An integrated platform for thermal maturity assessment of polyphase, long-lasting sedimentary basins, from classical to brand-new thermal parameters and models: An example from the on-shore Baltic Basin (Poland). (December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Corrado, S.; Schito, A.; Romano, C.; Grigo, D.; Poe, B.T.; Aldega, L.; Caricchi, C.; Di Paolo, L.; Zattin, M.
• Is Part Of: Marine and petroleum geology. Volume 122(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-12
• Subjects: Thermal maturity -- Paleozoic source rocks -- Raman spectroscopy organic matter -- Clay minerals -- Poland; Submarine geology -- Periodicals; Petroleum -- Geology -- Periodicals; Géologie sous-marine -- Périodiques; Pétrole -- Géologie -- Périodiques; Petroleum -- Geology; Submarine geology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 551.468
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2020.104547
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-8172

Abstract

Abstract: Paleo-thermometers in sedimentary basins often drive to misleading thermal modelling when applied alone or only on potentially productive Paleozoic source rocks. Different paleo-thermal and thermo-chronological data have been used as constraints to model the Silurian to Cenozoic succession of a recently drilled well in the onshore portion of the Baltic Basin, in northern Poland. This dataset provides an integrated platform for thermal maturity assessment contributing to the highly debated reconstruction of the thermal history of the Baltic Basin in the last decade. The well stratigraphy consists of a Lower Paleozoic marine clayey and arenaceous/calcareous succession, about 1000 m thick that is unconformably overlain by a 2000 m thick Permian to Cenozoic sequence, developed in a continental to shallow marine environment. Optical microscopy, FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy analysis of organic matter have been coupled with (U–Th)/He data to produce a robust vitrinite reflectance profile and constrain the 1D thermal modelling of the well. In addition, such a thermal maturity profile was validated by an independent thermal modelling calibrated by the smectite illitization kinetics. Both models identify high heat flow conditions (up to 1.7 HFU) at the end of Mesozoic. The Lower Paleozoic succession entered the late oil window of HC generation during this last heating event. Highlights: An original application to assess thermal maturity of sedimentary successions have been proposed. We produced a thermal maturity profile validated by two independent thermal modelling approaches. A section of Lower Silurian source rock in the Baltic Basin entered the oil window. No potential for shale gas has been highlighted.