Carbonate Petroleum Systems of the Eastern Mediterranean: A Review and Classification

The Eastern Mediterranean is a mature exploration basin for Cenozoic clastic plays, but its carbonate plays remain largely unexplored and present a significant challenge for future exploration. This study aims to de-risk these plays by providing a systematic review and classification of carbonate petroleum systems. The research is based on a comprehensive review of over 60 commercially exploited carbonate formations and proposes a new three-level hierarchical classification scheme. While most systems are sealed by younger clastic sediments, our review also identifies effective seals within the carbonate sequences themselves. The framework helps analyze the complex interplay between carbonate and clastic elements. This approach provides a robust tool for selecting analogues and evaluating new opportunities, especially in areas like the Levant Basin and offshore Crete, which host potential plays similar to the giant Zohr gas field