Geological Aspects of a Volcanic Petroleum Reservoir

Abstract

In petroleum basins around the world, strong volcanism not only controlled geo-dynamic and tectonic evolution at a deep level, but it also influenced deposition and accumulation in the basin during the late period. Using research works and statistical study of volcanic rocks in rifted basins that are related to the continental margin around the world, Plank (2003) believed that all of the rift basins experienced strong volcanism if they are related to the continental margin. Among these rifted basins, many of them have become important targets for petroleum exploration. At present, the study results and exploration practices indicate that volcanic rocks could function as excellent reservoir sequences. Large size volcanic petroleum reservoirs have been discovered in many countries around world, for example the Jatibarang basaltic oil and gas field in Indonesia (which has oil reserves of 1.65×108t and natural gas reserves of 764×108m3); the Scott Reef basaltic oil and gas field in Australia (which has oil reserves of 1,795×104t and natural gas reserves of 3,877×108m3); the Kudu basaltic natural gas field in Namibia (which has natural gas reserves of 849×108m3); the Cenozoic volcanic oil and gas reservoir in Japan; the Muradkhanli oil and gas reservoir in trachybasalt and andesite in Azerbaijan. Because these volcanic oil and gas fields have thick production layers, a high production rate and huge petroleum reserves, they have become important exploration targets (Petford and McCaffrey, 2003; Zhao, 2008; Zhou, 2008).