)
Cumulative HC1-5 Expelled (/mass) Type of Generated
Cumulative HC6+ Expelled (/mass)

Cumulative HC Expelled (/mass)

0.8

Hydrocarbons:
Oil generation 0.6
Expulsion Temperature
Sweet Light
0.4
110-115°C Oil,
Condensate,
Gas generation
0.2
Wet and Dry Gas
0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Temperature (C)
Temperature (C)
Source Rocks – Kinetics (Type I Kerogen, Organofacies C)
GN750 #8 2011C 244 Hess FID1_A_
700
pA

Kerogen Microscopy Chemical structure 600

500

400

300

200

100
Pr
Ph

min
-10
0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0 45.0 50.0 55.0 60.0 65.0 70.0 78.3

Activation Energy Type and proportion of expelled HCs

1

~52-54 Kcal/mol Cumulative HC6+ Expelled (/mass)

Cumulative HC1-5 Expelled (/mass)
Type of Generated
Cumulative HC Expelled (/mass)
Cumulative HC6+ Expelled (/mass)

Oil generation
0.8
Hydrocarbons:
0.6 Sweet Waxy Light
Expulsion Temperature
0.4
115-120°C Oil,
Condensate,
Gas generation 0.2
Wet and Dry Gas
0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Temperature
Temperature(C)
(C)
Source Rocks – Kinetics (Type III Kerogen, Organofacies D/E)
Kerogen Microscopy Chemical structure

Activation Energy Type and proportion of expelled HCs

~ 56-60 Kcal/mol Methane Type of Generated

Cumulative HC Expelled (/mass)

Ethane
Propane
Butane
Hydrocarbons:
Oil generation
Expulsion Temperature N2, CO2, H2S, He Sweet Waxy, Light
130-135°C
Oil,
Gas generation
Condensate,
Wet and Dry Gas
Temperature (C)
Source Rocks – Kinetics (Type III Kerogen, Organofacies F)
Kerogen Microscopy Chemical structure

Activation Energy Type and proportion of expelled HCs

0.9

0.8 Cumulative HC6+ Expelled (/mass)

Cumulative HC1-5 Expelled (/mass)
~ 53-58 Kcal/mol
Cumulative HC6+ Expelled (/mass)

Cumulative HC Expelled (/mass)

0.7
Type of Generated
Hydrocarbons:
0.6
Oil generation
0.5
Expulsion Temperature
0.4
145-150°C
0.3
Wet Gas and
Gas generation
Dry Gas
0.2

0.1

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Temperature(C)
Temperature (C)
 Oil and Gas Exploration

Fluids and Organic Matter Evaluation

Oil – oil and oil – source rock corelations
Gas evaluation

Pangaea Geochemistry Services Ltd. Website: https://pangaeageochemistry.co.uk

Email: djamel.boutoutaou@pangaeageochemistry.co.uk
International Oil & Gas Consulting Company
Fluid Samples
Fluid Samples

Oil seeps

Oil stains/shows
Fluid Samples

Source rock
sample (outcrop)

Source rock Source rock

sample (core) sample (cuttings)

Extracted organic
matter (EOM) from
source rock samples
Fluid Samples

PVT, Wellhead, and Mud/flowline gas

Headspace gas
Fluid Samples

Headspace gas

Mud

Ditch cuttings in
mud
Fluids Evaluation
Oil/condensate evaluation: quality and property predictions
Physical and chemical properties of oil and condensate samples:
❖ API gravity
API gravity against sulphur content
❖ Viscosity
Crude
❖ Pour point
❖ Sulphur content
❖ Wax content

Crude

Hassan Harraz 2016

Detailed Source Rock Evaluation
Detailed characterisation of organic matter, using n-alkanes and isoprenoids (GC), biomarkers
(GC-MS), and carbon isotopes (IR-MS, GC-IR-MS)
▪ Type of organic matter
▪ Depositional environment
▪ Maturity Gas Chromatography

