Organic geochemical characteristics of the Lower Cretaceous Abu Gabra Formation in the Great Moga oilfield, Muglad Basin, Sudan: Implications for depositional environment and oil-generation potential

The biomarkers are characterized by a dominance of low to medium molecular weight n-alkane compounds with significant waxy alkanes (n-C25-n-C34), moderately high Pr/Ph ratios (1.17-2.51), high abundance of C27 regular steranes, high C27/C29 regular sterane ratios, the presence of tricyclic terpanes and relatively low sterane/hopane ratios. These data indicate that the organic-rich sediments of the Abu Gabra Formation contain a mixture of aquatic (algal and bacterial) and terrigenous organic matter, deposited in a lacustrine environment and preserved under suboxic conditions.