Prospective Oil and Gas Resources and Its Relations to Potential Source

Rocks in Yinyaw Formation Shan State (south)

May Thu Thu Aung1*, Sai Naing Lin Aung2

Abstract
The Yinyaw Formation are well exposed near the Yinyaw village, 37 km west of Moebye,
Pekon Township in Shan State (south). Yinyaw Formation is composed of dark grey to grey
calcareous shale marl interbedded with dark grey, hard, argillaceous sandstone and these
argillaceous sandstones are fairly hard, compact and indurated. In this regard the investigation of a
detailed geological investigation at the outcrop samples for evaluation of source rock potential, the
lateral and vertical thickness of the potential source rock and lithostratigraphic study of Yinyaw
Formation in study area. In this manuscript we studied details the hydrocarbon source rock
geochemistry of total organic carbon (TOC) and lithostratigraphic study of Yinyaw Formation. The
TOC value for outcrop shale samples of Yinyaw Formation is ranging from 0.2% to 1.8%.
According to TOC value, the Yinyaw Formation are only marginal conditions for exploration of
shale gas resource. However, the high variability in the content of TOC indicates that locally,
particularly in the eastern part of the Yinyaw area, favorable conditions for shale gas may have
developed. The Brachiopod bearing buff-colored siltstone well developed along the lower part of
the Yinyaw Formation. The predominant brachiopod assemblage described in the present study is
the Spinomartinia prolifica assemblage zone, occurring in the northwestern and eastern parts of the
study area. According to fauna assemblage, Yinyaw Formation is equivalent to the upper part of the
Lebyin and Taungnyo groups.
Keywords: Total Organic Carbon, Source rock potential, Yinyaw formation,
INTRODUCTION
The Yinyaw Formation are well exposed near the Yinyaw village, 37 km west of Moebye,
Pekon Township in Shan State (south). Generally the area is bounded between Latitude 19°40´ to
19°44´N and Longitude 96°46´ to 96°50´E. Systematic field sample and data collections were
gathered from Yinyaw beds in the southern part of Kalaw basin of the Shan-Tanintharyi Block
which contain the Shan Plateau, eastern Kachin ranges and Tanintharyi ranges (fig-1). The study
Yinyaw area are approximately 253 square kilometers. The objective of the study area is to record
and describe the Permian fauna in bryozoans and mainly brachiopods which were found in buff
color siltstone and calcareous mudstone of the Yinyaw formation. In the hydrocarbon generation
potential, origin of organic matter, and depositional setting of the Yinyaw formation was analyzed
by means of bulk organic geochemistry, analysis. There are three geochemical requirements to be
a source rock. They are (i) Quantity or amount of organic matter, (ii) Quality or type of organic
matter, and (iii) Thermal maturity or extent of burial heating (Peters & Cassa, 1994). Stefan Steiner
et al (2016) explained that total organic carbon (TOC) is defined as the weight of organic carbon
in a unit weight of the rock. Total Organic Carbon (TOC) is a critical parameter to determine
source rock potential for hydrocarbon play and identification of kerogen typing (Tissot & Welte,
1984; Peters, 1986; Peters & Moldowan, 1993; Peters & Cassa 1994; Hunt, 1995).

1. Assistant Lecturer, Department of Geology, Panglong University

2. Dr, Lecturer, Department of Geology, University of Yangon
1
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Figure (1) location map of the Yinyaw Formation

