TECHNIQUES AND APPLICATION OF GEOCHRONOLOGY 

IN HYDROCARBON EXPLORATION
 

Dr. S.S. RATHORE
GEOCHRONOLOGY LABORATORY
GEOLOGY DIVISION
KDMIPE, ONGC
DEHRADUN
 GEOCHRONOLOGICAL METHODS 
USED
 
 Rb-Sr DATING METHOD
  K-Ar DATING METHOD
        40 Ar-39 Ar DATING METHOD 
     Sr ISOTOPE STRATIGRAPHY
 Rb-Sr DATING METHOD
Principle of Radiometric Dating Method

Radioactive Decay

 Rubidium has two naturally occurring isotopes i.e. 85 Rb and 87 Rb with isotopic abundances of
72.1654% and 27.8346%, respec­tively

 Strontium has four naturally occurring isotopes (88 Sr, 87 Sr, 86 Sr, 84 Sr), all of which are stable.
Their isotopic abundances are 82.53%, 7.04%, 9.87% and 0.56%, respectively

 The average concentrations of Rubidium, Potassium, Strontium and Calcium in igneous and
sedimentary rocks that figure in isotope age dating are given in Table 1.

 The rubidium concen­tration of common igneous and sedimentary rocks range from less than a
few ppm (ultrabasic rocks and carbonates) to more than 170 ppm in low calcium granitic
rocks.

 The concentration of strontium range from a few ppm (ultrabasic rock) to about 500 ppm in
basaltic rocks and reach very high values in carbonates rocks (upto 2000 ppm or more).
Table:    Average  concentrations  of  Rubidium,  Potassium,  Strontium 
and Calcium in igneous and sedimentary rocks 
 

Rock Type Rb ppm K ppm Sr ppm Ca ppm

1. Ultrabasic 0.2 40 1 25000

2. Basaltic 30 8300 465 76000
3. High Ca granitic 110 25200 440 25300
4. Low Ca granitic 170 42000 100 5100
5. Syenite 110 48000 200 18000
6. Shale 140 26600 300 22100
7. Sandstone 60 10700 20 39100
8. Carbonate 3 2700 610 302300
9. Deep sea carbonate 10 2900 2000 312400
10. Deep sea clay 110 25000 180 29000
 Rb-Sr Clock
β ­

87
Rb 87
Sr
 Half life: 4.88 x 1010 years.

 Basic Radioactive equation: D = P (eλ t – 1)

 The growth of radiogenic 87 Sr* in a Rb rich mineral or rock can be
described by an equation derivable from the law of radio­activity:
87
Sr* = 87 Rb (eλ t ­ 1)
 The total number of atoms of 87 Sr present in a mineral/rock whose age is t
years is obtained from equation :
87
Sr = 87 Sri + 87 Sr*
87
Sr = 87 Sri +87 Rb(eλ t­1)
 This equation can be modified by dividing each term by the number of 86 Sr
atom which is constant because this isotope is stable and is not produced by
decay of a naturally occurring isotope of another element. Thus, we obtain :

87
Sr/86 Sr = (87 Sr/86 Sr)i + (87 Rb/86 Sr) x (eλ t ­ 1)
 This equation is the basis for age determination by the Rb­Sr method. The
age of the rocks/minerals are determined by isochron method
 Rb-Sr Isochron

=0

Sr/86 Sr

t

87



t=0 


87
Rb/86 Sr
 K-Ar METHOD

 Introduction

 The K­Ar isotopic method is one of the most versatile and widely applied of the
various geochronometers available for dating rocks.

 In part this is because potassium is the eighth most abundant element in the Earth's
continental crust, comprising about 1 wt %.

 Minerals in which potassium is an essential element are fairly common in nature.

Therefore, the K­Ar method, in principle, is applicable to many rocks and
individual minerals (e.g., Feldspars, Micas etc.).

 Another reason for its popularity as a dating method is that, with current techniques,
there is a very high sensitivity for detection of radiogenic argon.

