Hydrocarbons in crystalline rocks: an introduction

Commercial oil deposits in basement rocks are not geological "accidents" but are oil accumulations which obey all the rules of oil sourcing, migration and entrapment; therefore in areas of not too deep basement, oil deposits within basement rocks should be explored with the same professional skill and zeal as accumulations in the overlying sediments, Landes et al. (1960), AAPG Bulletin Given that most OPEC countries are currently at or within 5% of production capacity, there is a growing need to look for ‘new oil’ and other hydrocarbons in non-traditional sources. While oil and gas fields in crystalline basement are still discovered mostly by accident, as shown in this book, such reservoirs can be very prolific, especially if the basement rock is highly faulted or fractured. The chapters in this volume cover a diverse range of topics related broadly to the theme of hydrocarbons in crystalline rocks, and challenge explorationists’ definition of basement rock, which needs to be less narrow and more responsive to new geological ideas.