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The influence of organic sources and environments on source rock deposition during the periods of Cretaceous-Eocene and Oligocene-Miocene, northern Kalimantan

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Abstract

The sedimentary system of Kalimantan has undergone significant development since the Oligocene. Previous research have largely ignored the capacity of the Cretaceous-Eocene sediments to produce hydrocarbons, focusing instead primarily on the Oligocene-Miocene coal as the principal source rocks. Shales and coals from the outcrops in the northern margin of Kalimantan were analyzed with palynological and geochemical methods to characterize the palaeoenvironmental and palaeoecological differences between the Cretaceous-Eocene and the Oligocene-Miocene samples. The high proportion of Cheirolepidoaceae, Schizaeoisporites and Ephedripites in the pollen assemblage from the Cretaceous—Eocene outcrops reflects an arid tropical/subtropical climate. The relatively low abundances of gymnosperm-derived biomarkers including isopimarane, β-phyllocladane, β-kaurane, suggest the gymnosperm features in flora. High C27/C29ααα 20R sterane ratios, (C19–C29) tricyclic terpanes/C30αβ hopane and extremely low oleanane/C30αβ hopane, bicadinane T/C30αβ hopane, and diterpenoid abundance indicate that there was a dominance of algae relative to higher plants in the organic matter. The gymnosperm-derived biomarkers, including isopimarane, β-phyllocladane, β-kaurane, suggest that palaeovegetation during this period was dominated by gymnosperms. The saline and reducing conditions in the bathyal and abysmal sea, evidenced by rather low Pr/Ph and high Gammarerane index, are beneficial for the preservation of hydrogen-rich organic matter. It is presumed that the Cretaceous—Eocene shales had great hydrocarbon generation potential in the southern South China Sea. During the period of Oligocene to Miocene in the Zengmu Basin and the Baram-Sabah Basin, the climate changed to a dominant humid and warm condition, which is corroborated by abundant pollen of Florschuetzia and Magnastriatites hawardi. Low C27/C29ααα 20R sterane ratios, (C19–C29) tricyclic terpanes/C30αβ hopane, and high oleanane/C30αβ hopane, bicadinane T/C30αβ hopane suggest that the palaeovegetation was dominated by angiosperms including the mangrove plants. The extremely abundant higher plants provide ample terrigenous organic matter for the formation of coal-measures in delta facies. The low gammacerane index and high Pr/Ph indicate the fresh and sub-oxic water in delta-neriticabysmal faces, which is not beneficial for the accumulation of hydrogen-rich organic matter. Thus, the Oligocene-Miocene marine argillaceous rocks can be potential sources of natural gas.

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Acknowledgements

We appreciate the collaboration and enthusiastic support of Lei Shao from Tongji University for leading our expedition to Kalimantan for outcrops. We also appreciate the paleontological assistance from Youhua Zhu from Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Gongcheng Zhang, Wu Tang, and Yibo Wang from China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) Research Institute. Dujie Hou from China University of Geosciences (Beijing), and Long Su from Oil and Gas Research Center, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, CAS are also thanked for their critical reviews and suggestions to improve the manuscript and figures. Wenjing Ding from Macquarie University in Australia was thanked for the language polishing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) Research Institute Co., Ltd., Beijing, 100028, China

    Lei Lan, Youchuan Li, Zhigang Zhao, Shuchun Yang & Qing Lin

  2. State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing College of Chemical Engineering and Environment, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, 102249, China

    Weilai Zhang

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  1. Lei Lan
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  2. Youchuan Li
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  3. Zhigang Zhao
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Correspondence to Lei Lan.

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Foundation item: The National Science and Technology Major Project under contract No. 2016ZX05026-004.

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Lan, L., Li, Y., Zhao, Z. et al. The influence of organic sources and environments on source rock deposition during the periods of Cretaceous-Eocene and Oligocene-Miocene, northern Kalimantan. Acta Oceanol. Sin. 42, 54–64 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-022-2080-7

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