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Geological Society, London, Special Publications

Geochemistry of crude oils in Oman


P. J. Grantham, G. W. M. Lijmbach and J. Posthuma
Geological Society, London, Special Publications 1990, v.50;
p317-328.
doi: 10.1144/GSL.SP.1990.050.01.17

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The Geological Society of London 2013

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Geochemistry of crude oils in Oman


P. J. G R A N T H A M

t, G. W. M. L I J M B A C H

& J. P O S T H U M A

Koninklijke/Shell Exploratie en Produktie Laboratorium, Postbus 60,


2280 A B Rijswijk (Z. H.), Netherlands
1Present address: N A M B. V., Postbus 28000, 9400 M M Assen,
The Netherlands
Abstract: The petroleum geochemistry of Oman provides a picture of considerable variety
since crude oils and their source rocks are found both throughout the country and
throughout the stratigraphic column from the lnfra-Cambrian to the Tertiary. The oils can
be geochemically classified into five groups. Three of them can be related to good oil
source rocks found in the Precambrian Huqf Group, the Silurian Safiq and the Cretaceous
Natih Formations. Another group of oils probably originates from the Upper Jurassic
Diyab Formation whilst the fifth group of crudcs (name 'Q') cannot be correlated to a
known source rock but is inferred to have originated from an unpenetrated Huqf level.
The 'Huqf oils' are those that have been correlated to known Infra-Cambrian Iuqf
source rocks and are characterized by a strong C29 sterane predominance and very light
carbon isotope values (6 Cl3) of around -36.0%0. In contrast, the 'Q' crudes, derived from
the unknown source are characterized by a C27 sterane predominance and carbon isotope
ratios of around -30.5%0. Both the Huqf and 'Q' crudes also contain a series of
characteristic compounds referred to as the 'X' compounds (all isomers of methyl and
dimethyl alkanes). Oils thought to originate from Silurian Safiq source rocks have a weak
(329 sterane predominance, a significant content of rearranged steranes and carbon isotope
ratios of approx. -30.5%0. The oils correlatable to the Jurassic Diyab Formation have a
similar sterane distribution but heavicr carbon isotope values of around -26.5%0. Finally,
the crude oils from the mid-Cretaceous Natih Formation source rocks are characterized by
steranes with an equivalent distribution of C27, C2,~ and C29 isomers and carbon isotope
values of around -26.9%0.

Oil exploration in the Sultanate of O m a n began


in 1937. The first well was spudded in 1955 by
Dhofar Cities Service Petroleum Co. and in
1956 with Marmul-1 they discovered heavy oil,
which was then uneconomic to extract. In 1960,
exploration in the northern areas by Petroleum
D e v e l o p m e n t O m a n (PDO) came under the
direction of the Shell Group and in 1962 oil in
commercial quantities was discovered at Yibal.
This was followed by the discovery of the Natih
Field in 1963 and the Fahud Field in 1964. In
1969, P D O also took over exploration in Dhofar
and r e o p e n e d interest in the heavy oils around
Marmul. Through the 1970s a number of other
oil fields in both the north and south were
discovered and progressively brought into
production. Presently some 50 fields have
b e e n developed and a total production of over
500000 bbls per day has been established. A
pipeline network leads to the terminal West of
Muscat (see Fig. 1).
Oils and potential source rocks in O m a n have
been the subject of geochemical study in the
Shell Exploration and Production Research
Laboratory (KSEPL) since the 1970s. Potential
oil source rocks have been identified in sev-

eral levels of the stratigraphy ranging from


Proterozoic to mid-Tertiary (Fig. 2). Oils have
b e e n accumulated throughout the stratigraphic
column, but mostly in Cretaceous, Jurassic and
Permian reservoirs due to the positioning of the
best seals (see Fig. 2). Except in the south, most
O m a n crudes are generally low-sulphur, lowwax light oils. Standard geochemical techniques
(Lijmbach 1975; Lijmbach et al. 1983) show
that all O m a n crude oils appear to have been
generated from marine structureless or sapropelic organic matter with no contribution from
land-plant material (see Figs 3 & 4). The most
significant variations are in biomarker distributions and carbon isotope values which are
distinct enough to ensure a high degree of
certainty in the grouping of the crude oils described here. Five chemically distinct types of
crude oil can be recognized. Three of them are
linked to source rocks in Proterozoic (Huqf),
Silurian (Safiq) and Mid-Cretaceous (Natih)
levels, whilst the fourth is probably derived
from an Upper Jurassic (Diyab) source. The
fifth group has characteristics and occurrences
that argue strongly for a distinct, as yet unidentified, source.

