Iran has about 10% of the world's proven oil reserves and is the fifth largest oil exporter, with substantial gas reserves as well. This review discusses the country's expansive hydrocarbon fields, focusing on prolific regions in southwest Iran such as the Zagros and Persian Gulf Basins. Significant discoveries of supergiant and giant oil and gas fields, including recent finds in the Gachsaran field and South Pars gas field, highlight the ongoing exploration potential within these established regions, while unexplored areas remain rich with possibilities for future discoveries.

In the Province of Fars and in its offshore, gas reserves in excess of 600Tcf, discovered in Permo-Triassic carbonates well sealed by the anhydrite of the Dashtak Formation, were originated from early Llandoverian highly organic and radioactive shales. The current distribution of this source rock was influenced by the pre-Permian erosion on a system of N-S tilted blocks. Extensive geochemical modeling has shown that oil generation began in the Middle Jurassic in some areas, while the onset of gas window was reached locally as early as Middle Cretaceous. A suite of cumulative isopachs shows the evolution of the source rocks maturity through time. It also provides a reliable image of the geometry of the reservoirs, the long range migration and the location of large-size oil and gas accumulations on a few continuous regional highs prior to the Zagros orogeny. Huge amounts of gas and limited amounts of light oil later re-accumulated in the Zagros folds, formed during the late Miocene an...

Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 2013

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Journal of African Earth Sciences, 2018

Biological markers and carbon isotope data were used to delineate characteristics, maturity, and source of the crude oils from Asmari and Bangestan reservoirs of the Mansourabad oilfield, SW Iran. In spite of extremely similar source-related parameters reflecting an identical source, non-biodegraded Asmari and Bangestan oils have different gravities. Based on not-equilibrated maturity parameters, Bangestan oils are slightly more mature than Asmari oils resulting in higher API gravity. Geochemical indicators propose a carbonate-marl source rock deposited in a marine environment under anoxic-suboxic conditions as the source of the oils. Strong marine organic matter signature of predominantly algal origin along with robust signals of contribution from land plants were detected. Based on geochemical evidence, the Mansourabad field Asmari and Bangestan oils being sourced from a mix of Kazhdumi and Pabdeh organic matters. Carbon isotope composition and V/Ni ratio of the oils delineate Kazhdumi Formation of Albian age as the main source rock. Nevertheless, partial contribution of Pabdeh source rocks of Middle Eocene-Early Oligocene were also deduced based on medium concentration of oleanane, low sulfur content, and less than unity values of C 29 /C 30 hopanes ratio. It seems that the degree of contribution from Pabdeh-derived oils were insufficient to impact a typical mixed signature over the geochemical fingerprint of the reservoired oils. According to the stratigraphic levels, the latest more mature Kazhdumi-derived oils only charged the adjacent reservoir, resulting in higher overall maturity of the Bangestan oils. Since maturity and bulk geochemical properties of the Asmari and Bangestan oils are different, it can be concluded that fluids within the reservoirs are completely separated from each other by effective static barriers of dense Pabdeh and Gurpi beds.

Geochemistry International, 2007

AAPG Bulletin, 1999

The Timan-Pechora Basin, located west of the Ural Mountains in northern Russia, is a prolific oil province covering 300,000 square kilometers. The basin, which has been efficiently explored, is predominantly oil prone but significant accumulations of gas exist. The mean discovered field size of the basin has diminished considerably since first explored in the 1930s. Onshore, the current exploration potential is small to moderate in terms of potential field reserves size but large in terms of number of untested prospects and leads. Eight of the nine identified plays have been characterized in the plateau phase. The remaining play is in breakthrough phase but the reserves potential is small to moderate. The field development potential of the onshore region is substantial. Overall, 80% or 13 billion barrels of oil reserves remain unproduced. Most of the unproduced oil reserves are found in three carbonate plays of Lower Permian, Upper Devonian Fammenian and Lower Devonian age. Exploration potential exists in the offshore Pechora Sea, which is an immature exploration region. Four main plays, extensions of proven plays within the onshore portion of the basin, define the offshore exploration potential. The offshore portions of the plays are in active growth or possibly breakthrough phase.

Dezful Embayment in Southwest of Iran is one of the most potential areas for exploration and development of the hydrocarbon reservoirs in the word.

Journal of Petroleum Geology, 2020

Global heavy oil (μ > 100 cP in situ) resources in naturally fractured carbonate rocks (NFCR's) are estimated at 1.6 Trillion bbl; one-third is in the Middle East. Iran has over 50

Journal of Petroleum Geology, 1980

Journal of Petroleum Geology, 2005

Mesozoic and Tertiary source rocks and crude oils from six oilfields in the Persian (Arabian) Gulf (Hendijan, Bahrgansar, Abouzar, Nowruz, Dorood and Foroozan) were studied using a variety of organic-geochemical techniques. Biomarker characteristics were combined with other geochemical data to identify the source rocks which generated the oil in these fields and to reconstruct their depositional environments, and also to characterize the diagenetic and catagenic processes which have occurred. The analyzed oils show a wide range of densities (19 to 39° API) and high sulphur contents. They were generated by Type II-S organic matter; they are not biodegraded and their maturity level is generally low. Two main oil groups were identified from statistical analysis and can be correlated with different source rocks using age-specific biomarkers and isotope data. Group 1 oils include those from the Hendijan, Bahrgansar and Abouzar fields and were probably generated by a mid-Cretaceous argillaceous source rock. Group 2 oils include those from the Nowruz, Dorood and Foroozan fields, and originated from Jurassic to Early Cretaceous carbonate-rich source rocks.

Oligo-Miocene giant fields (having recoverable reserves greater than 1billion bbl each and many having much more) .

