Abstract:
A part of the southeastern onshore area of India and the northwestern onshore area of Sri Lanka, and the
Palk Strait come under the Cauvery Basin. The Indian side of the Cauvery Basin has proven hydrocarbon
reserves, while the Sri Lankan sector remains relatively under-explored. Only six exploration wells drilled
in the Sri Lankan sector from 1972 to 1981 was dry. Since little further exploration has taken place from
1981 to this date, the existence of an active petroleum system in the Sri Lanka sector of the basin is not
known. The objective of this study was to simulate the petroleum system in the Sri Lankan sector of the
Cauvery Basin on Petromod 1D software (v.12.2) using data from unpublished reports and data in the
public domain. The model was validated using the measured vitrinite reflectance data. Results of the study
showed that Albian and Late Cretaceous shale in the Pesalai area have relatively higher hydrocarbon source
potential and that hydrocarbon exploration in the Sri Lankan sector of the Cauvery Basin should mainly
target Cretaceous and Eocene clastic and carbonate reservoirs associated with faults and anticlinal traps.
Hydrocarbon potential in the Pesalai area is relatively higher than that in the Palk-Bay area.