From B~ooKs. J. (ed.), 1990, Classic Petroleum Provinces, Geological Society Special Publication
No 50, pp 317-328.

317

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318

P.J. GRANTHAM ET AL.

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Fig. 1. O m a n field location map with type oil locations.

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RADiOMETRICilLLY DETERMINEDABSOLUTE AGE OF MAJOR CHRONOSTRIITIOR&pI41CALBOIJNDARYAFTERSH[Lk TiM[ BTRATIORAPH[rTAllL[ , 1gild [NOW plIDl~ll IIEVl[lll 1
ALL OTHER AGES APSEINTEAPOLiTED FROM THESE ( AND OTHER ) ABSOLUTE AGES LISTED IN THE SHELL TABLE
AGE O; ~U,N r . BASEDON ASSU"E0 E.U~VALE~E w,~ ~.ALUNr " o, ,CAN

Fig. 2. Oman stratigraphy and hydrocarbon occurrence.

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P. J. GRANTHAM ET AL.

320
3R

5R

eo

so

RUQF SOURCE ROCKS


CRUOES
,,0

'~2~3~'~176176 o,so2~i~

si......

Fig. 3. C15 and C30 ring distributions of Oman crude oils and source rock extracts.

I;ILL 7HUQrCUDEOLp
I I II ,

tl,l(,Il,i

'O'C.UDEO,L ~
.

l I

ology of Oman see the synopsis in Grantham et


al. (1988). The most significant feature of
Oman's hdyrocarbon habitat is that sedimentary
rocks of such diverse ages can all lie within the
hydrocarbon window. Hence, organic-rich
horizons forming potential source rocks in any
of these age intervals can have generated and
may still be generating oil and gas.

Crude oil characterization and oil/source


rock correlations
Tables 1 - 5 present the geochemical data of
specific examples of the five groups of Oman
crude oils and their source rocks. Representative gas chromatograms of the saturated fraction, sterane fragmentograms and sterane
carbon number distributions are given in Figs
4-6.

'SAFIQ' C R U D E OIL

18
Pr
I

17 : n - C , 7

' DIYAB' C R U D E

OIL

'GEII........ ,
Pr :

PRISTANE
P h : PHYTANE

x : BRANCHED HYDROCARBONS

17 IB

Pr

III

Ph

'NATIH' CRUDE OIL


17 18

Fig. 4. Typical gas chromatograms for the saturated


hydrocarbons of the five main groups of Oman crude
oils.
The stratigraphy (Fig. 2) in the oil productive
areas of Oman has recently been described by
Hughes Clarke (1988). For the petroleum ge-

' H u q f oils' (typified by oil from A m a l


South-l)
These oils occur in the eastern flank province
of South Oman (Aley & Nash 1984; de la
Grandville 1982). They are generally heavy and
sulphur-rich and occur in Palaeozoic clastic reservoirs lying above the Huqf sediments (see
Fig. 2).
The main distinguishing geochemical features
of these crudes are as follows:
(i) Pristane/phytane ratios of generally less
than 1.
(i) The presence of the 'X' compounds (Fig.
4; Klomp 1986).
(iii) A strong predominance of C29 steranes
(Figs 5 & 6). C29 sterane predominances
have also been reported for Siberian crude
oils of preCambrian origin (see Arefev et

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GEOCHEMISTRY OF CRUDE OILS IN OMAN


t 'HUQF' CRUDE OIL

~29~
29N

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'Q' CRUDE OIL

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9

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5a(H), 14cdH), 17a(H) cholestane 20R Et S


5aIH), 14p(H), 17fl(H) cholestane 20R g~ S
13/J(H),17a(H) rearranged or 'dia' cholestane 20R 8 S
5a(H), 14a(H), 17e(H) 24-methyl-cholestane 20R 8" S
5a(H), 14/3(H), 17/3(H)24-methyl-cholestane 20R 8- S
13~(H),17aIH) rearranged or 'dia' 24-methyl-cholestane 20R 8" S
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5aIH), 14f~(H), 17f3(H) 24-ethyl-cholestane 20R ~ S
13/3(H),17a(H) rearranged or 'dia' 24-ethyl-cholestane 20R ~" S

