Bazhenov Formation

{{Short description|Oil-bearing rock formation in Russia}}

File:USGS - Bazhenov Formation Oil Reservoir.png

The Bazhenov Formation or Bazhenov Shale is a geological stratum in the West Siberian basin. It was formed from sediment deposited in a deep-water sea in Tithonian–early Berriasian time. The sea covered more than one million square kilometers in the central basin area. Highly organic-rich siliceous shales were deposited during this time in anoxic conditions on the sea bottom.{{cite journal|last=Ulmishek|first=Gregory F.|title=Petroleum Geology and Resources of the West Siberian Basin, Russia|journal=U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin|year=2003|issue=2201-G|page=49|url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/2201/G/B2201-G.pdf|accessdate=14 October 2012}} The sea was connected to the world's oceans and contains trace minerals derived from dissolved minerals and organic materials similar to sapropel sediments in the Black Sea.{{cite journal| first1 = V. M. |last1 = Gavshin | first2=V. A. | last2 = Zakharov |title=Geochemistry of the Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous Bazhenov Formation, West Siberia|journal=Economic Geology|date=February 1996|volume=91|issue=1|pages=122–133|doi=10.2113/gsecongeo.91.1.122|bibcode = 1996EcGeo..91..122G |url=https://econgeol.geoscienceworld.org/content/91/1/122.abstract|accessdate=April 1, 2013|quote=It was formed in a marine basin connected to the world oceans}}

In addition to being a prolific deep water marine source rock (the International Energy Agency has called it the world's largest oil source rock){{cite news |last=Astakhova |first=Olesya |date=18 February 2021 |title=Russia makes progress on shale oil output but hurdles remain |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/russia-oil-shale/russia-makes-progress-on-shale-oil-output-but-hurdles-remain-idUSL8N2KL2MV |work=Reuters |location= |quote=The International Energy Agency has described Russia’s Bazhenov formation as the world’s largest source rock |access-date=1 May 2022}} the formation is believed to contain substantial reserves of unconventional liquid hydrocarbons in form of tight oil and solid hydrocarbons in form of kerogen. These deposits occur at depths of {{convert|2500|-|3000|m}} with the thickness from {{convert|10|to|44|m}}.{{cite conference |chapter=The Impact of Thermogas Technologies on the Bazhenov Formation Studies Results | first1 = V.I. | last1 = Kokorev | first2 = V.I. | last2 = Darischev | first3 = I.A. | last3 = Ahmadeyshin |first4 = K.A. | last4 = Schekoldin | first5 = A.A. |last5 = Bokserman | title = All Days | doi = 10.2118/166890-MS |publisher= Society of Petroleum Engineers | year = 2013}}{{cite journal |title= Unconventional Oil Accumulations in the Upper Jurassic Bazhenov Black Shale Formation, West Siberioan Basin: A Self-sourced Reservoir System |url= https://archives.datapages.com/data/jpg/2003/02apr/0225/0225.html | first1 = N.V. | last1 = Lopatin | first2 = S.L. | last2 = Zubairaev | first3 = I.M. | last3 = Kos |first4 = T.P. | last4 = Emets | first5 = E.A. |last5 = Romanov | first6 = O.V. | last6 = Malchikhina | journal = Journal of Petroleum Geology | volume = 26 | issue = 2 | date = April 2003 | pages = 225–244 | publisher= AAPG |doi= 10.1111/j.1747-5457.2003.tb00027.x |bibcode= 2003JPetG..26..225L |s2cid= 129272662 |accessdate= 2017-11-11|url-access=subscription }}

An estimate by Wood Mackenzie of the Bazhenov Formation puts oil in place at {{convert|2|e12oilbbl|abbr=off}}.{{cite news|title=Russia gears up for shale boom|url=https://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/45ffb86e-9146-11e2-b839-00144feabdc0.html|accessdate=March 31, 2013|newspaper=The Financial Times|date=March 31, 2013|author=Guy Chazan}} In 2013, the Russian oil company Rosneft estimated recoverable reserves of {{convert|22|e9oilbbl|abbr=off}} for the formation.Igor Sechin, [http://www.rosneft.com/attach/0/02/99/cera_week_en.pdf New age of oil] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508102302/http://www.rosneft.com/attach/0/02/99/cera_week_en.pdf |date=May 8, 2013 }}, Rosneft, March 2013 The Russian government agency Rosnedra estimated in 2012 that the Bazhenov contained 180 to 360 billion barrels of recoverable reserves.Nadia Rodova, [http://www.platts.com/newsfeature/2012/oil/russianoil/index Will Russia replicate US success in tight oil development?], Platts, 23 August 2012. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121225043304/http://www.platts.com/newsfeature/2012/oil/russianoil/index |date=25 December 2012 }} According to U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates published in June 2013, the total Bazhenov shale prospective area has a resource of a risked tight oil in-place of {{convert|1243|e9oilbbl|abbr=off}} and a risked shale gas in-place of {{convert|1920|e12cuft|abbr=off}}, with {{convert|74.6|e9oilbbl|abbr=off}} of oil and {{convert|1920|e12cuft|abbr=off}} of gas as the risked, technically recoverable.{{cite web|title=Technically Recoverable Shale Oil and Shale Gas Resources: An Assessment of 137 Shale Formations in 41 Countries Outside the United States|url=https://www.eia.gov/analysis/studies/worldshalegas/pdf/fullreport.pdf|publisher=U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)|accessdate=June 11, 2013|date=June 2013}} Total hydrocarbon resources are estimated in 50 to 150 billion tonnes.