Chronostratigraphy, palynofacies, source-rock potential, and organic thermal maturity of Jurassic rocks from Qatar

Abstract

Strontium isotope, palynological, and total organic carbon (TOC) analyses were made on core samples from the Izhara, Araej, and Hanifa formations of three wells in onshore Qatar. Eleven samples were analyzed for their 87Sr/86Sr ratios. The results gave a chronostratigraphic range of Early Jurassic (Hettangian) to Late Jurassic (Oxfordian), with an overall age range of 202.4 Ma to 157.8 Ma. Maximum flooding surfaces MFS J10 to MFS J50 occur in the Izhara, Araej, and Hanifa formations. The organic matter in the carbonate sediments of the Izhara, Araej, and Hanifa formations was almost exclusively of marine algal origin dominated by marine microplankton. Organic matter obtained from the Izhara Formation was mature to over-mature kerogen type-III to IV, gas-prone to inert material (mean TOC 0.31%). In the Araej Formation, mature oil-prone and gas-prone kerogen type-II and type-III organic matter occurred in both the lower and upper Araej members (TOC 0.13-0.69%). The stylolitic limestone of the Uwainat member of the Araej Formation has poor potential as a source rock for petroleum (TOC 0.03-0.13%), but is considered to be the main reservoir rock of the Middle Jurassic in Qatar. Mature, highly oil-prone organic matter (type-I and type-II kerogen) was present in black limestone of the Hanifa Formation (mean TOC 0.60%; maximum 0.93%). The limestone is considered to be the most likely petroleum source rock for the underlying and overlying limestone reservoirs of the Uwainat member of the Araej Formation (Bathonian) and the Arab-D member of the Arab Formation (Kimmeridgian) units, respectively.