RESERVOIR-TARGETED OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION IN THE KARABURUN PENINSULA (WESTERN TURKEY)

Abstract

In recent studies, it has been determined to exist mature petroleum hydrocarbons in the Karakaya complex units which broadly spread over Northern Turkey and some of the Upper Paleozoic and Triassic sediments in the Karaburun Peninsula have shown similarity with the sandstones of the Karakaya complex. Besides, there are mercury deposits that were operated in the Karaburun Peninsula in the past and it was indicated in the preliminary studies that the surface and subsurface waters in the regions where mercury deposits are located contain high concentrations of mercury. It was also stated in the literature that formation waters of natural gas fields contain high concentrations of mercury as well. For these reasons, in this study, it is aimed to investigate the oil and gas potential of the Karaburun Peninsula by conducting Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) analysis on the samples taken from the water resources. As a result of the analyses conducted, the hydrocarbons have been detected in all the water samples. The organic geochemical methods have been used to determine the source of hydrocarbons detected in the water resources. The detected n-alkane hydrocarbons are the mature petroleum hydrocarbons and the presence of these hydrocarbons is evidence for the existence of a working petroleum system in the study area. The main structure in the maximum depth of 220 m determined in the study area has a very high potential to become an oil and/or gas reservoir according to gravity and magnetic data and because of the presence of waters containing mature petroleum hydrocarbons.

Keywords

• reservoir-targeted oil and gas exploration
• TPH in water analysis
• hydrocarbon-rich water
• mercury deposit
• mercury mineralization

References

1. [1] Okay AI, Siyako M. The new location of Izmir-Ankara Neotethys Suture between Izmir and Balikesir. The Tectonics - Petroleum Potential of Turkey and It's Surrounding and Ozan Sungurlu Symposium, 1993, Ankara.
2. [2] Okay AI, Satır M, Siyako M, Monıé P, Metzger R Akyüz S. Paleo- and Neo-Tethyan Events in Northwestern Turkey: Geologic and Geochronologic Constrains. In: The Tectonic Evolution of Asia. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1996, pp. 420-440.
3. [3] Okay AI, Tüysüz O. Tethyan Sutures of Northern Turkey. Mediterranean Basins: Tertiary Extension Within the Alpine Orogen. Geological Society of London, Special Publication 1999, 156, pp. 475-515
4. [4] Çakmakoğlu A, Bilgin RZ. Pre-Neogene stratigraphy of the Karaburun Peninsula (West of İzmir, Turkey), 2006, MTA Bulletin 132, pp. 33-62.
5. [5] Erdoğan B, Altıner D, Güngör T, Özer S. Stratigraphy of Karaburun Peninsula. MTA Bulletin 1990, 111, pp. 1-23.
6. [6] Helvacı C, Ersoy EY, Sözbilir H, Erkül F, Sümer Ö, Uzel B. Geochemistry and 40Ar/39Ar geochronology of Miocene volcanic rocks from the Karaburun Peninsula: Implications for amphibole bearing lithospheric mantle source, Western Anatolia. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 2009, 185, pp. 181-202.
7. [7] Ozdemir A, Palabiyik Y. A shallow and reliable indicator for deep oil and gas accumulations in the subsurface: Metallic ore deposits. IV. International Congress of Scientific and Professional Studies - Engineering Sciences (BILMES EN), November 07 - 10, Ankara, Turkey, 2019a, pp. 40-57.
8. [8] Ozdemir A, Palabiyik Y. Significance of relationships between hydrocarbons and metallic ore deposits in oil and gas exploration: Part III. Lead and zinc deposits. BİLTEK International Symposium on Recent Developments in Science, Technology and Social Studies, December 21-22, Ankara, Turkey, 2019b, pp. 240-250.

9. [9] Ozdemir A, Palabiyik Y. Significance of relationships between hydrocarbons and metallic ore deposits in oil and gas exploration: Part II. Copper deposits. BİLTEK International Symposium on Recent Developments in Science, Technology and Social Studies, December 21-22, Ankara, Turkey, 2019c, pp. 230-239.