▪ Marginally mature,
▪ Mixed lacustrine and
terrestrial source
▪ Sub-oxic conditions
▪ Late mature,
▪ Marine carbonate source
▪ Anoxic depositional conditions
Fluids Evaluation
Oil/condensate evaluation 700
GN750 #8
pA
2011C 244 Hes s

Lacustrine source
FID1_A_

Type I (Organo-facies C)
600

Detailed geochemical characterisation of oils, 500

condensate, oil shows and oil seeps using: 400

Partially 300

biodegraded 200

oil (partial loss

❖ Gas chromatography (whole oil, whole of n-alkanes
100

>25 °API
extract, saturate fraction)
m in
-10
0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0 45.0 50.0 55.0 60.0 65.0 70.0 78.3

GN757 #2 11E393 G6 FID1_A_

2500

Marine clastic-rich source

pA

2250

2000
Type II (Organo-facies B)
1750

To determine: 1500

1250

✓ The Type of source rocks UCM 1000

750

✓ The depositional environment of Biodegraded crude oils 500

250

0
GN736 #1 10G 1 48/19-2 FID1_A_
14.0

source rocks
pA
-250

12.5 Severe -500

0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0 45.0 50.0 55.0 60.0 65.0 70.0
m in
78.3

✓ The maturity of source rocks 11.3

biodegradation
oil (loss of n-alkanes
Terrestrial source
Type III (Organo-facies D)
✓ Any post-migration alterations of
10.0

<20 °API
8.8

crude oils and condensate 7.5

✓ Oil-oil and oil-source rock correlations

6.3

5.0
UCM
3.8

2.5

min
1.0
0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0 45.0 50.0 55.0 60.0 65.0 70.7
Source Rocks and Fluids Evaluation
Oil/condensate evaluation and Marine Carbonate
Marine source Biomarkers Steranes
Triterpanes
Type IIS (A)
Source Rock
correlations
Detailed geochemical characterisation of oils,
condensate, oil shows and oil seeps , using:
❖ GC-MS and GC-MS-MS (biomarkers) Marinesource
Marine Clastic
Source
II (B)Rock
❖ IR-MS and GC-IRMS (bulk carbon isotopes and Type
compound specific isotope analysis, CSIA)
Ion 191.00 (190.70 to 191.70): S2018M0730CDE.D\data.ms

To determine: Lacustrine
Lacustrine source
✓ Type of source rocks Source Rock
Type I (C)
✓ Depositional environment of source rocks
✓ Maturity of the source rocks
✓ Age of source rocks
Terrestrial
Terrestrial source
✓ Oil-oil and oil-source rock correlations Source
Type IIIRock
(DE)
Oil-Oil & Oil-Source Correlations

Group I:
Dominant
Marine
Input and
Bacterially
Reworked
Land-
Plants

Group II:
Dominant
Terrestrial
Input

Edwards et al., 2003

Dickson et al., 2016
Oil-Oil & Oil-Source Correlations
1.0

C28+C29 tricyclics/[sum tricyclics+C29-C30

0.8

17a (H)hopanes]
0.6

Silurian (HS)
Ordovician
0.4
HMD
O.Mya
R.Chegga
0.2
OL2
Hassi Guettar
El-Agreb
0.0
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
C29 steranes/(C29 steranes+C29-C30 17a(H)hopanes)
Gas Evaluation
Gas evaluation (PVT gas, mudgas, headspace and flowline gas)
Analysing mudgas, headspace and flowline gas provide information on :

❖ Nature of gas (biogenic versus thermogenic gas)

