Evolution of North Chukchi Basin Possible Petroleum Systems in Different Structural Scenarios

Vladimir Verzhbitsky

All the existing hypotheses on possible petroleum systems of North Chukchi Basin are inferred by analogies with US Chukchi Shelf. Until the first well drilled in the area there no evidence that North Chukchi Basin, located in Russian waters, is much different from American North Slope basin. So it is generally accepted to use American analogies of the age, formation type and lithology as well as type of kerogen and TOC. At the same time lateral lithofacies variations that may occur in the basin may change the petroleum systems dramatically. Source rocks quality and distribution within the basin is one of the main risk factors as well as reservoir and top seal distribution and properties. Other significant risk factors in such underexplored basins are source rock maturation and timing of petroleum generation comparing to major trap formation. It is obvious that the burial depth and structural style of the basin predetermines possible source rock maturation even if the stratigraphic position is well known or hypothetically determined. Stratigraphic and basin modeling is being implemented for the North Chukchi Basin in order to better understand possible petroleum systems behavior in different tectonic scenarios. The study is on the way, but its preliminary results show the importance of seismic correlation with main structural unconformities and may give an idea of the critical risk factors that we need to consider when explore in the North Chukchi basin.