Abstract
The Békés basin is a relatively young, hot basin. Oil, gas, and condensate are produced from many relatively shallow (<3000 m) structures around the margins of the basin. The producing rocks range in age from Precambrian to Pliocene. Exploration for stratigraphic traps should result in the discovery of many new oil and gas fields. A study of reservoir pressures and migration has been made to help evaluate the hydrocarbon potential of various stratigraphic-trap play areas.
Overpressuring commonly occurs in reservoirs at depths greater than 1800 m. Several mechanisms could cause this abnormally high pressure. Undercompaction (incomplete dewatering) and active hydrocarbon generation are the most likely mechanisms in sedimentary rocks. High pressure in basement rocks may be caused by thermally generated CO2 (metamorphism of carbonate rocks), downward and lateral expulsion of hydrocarbons from actively generating source beds, and aquathermal heating (expansion of water) in fractures in very low-permeability basement rocks.
High pressures, deep in the basin, are an important factor in the migration of oil and gas laterally and vertically to shallower stratigraphic traps. Migration occurs in carrier beds (sandstones) and fractured basement rocks. Many low-temperature producing fields yield hydrocarbons that were originally generated much deeper in the basin. Stratigraphie traps and structural-stratigraphie traps flanking the basement highs should have trapped large amounts of oil and gas along the paths of migration updip to shallower, structurally controlled producing areas.
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Spencer, C.W., Szalay, Á., Tatár, É. (1994). Abnormal Pressure and Hydrocarbon Migration in the Békés Basin. In: Teleki, P.G., Mattick, R.E., Kókai, J. (eds) Basin Analysis in Petroleum Exploration. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0954-3_10
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0954-3_10
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