Origin of petroleum in the Neoproterozoic–Cambrian South Oman Salt Basin

The South Oman Salt Basin (SOSB) is host to the world’s oldest known commercial deposits. Most of the South Oman oils have been proven to be associated with the source rocks of the Neoproterozoic to Cambrian Huqf Supergroup, but the assignment of oils to specific Huqf intervals or facies has been hampered by the geochemical similarity of the organic matter across the entire Huqf sequence, possibly as a consequence of limited change in the local palaeoenvironment and biota over the time of its deposition. This study was conducted to establish improved correlations between organic-rich rock units and reservoir fluids in the SOSB through detailed molecular and isotopic analysis of the Huqf Supergroup, with special emphasis directed towards understanding the Ara carbonate stringer play. Unusual biomarkers, tentatively identified as A-norsteranes, show distinctive patterns among carbonate stringer oils and rocks different from those observed in Nafun sediments and Ara rocks from the Athel basin. These putative A-norsteranes form the basis for new oil-source correlations in the SOSB and provide for the first time geochemical evidence of a self-charging mechanism for the carbonate stringer play. The paucity of markers specific to the Nafun Group (Shuram, Buah and Masirah Bay formations) confounds attempts to quantify their respective contributions to Huqf oil accumulations. Nafun inputs can only be determined on the basis of subtle differences between Nafun and Ara biomarker ratios. The most useful geochemical characteristics delineating Nafun Group organic matter from Ara Group intra-salt source rocks included: low relative abundance of mid-chain monomethyl alkanes (X-compounds); low relative abundance of gammacerane, 28,30-dinorhopane, 25,28,30-trinorhopane and 2-methylhopanes; low C22T/C21T and high C23T/C24T cheilanthanes ratio values. Based on these parameters, molecular evidence for major contributions of liquid hydrocarbons from Nafun Group sediments (Shuram, Buah and Masirah Bay formations) is lacking. Our results suggest that the majority of SOSB hydrocarbon accumulations originate from within the Ara group, either from the carbonate stringers or from the package of sediments that comprises the Thuleilat, Athel Silicilyte and U shale formations. Subtle aspects of the composition of some carbonate stringer and post-salt Huqf oils could suggest some degree of sourcing from the Nafun rocks but stronger evidence is needed to confirm this. Crown copyright 2008 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.