 In favourable circumstances, the technique can be applied to igneous/sedimentary

rocks as young as a few thousand years, with no older limit in terms of the physi­cal
measurements.
 PRINCIPLE
 Potassium in nature consists of three isotopes, viz. 39 K, 40 K and 41 K with abundances
of 93.2581%, 0.01167% and 6.7302%, respectively.

   Of these 40 K is radioactive, decaying to 40 Ar (half life 1.25 X 109 years) by electron

capture and to 40 Ca by β ­1 decay. The branch yielding radioactive argon (40 Ar*) as
daughter product provides the basis for the K­Ar dating technique through its
accumulation over geological time.
 Basic Assumptions

As with all isotopic dating methods, there are number of assumptions that must
be fulfilled for a K­Ar age to be related to any geological event. The most
important assumptions are:

(a) The radiogenic argon measured in a sample is produced by in-situ decay of 40 K

in the interval since the rock crystallized or is recrystallized.

(b) Corrections can be made for non-radiogenic 40 Ar present in the rock being
dated. For terrestrial rocks the assumption generally is made that all such argon
is atmospheric in composition with (40 Ar/36 Ar)atm = 295.5.

(c) Potassium is homogenously distributed in the sample.

(d) The sample must have remained in a closed system since the event being dated.
Thus, there should have been no loss or gain of potassium or 40 Ar, other than by
radiogenic decay of 40 K.
 40
Ar‑39 Ar DATING

PRINCIPLE

 To overcome some of the shortcomings of the K‑Ar method viz. potassium

inhomogeneity in the sample, the loss of argon due to thermal event or the
presence of excess argon etc., which bring uncertainty in the age
interpretation, a new method i.e. 40 Ar‑39 Ar method was developed, which
is an analytical conversion of the conventional K‑Ar method.

   In the 40 Ar‑39 Ar method, the sample to be dated is first irradiated in a

nuclear reactor to transform a portion of the 39 K to 39 Ar by the fast neutron
reaction i.e. 39 K(n,p)39 Ar.

   After irradiation, the sample is placed in an ultra‑high vacuum system and

the argon extracted from it by fusion is purified and analyzed isotopically
in a mass spectrometer.
 AGE EQUATION

If 40 Ar* is the radiognic daughter accumulated by spontaneous decay of 40 K in a rock of age 't',
then
40
Ar* = (λ e/λ ) x 40 K (eλ t­1) ­­­­ (1)

The amount of 39 Ar produced, due to irradiation with fast neutrons, is given by:

39
ArK = 39 K ∆ t ∫ φ (ε ) σ (ε ) d(ε ) ­­­­ (2)

where ∆ t is the irradiation time, φ (ε ) is the neutron flux at energy ε and σ (ε ) is the
neutron capture cross section at energy ε for 39 K(n,p)39 Ar reaction. The integration is for over
all energies of the incident neutrons.

Combining eqn. (1) and (2) will give:

40
Ar* 40
K (eλ t‑1)
= ­­­­ (3)
39
ArK 39
K ∆ t ∫ φ (ε ) σ (ε ) d(ε )

It is convenient to define a dimensionless irradiation parameter "J" as follows:

39
K∆ t∫ φ (ε ) σ (ε ) d(ε )
J = (4)
40
K
substituting eqn. (4) in (3) gives:

40
Ar* e λ t ‑1
39
ArK
= J
which, upon rearrangement allows calculation of the age "t" of the sample as follows:

1 ln (1 + J 40 Ar*/39 ArK) ­­­­­­­­­­ 5

t=
λ
where 40 Ar/39 Ar = the ratio of radiogenic 40
Ar to the potassium derived 39
Ar by
neutron irradiation of the sample.

 From eqn. (5) age of the sample can be calculated provided the irradiation parameter
"J" is known, which is dependent upon the duration of the irradiation, the neutron
flux and the reaction cross section.

 Because of the difficulties encountered in accurately determining the relevant

integrated fast neutron fluence that a sample has received, a monitor or standard
sample, whose age is precisely known, is irradiated along with the unknown samples
to monitor the fluence.
 In the case of monitor sample, rearrangement of eqn. (5) will give:

 J = (eλ tm ‑1) ­­­­­­­(6) 

(40 Ar*/39 ArK)m

 Since age of the monitor sample (tm) is known, so by simply

measuring the (40 Ar*/39 ArK)m in the gas extracted from the monitor
sample after irradiation, the parameter 'J' can be determined.