❖ Type of thermogenic gas (e.g. oil-associated, condensate-associated, non-associated dry
versus wet gas)
❖ Gas – gas and gas-source correlations
❖ Migration style, vertical versus lateral up-dip migration (mudgas, headspace and flowline
gas)
❖ Hydrocarbon types in a zone (e.g. oil, condensate or gas) (mudgas, headspace and
flowline gas)
❖ Missed pay zones (mudgas, headspace and flowline gas)
❖ In-reservoir alteration process of gas (e.g. biodegradation)
❖ Reservoir compartment boundaries (mudgas, headspace and flowline gas)
Gas Evaluation
Dry and wet gases
Hydrocarbons, C1 to C6+ & non-hydrocarbons, N2,
Hydrocarbons, C1 to C6+ CO2, Ar, H2S
Methane

4.3.7
Gas Evaluation

1. Biogenic gas (dry gas): Methane produced through bacterial during diagenesis
of source rocks
Temperature <<80°C

2. Thermogenic gas (dry and wet gas): Thermal cracking of kerogen and oil
Temperature >>100°C

3. Secondary Microbial gas: Methane produced through biodegradation of oil or

gas accumulations
Temperature <<80°C

4.3.14
Gas Evaluation
Gas composition and stable carbon isotope ratios (gas type, maturity and gas-gas correlation)
B
 Mud, Headspace and Flowline Gas
Schematic diagrams of mudgas/headspace gas responses in different fluid contacts in a reservoir
Wh Bh Ch Ch Wh Bh
Prediction
0.5 17.5 40
0 31 10 100
BH (Balance), WH (Wetness) and CH <0.5 >100 Very dry gas, probably non-
productive
(Character) parameters as they are explained in
>0.5 >100 Very dry gas, possibly
Hawker (2001). The formulae of those productive

parameters are: 0.5 – 17.5 Wh<Bh Gas increasing in Wh, or

<100 density, curves approach each
other
BH = (n-C1+n-C2)/(n-C3+n-C4+iC4+iC5+n-C5)
<17.5 >Wh Curves close together/crossing.

<0.5
Ch confirms productive phase ,
in this case gas
WH = (n-C2+n-C3+iC4+n-C4+iC5+n-C5)/(n-C1+
<17.5 >Wh As above, but with higher Ch.
n-C2+n-C3+iC4+n-C4+iC5+n-C5)

>0.5
Indication of light oil

Curves crossed over. Indication

CH = (iC4+n-C4+n-C5+iC5)/(n-C3) 17.5 – 40 <Wh
of oil
The greater the separation
between the curves the heavier
the oil

>40 <<Wh Residual oil

Hawker, 1999
Mud, Headspace and Flowline Gas
Schematic diagrams of mudgas/headspace gas responses in different fluid contacts in a reservoir

Bh GOC GOC
GOC

Dry gas Oil Zone Oil Zone Oil Zone

Dry gas
Wh

Methane
Ethane
Propane
Butane
Pentane

Ariketi et al., 2015

 Oil and Gas Exploration

Geochemistry Inversion

Pangaea Geochemistry Services Ltd. Website: https://pangaeageochemistry.co.uk

Email: djamel.boutoutaou@pangaeageochemistry.co.uk
International Oil & Gas Consulting Company
Geochemistry Inversion
Analysing crude oils, oil seeps, and oil shows allow tracking back :

❖ Source rocks Types, Maturity, and their Depositional Environments

❖ Age of source rocks
OIL SEEPS
WELL 4 WELL 3 WELL 2

OIL
ACCUMULATIONS

OIL SHOWS
 Reservoir Management and Production
Development Strategies
Reservoir Geochemistry

Pangaea Geochemistry Services Ltd. Website: https://pangaeageochemistry.co.uk

Email: djamel.boutoutaou@pangaeageochemistry.co.uk
International Oil & Gas Consulting Company
Reservoir Geochemistry

▪ Reservoir compartmentalisation/continuity
▪ Oil/gas quality
▪ Pay zones evaluation
▪ Fluid contacts (oil/water and oil/gas contacts)
▪ Tar mat origin and extent/distribution
▪ Reservoir charging history, filling point and direction
▪ Commingled production allocation
Thank You