10. [10] Ozdemir A, Palabiyik Y. Significance of relationships between hydrocarbons and metallic ore deposits in oil and gas exploration: Part I. Gold deposits. BİLTEK International Symposium on Recent Developments in Science, Technology and Social Studies, December 21-22, Ankara, Turkey, 2019d, pp. 219-229.
11. [11] Gemici Ü. Evaluation of former mercury deposits in Western Anatolia in terms of environmental geology. International Symposium on Medical Geology (Editor: Eşref Atabey), 2008, pp. 133-145 (in Turkish)
12. [12] Mueller GA. genetical and geochemical survey of Derbyshire mineral deposits. PhD. Thesis, London University, 1951.
13. [13] Geissman TA, Sun KY, Murdoch J. Organic minerals. Picene and chrysene as constituents of the mineral curtisite. Experientia, 1967, 23, pp. 793-794.
14. [14] Peabody CE. The association of cinnabar and bitumen in mercury deposits of the California Coast Ranges. In: Parnell J, Kucha H, Landais P (eds) Bitumen in Ore Deposits. Springer, 1993, pp. 178-209.
15. [15] Peabody CE, Einaudi MT. Origin of petroleum and mercury in the Culver-Baer cinnabar deposit, Mayacmas district, California. Economic Geology 1992, 87, pp. 1078-1103.
16. [16] Bailey EH. Froth veins formed by immiscible hydrothermal fluids in mercury deposits. California. Bull. Geol. Soc. America 1959, 70, pp. 661-664.
17. [17] Shabo ZV, Alekseyeva NI, Mamchur, GP, Manzhas NI. Organic compounds of the Slavyansk ore shows and their association with endogenic mineral formation. International Geology Review 1983, 25, pp. 299-308.
18. [18] Parnell J. Metal enrichments in solid bitumens. Miner Deposita 1988, 23, pp. 191-199.
19. [19] Chakhmakchev VA, Kurganskaya EV, Punanova SA. Distribution of trace elements in petroleum fractions. Geoch. Int. 1981, 18, pp. 177-181.
20. [20] Chilingar GV, Buryakovsky LA, Eremenko NA, Gorfunkel MV. Geology and Geochemistry of Oil and Gas (Developments in Petroleum Science, Volume 52), Elsevier B.V., 2005, 390 p.
21. [21] Yan Q, Han Z, Wang S. Geochemical characteristics of mercury in oil and gas. International Conference on Environmental and Energy Engineering (IC3E 2017), IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 2017, 63 012024, doi:10.1088/1755-1315/63/1/012024
22. [22] Gemici Ü, Oyman T. The influence of the abandoned Kalecik Hg mine on water and stream sediments (Karaburun, Izmir, Turkey), Sci Total Env 2003, 312, pp. 155-166.
23. [23] Ozdemir A. Organic hydrogeochemical evidence of Hasanoğlan (Ankara) petroleum system. Pamukkale University J Eng Sci 2019a, 25(6), pp. 748-763 (English version).
24. [24] Ozdemir A. Mature hydrocarbons-rich waters as geochemical evidence of working petroleum system of Mamak (Ankara) and potential trap area in the region. European J Sci Tech 2019b, 17, pp. 244-260 (English version).
25. [25] Löwen K, Meinhold G, Güngör T, Berndt J. Palaeotethys-related sediments of the Karaburun Peninsula, western Turkey: constraints on provenance and stratigraphy from detrital zircon geochronology. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch), 2017a, Doi: 10.1007/s00531-017-1458-9
26. [26] Löwen K, Meinhold G, Güngör T. Provenance and tectonic setting of Carboniferous-Triassic sandstones from the Karaburun Peninsula, western Turkey: A multi-method approach with implications for the Palaeotethys evolution. Sed Geol, 2017b, doi:10.1016/j.sedgeo.2017.11.00
27. [27] Eymold WK, Swana K, Moore MT, Whyte CJ, Harkness JS, Talma S, Murray R, Moortgat JB, Miller J, Vengosh A, Darrah TH. Hydrocarbon-rich groundwater above shale-gas formations: A Karoo basin case study. Groundwater, 2018, 56(2), pp. 204-224.
