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The Dongpu Depression, containing huge amounts of hydrocarbons, is a typical petroliferous province in the Bohai Bay Basin, east China. As one set of the main source rocks, the first member of Shahejie Formation (E2s1) shows huge exploration potential with approximately 0.83 × 108 t resources remaining to be discovered. However, the geochemical characteristics and thermal evolution history of E2s1 source rocks have still not been determined. In this study, the sedimentary features were firstly analysed based on the geological data. Then the organic matter abundance, kerogen type, and thermal maturity of E2s1 source rocks in the present day were evaluated according to the Rock‐Eval pyrolysis, micro‐components of kerogen, total organic carbon (TOC), and vitrinite reflectance analysis. Furthermore, the evolution of thermal history and hydrocarbon generation was determined using the PetroMod procedure. The results show that dark mudstones and salt rocks were well developed in E2s1, which are propitious for organic matter to grow and preserve. E2s1 source rocks contain abundant organic matter and moderate to good generative source rock potential. E2s1 source rocks mainly consist of Type II kerogen and have entered early to maturation stage for hydrocarbon generation. Due to the limited buried depth, E2s1 source rocks only attained lower thermal maturity and generated finite hydrocarbons. The initial rapid subsidence and the second rift after uplift erosion resulted in the higher geo‐temperature at the end of E3d and the present day. Corresponding to the geo‐temperature evolution, there are two stages of hydrocarbon generation for E2s1 source rocks: The first stage was in the late E3d period, and the late stage was from the late Neogene to the present day. Moreover, the hydrocarbon generation rate and quantity of the late stage are much higher than the first stage, indicating the major hydrocarbon generation stage. Due to the limited hydrocarbon generation capacity, oils generated from E2s1 source rocks are low maturity; thus, it cannot migrate for a long distance and only accumulated around the sag belts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution, origin, and evolution of overpressure in the petroliferous basin are important problems that need to be addressed for oil and gas exploration. The distribution and origin of overpressure in the Shahejie Formation in the northern Dongpu Depression are analyzed based on geological studies, logs, and pressure data. The contribution ratios of different overpressure origins are quantified, and the evolutionary stages of overpressures of different origins are further divided. The results show that the formation pressure coefficients of Shahejie Formation in the Dongpu Depression are mainly within the range of 0.9–1.5. The overpressures are mainly distributed in the Sha-3 and Sha-4 Members of the Haitongji sag, the Central uplift belt and the Qianliyuan sag. From the sag to its surrounding area, the formation pressure coefficient gradually decreases. The high deposition rate and strong hydrocarbon generation are the main causes of overpressure formation in the Shahejie Formation in the Dongpu Depression. Based on the stress–strain characteristics of different origin overpressures and the log response parameters, two models, acoustic travel time-effective vertical stress and electrical resistivity-effective vertical stress, are established to identify and quantify the different origin overpressures. The calculation results for the area from the Haitongji sag and Qianliyuan sag to the Central uplift belt show that the main cause of overpressure gradually changes from both disequilibrium compaction and hydrocarbon generation to disequilibrium compaction as the main factor, with the contribution of disequilibrium compaction to overpressure in the Central uplift belt at about 87%. The Sha-3 Members of the Shahejie Formation in the Haitongji sag and the Qianliyuan sag are more strongly affected by hydrocarbon generation, which accounts for 42% and 47.5% of overpressure origin, respectively. There are five stages in the evolution of overpressure in the Shahejie Formation in the northern Dongpu Depression: normal compaction (before 35 Ma), mixed pressurization (35-27 Ma), uplift and pressure release (27-17 Ma), disequilibrium compaction (17-11 Ma), and secondary mixed pressurization (12 Ma-present). • Overpressure mainly distributes in the Sha-3 and Sha-4 Members of the Dongpu Depression. • Disequilibrium compaction and hydrocarbon generation are main overpressure origins. • Two models to identify and quantify different origins' overpressure were came up. • Overpressure origin changes in different tectonic units and evolution stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]