ON NEW PROSPECTS FOR OIL AND GAS CONTENT IN THE SEDIMENTARY COMPLEX OF NORTHERN USTYURT

The current level of geological and geophysical study of the sedimentary complex of Northern Ustyurt does not sufficiently reveal its real prospects for oil and gas content due to the uneven coverage of geological exploration work of a modern quality level within the sedimentary basin. Hence the weak degree of study by high-resolution seismic methods, drilling of deep wells, and, accordingly, core and oil analysis by geochemical and lithological-facial methods. The article presents an analysis of basin modeling and development of hydrocarbon systems results within the Mesozoic-Cenozoic sedimentary complex, which has been studied most by drilling. According to the results of modeling, the highest degree of maturity is observed in the Lower Jurassic and in the depressed zones of the Triassic oil and gas source rocks of the Ustyurt-Bozashinsky basin, which is a critical factor in the existence of industrial hydrocarbon deposits. The results obtained indicate the presence of a generation center in the Lower-Middle Jurassic and Upper Triassic deposits. The calculations showed that the main source of hydrocarbon mass for the known Jurassic deposits of the basin are the Middle Jurassic deposits. Data on the results of the latest seismic exploration and drilling in individual oil and gas content and oil and gas-promising areas of Northern Ustyurt made it possible to obtain seismic images of trap types in the Paleogene and Jurassic-Cretaceous deposits of the sedimentary complex.