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@PHDTHESIS{Bcker:572508,
author = {Böcker, Johannes},
othercontributors = {Littke, Ralf and Leythaeuser, Detlev},
title = {{P}etroleum system and thermal history of the {U}pper
{R}hine {G}raben : implications from organic geochemical
analyses, oil-source rock correlations and numerical
modelling},
school = {RWTH Aachen},
type = {Dissertation},
address = {Aachen},
reportid = {RWTH-2016-02779},
pages = {1 Online-Ressource (XII, 154 Seiten) : Illustrationen,
Karten},
year = {2015},
note = {Veröffentlicht auf dem Publikationsserver der RWTH Aachen
University 2016; Dissertation, RWTH Aachen, 2015},
abstract = {The Upper Rhine Graben (URG) forms the central section of
the European Cenozoic Rift System and is a mature
hydrocarbon province. During previous exploration periods,
about 50 oil fields and several gas fields were discovered
accompanied by a huge number of exploration and production
wells and numerous seismic profiles. Surprisingly, in 2003 a
geothermal well found oil in the Buntsandstein reservoir and
discovered unexpectedly the Römerberg oil field, which
promptly doubled the total recoverable reserves (produced
oil plus remaining reserves) in the German part of the URG.
This discovery opened-up a new exploration play and
implicated a review and revaluation of the petroleum system
of the URG. Four distinct oil families occur in the URG.
Three of those are of economic interest. The oldest oils are
derived from the Liassic Black Shales (oil family C). These
are the major source rocks for oil fields in the Alsace and
southern URG as well as for the large oil fields
Pechelbronn, Landau and Römerberg. Furthermore, several
Tertiary source rocks exist. At many places high wax oils
occur, which originated from early Tertiary (Eocene) coaly
shales and sapropelic coals (oil family B). Oils from the
Rupelian Fish Shale (Hochberg-Subfm.) occur especially in
the northern and central URG (oil family D). In addition,
highly viscous, sulphur-rich and early mature oils generated
from the Corbicula- and Hydrobienschichten exist (Oil family
A). These oils occur especially in the Micoene to Quaternary
subsidence center, the Heidelberg-Mannheim-Graben. The oil
family A oils are economically not relevant, but are of
interest in order to derive kitchen areas and directions of
migration.In this regard, the dissertation is subdivided
into three studies. The first one focuses on a source rock
characterisation of the Rupelian Fish Shale, which is the
major source rock of the large oil fields Stockstadt,
Eich-Königsgarten, and further smaller oil fields in the
northern URG, where the Liassic source rocks are eroded.
Based on petrographic and geochemical analyses the Fish
Shale was characterised as good to very good source rock
containing typical type II kerogens, 4-5.5 $\%$ TOC and
Hydrogen Index (HI) values of 450-550 mg HC/g TOC (at an
immature state). Special biomarkers such as characteristic
sterane distributions, age-related markers such as oleanane,
or a highly branched isoprenoid C25 with origin from marine
diatoms enable reliable oil-source rock correlations. The
Fish Shale is distributed in the entire graben in uniform
facies. Thus, the thickness and thermal maturity are the
factors controlling the amount of generated hydrocarbons.
The latter is the limiting factor for missing oils derived
from the Fish Shale in the Alsace and southern URG (south of
Karlsruhe). This was shown by a vitrinite reflectance map,
which distinctly identifies kitchen areas of the Fish Shale.
Existing reservoired oils derived from the Fish Shale were
correlated to these kitchen areas and migration pathways and
directions were identified.The second part analyses the
Liassic source rocks with focus on their thermal maturity.
An investigation beyond the borders of the URG showed that
the Posidonia Shale (Lias ε) reached a maturity of about
0.5-0.6 $\%$ VRr within the graben area and its surroundings
before the formation of the URG in the Eocene. Liassic
outcrops situated at the graben margin, in the Alsace, in
the Swabian Alb, in the foreland of the Alps, and samples
from shallow wells (ca. < 1000-1500 m) within the graben
show a quite uniform maturity, which results from a
relatively coherent burial history and temperature increase
before the formation of the URG. In addition, this maturity
indicates that the Liassic source rocks did not expel a
significant quantity of oil before the formation of the
graben. A map of the thermal maturity of the Posidonia Shale
reveals a mid-oil window mature source rock in major parts
of the central URG, which also reached the wet gas window in
the area of Karlsruhe.The final third part gives an overview
on source rocks and the petroleum system of the URG.
Especially the Posidonia Shale can be characterised as
excellent source rock and generated most oil in the URG.
High mean TOC values of 8 $\%$ and HI values of > 550 mg
HC/g TOC characterise the Posidonia Shale at an immature
stage. Moreover, the bituminous Lias α marls and shales
have important additional source rock potential and
contributed to the oils of family C.Furthermore, new
insights on source rocks of the different oil families and
several new oil-source rock correlations are presented and
the distribution of oil families in regard to migration
pathways is discussed. The high wax oils (Family B) are
heterogeneously distributed, but occur especially in the
northern and central URG, in the latter predominantly in the
western part. These oils are stemming from early Tertiary,
locally occurring, coaly shales and sapropelic coals. The
hydrocarbon generation potential of these source rocks is
rather difficult to evaluate because of significant
variations in thickness and source rock characteristics.
Rock-Eval pyrolysis and bulk kinetic measurements of the
sapropelic coals indicate a partly extraordinary high oil
generation potential. These source rocks contributed also to
the large Landau oil field. Interestingly, the large oil
fields Pechelbronn, Landau and Römerberg, which are all
predominantly charged by the Liassic source rocks, occur in
areas where the Liassic source rocks are already eroded or
immature, in case of Pechelbronn. Consequently, oils of the
Liassic source rocks migrated mainly laterally in
northwestern directions and successively into older
stratigraphic units. The Opalinuston-Fm., Liassic claystones
and basal Tertiary marls are acting in this context as
important seals. In this progress, faults provide - in
particular for the Pechelbronn field with numerous small,
segmented fault blocks in the fetch area - entry points
especially into younger (Tertiary) but also older (Triassic)
reservoirs. However, as a consequence of the structural
configuration during the early formation of the URG, faults
are not indispensable for the migration of Liassic oil into
older stratigraphic units. All in all, a comprehensive
overview on the distribution of oil families in the URG with
respect to their vertical and lateral migration pathways is
given in this thesis.},
cin = {532410 / 530000},
ddc = {550},
cid = {$I:(DE-82)532410_20140620$ / $I:(DE-82)530000_20140620$},
typ = {PUB:(DE-HGF)11},
urn = {urn:nbn:de:hbz:82-rwth-2016-027797},
url = {https://publications.rwth-aachen.de/record/572508},
}
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