HYDROCARBON PROVINCES IN THE SWISS SOUTHERN ALPS - A GAS GEOCHEMISTRYAND BASIN MODELING STUDY

The palaeotectonic setting and Alpine orogenic movements were recogniz ed as main controls in the evolution of the petroleum generation poten tial. Three main hydrocarbon provinces are distinguished: (1) The Arbo stora anticline which developed from an Early Jurassic high has excell ent but immature source rocks which probably at no time generated hydr ocarbons because of their shallow level in the nappe edifice, (2) the Stabio anticline south of the Arbostora anticline in southernmost Swit zerland where wet gases are observed at the surface that are likely to have been generated from Late Cretaceous to present day from Triassic source rocks occurring deeper in the nappe pile, and (3) the M. Gener oso basin with prevailing petroleum generation in the Early Jurassic a nd possible minor generation in marginal areas during Cretaceous and T ertiary times. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.