Aim and Objectives

The aim and objectives of the study are:
(1) To study the stratigraphy of the study area
(2) To carry out the geochemical data analysis
(3) To study the petroleum prospect
Types of Source Rock
(1) An effective source of rocks is a sedimentary rock that is generating or has generated and
expelled petroleum (Peters & Cassa, 1994).
(2) Potential source rocks are the sedimentary rock that contains adequate quantities of organic
matter to generate petroleum but only becomes an effective source rock when it generates bacterial
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gas at low temperatures or it reaches the proper level of thermal maturity to generate petroleum
(Peters & Cassa, 1994).
(3) A spent oil source rock is a sedimentary rock that has reached the postmature stage of
maturity and is incapable of further oil generation, but may still be capable of generating wet and
dry gas (Peters & Cassa, 1994).
(4) An active source rock is a sedimentary rock which is generating petroleum and expelling
petroleum at the critical moment, most commonly because it is within the oil window (Dow, 1977).
(5) An inactive source rock is a sedimentary rock that has stopped generating petroleum,
although it still shows petroleum potential (Barker, 1979).
Materials and Methods
Source rock samples (shale, limestone, or marl) can be analyzed directly in the laboratory
to determine organic matter content. Organic matter quantity is usually expressed as total organic
carbon (TOC wt%). Mohammed (2018) explained that the TOC (wt%) also depends on the type
(or quality) of organic matter (kerogen) preserved in the petroleum source. Total organic carbon
(TOC) is also called organic carbon (Corg) which is defined as the weight of organic carbon in a
unit weight of the rock. TOC analysis is typically the first screening analysis of the source rock
potential to generate hydrocarbons. It describes the quantity and quality of organic carbon in a
rock sample, and evaluates the level of thermal maturation of oil and gas or a mixture of the two
being generated (kerogen type) (Peters and Cassa; 1994; Chinn, 1991). A total of 10 outcrop
samples were collected from shale within upper Permian age of Yinyaw formation (Fig 2). All the
rock samples are pyrolyzed by using total organic carbon (TOC) content and was the process
carried out in the State Key Laboratory of China University of Geosciences (Wuhan). Based on
TOC analysis data, we plotted data on a graph by using ORIGINPRO software. All of the rock
samples were crushed to fine powders which were analyzed geochemically by Total Organic
Carbon (TOC) content. Approximately 180-200 g of each rock sample for TOC was analyzed.

Stratigraphic Framework
Yinyaw Formation
Name Derivation
The name was introduced by G.V Hobson for the calcareous shale and marl containing
fauna of Permian age. The Yinyaw Formation was originally thought to be confined to a small
enclosed basin located in the south- west comer of the area. Recent geological survey has shown
that there is a widespread occurrence of Yinyaw Formation in the southern and western marginal
areas of the area mapped.
Distribution
Recent geological survey has shown that there is a widespread occurrence of Yinyaw
Formation in the southern and western marginal areas of the mapped. The type area is situated near
Yinyaw Village.
Lithology

The exposed section indicated a gradual transition from the Plateau Limestone upwards
into calcareous shales, silty marl and argillaceous sandstones and limestone containing abundant
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Brachiopod fossils usually weathered and leached, exposing only soft, light brown silt shale and
fine-grained sandstones which are exposed along the foot paths fig (2). In freshly cut stream
sections, the Yinyaw formation is composed of dark grey to grey calcareous shale marl interbedded
with dark grey, hard, argillaceous sandstone and limestone fig (3). The argillaceous beds are fairly
hard, compact and indurated. They are usually well stratified and occasionally lenticular. The
argillaceous limestone are tough, lenticular and contain nodular structures Fig (4).

Figure (2) Light grey color, thin bedded Figure (3) Dark grey moderately hard,
sandstone of Yinyaw Formation intercalated with buff color laminated silty
shale nodular carbonaceous shale of Yinyaw
Formation

Figure (4) Panoramic view of Yinyaw formation in typical stratigraphic succession

Fossils and Age

Brachiopod bearing buff-coloured siltstone well developed along the lower part of the
Yinyaw Formation. The predominant brachiopod assemblage described in the present study is the
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Spinomartinia prolifica assemblage zone, occurring in the northwestern and eastern parts of the
study area. This zone can be correlated with Spinomartinia prolifica which was established based
on its abundance from the Ko Yao Nio formation, and was considered to be close in age to a part
of Chihsian of South China (Waterhouse, 1981). However more recent studies indicate that the
Spinomartinia fauna has been found in Zwekabin and Labyin of the brachiopods, Spinomartinia
prolifica,Retimarginifera alata,etc.,fig (5,6) are also present in the Lebyin Group at Ngayanchaung
of the Lebyin area and the Taungnyo Group in the Kya In Taung, northern part of Zwekabin range,
thus, it is clear that the Yinyaw Beds are equivalent to the upper part of the Lebyin and Taungnyo
groups. Therefore, the Stenoscima-Sterochia sp. assemblage from the Yinyaw Beds are assigned
to the Kungutrain.