 This value of J is then used in eqn. (5), together with the (40 Ar*/39 ArK)
ratio measured on the unknown sample irradiated at the same time, to
calculate its age "t".
 Advantage of Ar-Ar Dating Method

 Graphical depiction of analytical data.

 The sample can be heated in incremental temperature steps starting from about 500
°C to fusion.

 The ratio 40 Ar/39 Ar obtained at each step is plotted against the temperature thus a
series of apparent ages can be determined on a single sample.

 This approach known as the step heating technique provides a wealth of

information.

 The formation or crystallization ages of igneous rocks and depositional/provenance

ages can be construed very precisely.

 The most important application of step heating 40 Ar­39 Ar method lies in

elucidating the thermal history of the rocks vis­à­vis that of the sedimentary basins
quantitatively by evaluating the pattern of the age spectrum diagrams.
 An example of excellent plateau consisting of 100% 39Ar released is shown in Fig. a (Rathore et al.
1996)

 The plateau age of 64.1±0.6 Ma obtained from syenite of the Mundwara Igneous Complex,
Rajasthan has been interpreted as the emplacement age of the syenite.

 Fig. b illustrates simple thermal heating of hornblende from the Rameka Gabbro, New Zealand
which was emplaced around 340 Ma ago (Shown by plateau of higher temperature steps) and was
reheated about 114 Ma ago due to emplacement of a large scale intrusive body.
 Applications

 The Geochronology laboratory of the institute has K­Ar, Rb­Sr, Sr isotope

stratigraphy and Ar­Ar dating facilities.

 In case of igneous rocks absolute age of emplacement/formation and their

petrogenesis.

 In case of sedimentary rocks these methods can be used to know timing of

diagenesis, sedimentation and carbonate precipitation.

 Timing of metamorphism and illustration of thermal history of

metamorphic rocks.

 However, in petroliferous basins the K­Ar technique can be used to date

the timing of petroleum migration and gas emplacement in the reservoirs.

 Similarly, the Ar­Ar isotope analysis of detrital K­feldspar can provide

thermochronological information in the temperature range of petroleum
maturation and therefore the technique can provide a useful hydrocarbon
exploration tool.
 Timing of Petroleum Migration and Gas Emplacement in the Reservoirs

 The K­Ar dating has been applied on diagenetic illites separated from Permian
Rotliegende sandstone of Southern North Sea Region, Netherlands

 Illite is a common diagenetic phase.

 K­Ar ages of very fine grained illite should indicate the time, the illite forming
process ceases.

 Age of the finest fraction in the gas zone of the reservoir to indicate the time at
which illite formation ceased as a result of gas emplacement and pore fluid
displacement in the rock.

 Illite growth and gas emplacement overlapped in time and that illite growth ceased
when gas displaced most of the pore water.
 Table: Mineralogy and K­Ar isotopic data of the clay fractions from
the Rotliegende sandstone of Southern North Sea, Netherlands

Sample Fraction Size Illite (%) Chlorite (%) K2O (%) Age (Ma)
A 1380 < 0.2 65 35 4.1 172±5

0.2­0.5 60 40 4.2 209±5

0.5­2 50 50 3.4 236±7

A 1712 <0.2 60 40 5.1 172±4

0.2­0.5 45 55 4.3 218±6

0.5­2 40 60 3.7 238±6

A 1434 <0.2 65 35 6.3 167±7

0.2­0.5 55 45 5.2 205±5

0.5­2 55 45 3.5 245±6

 Further, the Sm­Nd isotope system, the facility that we are going to
imbibe in near future, is a potential tool in petroleum exploration as it
can be effectively used to date the provenence of sandstone/ shale
reservoirs.

 The system can also be used to correlate the reservoir lithologies within
the petroleum producing basin and oil to source rock correlation even in
adverse geological milieu where elevated temperatures and pressures
during diagenesis have obliterated the organic biomarkers.
 Application

Dating of Basement Rocks of Western Offshore of India

Geological Setting

 The Mumbai Offshore Basin (MOB) covers an area of about 1,20, 000 sq. km and is limited
to its north by the Saurashtra Arch and to south by the Vengurla Arch (Fig. 1).

