OIL AND GAS ACCUMULATIONS AND THEIR POSSIBLE SOURCE ROCKS IN SOUTHERN ENGLAND

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Abstract
A number of commercial hydrocarbon accumulations, which include oil and gas, are now known in southern England. Investigations into the organic maturity and hydrocarbon potentials of sedimentary rocks in the area suggest that the Jurassic Lias, Oxford Clay and Kimmeridge Clay units are the most probable sources for these hydrocarbon accumulations. The Lias on the southern side of the Purbeck‐Isle of Wight Disturbance appears to be the main source of the Dorset oils (Wytch Farm and Kimmeridge Bay) on the bases of adequate maturity, n‐alkane distribution, alkane ratios and stable carbon and hydrogen isotope ratios. On the basis of organic maturity, the oil accumulations in the Weald and the adjacent Hampshire areas are considered to be composed of varying contributions of bitumen generated from the three Jurassic source formations.Application of the modified Lopatin method of basin modelling suggests the Lias in the Weald as the probable source for the natural gas deposit at Godley Bridge in Surrey and predicts a possible Liassic sourced wet‐gas field in the Dorset‐Isle of Wight area.