Total Petroleum Systems of the Paleozoic and Jurassic, Greater Ghawar Uplift and Adjoining Provinces of Central Saudi Arabia and Northern Arabian-Persian Gulf U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 2202-H U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Total Petroleum Systems of the Paleozoic and Jurassic, Greater Ghawar Uplift and Adjoining Provinces of Central Saudi Arabia and Northern Arabian-Persian Gulf By Richard M. Pollastro U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 2202-H U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey iii U.S. Department of the Interior Gale A. Norton, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Charles G. Groat, Director Version 1.0, 2003 For more information about the USGS and its products: Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov/ This publication is only available online at: http://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/b2202-h/ Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. iii U.S. Department of the Interior Contents Gale A. Norton, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Foreword ........................................................................................................................................................ 1 Charles G. Groat, Director Abstract.......................................................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 3 Acknowledgments........................................................................................................................................ 6 U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Provinces of Central Saudi Arabia and Gulf Area........................ 6 Greater Petroleum Systems of the Eastern Arabian Peninsula............................................................ 9 Tectonic Evolution and Structural Setting................................................................................................ 9 Version 1.0, 2003 Stratigraphy of Central Saudi Arabia and Greater Ghawar Region ................................................... 18 Pre-Khuff Section................................................................................................................. 18 Late Permian Through Jurassic......................................................................................... 20 Central Arabia Qusaiba-Paleozoic Total Petroleum System ............................................................... 24 General Description............................................................................................................. 24 For more information about the USGS and its products: Petroleum Geochemistry .................................................................................................... 24 Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS Source Rocks............................................................................................................... 24 World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov/ Organic Geochemistry................................................................................................ 29 Maturation, Generation, and Expulsion................................................................... 29 This publication is only available online at: Reservoirs.............................................................................................................................. 39 http://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/b2202-h/ Seal Rocks............................................................................................................................. 42 Traps and Trap Styles .......................................................................................................... 42 Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply Arabian Sub-Basin Tuwaiq/Hanifa-Arab Total Petroleum System..................................................... 44 endorsement by the U.S. Government. General Description............................................................................................................. 44 Petroleum Geochemistry .................................................................................................... 44 Source Rocks............................................................................................................... 44 Organic Geochemistry................................................................................................ 49 Maturation, Generation, and Expulsion................................................................... 49 Reservoirs.............................................................................................................................. 52 Seal Rocks............................................................................................................................. 56 Traps and Trap Styles .......................................................................................................... 56 Assessment Unit Description, Geologic Models, and Assessment Results..................................... 57 Central Arabia Qusaiba-Paleozoic TPS............................................................................ 57 Central Arch Horst-Block Anticlinal Oil and Gas AU (20210101) ......................... 57 North Gulf Salt Basin Structural Gas AU (20210102) ............................................. 65 Arabian Sub-Basin Tuwaiq/Hanifa-Arab TPS ................................................................. 65 Horst-Block Anticlinal Oil AU (20210201)................................................................. 65 Salt-Involved Structural Oil AU (20210202) ............................................................. 68 Summary ...................................................................................................................................................... 72 Selected References.................................................................................................................................. 75 Appendix 1. Seventh Approximation Input Form for Central Arch Horst-Block Anticlinal Oil and Gas Assessment Unit (20210101), Central Arabia Qusaiba-Paleozoic Total Petroleum System................................................................................................................ 81 Appendix 2. Seventh Approximation Input Form for North Gulf Salt Basin Structural Gas Assessment Unit (20210102), Central Arabia Qusaiba-Paleozoic Total Petroleum System ......................................................................................................................... 86 iv v Appendix 3. Seventh Approximation Input Form for Horst-Block Anticlinal Oil Assessment Unit (20210201), Arabian Sub-Basin Tuwaiq/Hanifa-Arab Total Petroleum System................................................................................................................ 91 Appendix 4. Seventh Approximation Input Form for Salt-Involved Structural Oil Assessment Unit (20210202), Arabian Sub-Basin Tuwaiq/Hanifa-Arab Total Petroleum System........... 96 Figures 1. Diagram showing stratigraphic section, major tectonic events, and stratigraphic units of petroleum systems of the eastern Arabian Peninsula............................................ 4 2–7. Maps showing: 2. USGS geologic provinces of central Saudi Arabia and northern Arabian-Persian Gulf, and details of oil and gas fields and reservoirs........................................................ 5 3. Arabian Plate showing general tectonic and structural features, salt basins, and oil and gas fields........................................................................................................................... 7 4. Jurassic intraplatform sub-basins of Arabian-Persian Gulf region................................ 8 5. Paleozoic and Jurassic total petroleum systems of Gotnia sub-basin........................ 10 6. USGS geologic provinces, oil and gas field centerpoints, and total petroleum systems of central Saudi Arabia and northern Arabian-Persian Gulf.......................... 11 7. Cretaceous, Jurassic, and Paleozoic total petroleum systems and oil and gas field centerpoints of Rub’al Khali Province (2019).................................................................... 12 8. Sketch block diagrams showing evolution of Arabian Plate tectonics............................ 14 9. Geologic cross section across Saudi Arabia and Qatar..................................................... 15 10. Geologic subcrop map of Hercynian or “Pre-Unayzah” unconformity............................ 16 11. Structural cross section of central Ghawar field................................................................. 17 12. Chart showing growth history of major tectonic events and relative intensities........... 19 13. Diagram showing stratigraphic column and tectonostratigraphic events of the Paleozoic section in Greater Ghawar area........................................................................... 21 14. General stratigraphic section of the Upper Jurassic Arab Formation ............................. 23 15. Map showing Central Arabia Qusaiba-Paleozoic Total Petroleum System and assessment units ............................................................................................................... 25 16. Paleoenvironmental map of the Early Silurian showing approximate