Geological and geochemical assessment of the Domanic Formation in the Vychegda Trough: source rock characteristics and hydrocarbon generation potential

The Vychegda Trough is one of the least studied structures in the northern part of the Volga-Ural Basin. In the meantime, the presence of Domanic Formation deposits with possessing geological and geochemical characteristics of source rocks in the Vychegda Trough area makes this territory promising. In this paper we have collected and summarized the results of studies of sediments of the Domanic Formation in the Vychegda Trough, and conducted lithological and geochemical studies of core material of the Domanic Formation in a well close to the territory under consideration. Kinetic spectra of kerogen degradation were obtained, basin analysis was performed, which allowed to study the spatial and temporal regularities of development of the hydrocarbon source kitchen, realization of the hydrocarbon potential, as well as to reveal modern catagenetic zonality of the Domanic Formation of the Vychegda Trough. It was established that the hydrocarbon potential of the Domanic Formation of the Vychegda Trough was formed in the time interval from the Early to the Late Triassic inclusive, and the main the hydrocarbon source kitchen developed within the boundaries of submerged areas, confined mainly to the northeastern and southeastern parts of the object under study. The paper also evaluates the prospects of hydrocarbon potential of the Domanic Formation in terms of generation possibilities. Keywords: Vychegda Trough; Domanic Formation; hydrocarbon potential; basin modeling; source rock; generation potential.