Organic Geochemistry of the Paleozoic Petroleum System of Saudi Arabia

Organic geochemical methods such as biomarkers, organic petrography, and characterization of the source rock facies have been used to determine the most likely candidate source rock for the Paleozoic oils of Saudi Arabia. The basal 'hot' shales of the Qusaiba Member of the Silurian qalibah Formation have been correlated to the oils reservoired in the Permian sands of the Central Province of Saudi Arabia. Excellent correlation was found between the basal Qusaiba shales and the oils. No other potential source rocks correlated as well, nor did these other potential sources contain the source rock quality, or vertical and lateral regional persistence as the Silurian basal Qusaiba shales.