The Cretaceous Kazhdumi and Gurpi formations,
Ahmadi Member of the Sarvak Formation, and
Paleogene Pabdeh Formation are important source rock
candidates of the Middle Cretaceous–Early Miocene petroleum
system in the Persian Gulf. This study characterizes
generation potential, type of organic matter, and thermal
maturity of 262 cutting samples (marls and argillaceous
limestones) from these rock units taken from 16 fields in
the Iranian sector of the Persian Gulf. In addition, the burial
and thermal histories of these source rocks were analyzed
by one-dimensional basin modeling. Based on the total
organic carbon and genetic potential values, fair hydrocarbon
generation potential is suggested for the studied
samples. Based on Tmax and vitrinite reflectance values, the
studied samples are thermally immature to mature for
hydrocarbon generation. The generated models indicate
that studied source rocks are immature in central wells. The
Gurpi and Pabdeh formations are immature and the
Ahmadi Member and Kazhdumi Formation are early
mature in the western wells. The Pabdeh Formation is
within the main oil window and other source rocks are at
the late oil window in the eastern wells. The hydrocarbon
expulsion from the source rocks began after deposition of
related caprocks which ensures entrapment and preservation
of migrated hydrocarbon.