Source Rock Characterization Within the Stratigraphic Settings of the Orange Basin, South Africa

The petroleum source rock potential of different system tracts of a Cretaceous unit of the Orange Basin, South Africa, was evaluated using Rock-Eval pyrolysis. Forty rock samples from eight wells were obtained within the systems tract, Lowstand System Tracts (LST), Transgressive System Tracts (TST), and Highstand System Tracts (HST), in the basin. The results revealed that LST is characterized by mainly marginally organic rich shale samples with a few organic rich rocks, variable organic matter types ranging from Type II to Type IV, and a few samples that are thermally mature but have low organic matter quality. Four samples from two wells (A_F1 and O_A1) in the LST had good petroleum generative potential but were not sufficiently mature for petroleum generation. TST is characterized with a few samples being marginally organic rich, with only one being organic rich, mainly Type III kerogen with few Type IV kerogen, and only a few samples are thermally mature that have low organic matter quality. HST is characterized by many marginally organic rich rock samples, mainly Type III with a few mixed Type II/III kerogen, and only a few samples were thermally mature. The results of this study show that the LST has the best prospect in terms of petroleum generation potential, followed by HST and TST in that order. The study also reveals that limited petroleum source rocks exist, which are also impacted by low thermal maturity levels. The basin is more gas prone than oil.