RESEARCH PROPOSAL

EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL SOURCE ROCKS USING ONE-

DIMENTIONAL MATURITY MODELING IN THE LOWER INDUS
BASIN, PAKISTAN

SUBMITTED BY FAISAL QAYYOM

M.S RESEARCH SCHOLAR
RESEARCH SUPERVISOR DR. MUHAMMAD HANIF
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
RESEARCH CO SUPERVISOR DR. MUHAMMAD MUJTABA
FORMER CHIEF GEOLOGIST,
(HDIP)
GRADUATE STUDIES COMMITTEE
________________________
Prof. Dr. M. Tahir Shah
Convener
NCE in Geology
________________________ ____________________
Dr. M. Asif Khan (T.I) Dr. Nimat Ullah Khattak
Professor Professor
NCE in Geology NCE in Geology

________________________ _____________________
Dr. Muhammad Arif Dr. S. Shafiq-ur-Rehman
Professor Professor
Deptt. of Geology Deptt. of Environmental Sciences

NATIONAL CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN GEOLOGY UNIVERSITY

OF PESHAWAR
NOVEMBER, 2011
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EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL SOURCE ROCKS USING ONE-DIMENSIONAL

MATURITY MODELING IN THE LOWER INDUS BASIN, PAKISTAN

INTRODUCTION

The Lower Indus Basin (LIB) extends between latitude 24o.00 and 28o.00 31’ N and

longitude 67o.00 to 71o.00 E (Fig. 1). Its eastern limitsThe sedimentary rock sequence starts from

Triassic age and of marine origin other than early Cenozoic continental deposits (Quadri and

Shuaib, 1986). Its eastern and western limits are confined to Indian Shield and Kirhtar Range. Its

structural style was developed under post-rifting tectonic events distinguished as late Cretaceous

uplift and inversion, late Paleocene right-lateral wrenching, and late Tertiary to Holocene uplift

of the Khairpur high. The offshore extension of platform area represents western margin of

trailing edge of Indo-Pakistan plat (Raza et al., 1990).

Potential source rocks are Ranging from Triassic to Eocene age, however, Shales of

Sembar Formation (i.e. Neocomian to Kimmerdgian) are acting as main source rocks (Raza et

al., 1990; Kadri, 1995; Shah, 2009). The Sembar Formation was deposited in shelf environment

with an average Total Organic Carbon (TOC) ranging from 1 to 1.4 wt% and Vitrinite

Reflectance (Ro) values ranging from immature to overmature source rock (Quadri and Shuaib,

1986, Wandrey et al., 2004). The subsurface depth of Sembar Formation ranges from less than

1000 m in the east to more than 5000 m in the west (Ahmad et al., 2011). Shales of Goru

Formation (Early Cretaceous), Parh Formation (Late Cretaceous) and Mughal Kot Formation of

Companian to Maastrichtian age can have potential source rock characterisics. The Korara

Formation and Ranikot Formation of Paleocene and Laki Formation of Eocene age have good

source rock potential (Bender and Raza, 1995, Shah, 2009).

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Maturity modeling is a part of basin modeling and commonly refers to simulation of

geohistory, thermal history and generation of hydrocarbons. It involves integration of geologic,

geochemical and geophysical data for the assessment of hydrocarbon potential (Waples, 1998).

Successful hydrocarbon exploration in a sedimentary basin depends on an early assessment of

possible uncertainties, such as source rock distribution and quality, timing of oil and gas

generation and expulsion, their migration and entrapment. One- dimensional maturity models are

easier to handle and provide answers to most frequently asked questions (Waples et al., 1992,

Waples, 1994). The main benefit of One-Dimensional Maturity Modeling is its use on wireline

log data, which are easily available. These One Dimensional Maturity Models work essentially

in a vertical sense; lateral effects cannot be modeled but correlation techniques can extend their
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impact over larger areas (Throndsen and Wangen, 1998). One Dimensional Maturity Model can

reconstruct burial and thermal history and predict hydrocarbon generation potential.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES

The main objectives of the proposed study are to:

 Evaluate the potential source rocks in the LIB from maturity point of view;

 Determine timing and type of hydrocarbon generation; and

 Assess the amount of hydrocarbon generated.

METHODOLOGY

The following three main steps are involved in the evaluation of potential source rocks

using One-Dimensional Maturity Modeling:

1. Reconstruction / prediction of burial / uplift, thermal history and generation of

hydrocarbons at a specific location in the basin;

2. Calibrate key parameters (i.e. geohistory, thermal history) at well locations.

3. Evaluation of exploration scenarios within the geological/geochemical uncertainties.

The software used for One Dimensional Maturity Modeling is Basin Mod-1D, 2012,

which is a commercially available software program from Platte River Associates, Inc., located

at Denver, USA. Geohistory analysis is a common term for the study of the burial history

(subsidence and uplift) and related processes like decompaction / compaction or the analysis of

removed sections (erosion amounts). It is a basic prerequisite for subsequent maturity modeling.

