The purpose of this regional study was to evaluate the petroleum potential of the San Joaquin basin by analyzing oils and potential source rocks from the study area. A total of fifty-nine (59) oils from thirty-eight (38) fields that represent Pliocene to Cretaceous sediments were analyzed. The oils were characterized and discussed in the “San Joaquin Basin Petroleum Potential Study – Crude Oil Report.” Sedimentary sections from the wells were analyzed to evaluate their hydrocarbon source rock potential. The analytical data for each of the fifty-eight (58) wells are provided in the individual well reports.
The final report discusses the source rock potential of Pliocene through Cretaceous sediments in the San Joaquin Basin. The source rock data is compared with the geochemical data used to characterize the crude oils to establish possible crude oil/source rock relationships. In addition, the generation history is reconstructe d for source rocks in the study area. Lopatin time-temperature plots indicate the timing of crude oil generation and migration. From these the distances and directions of oil migration can be evaluated. Maps and cross-sections constructed from geochemical data were used to determine the locations and volumes of effective source rocks. These volumes were then used to calculate the quantities of petroleum generated from respective source facies.