Thermal History of the Lower and Middle Cretaceous Source Rocks in Kuwait

Abstract

The thermal history of Kuwait was reconstructed with Shell's "Cauldron" basin modeling software and calibrated with maturity indicators from four wells. Maturity measurements were carried out on source rock samples from wells in the Ash-Shaham, Minagish, Raudhatain and Riqua (offshore) fields. The analytical data indicate that 'top oil window' is located at a depth of around 2,500 meters (8,250 feet). Due to the low structural dips of the sequences in Kuwait, thermal modeling in one-dimension was found to be adequate. The Cretaceous source rocks subsided without major anomalies in burial rate or heatflow. Modeling results indicate that the Cretaceous Sulaiy, Minagish and Zubair formations entered the oil window during the Late Cretaceous and Early Tertiary, whereas oil expulsion occurred throughout Tertiary time. Quantification of expelled oil volumes suggests that the Sulaiy Formation is the most productive source rock in Kuwait, whereas the Upper Cretaceous Burgan and Maudud formations are presently at the top of the oil window.