Fig. 5. Typical sterane fragmentograms (m/z 217 +


218 + 259) for the five main groups of Oman crude
oils.

al. 1980; Moldowan et al. 1985; Fowler and


Douglas 1987). Fowler and Douglas also
report the presence of the 'X' compounds
in their Siberian crudes. Measured concentrations of total steranes in Huqf crude oils
approach 600 ppm. Similar concentrations
of steranes are also found in the Huqf
source rock.
(iv) The absence or very low relative contents
(approx. 5% or less) of rearranged steranes
(Fig. 5; Grantham 1986).
(v) Highly negative carbon isotope values
of around -36%0. These carbon isotope

Fig. 6. Sterane carbon number distribution for the


five main groups of Oman crude oils.
values are amongst the most negative crude
oil values known.
Good source rocks for oil occur in south
Oman in several formations of the Huqf group
(see Fig. 7 and Meyer & Nederlof 1984). They
are marly to shaly and contain type-II organic
matter, most probably originating from bacteria and cyano-bacteria. The oil/source rock
correlation work was carried out with source
rock samples from wells throughout the Huqf
sediments.
The crude oils correlate very well with extracts
of Huqf source rocks (see Table 1). The 'X'branched hydrocarbons are always present in
Huqf-derived crude oils but not always in all
source rock extracts. The variation in carbon
isotope ratios of source rock extracts and kerogen is somewhat larger than that in the oils
attributed to them. However, this p h e n o m e n o n
is frequently observed in other oil/source rock
pairs.
Interestingly, the same geochemical features
are found in a tar from well Karampur-1 in
Pakistan (see Table 1). The Pakistan and south
O m a n salt basins were in close proximity and
possibly continuous during the infra-Cambrian
(Gorin et al. 1982).

The 'Q' crude oils (typified by oil f r o m


Sayyala-1)
In Central Oman a group of light oils is found in
Upper Palaeozoic reservoirs (see Table 2) which
are characterized by the following.
(i) The presence of the 'X' compounds (as
in the Huqf oils).
(ii) Pristane/phytane ratios greater than 1.
(iii) Strong predominances of C27 steranes and

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P.J. GRANTHAM ET AL.

322
HUQF

SOURCE

t5o z.ol

ROCK

SAFIQ

NATIH

SOURCE ROCK

SOURCE ROCK

Lithoh
z.9

<

ioo

Cyr

E..

~-

.."

i.i-~
..

g
Y

um

Fig. 7. Oman source rocks.


relatively high concentrations of tricyclic
terpanes (see Figs 5 & 6 and Grantham
1986). The unusual sterane distribution of
these oils is discussed in more detail by
Grantham & Wakefield (1988). Sterane
concentrations in the 'Q' crudes are roughly
equivalent to those found in the Huqf
crudes.
(iv) Moderate levels of rearranged steranes
( - 20%, see Fig. 5).
(v) Carbon isotope ratios of around -30.5%0.
None of the known source rocks can have
sourced this unusual oil. The 'Q' oils contain
the 'X'-branched hydrocarbons but, relative to
the n-alkanes, in lower concentrations than in
the Huqf crude oils (see Fig. 4). So far, within
Oman, the 'X'-branched hydrocarbons have
been found only in the Huqf and 'Q' crudes,
although the same compounds have been
identified in East Siberian crude oils (Fowler &
Douglas 1987) and tentatively in the worlds
oldest known crude oil from the Proterozoic of
Australia (Jackson et al. 1986). If these compounds prove to be indicative for the preCambrian, then a source for the 'Q' crudes also
in the Huqf group is likely, a suggestion supported by geological reasoning. The oil occurs

where Huqf levels are deep and unpenetrated


by the drill and the oils are light and well
matured, suggesting a deep source. Hence, an
undrilled Proterozoic Huqf level might be the
source for this distinctive oil type found in
reservoirs in upper Palaezoic clastics.

