Geochemical methods for prediction and assessment of shale oil resources (case study of the Bazhenov Formation)

The paper presents approaches to characterization of shale source rocks using geochemical data for the case of the Bazhenov petroleum system in West Siberia. Regional patterns of oil distribution in the Bazhenov shale are shown to depend on their original total organic carbon (TOC) content and thermal maturity. The existing thermal maturity model for the Bazhenov Formation based on vitrinite reflectance (R°t) of nearby beds has been updated using parameters measured by Rock-Eval pyrolysis (Tmax, HI, PC, and RC) for the shale itself. The results were used to quantify hydrocarbon resources in different maturity zones. The relationship between TOC and the presence of para-autochthonous oil found for logged zones in the Bazhenov section allows allocating and quantifying oil resources in unlogged beds.