History of deepwater exploration in the Black Sea and an overview of deepwater petroleum play types

Tari, Gábor; Simmons, M. Y.

doi:10.1144/sp464.16

Cited by 33 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 146 publications

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“…Although some studies have interpreted the presence of a synrift infill in the EBSB (e.g., Shillington et al, ; Sydorenko et al, ; Tari & Simmons, ), most authors tend to agree on the absence/near absence of synrift deposits in the central EBSB (e.g., Görür et al, ; Görür & Tüysüz, ), due to the lack of strong evidence for synrift sedimentary geometries on seismic profiles (e.g., Nikishin et al, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spatial and Temporal Evolution of Rifting and Continental Breakup in the Eastern Black Sea Basin Revealed by Long‐Offset Seismic Reflection Data

2019

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The age and distribution of the synrift and early postrift infill records the spatial and temporal distribution of extension and breakup processes in a rift basin. The Eastern Black Sea Basin (EBSB) is thought to have formed by back‐arc extension during Cretaceous to Early Cenozoic time. However, a lack of direct constraints on its deep stratigraphy leaves uncertainties over the time, duration, and location for rifting and breakup processes in the basin. Here we use the enhanced imaging provided by 2‐D long‐offset seismic reflection profiles to analyze the deep structural and stratigraphic elements of the EBSB. Based on these elements, we infer the presence of two distinct Late Cretaceous synrift units, recording initial extension (rift stage 1) over the continental highs (Shatsky Ridge and the Mid Black Sea High), followed by strain localization along the major basin‐bounding faults and rift migration toward the basin axis (rift stage 2). Overlying these units, Palaeocene(?)‐Eocene and Oligocene units show a synkinematic character in the NW, with evidence for ongoing extension until Oligocene time. Toward the SE, these sequences are instead postkinematic, directly overlaying a basement emplaced during breakup. We interpret the Palaeocene(?)‐Oligocene units to record the time spanning from the initiation of breakup (Late Cretaceous‐Palaeocene, in the SE) to the end of extension (Oligocene, in the NW). The first ubiquitously postrift infill is the Lower Miocene Maykop Formation. Our results highlight the along‐strike temporal variability of extension and breakup processes in the EBSB.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The yellow dots mark deep‐water and onshore wells in the area. Surmene‐1, Sinop‐1, HPX‐1, and Subbotina‐403 well locations are from Kitchka et al (), Sydorenko et al (), and Tari and Simmons (). The location for the onshore well Ochamchira is from Banks et al ().…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial and Temporal Evolution of Rifting and Continental Breakup in the Eastern Black Sea Basin Revealed by Long‐Offset Seismic Reflection Data

2019

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“…(Summary after Robinson et al, 1996;Duley and Fogg, 2009;Birrell et al, 2010;Mollicone et al, 2010;Popescu et al, 2007;Starostenko et al, 2008;Bega and Ionescu, 2009;Pottorf et al, 2010;Starostenko et al, 2010;Kitchka and Gavrylyuk, 2014;Olaru et al, 2018, this issue;Tari and Simmons, in press)…”

Section: Principal Source Rocksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Petroleum Provinces of the Paratethyan Region

Boote¹,

Sachsenhofer

Tari

et al. 2018

Journal of Petroleum Geology

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Initial crustal collision between Africa and Eurasia in the middle Eocene – early Oligocene enclosed a semi‐restricted Paratethyan seaway of linked basins and platforms across a region stretching from the Eastern Alps to the South Caspian Sea. As the African Plate continued to advance north during the later Neogene, the seaway shrank into a series of more isolated basins separated by the rising Alpine – Carpathian – Caucasus fold‐thrust belts. Organic‐rich oil‐prone Paratethyan source rocks of middle Eocene (Kuma Formation and equivalents) and Oligocene – early Miocene (Maikop and Menilite Beds) ages, and more gas‐prone post‐orogenic mid‐upper Miocene shales, subsequently charged over 2500 accumulations across the region with combined recoverable reserves of 95 billion brl oil‐equivalent (B boe). These accumulations are clustered in discrete petroleum provinces, each with a distinct tectono‐stratigraphic architecture and comprised of one or more petroleum systems. The provinces can be grouped into five broad categories: Average Reserves Average Field Sizes Fold‐thrust Provinces60,980 MMboe2–590 MMboeSub‐thrust Provinces255 MMboe3.4 MMboeForeland Provinces18,671 MMboe2–77 MMboeIntermontane Provinces13,122 MMboe1–40 MMboeBlack Sea back‐arc Province> 1391 MMboe>33 MMboe The productivity of each province (estimated very approximately from the number of barrels oil equivalent / square kilometre) is extremely variable, and its relationship with the geological factors controlling hydrocarbon entrapment and retention is complex. The most critical of these factors appears to be the quality and distribution of source rocks and post‐charge structural modification.