 The tectonic framework, stratigraphy, structural features and the depositional history of the
MOB have been studied in detail by various authors (Rao and Talukdar 1980; Biswas 1987;
Biswas and Deshpande 1983; Basu et al 1982).

 However, little information is available about the nature and age of the basement, which
plays an important role in the evolution of structures like horsts, grabens, rifts and regional
faults and, therefore, controls the pattern of sedimentation and also at times the thickness of
the formation within the basin.

 The Deccan trap forms the floor of this basin with an exception of a few Precambrian (?)
inliers.

 The Precambrian rocks in different parts of the basin are of varied lithology, comprising
biotite gneiss/chlorite gneiss, schist, syenite, granite/granodiorite etc.
 SAURASHTRA COAST
North Tapti
N
Mid Tapti

South Tapti
0 20 40 Kms
DAMAN

Dahanu
Saurashtra Diu East
 DAHANU

Tarapur TARAPUR
B-46-1
°  MAHIM
°F
Bombay High Bombay High
East Panna
Panna East
° BH-36 Bassien
°
SY-5
°
D-12-1
°B-192-5  MUMBAI

Heera
°  ALIBAG
HBM-1

RATNA
20
00
m

10
0
m
20
0
m
36
0
m

RATNAGIRI

Fig. Location map of studied wells of Mumbai Offshore

 Well HBM-1 (Granulitic Basement)

 Six samples from three successive cores viz. CC­2 (1349.4­1356.6­5 m), CC­3 (1356.5­
1364.1 m) and CC­4 (1364.1­1369.5 m) were analyzed for Rb­Sr isotopic studies
 The studied samples have yielded Rb­Sr isochron age of 502±25 Ma.
 Two samples were dated by K­Ar method which had yielded a mean K­Ar age of
506±12 Ma.
 The age of 500 Ma obtained by different dating methods has been interpreted as to
represent the age of secondary thermal disturbance.
 The isotopic ages in the range of 500­550 Ma have been reported by various
workers from the Pan­African Zone (Fig.) extending from the Arabian Peninsula
and Eastern Africa through Madagascar, southern India and Sri Lanka to East
Antarctica.

Fig. Pan­African zone from the Arabian

Peninsula and Eastern Africa
covering Madagascar, southern
India, Sri Lanka and East Antarctica
[After Rogers et al. 1995]
 The Pan­African ages in southern India have mostly been reported
form south of Palghat­Cauvery Shear Zone.
 The secondary thermal disturbance around 500 Ma observed in the
granulitic basement of the well HBM­1 temporally coincides with the
wide spread Neoproterozoic (Pan­African) thermo­tectonic event.
 The study further suggests that this part of the western offshore and
southern granulite terrain probably shared a common tectono­thermal
history.
 In the light of this study it was suggested that the Pan­African Zone,
which hitherto was thought to be confined to the western part
(presently the southern part) of the Indian subcontinent, extended
further eastward.
 The paper published in Jour. Geol. Soc. India (2000), V. 56, 365­372.
 Well BH-36 (Granitic Basement)

 Eight samples from two basement cores (CC­5 and CC­6) were analyzed for Rb­Sr isotopic studies

 The studied samples have yielded Rb­Sr isochron age of 1446±67 Ma

0 .7 5 5 0
535
WELL BH­36  not included in regression
0 .7 5 0 0
(Granitic Basement)
0 .7 4 5 0

0 .7 4 0 0 511
536
0 .7 3 5 0 510
Sr/86 Sr

537

0 .7 3 0 0 538
87

512 509
0 .7 2 5 0
Age = 1446 ± 67 Ma (2σ )
0 .7 2 0 0 Sri = 0.7062 ± 0.0012 (2σ )
MSWD = 2.27
0 .7 1 5 0

0 .7 1 0 0

0 .7 0 5 0
0 0 .2 0 .4 0 .6 0 .8 1 1 .2 1 .4 1 .6 1 .8 2 2 .2 2 .4
87
Rb/86 Sr
  Two biotite fractions were also analyzed for Rb­Sr isotopic studies which had yielded an
isochron age of 1385±21 Ma.

