Transgressions and Regressions of the Mesozoic and their Role in the Formation of Bar Reservoirs in the Northern Part of the Turan Plate: New Prospects for Hydrocarbon Exploration

The depletion of conventional structural traps necessitates exploration of lithologically and stratigraphically controlled hydrocarbon reservoirs. This study examines the genesis and distribution of sand bar reservoirs formed during Mesozoic transgressive–regressive cycles in the northern Turan Plate, including Mangyshlak, Buzachi, Northern Ustyurt, and the northwestern Aral Sea. Integrated sedimentological, paleogeographic, and tectonic analyses reveal key transgressive phases in the Middle–Late Jurassic and Late Cretaceous that led to the formation of high-quality bar complexes in nearshore, shelf, estuarine, and deltaic environments. These sand bodies exhibit favorable reservoir properties but significant heterogeneity and complex architecture. Most research in this region has focused on petroleum geology, reservoir characterization, paleogeography, and stratigraphy, while gaps remain in coastal–marine geology, geophysics, and environmental–geochemical studies. The most favorable reservoirs occur in the Middle and Late Jurassic, whereas the Early Cretaceous and Triassic are less prospective. A new methodological framework is proposed, integrating high-resolution seismic stratigraphy, geochemical profiling, machine learning, and digital twin technologies. Mesozoic bar-type reservoirs represent promising exploration targets, underscoring the need for coordinated efforts among scientific, governmental, and industrial sectors to unlock their hydrocarbon potential.