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“…3). These sandstones have long been considered to be an exploration target in the deep-water Western Black Sea, confirmed by recent success within the Han Asparuh Block, offshore Bulgaria (Tari & Simmons 2018).…”

Section: Hydrocarbon Plays Of the Western Black Seamentioning

confidence: 90%

“…More recently, the first efforts to explore in the deep-water offshore have met with mixed success, despite the presence of a variety of play types (Tari et al 2011;Tari & Simmons 2018). In 2017, respected analysts Wood Mackenzie reported an estimate of 1.35 BBOE (billion barrels of oil equivalent) of yet-to-find reserves for the Black Sea (Wood Mackenzie 2017).…”

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confidence: 99%

Petroleum geology of the Black Sea: introduction

Simmons

Tari

Okay

2018

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Abstract:The exploration for petroleum in the Black Sea is still in its infancy. Notwithstanding the technical challenges in drilling in its deep-water regions, several geological risks require better understanding. These challenges include reservoir presence and quality (partly related to sediment provenance), and the timing and migration of hydrocarbons from source rocks relative to trap formation. In turn, these risks can only be better understood by an appreciation of the geological history of the Black Sea basins and the surrounding orogens. This history is not without ongoing controversy. The timing of basin formation, uplift of the margins and facies distribution remain issues for robust debate. This Special Publication presents the results of 15 studies that relate to the tectonostratigraphy and petroleum geology of the Black Sea. The methodologies of these studies encompass crustal structure, geodynamic evolution, stratigraphy and its regional correlation, petroleum systems, source to sink, hydrocarbon habitat and play concepts, and reviews of past exploration. They provide insight into the many ongoing controversies regarding the geological history of the Black Sea region and provide a better understanding of the geological risks that must be considered for future hydrocarbon exploration. The Black Sea remains one of the largest underexplored rift basins in the world. Although significant biogenic gas discoveries have been made within the last decade, thermogenic petroleum systems must be proven through the systematic exploration of a wide variety of play concepts.Gold Open Access: This article is published under the terms of the CC-BY 3.0 license.The Black Sea, located between Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine, covers an area of approximately 423 000 km 2 with a maximum water depth of 2245 m. Sedimentary thickness can exceed 14 km. The Black Sea holds an abiding fascination for petroleum geologists and is a true frontier basin with very few wells drilled in its deepwater sector. Abundant seepage, outcrops of potential source rocks around its margins, large potential traps imaged on seismic data, and a variety of potential reservoir and play concepts point towards considerable potential to reward the successful explorer. This volume brings together several geoscience studies (Fig. 1) that provide additional information about the origins of the Western and Eastern Black Sea basins, their tectonostratigraphic history, sedimentary fill and petroleum potential.The Black Sea and its surrounding regions have a long history of geological research: for example, it has long been regarded as the type example of an euxinic basin in which bottom water anoxia and free hydrogen sulphide (H 2 S) result in an absence of benthonic life and the preservation of organic matter (Wignall 1994). Somewhat ironically, the term 'euxinic' is derived from an ancient Greek name for the sea, Pontus Euxinus, meaning the welcoming or hospitable sea. Another ancient Greek name (probably derived from an Iranian nam...

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History of deepwater exploration in the Black Sea and an overview of deepwater petroleum play types

Cited by 33 publications

References 146 publications

Spatial and Temporal Evolution of Rifting and Continental Breakup in the Eastern Black Sea Basin Revealed by Long‐Offset Seismic Reflection Data

Spatial and Temporal Evolution of Rifting and Continental Breakup in the Eastern Black Sea Basin Revealed by Long‐Offset Seismic Reflection Data

Petroleum Provinces of the Paratethyan Region

Petroleum geology of the Black Sea: introduction

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