1.700

1.600 Bio­1
WELL BH­36
1.500 (Whole Rock + Biotite)
1.400
Sr/86 Sr

Bio­2
1.300

1.200
87

1.100

1.000
Age = 1385 ± 21 Ma (2σ ) 1 .7 0 0
0.900
Sri = 0.7061 ± 0.0012 (2σ ) Bio­1
0.800 MSWD = 0.16 1 .6 0 0 WELL BH­36
WR (Whole Rocks + Biotite)
0.700
1 .5 0 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Age = 1394 ± 25 Ma (2σ )
Sr = 0.70712 ± 0.00051 (2σ )
87
Rb/ Sr
86 1 .4 0 0 i
MSWD = 1.9 Bio­2
1 .3 0 0
Sr/86 Sr
1 .2 0 0
0 .7 5 5 0
87

1 .1 0 0 0 .7 4 5 0 Whole Rock
1 .0 0 0 0 .7 3 5 0

0 .7 2 5 0
0 .9 0 0
Age = 1446 ± 67 Ma (2σ )
0 .7 1 5 0
Sri = 0.7062 ± 0.0012 (2σ )
0 .8 0 0 MSWD = 2.27
WR 0 .7 0 5 0
0 0 .4 0 .8 1 .2 1 .6 2 2 .4

0 .7 0 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

87
Rb/86 Sr
 Five biotites separated from different samples were also dated by K­Ar method to see the
effect of thermal heating if any.
 The analyzed samples have yielded concordant K­Ar ages with a mean age of 1438±19 Ma
which is indistinguishable from the whole rock Rb­Sr isochron age.

Table Analytical data and calculated K­Ar ages of biotite separates from
basement rocks of well BH­36
Sl. No. Sample Details K Total 40  Ar     Rad 40  Ar Age (±2σ )
(wt. %) (×  10-6  cc STP . g-1  ) Ma

1 CC5B9T 6.80 603.858 589.671 1452±42

2 CC6B2T (40­50 mesh) 7.94 735.794 692.654 1458±43

3 CC6B2T (40­50 mesh)d 7.94 665.735 647.496 1392±40

4 CC6B2T (50­70 meah) 7.68 682.939 674.381 1465±43

5 CC6B3B 7.90 699.833 666.597 1425±40

6 GLO# 6.46 31.419 24.679 95.71±291

# Gluconite standard with a reported age of 95.03±1.11 Ma (Odin et al. 1982)
d Duplicate analysis
 The similarity in the whole rock and biotite ages obtained by different
isotopic methods suggests that no thermal disturbance has occurred in these
rocks after their emplacement around 1400­1450 Ma ago.

 The present study provides the first evidence for the existence of an
important Middle Proterozoic Magmatic event around 1400­1450 Ma on
the western offshore of India which, hitherto, was thought to be confined to
the eastern Ghats, Satpura and Delhi fold belt of India.

 This finding may have an important bearing on the reconstruction of

Proterozoic crustal evolution of Western Indian Shield.
 The paper was published in Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. (Earth Planet. Sci.)
2004, vol. 113 (1), 27­36.
                                                             Well B-46-1 (Granitic Basement)
 Five granitic samples from basement core CC­3 were analyzed for Rb­Sr isotopic
studies.
 The analyzed samples yielded Rb­Sr isochron age of 1855±76 Ma suggesting granitic
emplacement around 1850 Ma ago.
1.2
1.15
1.1 Well B-46-1 (Granitic Basement)
1.05
1 CC3B1M
0.95
Sr/86 Sr

0.9 CC3B2B
0.85 CC3B2T
0.8
87

0.75
CC3B2M
0.7 CC3B4B
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

Age = 1855±76 Ma (2σ )

Sr initial = 0.70137 ± 0.0097
MSWD = 1.81

87
Rb/86 Sr
Fig . Rb­Sr isochron of granitic basement of well B­46­1
 One sample was studied by Ar­Ar method which had yielded a plateau age of 607± 6 Ma.

