Thermal and Mineralogical Studies of Moroccan Rif Bituminous Rocks

Abstract

A study was conducted on four bituminous rock samples from Tangier, Tetouan, Bab Taza and Arba Ayach deposits (samples TA, TE, BT, AA, respectively) in the Rif region of northern Morocco. The study was carried out using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XFR), inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrum analysis (SEM-EDX).The results obtained by these methods showed that the organic part of TA, TE, BT and AA samples was 5.59 wt%, 6.73 wt%, 4.77 wt% and 7.53 wt%, respectively. Therefore these bituminous rocks can be considered a perspective energy resource. The dominant mineral phase in all samples is quartz (70. 04-84.46 wt%). Clay minerals (illite, chlorite) and other mineral components are present in different low-weight proportions.

Low‐temperature thermochronology as a control on vertical movements for semi‐quantitative source‐to‐sink analysis: A case study for the Permian to Neogene of Morocco and surroundings

“…(2004); 2 Groune et al. (2013); 3 Michard et al. (2008); 4 TAN‐101 well report; 5 Boleli (1952); 6 Echarfaoui et al.…”

The Cenozoic evolution of the Intrarif (Rif, Morocco)

“…Hydrocarbon exploration in Morocco (Kuhnt et al, 2001;Morabet et al, 1998;Kolonic et al, 2002;Coward and Ries, 2003;Lüning et al, 2004;Sachse et al, 2011;Groune et al, 2013aGroune et al, , 2013bOukassou et al, 2013, and references therein) was initiated during the 1960s and focused on five areas (Figs. 1 and 2): (1) Anti Atlas and Saharan domain (Paleozoic reservoir targets), (2) Western Meseta domain (Paleozoic to Jurassic reservoir targets), (3) Atlasic domain (Triassic and Jurassic reservoir targets), (4) Atlantic passive margin offshore (Jurassic to Cenozoic reservoir targets), and (5) Rif domain (Mesozoic to Cenozoic reservoir targets).…”

“…1 and 2): (1) Anti Atlas and Saharan domain (Paleozoic reservoir targets), (2) Western Meseta domain (Paleozoic to Jurassic reservoir targets), (3) Atlasic domain (Triassic and Jurassic reservoir targets), (4) Atlantic passive margin offshore (Jurassic to Cenozoic reservoir targets), and (5) Rif domain (Mesozoic to Cenozoic reservoir targets). In particular, Morocco is believed to rank seventh in the world for shale oil reserves, and the External Rif Zone is one of the three major shale oil deposits in the country (Groune et al, 2013a(Groune et al, , 2013b(Groune et al, , 2014. Moreover, the External Rif Zone from the Rif Domain is one of the major oil research areas in Morocco (Groune et al, 2013a(Groune et al, , 2013b(Groune et al, , 2014.…”

Tectono-Sedimentary Cenozoic Evolution of the El Habt and Ouezzane Tectonic Units (External Rif, Morocco)

“…Nevertheless, a general framework of the ERZ is presented by Frizon de Lamotte et al [23] which can constitute a useful reference. Other stratigraphic reconstructions of the ERZ have been recently addressed to the location of the hydrocarbon reservoir [17,19,20,54].…”

“…The advancement of geological knowledge in this area is not only of significant interest for the study of the Western peri-Mediterranean Alpine Orogen but also for the hydrocarbon exploration in Morocco ( [15][16][17][18][19][20]; and references therein).…”