28. [28] Kreuzer RL, Darrah TH, Grove BS, Moore MT, Warner NR, Eymold WK, Poreda RJ. Structural and hydrogeological controls on hydrocarbon and brine migration into drinking water aquifers in Southern New York. Groundwater, 2018, 56(2), pp. 225-244.
29. [29] Dultsev FF, Chernykh AV. Geochemistry of water-dissolved gases of oil-and-gas bearing deposits in Northern and Arctic Regions of Western Siberia. IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Envir Sci 2020, 459, 042024, doi:10.1088/1755-1315/459/4/042024
30. [30] Ozdemir A, Karataş A, Palabiyik Y, Yaşar E, Sahinoglu A. Oil and gas exploration in Seferihisar Uplift (Western Turkey) containing an operable-size gold deposit: Geochemical evidence for the presence of a working petroleum system. Geomech Geoph Geo-Ener Geo-Res 2020a, 6(1), Doi: 10.1007/s40948-020-00152-2
31. [31] Ozdemir A, Palabiyik Y, Karataş A, Sahinoglu A. Organic geochemical evidence of the working petroleum system in Beypazarı Neogene Basin and potential traps (Northwest Central Anatolia, Turkey). Turkish J Geosci, 2020b, 1(2), pp. 35-52.
32. [32] Ozdemir A, Palabiyik Y, Karataş A, Sahinoglu A. Mature petroleum hydrocarbons contamination in surface and subsurface waters of Kızılırmak Graben (Central Anatolia, Turkey): Geochemical evidence for a working petroleum system associated with a possible salt diapir. Turkish J Eng 2020c (in press).
33. [33] Ozdemir A. Usage of the Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) in water analysis for oil and gas exploration: First important results from Turkey. J Eng Sci Des Suleyman Demirel Univ 2018, 6(4), pp. 615-635 (English version).
34. [34] Liu S, Qi S, Luo Z, Liu F, Ding Y, Huang H, Chen Z, Cheng S. The origin of high hydrocarbon groundwater in shallow Triassic aquifer in Northwest Guizhou, China. Environ Geochem Health 2018, 40(1), pp. 415-433.
35. [35] Hunt JM. Petroleum Geochemistry and Geology. W.H. Freeman and Company, New York. 1995, 743 p.
36. [36] Zemo DA, Foote GR. The technical case eliminating the use of the TPH analysis in assessing and regulating dissolved petroleum hydrocarbons in groundwater. Ground Water Mon Rem 2003, 23(3), pp. 95-104.
37. [37] Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Turkey, 2004a. Surface Water Quality Regulation of Turkey (in Turkish), http://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2016/08/20160810-9.htm Accessed 17 September 2020
38. [38] Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Turkey, 2004b. Water Pollution Control Regulation of Turkey (in Turkish), http://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/Metin.Aspx?MevzuatKod=7.5.7221&MevzuatIliski=0&sourceXmlSearch= Accessed 17 September 2020
39. [39] Bray EE, Evans ED. Distribution of n-paraffins as a clue to recognition of source rocks. Geochim. Cosmochim, Acta 1961, 22, 2-15.
40. [40] Bray EE, Evans ED. Hydrocarbons in non-reservoir-rock source beds: Part 1. AAPG Bulletin 1965, 49, pp. 248-257.
41. [41] Bourbonniere RA, Meyers PA, Sedimentary geolipid records of historical changes in the watersheds and productivities of lakes Ontario and Erie. Limn Ocean, 1996, 41, 352-359.
