Winnie Bett

Research subject

Evaluation of Mesozoic source rocks and their potential to support petroleum systems offshore Israel

Following the recent discoveries of large Oligo-Miocene gas reservoirs offshore Israel, Cyprus and Egypt, at the margins and center of the Levant Basin, the piqued interest has inspired exploration efforts for hydrocarbon reservoirs throughout the Levant Basin. Source rock study is critical for the evaluation of viable petroleum systems and their properties: e.g. HC type (i.e., oil, gas, mixed) generated upon thermal maturation, modelling of thermal gradients and their spatial distribution, as well as understanding the likelihood of their existence based on oceanographic and depositional parameters. The assessment of the hydrocarbon potential of the Levant basin will hinge on three approaches: a) Organic and inorganic geochemistry focusing on kerogen type and maturity, b) stratigraphy and c) facies modeling and structural/depositional environment reconstruction. The basis of my analysis will rely on the available Mesozoic sediments from borehole data in the Israeli onshore to shelf and a further understanding gained by extrapolating into the deep basin where the Mesozoic strata are buried much deeper. The OM characterization will be performed using Rock Eval pyrolysis, elemental analysis (CHNOS) and isotope geochemistry (C and N) to evaluate the richness, HC potential, relative maturation index and kerogen type.