Marine and Petroleum Geology, 2017

Biological markers and carbon isotope data were used to depict geochemical properties and to delineate source of the crude oils from Asmari and Bangestan reservoirs of the giant Gachsaran oilfield, SW Iran. Despite the distinct horizons of the reservoirs and severe petrophysical heterogeneity inside each reservoir, all oil samples show an identical level of thermal maturity. Furthermore, similar source-related parameters reflect identical source rock for both reservoirs. They indicate carbonate-marl source deposited in a marine environment under anoxic-suboxic conditions. Strong marine organic matter signatures of predominantly algal origin along with evidence of a terrigenous angiosperm plant contribution were detected. Geochemical evidences strongly point to the Gachsaran field Asmari and Bangestan oils being sourced from a mix of organicrich Kazhdumi and Pabdeh source rocks of Albian and Middle Eocene-Early Oligocene ages, respectively. Carbon isotope composition and V/Ni ratio signatures indicate Kazhdumi Formation as the main source rock. Meanwhile, significant presence of oleanane and less than unity values of C 29 /C 30 hopanes ratio demonstrate a partial contribution of Pabdeh Formation. This contradiction could be explained by two scenarios; 1) incorporating very immature non-expelled Pabdeh oils into the mature Kazhdumi oils during migration or 2) partial charge form low maturity Pabdeh oils that is insufficient to impact a typical mixed signature over the geochemical fingerprint of the reservoired oils. Additionally, geochemical similarities give rise to an assumption of reservoir and trap inter-connection for this giant field.

Journal of Petroleum Science …, 2006

Geochemical, geological, and geophysical data were used to identify and update genetic oil families, potential source rocks, and hydrocarbon generation kitchen as well as probable migration pathways in the northwestern part of the Persian Gulf. Rock-Eval analysis was performed on 52 cutting samples of prospective Cretaceous-Tertiary source rocks. According to the results, most of the samples have poor to fair potential for hydrocarbon generation, except for the Albian Formation which possesses good to excellent source rock characteristics in the study area. Two genetic oil families were identified based on source-and age-related biomarkers as well as stable carbon isotope ratios for 23 crude oil samples. Family I occurs in upper Jurassic-lower Cretaceous reservoirs mainly in the Surmeh-Hith Basin whereas family II occurs in lower Cretaceous-Tertiary reservoirs mainly in the Garau-Gotnia Basin. All attempts to correlate the identified families to prospective source rocks failed due to substantial maturity differences between the oils and rock samples. Inversion correlation based on detailed isotopic and biomarker analyses, however, confirms that the carbonates and marls of the Neocomian and Albian Formations are the main oil-generating facies for families I and II, respectively. The geographical extension and composition of the identified oil families are highly affected by source rock facies distribution and migration pathways. 2D cross sections provided in the region indicate the dominance of lateral and vertical migration pathways from the Binak depression as the main hydrocarbon generation kitchen toward the structural highs in the study area.

Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology, 2013

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Marine and Petroleum Geology, 2013

This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. Highlights  In adjacent anticlines one (Alborz) has trapped oil, the other (Sarajeh) gas and condensate.  Sarajeh is south verging, Alborz north verging above a SW-dipping detachment.  Downbuilding of the Upper Red Formation above salt caused the south vergence.  Vergence direction caused relatively late closure of Sarajeh, when source basin was mature for gas Highlights (for review)

2010

In 2008 the oil production (excluding Denmark) stood at about 5 Mt with a 30 % share of offshore production. The natural gas production was at about 20 billion m³ with Germany and Poland as producers. There was only a small production from offshore. Hydrocarbon potential In comparison with other regions, e.g. the North Sea, Caspian Sea and Black Sea regions the hydrocarbon potential of the Baltic region is very small. The common reserves (without Denmark) exceed 73 Mt of oil and 264 billion m³ of natural gas. The resource estimated are 135 Mt and 295 billion m³, respectively. The share on global reserves and resources is less than 0.3 %. The region is prospective for non-conventional oil and gas. Main sources for non-conventional oil in the Baltic Sea region are oil shale in Estonia and in the Leningrad district of the Russian Federation. Sources for non-conventional gas are coal bed methane in Poland and Germany. Shale gas may be a topic in the near future. Hydrocarbon consumption and transport The states of the Baltic Sea region are important oil and gas consumers. They consumed in 2008 about 180 Mt of oil (4.6 % of world consumption) and about 130 billion m³ (4.3 %) of natural gas. Main suppliers are Russia and Norway. There exists a good developed pipeline network linking the producer and the consumer centres. Some new pipeline projects, especially for gas, are under construction or consideration. The Baltic countries will be of importance for transit of oil and gas. Conclusions Despite a long production history a potential for future hydrocarbon exploration exists. The hydrocarbon potential is significantly lower than the potential of the Caspian and the North Sea regions and lower than the potential of the Black Sea region. The region will still stay a hydrocarbon consuming in the future too. The region is of importance for the transit of Russian oil and gas to Western Europe. Unconventional oil and gas can be an object of future investigations.

The unprecedented global support for policies to reduce carbon emissions along with the emergence of new technologies for extraction of oil from unconventional resources have made it increasingly unlikely that Iran’s oil reserves will ever be exhausted. As such, determining the real amounts of Iran’s oil endowments and reserves – which have long been a subject of controversy – is of little practical value now. Rather, focus should be devoted to assess the rate at which Iran can recover oil given its mature fields and underinvested infrastructure. Herein, we present a field-by-field analysis of Iran’s crude oil production history and its future projections to 2040. A total of 98 oil fields and reservoirs with a cumulative production of 72 billion barrels since 1913 are considered. Future projections are made based upon the current status of active fields and their existing infrastructure, ongoing and announced projects, and potential production augmentations from undeveloped and undiscovered fields.

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