Hydrocarbon potential of western Ukraine

As a result of a long-lasting and complex geological history, organic rich sediments are found at different stratigraphic levels throughout Western Ukraine. The project will evaluate and discuss the shale gas potential of Silurian sediments as well as the source rock potential of Oligocene, Miocene and Lower Cretaceous black shales.

Silurian facies are found along the southwestern margin of the East European Platform and have attracted much interest in recent years due to their presumably great potential for shale gas exploration. Silurian facies are composed of carbonate, clay-carbonate and clay sediments which accumulated in the deeper part of a foreland-type-basin. Shale gas parameters will be correlated to borehole data and prospective areas and ‘sweet spots’ will be identified.

The Oligocene - Lower Miocene Formation is the main source rock for oil and gas for the Carpathian Flysch nappes. Oligocene - Lower Miocene sediments as well as Cretaceous black shales extend across the entire Carpathian Flysch. The Lower Menilite Formation (Lower Oligocene) is the principal source rock interval in the Ukrainian Carpathians, whereas the middle Menilite sediments (Upper Oligocene) are not prospective and upper Menilite shales are only be prospective locally.