42. [42] Mille G, Asia L, Guiliano M, Malleret L, Doumenq P. Hydrocarbons in coastal sediments from the Mediterranean Sea (Gulf of Fos area, France). Marine Pollution Bulletin 2007, 54, 566-575.
43. [43] Tissot BP, Welte DH. Petroleum Formation and Occurrence. Springer-Verlag, 1984, 699 p.
44. [44] Peters KE, Moldowan JM. The Biomarker Guide, Interpreting Molecular Fossils in Petroleum and Ancient Sediments. Englewood Cliffs, Jersey, Prentice Hall, 1993, 339-363.
45. [45] Tran KL, Philippe B. Oil and rock extract analysis. in Applied Petroleum Geochemistry (M.L., Bordenave, eds.), 1993, pp. 373-394.
46. [46] Beyer, J., Jonsson, G., Porte, C., Krahn, M.M. Ariese, F., Analytical methods for determining metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) pollutants in fish bile: a review. Environ. Toxicol Pharmacol 2010, 30(3), 224-244.
47. [47] Cranwell, P. A., Eglinton G., Robinson, N., Lipids of aquatic organisms as potential contributors to lacustrine sediments-2. Org Geochem 1987, 11, 513-527.
48. [48] Goossens H, Duren C, De Leeuw JW, Schenck PA. Lipids and their mode ofoccurrence in bacteria and sediments-2. Lipids in the sediment of a stratified, freshwater lake. Org Geochem, 1989, 14, pp. 27-41.
49. [49] Meyers PA, Ishiwatari R. Lacustrine organic geochemistry-an overview of indicators of organic matter sources and diagenesis in lake sediments. Org Geochem, 1993, 20, pp. 867-900.
50. [50] Onojake MC, Osuji LC, Oforka NC. Preliminary hydrocarbon analysis of crude oils from Umutu/Bomu fields, south west Niger Delta, Nigeria. Egyptian J Petrol 2013, 22, pp. 217-224.
51. [51] Didyk BM, Simoneit BRT, Brassel SC, Englington G. Organic geochemical indicators of paleoenvironmental conditions of sedimentation. Nature 1978, 272, pp. 216-222.
52. [52] Volkman JK, Maxwell JR. Acyclic isoprenoids as biological markers. In: Biological Markers in the Sedimentary Record (R.B. Johns, eds.), Elsevier, New York, 1986, pp. 1-42.
53. [53] Hartkopf-Fröder C, Kloppisch M, Mann U, Neumann-Mahlkau P, Schaefer RG, Wilkes H. The end-Frasnian mass extinction in the Eifel Mountains, Germany: new insights from organic matter composition and preservation. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 2007, 278, pp. 173-196. doi: 10.1144/SP278.8
54. [54] Shanmugam G. Significance of coniferous rain forests and related oil, Gippsland Basin, Australia. AAPG Bulletin 1985, 69, pp. 1241-125.
55. [55] Syaifudin M, Eddy A, Subroto EA, Noeradi D, Kesumajana AHP, Characterızation and correlatıon study of source rocks and oils in Kuang area, South Sumatra basin: The potential of Lemat formation as hydrocarbon source rocks. Proceedings of Indonesian Petroleum Association, Thirty-Ninth Annual Convention & Exhibition, May 2015, IPA15-G-034
56. [56] Larasati D, Suprayogi K, Akbar A. Crude oil characterization of Tarakan basin: Application of biomarkers. The 9th International Conference on Petroleum Geochemistry in the Africa - Asia Region Bandung, Indonesia, 15 -17 November 2016
57. [57] Devi EA, Rachman F, Satyana AH, Fahrudin Setyawan R. Geochemistry of Mudi and Sukowati oils, East Java basin and their correlative source rocks: Biomarkers and isotopic characterisation. Procedings, Indonesian Petroleum Association, Forty-Second Annual Convention & Exhibition, May 2018
58. [58] Banga T, Capuano RM, Bissada KK. Petroleum generation in the southeast Texas basin: Implications for hydrocarbon occurrence at the South Liberty salt dome. AAPG Bulletin 2011, 95(7), pp. 1257-1291.