Safiq oils (typified by oil f r o m the Sahmah1 well)


In southwest Oman a distinct crude oil type is
found (see Table 3), in Upper Palaeozoic clastics, with the following geochemical features.
(i) Low sulphur contents and medium API
gravities.
(ii) Pristane/phytane
ratios
of
1.6-1.7
(Table 3).
(iii) Sterane carbon number distributions
which show a reduced predominance of
C29 steranes compared to Huqf crudes
(approximately 50%, Fig. 5).
(iv) Relatively high concentrations of rearranged-steranes ( 3 0 - 3 9 % , Fig. 5).
(v) Carbon isotope values occur in the range
- 2 9 . 9 to -30.5%0.
Most geochemical parameters support the
correlation of the oil from Elf Oman's Sahmah

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GEOCHEMISTRY OF C R U D E OILS IN O M A N

323

I I I 1

c.)
0

<~

Z
<~

<~
~ 1 ~

~ i ~

~1~

"~

~1 ~-

~1,.-

~ ml~

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~ , t"-- 00

e
~

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,,

p.,

e'qw"~'~

~ " ~ "

< ~

..-.~

II

'~

Downloaded from http://sp.lyellcollection.org/ at Dalhousie University on January 12, 2013

324

P.J.

ET AL.

G R A N T H A M

~o

??

t..r r162 t..r

I I I I I

'~" t".- " ~

r162 r,'} r

r 5

kl
',~ t'N ",~

I
~

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o'3

t"~ t'N

t"r

t"r C'e5

tt~

tr5 t-.-q lar5


ee'~ t"e3 ~'"3 1
t..-.l r

,...,

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u-5

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c
,,q. m .

-~ ~,1 ~
~ , 1 -~

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E
~,

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,,<

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e,
c~

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zz~

Downloaded from http://sp.lyellcollection.org/ at Dalhousie University on January 12, 2013

GEOCHEMISTRY OF CRUDE OILS IN OMAN


field with the extracts of combined sidewall
samples of the Silurian Safiq Fm. from well
Hasirah-2 (see Table 3). This Formation has a
high organic content in its basal shale which
constitutes a source rock (Fig. 7, Meyer &
Nederlof 1984).
The correlation of oils and extracts is not
perfect; there are differences in the C~5 distributions (Fig. 3). Hydrous pyrolysis of the not
fully mature Hasirah-2 sample also resulted in
an extract similar to the oils but not identical
(see Table 3). However, the most diagnostic
parameters (steranes and carbon isotopes) correlate very well. We therefore conclude that the
Sahmah oils most probably originate from the
Silurian Safiq source rock.
The oil character (naphthenic, low sulphur)
indicates a source environment in a marine
setting but with terrigenous clastic influx. This
is in keeping with the setting of the global
transgressive cycles of late Ordovician and early
Silurian age covering the northern and eastern
shelves of the Afro-Arabian cratons.

Diyab oils (typified by oil from


Lekhwair-8)
In the northwest of O m a n a characteristic type
of crude oil is found in the east Lekhwair field
(Fig. 1). This oil is produced from B a r r e m i a n Aptian ( S h u a i b a - Kharaib) reservoirs whilst
two non-commercial accumulations are found
in Upper Jurassic Tuwaiq Mountain Fm.
reservoirs.
This oil type has the following characteristics
(see Table 4).
(i) Low sulphur and medium API gravities.
(ii) Pristane/phytane ratios above I (except in
the less mature Tuwaiq crudes).
(iii) C29 steranes which are just predominant
within total steranes (approximately 50%,
Fig. 5, Table 4).
(iv) Relatively high concentrations of rearranged steranes ( 3 1 - 3 9 % , Fig. 5).
(v) Carbon isotope values around -26.5%0.
The oils are geochemically identical with the
oil found in the Upper Jurassic (Arab zone) and
Lower Cretaceous (Thamama) reservoirs in the
United Arab Emirates and Qatar (see Frei
1984). There is no good source rock developed
in Oman that matches these oils. Studies of the
oils and source rocks in Abu Dhabi (Hassan &
Azer 1985; Alsharan 1985) conclude that the oil
in the Jurassic- Lower Cretaceous reservoirs
originates from Upper Jurassic source rocks
(Hanifa or Diyab Formations). The east
Lekhwair oils are therefore interpreted to have
migrated laterally from such a source outside

325

Oman. The occurrence of a non-commercial


accumulation of this oil in an Upper Jurassic
reservoir (Tuwaiq Mountain Formation) in well
Dhulaima-1 close to Lekhwair supports the
postulate that the oil is from a Jurassic rather
than a Cretaceous source. There is also the
possibility that some of the oil may have been
supplied by organic-rich Aptian marine sediments (Bab facies of the Shuaiba Formation)
but no satisfactory oil/source rock correlations
for the Shuaiba could be established.

