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PROSPECTIVE AREAS FOR PETROLEUM EXPLORATION AND OIL and GAS POTENTIAL OF THE ONSHORE HATAY (SOUTHERN TURKEY)

Adil Özdemir

Abstract

This paper presents and supports a speculative hypothesis, the essence of which follows. When continental margins in zones of convergence are buried beneath thrust sheets, fluids expelled from the margin sediments travel into the foreland basin and the continental interior. These tectonic fluids have key roles in phenomena such as faulting, magma generation, migration of hydrocarbons, transport of minerals and metamorphism. The thrust sheet, crudely speaking, acts like a great squeegee, driving fluids ahead of it and producing widespread geologic consequences. Onshore Hatay, although it is young, meets the essential requirements of hydrocarbon exploration by having potential source, reservoir and seal rocks, and due to its high sedimentation rate, depth of burial and maturation conditions appear to be suitable for hydrocarbon generation. Hydrocarbon generation in this basin is controlled by the Pliocene deposits and by eastward over thrusting of the Misis Belt occurred in the same period. As a consequence of these events, potential generation areas are expected in the western portions of the study area. Hydrocarbons (mostly oil) generated in the west, would tend to migrate eastwards, towards the high areas. Structures favorable for the accumulation of oil are found in onshore Hatay. Oil seeps in geologic formations of various horizons are also found here. The thickness of the deposits and the facies are favorable, too. Differentiation in the quality of oil is believed to have resulted from processes encountered during a long history of ?continuous migration?; contributions from other probable source rocks may have been negligible in the sense that they have no overall effect on the known distribution of oil in space. It is recommended that the three zones defined under the heading of ?prospective areas? should be tested wherever the structural and stratigraphic conditions are positive. As a result of this modelling, two prospective zones are demonstrated.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2018/1.4/s06.094

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