16.00

Ar/37 Ar
12.00
8.00
4.00
39

0.00
CC3B2B

1600.0
Apparent Age (Ma)

1200.0

800.0 607±6 Ma (2σ )

400.0

0.0
0 20 40 60 80 100
Cumulative yield of Ar (%)
39

Fig. 40 Ar-39 Ar age spectrum diagram of granitic basement (CC3B2B) of well B-46-1.

 The basement samples studied by different methods suggests that the granitic rocks in this part of the
basin were emplaced at around 1850 Ma ago and were thermally reheated around 600 Ma ago.
 Well B-192-5 (Granitic Basement)

 Four granitic samples from CC­5 were analyzed for Rb­Sr isotopic composition
 The studied samples have yielded Rb­Sr isochron age of 1476±57 Ma.
1.2
1.15 Well B-192-5
Granitic Basement
1.1
1.05
1
0.95
0.9 Age = 1476± 57 Ma
0.85 (2σ
i )= 0.7306±
Sr ?)
0.0098 (2σ )
0.8 MSWD = 1.48

0.75
0.7
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Fig. 5. Rb/Sr Isochron of Granitic Basement from B-

  Two samples were studied for Ar­Ar dating
 Both the samples have yielded good concordant plateaus with a
mean plateau age of 548±3 Ma.
 This age has been interpreted as the time of secondary isotopic
reequilibration coinciding with the Pan­African thermo­tectonic
event as reported from the well HBM­1 of Heera field.

0.80

Ar/37 Ar
1.60
Ar/37 Ar

0.60 1.20
0.40
0.80
0.20

39
39

0.40
0.00 0.00
Apparent Age (Ma)

Apparent Age (Ma)

1600.0 1600.0

1200.0 1200.0
800.0
Age=540±2 Ma 800.0 Age=556±4 Ma
400.0 400.0
0.0 0 20 40 60 80 100 0.0
cumulative yield of 39 Ar (%) 20 0 40 60 80 100
cumulative yield of 39Ar (%)
. 40 Ar­39 Ar age spectra of samples from well B­192­5
 Well SY-5 (Schistose Basement)

 Five basement samples from four cores (CC­5, 6, 9 and 11) were analyzed for Rb­Sr studies.

 The studied samples have yielded Rb­Sr isochron age of 1465±40 Ma which has been
interpreted as the time of metamorphism in the in the schistose basement of well SY­5
around 1400­1450 Ma ago.
0.765

0.76

Not included in regression

0.755
Well SY-5 (Schistose Basement)
0.75

0.745

0.74 CC11B4T
0.735
Sr/86 Sr

0.73

CC5B3B
0.725

CC9B7T
87

0.72

0.715
0 0.2 0 .4 0 .6 0.8 1 1.2
CC9B4T
1.4 1.6

CC6B3M
Age = 1465±40 Ma (2σ )
Sr initial = 0.71823 ± 0.00048
MSWD = 0.36

87
Rb/86 Sr
Fig 5. Rb­Sr isochron of schistose basement of well SY­5
 The Best Isochron Diagram (BID) has advantage of displaying the analytical errors and
deviations from the isochron simultaneously.

 The BID, therefore, allows to simultaneously visualize the experimental data and their analytical
precision and to judge the quality of the linear fit and to appraise the accuracy of the age and
initial ratio. (87 Sr/86 Sr) Measured

0.726 0.73 0.74 0.75 0.76 0.8 1 +∞

0.724 1900

1800
0.722
1700

1600
0.72
CC5B3B 1500
CC6B3M
CC11B4T
0.718 CC9B7 1400
T
CC9B4T 1300
0.716
1200

1100
0.714
1000

0.712 000
0.1 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 2 4 6 +∞
87
Rb/86 Sr
Fig. 6. Best Isochron diagram of Schistose Basement of Well B
 Well D-12-1 (Schistose Basement)

 Four basement samples from core CC­8 were analyzed.

 The studied samples have not yielded good isochron but the best fit line suggests
metamorphic event around 1300­1400 Ma ago.

 The age of formation of the basement is still older.

