Geology, geography and global energy

Scientific and Technical Journal

Western part of the Ciscaucasus region

2013. №1, pp. 61-72

Sangadzhiev Mergen M. - C.Sc. in Geology and Mineralogy, Associate Professor, Kalmyk State University, 4 Suseev st., Elista, Republic of Kalmykia, Russian Federation, 358000, pgs-kgu@yandex.ru

Mikerina Tatyana B. - C.Sc. in Geology and Mineralogy, Associate Professor, Kuban State University, 149 Stavropolskaya st., Krasnodar, Russian Federation, 350040, bitumoid@bk.ru

The article reviews the distribution of scattered organic geochemical matter, noting variations and peculiarities in both the group and structural-group composition of bituminous components. The latter are located in Eocene sediments in the western part of the Ciscaucasus (also known as Fore-Caucasus) region. The study also provides data on the distribution of geothermal gradients as well as the intensity of thermal currents, which have existed in Eocene deposits and potentially have transformed some of their organic substances. According to the abovementioned data, oil can potentially be found in the middle-Eocene sediments in the Armavirsky zone and the upper-Eocene sediments in the Afipski zone. At this stage, the critique notes that the Azov-Kuban petroleum basin (AKPB), in West Ante, is one of the oldest hydrocarbon (oil and gas)-bearing regions in the Russia Federation. Moreover, AKPB’s structure and tectonic features provide all the conditions required for the formation of oil and gas. The document relates that geochemical studies on AKPB’s organic matter and its bituminous Eocene-deposit components were carried out throughout the period of hydrocarbon explorations. Published studies covering the geochemistry of dispersed organic matter in Eocene sediments have shown that vast amount of hydrocarbon materials are found in lower-, middle- and upper-level Eocene deposits in the Kuma Formation. These deposits occur in different settings, depending on the position of the structural elements. They were apparently emplaced during the Paleogenic period after the regression of the late Western Caucasus area, which led to the accumulation of a thick sedimentary sequence. The blueprint opines that during the Eocene period, the sea basin area increased in size, while the depositional environment retained its original dimensions.

Key words: dispersed organic matter,Eocene,bituminous components,thermal current of geothermal gradients,oil,catagenesis

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