Petroleum Geology of Kuwait

Abstract

AbstractKuwait has proven conventional oil reserves of about 100 billion barrels which makes it one of the major oil-producing countries worldwide. Most of this reserve is found in Cretaceous and Jurassic with minor quantities in the Paleogene sedimentary successions. Most hydrocarbon production comes from the siliciclastic Burgan Formation which is the most important reservoir in Kuwait. The Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous exhibit good quality source rocks that charged most of the hydrocarbon reservoirs in Kuwait and entered the oil window in Late Cretaceous to Eocene. Most of the hydrocarbon is trapped in very gentle four-way closure structures that are related to the deep-seated fault system of the Arabian Peninsula such as Khurais-Burgan Anticline. Hydrocarbon reservoirs in Kuwait are sealed and capped mainly by shale rocks and to a less extent by evaporites. In the last 15 years, Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) displayed interest in commercially exploiting unconventional hydrocarbon reserves and started laying significant emphasis on the exploration and development of unconventional resources. The aim of this work is to summarize the different petroleum systems of Kuwait including the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic systems.