 Studies on a few more samples are under way to constrain precisely the
metamorphic event.
 Summary of the isotopic studies carried out on basement
rocks of Westerrn offshore of India

Sl No. Well NameField Rock Type Age  Ma (Method)

1. HBM­1 Heera Granulite 502 ± 25 (Rb­Sr)

505 ± 16 (K­Ar)
507 ± 17 (K­Ar)
2. BH­36 Mumbai High Granite 1446 ± 67 (Rb­Sr) Whole rock
1385 ± 21(Rb­Sr) Mineral Isochron
1458 ± 43 (K­Ar­) Biotite
1465 ± 43 (K­Ar­) Biotite
1452 ± 42 (K­Ar­) Biotite
1425 ± 40 (K­Ar­) Biotite

4. B­46­1 WNW of Mumbai High Granite 1855 ± 76 (Rb­Sr)

607 ± 6 (Ar­Ar)
5. B­192­5 SW of Mumbai High Granite 1400­1450 (Rb­Sr)
500 – 550 (Ar­Ar)
6. SY­5 S of Mumbai High Schist 1400­1450 (Rb­Sr)

7. D­12­1 SW of Mumbai High Schist 1350­1400 (Rb­Sr) Partially Studied

 Conclusions
 The geochronological studies carried out on the Precambrian basement rocks of diverse
composition from the Western Offshore of India suggest a complex emplacement and post
crystallization tectono­thermal history.
 The studies suggest that the granitic/granulitic/schistose basement rocks of Western
Offshore were emplaced at around 1700­2100 Ma and 1400­1450 Ma ago and were
further subjected to secondary thermal activities between 1400­1450 Ma and 500­600 Ma
ago.
 While the older thermal activity, observed in the wells SY­5 and D­12­1 might be related
to the emplacement of Middle Proterozoic granites in the wells like B­192­5 and BH­36,
the younger thermal event as observed in the well B­46­1, B­192­5 and HBM­1are related
to famous wide spread Pan­African thermo­tectonic event.
 The absence of Pan­African thermal imprint on basement rocks from Mumbai high field
like BH­36 coupled with possible linkage of Mumbai high with Middle Proterozoic Mobile
Belt of Delhi, Satpura and eastern Ghats suggests that these fields may in all probability be
representing different entities with different geological histories.
 However, this enunciation, based on isotopic studies alone on limited wells may be far
fetched and needs to be substantiated by further isotopic studies from a few more wells of
different fields of western offshore of India as well as by other geophysical studies.

Thank You
 Introduction
 The evolution of any sedimentary basin is closely interlinked with global tectonics.

 The rifting and collision of the lithospheric plates in the geological past have
carved the outlines of the tectonic framework and basinal architecture of most of
the prolific basins.

 Basin formation and evolution are generally associated with mantle related
geothermal phenomena, which also control the process of generation of
hydrocarbons.

 Since geochemical and isotopic characteristics of the basement rocks provide the
finger prints of various paleogeological processes associated with basin formation
and evolution, it is necessary to carry out in detail the multi­isotopic studies of the
basement rocks.

 Today I will be talking on geochronological studies undertaken on different

basement rock types with a view to understand the Precambrian basement
evolution of the western offshore of India.
 Geological Setting

 The Mumbai Offshore Basin (MOB) covers an area of about 1,20, 000 sq. km and
is limited to its north by the Saurashtra Arch and to south by the Vengurla Arch
(Fig. 1).

 The tectonic framework, stratigraphy, structural features and the depositional

history of the MOB have been studied in detail by various authors (Rao and
Talukdar 1980; Biswas 1987; Biswas and Deshpande 1983; Basu et al 1982).

 However, little information is available about the nature and age of the basement,
which plays an important role in the evolution of structures like horsts, grabens,
rifts and regional faults and, therefore, controls the pattern of sedimentation and
also at times the thickness of the formation within the basin.
 The Deccan trap forms the floor of this basin with an exception of a few
Precambrian (?) inliers.

 The Precambrian rocks in different parts of the basin are of varied lithology,
comprising biotite gneiss, chlorite gneiss, schist, syenite, granite and granodiorite
etc.