Oil potential of the Upper Devonian Domanik complex of the Volga-Ural oil and gas province: a review of existing concepts, the structure of the identified deposits

Most researchers agree that the void space in Domanik type sediments is formed due to the transformation of kerogen and the release of pores. Areas with high maturity of organic matter are considered the most promising for the search for “continuous reservoirs” that do not require the presence of anticlinal traps. This article attempts to critically evaluate the viability of existing approaches, focusing on the geological criteria for searching for drilling targets in the near future, and without touching on the topic of improving development technologies. The article considers and classifies the existing deposits in the Domanik complex, studying their genesis, composition and properties. Three fundamentally different types of exploration targets are distinguished: A – lithological traps confined to reef debris trails (porous reservoir); B – structural-lithological traps in cavern development zones at the roof of the Voronezh horizon (cavernous reservoir); C – structural traps in tectonic fault zones (fracture reservoir). Based on the presented materials, it is proposed to take a new look at the oil-bearing potential of Domanik type deposits, moving away from the concept of “continuous reservoirs”.

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