Natih oils (typified by oil from Shibkah-1)


The Natih Formation forms the reservoir for
many of the northern Oman oil fields but also
includes two organic-rich intervals forming
source rocks (Fig. 7). There is no geochemical
difference between these two intervals, but the
upper level (Natih 'b') is probably the more
important source rock, whereas in Saudi Arabia
the lower level (Natih 'e', Safaniya source rock)
is the better developed potential source (Newell
& Hennington, 1983; Lehner 1984).
The Natih oils have the following characteristics (see Table 5).
(i) Low API gravity and moderately high
sulphur.
(ii) Pristane/phytane ratios of c. 1.0.
(iii) Rearranged steranes are relatively low
(5%, Fig. 5).
(iv) Steranes with an equivalent distribution
of the C27 , C28 and C29 isomers (Fig. 6).
(v) Carbon isotope values of around -26.9%0.
The sterane distributions are very similar to
those of a worldwide range of crude oils derived
from Cretaceous carbonates (Grantham &
Wakefield 1988).
Table 5 gives geochemical data on a number
of extracts of the Natih source rock. The extracts
correlate well with three Natih crude oils from
wells Shibkah-1, Suqtan-1 and Natih West-57
(same table).

Conclusions
The petroleum geochemistry of Oman provides
a picture of considerable variety. Oil accumulations and source rock occurrences are found
geographically spread throughout the country
and through the stratigraphic column from the
Infra-Cambrian (c. 650 Ma) to the Tertiary.
The main levels of source rocks have been
identified in the Infra-Cambrian Huqf, the
Silurian Safiq, the Upper Jurassic Diyab and
the Cretaceous Bab and Natih formations.
Five types of crude oil are recognized, four of
which can be correlated to one of the source

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326

P.J.

ET AL.

G R A N T H A M

"-,I ~ 1 t'-q

I
tr

I
tr

t ' ~ t'r

tr
r

t'xl t'-,I

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327

G E O C H E M I S T R Y OF C R U D E OILS IN O M A N
Table 6. Main geochemical characteristics of Oman crude oils

A PI
grav

Isoprenoids

'X'
compounds

Huqf

25-30

present

'Q'

40-50

Safiq

37-39

Ph predom
over Pr
Pr predom
over Ph
ditto

Diyab

- 35

ditto

absent

Natih

~ 30

ditto

absent

present
absent

Sterane
carbon
number
strong C29
predominance
strong C27
predominance
weak C29
predominance
weak C29
predominance
C27, C28, C29
equivalent

Rearr.
sterane
content

Carbon
isotope
ratio
%0

low

- -36.0

low

-30.5

high

-30.0

high

-26.5

low

-26.5

Ph = phytane; Pr = pristane

rocks d e s c r i b e d a b o v e . F o r o n e t y p e of oil ( ' Q '


oils) t h e s o u r c e is as yet u n k n o w n b u t t h e r e are
i m p l i c a t i o n s t h a t it is also f r o m a H u q f G r o u p
s o u r c e rock. T a b l e 6 p r o v i d e s a s u m m a r y o f t h e
significant g e o c h e m i c a l f e a t u r e s of t h e five
O m a n oil g r o u p s .
This interpretation of the oil habitat of Oman is the
result of the work of many Shell geologists and geochemists who cannot all be mentioned here. Their
contributions are appreciated. In particular we are
indebted to Dr. M. W. Hughes Clarke and Dr. R. J.
Willink for their helpful discussions in integrating the
geochemistry into the geological context of Oman.
This publication is supported and authorized by Shell
International Petroleum Maatschappij N.V., Shell
Research B.V., Petroleum Development Oman LLC
and the Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals in the
Sultanate of Oman. We thank these authorities for
their permission to publish this article. Additionally,
Elf-Aquitane Oman has kindly agreed that we may
include our analyses of oils from their Sahmah-1 field.
Members of the Geochemistry Department of KSEPL
from 1975 to 1985 are thanked for their analytical
assistance.

References
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