Characteristics and Dominating Genesis Factors of Main Source Rocks in Persian Gulf Basin

The development characteristics of high-quality source rocks in the Persian Gulf Basin can provide the reference of strategic decision-making for Chinese oil companies, and the main genetic controlling factors are extremely valuable for the study of organic matter enrichment mechanism. Through research in literature, it is found that there are three main source rocks of Persian Gulf Basin which are in Precambrian-Cambrian, Silurian and Jurassic-Cretaceous. As time goes by, the distribution of source rocks migrated from west to east and the organic matter changed from sapropel to humic. TOC (Total Organic Carbon) of three main source rocks is greater than 2%, and generally enters the mature stage (R_o>0.7%). It is considered that the limited depressions existing in the development period of each set of source rocks block the circulation of seawater in the middle and deep layers, resulting in anoxic bottom water. The simultaneous transgression not only promoted the stratification of seawater and deep hypoxia, but also ensured the long-term maintenance of this hypoxia. The preservation conditions formed by the coupling of the limited depression and transgressions make the organic matter enriched, which is the main dominating genesis factors of the main source rocks in Persian Gulf Basin.