59. [59] Hakimi MH, Al-Matary, AM, Ahmed A. Bulk geochemical characteristics and carbon isotope composition of oils from the Sayhut sub-basin in the Gulf of Aden with emphasis on organic matter input, age and maturity. Egyptian J Petroleum 2018, 27(3), pp. 361-370.
60. [60] Nettleton LL. Gravity and Magnetics in Oil Prospecting. McGraw-Hill, 1976, 464 p.
61. [61] Geist EL, Childs JR, Scholl DW. Evolution and petroleum geology of Amlia and Amukta intra-arc summit basins, Aleutian Ridge. Mar Pet Geol, 1987, 4, pp. 334-352.
62. [62] Lyatsky HV, Thurston JB, Brown RJ, Lyatsky VB. Hydrocarbon exploration applications of potential field horizontal gradient vector maps. Canadian Society of Exploration Geophysicists Recorder 1992, 17(9), pp. 10-15.
63. [63] Gadirov VG, Eppelbaum LV, Kuderavets RS, Menshov OI, Gadirov KV. Indicative features of local magnetic anomalies from hydrocarbon deposits: examples from Azerbaijan and Ukraine, Acta Geophysica, doi: 10.1007/s11600-018-0224-0 2018,
64. [64] Gadirov VG, Eppelbaum LV. Detailed gravity, magnetics successful in exploring Azerbaijan onshore areas. Oil and Gas Journal 2012, 5, pp. 60-73.
65. [65] Gadirov VG. The physical-geological principles of application of gravity and magnetic prospecting in searching oil and gas deposits. Proceed. of 10th Petroleum Congress and Exhibition of Turkey, Ankara, 1994, pp. 197-203.
66. [66] Piskarev AL, Tchernyshev MY. Magnetic and gravity anomaly patterns related to hydrocarbon fields in northern West Siberia. Geophysics 1997, 62(3), 831-841.
67. [67] Satyana AH. Subvolcanic hydrocarbon prospectivity of Java: Opportunities and challenges. Proceedings, Indonesian Petroleum Association. Thirty-Ninth Annual Convention & Exhibition, May 2015, IPA15-G-105
68. [68] Eke PO, Okeke FN. Identification of hydrocarbon regions in Southern Niger Delta Basin of Nigeria from potential field data. International J Sci Tech Res 2016, 5(11), 96-99.
69. [69] Stephen OI, Iduma U. Hydrocarbon potential of Nigeria’s Inland Basin: Case study of Afikpo basin. J App Geo Geoph, 2018, 6(4), pp. 1-24.
70. [70] Svancara J. Approximate method for direct interpretation of gravity anomalies caused by surface three‐dimensional geologic structures. Geophysics, 1983, 48(3), pp. 361-366 https://doi.org/10.1190/1.1441474
71. [71] Töpfer KD. Improved technique for rapid interpretation of gravity anomalies caused by two-dimensional sedimentary basins. Journal of Geophysics 1977, 43, pp. 645-654 (in Svancara J. Approximate method for direct interpretation of gravity anomalies caused by surface three‐dimensional geologic structures. Geophysics, 1983, 48(3), pp. 361-366 https://doi.org/10.1190/1.1441474).
72. [72] Senger K. Millett J, Planke S, Ogata K, Eide CH, Festøy M, Galland O, Jerram DA. Effects of igneous intrusions on the petroleum system: A review. First Break 2017, 35, pp. 1-10.
73. [73] Robertson AHF, Pickett E. Palaeozoic-Early Tertiary Tethyan evolution of melanges, rift and passive margin units in the Karaburun Peninsula (western Turkey) and Chios Island (Greece). Bozkurt, E., Winchester, J.A. and Piper, J.D.A. (eds) Tectonics and Magmatismin Turkey and the Surrounding Area. Geological Society, London, Special Publications 2000, 173, pp. 43-82.
