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Light hydrocarbons geochemistry of surface sediment from petroliferous region of the Mehsana block, North Cambay Basin

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Journal of the Geological Society of India

Abstract

A study was carried out to test the usefulness of surface geochemical methods as regional evaluation tools in petroliferous region of the Mehsana block, North Cambay Basin. A suite of 135 soil samples collected from the depth of 2.5 m, were analyzed for adsorbed light gaseous hydrocarbons and carbon isotopes (δ13Cmethane and δ13Cethane). The light gaseous hydrocarbon analysis show that the concentration ranges 402 ppb, 135 ppb, 70 ppb, 9 ppb and 18 ppb of C1, C2, C3, iC4 and nC4, respectively. The value of carbon isotopic ranges of methane −29.5 to −43.0‰ (PDB) and ethane −19.1 to −20.9‰ (PDB). This data, when mapped, indicates patterns coinciding with major known oil and/or gas field of Sobhasan/Linch in this study area. The existence of un-altered petroliferous microseeps of catagenetic origin is observed in the study area. A regional study, such as the one described here, can provide important exploration facts concerning the regional hydrocarbon potential in a block. This method has been confirmed and can be applied successfully in frontier basins.

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Correspondence to T. Satish Kumar.

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Madhavi, T., Satish Kumar, T., Rasheed, M.A. et al. Light hydrocarbons geochemistry of surface sediment from petroliferous region of the Mehsana block, North Cambay Basin. J Geol Soc India 74, 7–15 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12594-009-0092-y

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