Figure (5, 6) Retimarginifer sp., ventral internal mould and dorsal external and Spinomartinia
prolifica from Yinyaw formation

Result and Discussions

The Quantity of Organic Matter
The quantity of organic matter in the source rock was evaluated by measuring the
amount of TOC (Peters, 1986; Tissot & Welte 1978; Peters & Cassa, 1994; Mohamed, 2012). They
reported samples that contained TOC less than 0.5 wt% were considered poor source rocks, TOC
value between 0.5-1 wt% for fair potential source rock and TOC value between 2-5 wt% indicate
the good source rock for hydrocarbon. Geochemical data reveal that the TOC value of upper
Permian units of the measured section and the lower part of the Yinyaw formation exposure made
up of yellowish grey , light grey interbedded and intercalated with buff of yellowish, grey color
laminated silty shale are (0.1-0.4%), the middle part of Yinyaw beds are grey color , laminated to
nodular, carbonaceous shales interbedded light grey to buff color argillaceous sandstone of TOC
content recorded are (0.5-1.3%)and the upper part of Yinyaw formation are dark grey moderately
hard, nodular carbonaceous shale (0.9-1.8%) These are the percent of TOC result Fig (7). And
field sample and data collections were from the typical stratigraphic succession Yinyaw beds is
bounded between Latitude 19°43´ 46" to 19°43´58" N and Longitude 96°48´ 27" to 96°48´ 11"E.
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According to generalized the typical stratigraphic succession, a poor source rock potential of lower
part and the middle to upper part the high variability in the content of TOC indicates are possibility
of modest source rocks potential of hydrocarbon prospect in Yinyaw formation.

Figure (7) generalized the typical stratigraphic succession and Total Organic Carbon Contents
(TOC %) of Yin Yaw Formation

Summary and Conclusion

The present study has been filled with sediments of the Upper Plateau limestone gradually
grade upward into the argillaceous facies known as Yinyaw formation. It is comprised of laminated
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and nonlaminated mudstone/shale, siltstone, argillaceous siltstone, laminated and nonlaminated

silty mudstone/shale, fine grained silty sandstone, calcareous concretions and nonlaminated shale
enriched organic matter. And it thicknesses increases eastward in the study area, similarly as the
sand content in the formation, with the latter also increasing stratigraphically upward and also the
base of the Yinyaw formation shale is yellowish laminated shale, dominated by brachiopods
consist of Spinomartinia prolifica and Retimarginifera alata which indicates Upper Permian. In
detail TOC analysis values of the outcrop data from the Yinyaw formation shale contains 0.2% to
1.8%. The prevailing low to high content of organic matter in the Yinyaw formation shale suggests
that there are only marginal conditions for exploration of shale gas resource. However, the high
variability in the content of TOC indicates that locally, particularly in the eastern part of the
Yinyaw area, favorable conditions for shale gas may have developed. Therefore, more detailed
paleogeographic, burial history, gas content and quartz origin studies are needed to better access
shale-gas potential of the Yinyaw formation.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thanks Dr Nilar Myint (Rector, PangLong University) and Dr Min Lwin and Dr Khin lay
Ye (Pro- Rector, PangLong University) for allowing to undertake this research. We also greatly thank to Myanma Oil
and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), Ministry of Electricity and Energy in Myanmar for supplying the data and samples for
this study. We are grateful to the management of Professor He Sheng from Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum
Resources, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) for permission to do this research. Our appreciation goes to, Dr.
Ja Mu and Nay Doh Soe (Field Geologists) who have helped in field works. We are highly indebted to Dr. Ohamr Soe
Yin, Professor and Head from Department of Geology, Panglong University, for her interest and critical comment on
our manuscript.
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