Applications in semi-explored basins

With increased exploration and continued databasing, a more regional understanding of source rocks and maturity will develop. The work flow often continues with volumetric calculations and prospect ranking. This process may be as simple or complicated as necessary (or as the data allows). Initial calculations will often consider only gross regional trends and provide "ball-park" figures for the volumes of hydrocarbons generated from specific source kitchens.

As the volume of data increases, regional variations (if present) become apparent and these can be mapped as organo-facies (source richness and kerogen type) or maturity gradient maps. More complicated model can be considered by applying these maps to discrete drainage polygons. With the integration of kerogen kinetics, the extent and type of hydrocarbon charge can be assessed for both the present day and key stages in the geological past.

An essential part of the petroleum system model is the concept of "a pod of mature source rock and all associated hydrocarbons". Once free hydrocarbons have been discovered they should be correlated to potential source rock samples and other oil/gas samples, processes referred to as oil-source and oil-oil correlation respectively.