Overview of the Italy's Petroleum Systems and Related Oil and Gas Occurences

Italy bears a big variety of petroleum systems. The hydrocarbon occurences can be classified as associated with three main tectono-stratigraphic systems: 1) biogenic gas in the terrigenous Plio-Quaternary foredeep wedges, 2) thermogenic gas in the thrusted terrigenous Tertiary foredeep wedges, and 3) oil and thermogenic gas in the carbonate Mesozoic substratum. The potential of the hydrocarbon reserves makes the country the most important hydrocarbon province of the southern Europe.