GEOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF SATELLITE HYDROCARBON FORMATIONS IN PRINOS-KAVALA BASIN (NORTH GREECE)

Abstract

Conditions favoring generation, migration and trapping of hydrocarbons generated economically significant reservoirs in Prinos-Kavala Basin. Prinos oil field and South Kavala gas field are characteristic examples. The submarine fan packed the basin during Upper Miocene. The hydrocarbons were accumulated in turbidites, deposited in a strongly reducing environment, with high sulfur concentration. Evaporates are also deposited before and after the turbidite system. In this study, which is part of a doctorate thesis, extracts retrieved from cored samples of two satellite formations in Prinos-Kavala Basin, Epsilon and Kalirahi, selected at the "Prinos equivalent" formations, have been analyzed, using geochemical methods, and found to exhibit common compositional characteristics. The analysis of biomarkers indicates that the bitumens are immature and non-biodegraded, while their origin is considered mainly algal, with minor terrestrial contribution. Variations on characteristic geochemical ratios between formations, such as Pr/Ph, Ts/Tm, oleanane/hopane and steranes index, are attributed to differences on the type of organic mater input, or the depositional setting of sediments. The identification of the organic matter type, the hydrocarbons generation, migration paths and traps of each structure within the basin is vital for the evaluation of a reliable model of the basin and further hydrocarbon exploration in North Aegean basins