Through a geohistory diagram, the subsidence (burial) history below a surface point, relative to

its present day elevation is analyzed. Calibration of key parameters aims to minimize the
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difference between observed or measured data and modeling parameters by changing the input in

a geologically meaningful way. Through a sensitivity analysis, modeler tests the influence of

uncertainties in the input on model results in a systematic way (changing some input variables

step-wise). The data requirements for the study are as follows;

 Well Data (i.e. depth, formation tops and bottoms, lithology and thickness).

 Conventional logs (i.e. Spontaneous Potential, Gamma Ray Log, Neutron Log, Density

Log, Sonic Log and Photoelectric Log).

 Present-day thermal boundary conditions (i.e. surface temperature, bottom hole

temperature, heat flow).

 Calibrated data (i.e. Total Organic Carbon, Vitrinite Reflectance, Rock-Eval. Pyrolysis

Data etc.).

Apart from the above mentioned data, all the available data in the form of published,

unpublished reports and research articles will be utilized to achieve the desired objectives.

The main data sets required for this study include complete suite of wireline logs,

available well data and available published geochemical data on ten selected wells (Fig. 1) across

LIB that are drilled down to Jurassic age rocks (Chiltan Formation). The complete suite of

wireline logs and well data was requested to the Directorate General of Petroleum Concession

(DGPC) Pakistan and late was provided by Land Mark Resources (LMKR) Pakistan with the

permission of DGPC. The wireline log data includes Gama Ray (GR), Spontaneous Potential

(SP), Resistivity Logs (LLS, LLW and LLD), Neutron log (NPhi), Sonic Log (Delta T), Density

log (RhoB) and Photoelectric effect (PEF) for the respected wells.
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WORK PLAN

Quarter I Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4

Objectives
June July Aug Sep Oct Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
MS Thesis
Acquiring well
data
Analysis of
available data
Acquiring
BasinMod
License
Reviewing
Literature
Modeling and
Calibration
Analyze Results

Draft Chapters

Checking by
Supervisors

SIGNIFICANCE

Today, advancements in technology have enabled us to exploit hydrocarbon resources in the

form of shale gas/oil. To meet the ever growing energy requirements of Paakistan, it is important
to exploit unconventional reservoirs. Sembar Formation is widely distributed and rich with
organic matter and acts as source rock in the proposed study area. The One-Dimensional
Maturity Modeling of Sembar Formation will help to determine its potential in the form of shale
gas/oil.
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REFERENCES

Ahmad, N.; Mateen, J.; Shehzad, K. C.; Mehmood, N.; Arif, F.; Shale gas potential of Lower

Cretaceous Sembar Formation in Middle and Lower Indus Basin, Pakistan, Pak. Assoc. Petro.

Geol./Soc. Petro. Explor.-Annu. Tech. Conferr. 2011, 235.

Kadri, I. B. Petroleum geology Pakistan; Pak. Petro. Ltd.: Karachi, 1995; Vol. 1, pp 35-108.

Quadri, V. N.; Shuaib, S. M.; Hydrocarbon prospects of Southern Indus Basin, Pakistan. Am.

Assoc. Petro. Geol. 1986, 70, 6, 730-747.

Raza, H. A.; Ali, R. A.; Shaikh, A. M.; Shafique, N. A.; Exploration performance in sedimentary

zones of Pakistan, Pak. J. Hydrocarb. Res. 1989, 1, 1, 1-7.

Shah, S. M. I. Stratigraphy of Pakistan; Geol. Surv. Pak.: Islamabad, 2009; Vol. 22, pp 186-191.

Throndsen, T.; Wangen, M.; A comparison between 1-D, 2-D and 3-D basin simulations of

compaction, water flow and temperature evolution. Geol. Surv. Lond. 1998, 141, 109-116.

Wandrey, C. J.; Law, B. E.; Shah, H. A.; Sembar Goru / Ghazij composite total petroleum

system, Indus and Sulaiman-Kirthar geologic provinces Pakistan and India. U.S. Geol. Surv.

Bull. [Online] 2004, 23-252.

Waples, D. W.; Basin modeling: how well have we done?. Geol. Surv. Lond. 1998, 141, 1-14.

Waples, D. W.; Maturity Modeling: Thermal indicators, hydrocarbon generation, and oil

cracking. Am. Assoc. Petro. Geol. 1994, 60, 285-306.

Waples, D.; Kamatha, H.; and Suizu, M.; The art of maturity modeling.- Part 1: Finding a

satisfactory Geologic Model.- Part 2: Alternative Models and Sensitivity Analysis. Am. Assoc.

Petro. Geol. 1992, 76, 1, 31-66.