A Cross Basin Source Rock Study Investigating the TOC and Biomarker Groups of Potential Source Rocks In Kansas

Abstract

Recent investigations into the Spivey-Grabs oil field in Kansas have confirmed the likelihood that Kansas' basins are capable of creating oil, despite low vitrinite reflectance values and shallow burial. In order to initially investigate the confirmation of this probability, samples from potential source rocks in each of the five basins in Kansas (the Hugoton/Anadarko Embayment, Sedgwick, Salina, Forest City and Cherokee basins) have been procured and tested for TOC giving an average value near 5.7% and allowing for the rational bulk analysis of biomarkers through GCMS for each basin. By evaluating concentrations of steranes, tricyclic terpanes, and to a lesser extent n-alkanes and isoprenoids, fundamentally different biomarker groups or ‘families’ emerge across basins. The initial conclusions in this research is indicative of five or more distinct oil groups across Kansas and further supports the premise that Kansas' oil is locally produced. To further corroborate this emerging theory, it is recommended that cross basin oil studies are conducted in order to confirm distinct oil groups, as well as allow for basin-by-basin oil-source rock correlation. Additional investigation into the silica content and structural integrity of these potential source rocks may lead to economically feasible production of unconventionally obtained hydrocarbons in Kansas.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90259 ©2016 AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, June 19-22, 2016