Source Rock Analysis, Thermal Maturation and Hydrocarbon Generation Modelling within the Southern Pletmos Basin, Offshore of South Africa

Abstract

This study is a first attempt that integrates source rock geochemical evaluation, with analytic and numerical basin-modelling techniques to identify and ascertain the present-day configuration, spatial distributions, characteristics and hydrocarbon generative potentials of existing source rocks within the southern depocenter of the relatively frontier Pletmos sub-basin. Petroleum charge within the basin is proposed to have occurred during most of the Cenozoic Era. The investigation employed a forward modelling approach whereby models were calibrated through a combination of geological and geophysical datasets from 6 wells, and constrained by vitrinite reflectance and kinetic parameters.