MATHEMATICAL APPROACH TO HYDROCARBON GENERATION HISTORY AND SOURCE-ROCK POTENTIAL IN THE THRACE BASIN, TURKEY

A mathematical approach is presented to hydrocarbon generation history and source rock potential in the Thrace Basin, which is one of the mo st important hydrocarbon provinces in Turkey. The basin formed by exte nsion in Late-Middle Eocene to latest Oligocene times and contains tho usands of metres of thick marine elastic sediments deposited as turbid itic sequences over a metamorphic and crystalline basement. Among thes e sequences the Sogucak and Ceylan Formations (Upper Eocene-Lower Olig ocene), Mezardere Formation (Lower Oligocene-Upper Oligocene) and Dani smen and Osmancik Formations (Upper Oligocene-Lower Miocene) contain p otential source rocks. Four wells were selected to assess the thermal history of the basin and estimate the source rock potential and the ti ming of hydrocarbon generation. Cohen's method was used for the comput ations and the time-temperature indices were calculated with and witho ut the cooling effect of the uplift. The results indicate that of the potential source rocks, the Ceylan and the Mezardere formations are fo und to have probable source rock potential in the Thrace Basin and tha t the timing of hydrocarbon generation varies between 22 and 4.5 Ma fo r these formations in different wells.