74. [74] Ozdemir A, Palabiyik Y. A review of Paleozoic - Miocene petroleum source rocks of Turkey by paleogeographic and paleotectonic data: New interpretations and major outcomes. 7th International Symposium on Academic Studies in Science, Engineering and Architecture Sciences, November 15-17, Ankara, Turkey, 2019f, pp. 689-725.
75. [75] Ozdemir A, Palabiyik Y. A new approach to petroleum source rock occurrence: The relationships between petroleum source rock, ophiolites, mantle plume, and mass extinction. IV. International Congress of Scientific and Professional Studies - Engineering (BILMES EN), November 07 - 10, Ankara, Turkey, 2019g, pp. 28-39.
76. [76] Kendrick MA, Phillips D, Wallace M, Miller JMcL. Halogens and Noble Gases in Sedimentary Formation Waters and Zn-Pb Deposits: A Case Study from The Lennard Shelf, Australia. App Geochem 2011, 26, pp. 2089-2100
77. [77] Delaloye M, Wagner JJ. Ophiolites and volcanic activity near western edge of the Arabian Plate. In: Dixon, J.E. and Robertson, A.H.F. (eds), The Geological Evolution of the Eastern Meditterranean. Geological Society, London, Special Publications 1984, 17, pp. 225-233
78. [78] Feulner GR. 2005. Geological Overview of the United Arab Emirates, Online Guide, http://www.dnhg.org/uploads/4/0/9/9/40998945/uae_geological_overview_-_feulner__2005_.pdf
79. [79] Gregg JM. Basin fluid flow, base-metal sulphide mineralization and the development of dolomite petroleum reservoirs. Braithwaite, C. J. R., Rizzi, G., Darke, G. (eds). The Geometry and Petrogenesis of Dolomite Hydrocarbon Reservoirs. Geological Society, London, Special Publications 2004, 235, pp. 157-175
80. [80] Oliver J. Fluids expelled tectonically from orogenic belts: their role in hydrocarbon migration and other geologic phenomena. Geology 1986, 14, pp. 99-102.
81. [81] Ostendorf J, Henjes-Kunst F, Mondillo N, Boni M, Schneider J, Gutzmer J. Formation of Mississippi Valley-type deposits linked to hydrocarbon generation in extensional tectonic settings: Evidence from the Jabali Zn-Pb-(Ag) deposit (Yemen). Geology 2015, 43, pp. 1055-1058
82. [82] Ruban DA, Al-Husseini MI, Iwasaki Y. Review of Middle East Paleozoic Plate tectonics. GeoArabia 2007, 12(3), pp. 35-56
83. [83] Scalera G. Biogenic/abiogenic hydrocarbons' origin; Possible role of tectonically active belts. Ettore Majorana Foundation and Centre for Scientific Culture 37th Interdisciplinary Workshop of the International School of Geophysics Erice, Sicily, 4-9 October 2011, Extended Abstracts Book, 2011, pp. 185-193
84. [84] Sözen A. Geological investigations on the genesis of the cinnabar deposit of Kalecik/Karaburun (Turkey). Time-and Strata-bound Ore Deposits. Ed. Klemm, D.D. and Schneider. H.J., Spring. Ver., Berlin, 1977, pp. 205-219
85. [85] Wallace MW, Middleton HA, Johns B, Marshallsea S. Hydrocarbons and Mississippi Valley-type sulfides in the Devonian reef complexes of the eastern Lennard Shelf, Canning Basin, Western Australia. In: M. Keep and S.J. Moss (Editors), Sedimentary Basins of Western Australia: Proceedings of Petroleum Exploration Society of Australia Symposium, Perth, 2002, vol. 3, pp. 795-816
86. [86] Waples DW. Geochemistry in Petroleum Exploration. International Human Resources Development Corp., 1985, 232 p.
87. [87] Wilson JT. Did the Atlantic close and then re-open ?, Nature, 1966, 211(5050), pp. 676-681