Genetic Models and Analogues to Unravel the Potential of Glaciogenic Hydrocarbon Reservoirs of North Africa and Middle East

Andrea Moscariello¹, Mads Huuse², and Philip Gibbard^3
1Technical University Delft, NL, Rijswijk, Netherlands
²University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
³University of Cambridge, Cambridge, Ethiopia

Glaciogenic reservoirs from the Carboniferous glaciations form important hydrocarbon reservoirs in the Middle East, whilst tunnel valleys from the end-Ordovician glaciation form prolific hydrocarbon reservoirs in North Africa and the Middle East. However, the efficient exploitation of tunnel valley and related glaciogenic reservoirs is currently hampered by a lack of process understanding (e.g. genesis and distribution of facies association, potential occurrence of self-contained reservoir-source-seal systems) and predictive capabilities. Until now the glacigenic deposits from each glaciation have been studied in isolation and little connections has been made between Pleistocene shallow subsurface (i.e. groundwater reservoirs) and hydrocarbon reservoir studies, leaving an enormous potential for cross-disciplinary learnings. Recently, 3D seismic studies in North Western and Central Europe have documented that many valleys contain clinoform ‘backfills' suggestive of syn-genetic valley erosion and infill, thus shedding new light on a century old problem regarding the genesis and link between the valleys and their infill. The evolution of proglacial landscape during the Elsterian glaciation of NW Europe is also compared to Permo-Carboniferous and Late Ordovician glaciations where sedimentation was characterised by the complex interplay of ice re-advance and sea/lake level rise.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90072 © 2007 AAPG and AAPG European Region Conference, Athens, Greece