## 2 Materials and Methods
### Petroleum Potential Evaluation
#### 2.2.2 Source-Rock Characterization
Geochemical data used in the modeling, including total organic carbon (TOC), hydrogen index (HI), and Tmax and vitrinite reflectance (Ro) for both wells, were extracted from the TRC well reports. These are key parameters used to assess the source rock's hydrocarbon potential and its thermal maturity, which are critical for understanding the maturation and generation of hydrocarbons within a basin. TOC is a measure of the amount of organic material present in a source rock. A higher TOC indicates a greater potential for hydrocarbon generation, as organic matter is the primary source of petroleum. HI is a measure of the hydrogen content in the organic matter of a source rock. It provides insight into the type of hydrocarbons that may be generated, with higher HI values (typically > 300 mg HC/g TOC) indicating a dominance of Type I (oil-prone) kerogen, and lower values (typically < 300 mg HC/g TOC) suggesting Type II or III kerogen, which can produce gas or mixed gas-oil products. Tmax helps to estimate the timing of hydrocarbon generation, as it indicates when the source rock reached the threshold for significant hydrocarbon generation (typically around 435 \({}^{\circ}\)C for oil generation). After these parameters were defined for the model, the next step involved simulations and calibrations performed with the aim of producing final results that matched the measured parameters. Calibration in PetroMod BPSM ensures the accuracy of the model by aligning simulation results with observed data. This process involves adjusting input parameters--such as heat flow, source-rock maturity, and stratigraphy--to match measured borehole temperatures, vitrinite reflectance (Ro), or other geochemical indicators. Iterative calibrations refine the model, enhancing the reliability of hydrocarbon-generation and migration predictions. This step is crucial for validating the geological and thermal history of the basin and achieving robust simulation outcomes. In this study, results of the simulation were calibrated against measured borehole temperature and vitrinite reflectance (Ro) trends from the TRC well. Iterative adjustments were made until an alignment was achieved between modeled and measured parameters. Burial-depth and time plots were overlaid with vitrinite reflectance modeled using the Easy %Ro method [36] embedded in the 1D Schlumberger 2018 PetroMod software. The decision to apply the measured geochemical parameters to the pseudo-well is based on the geological proximity of the wells, the lack of wells in the deeper western parts of this basin, and the assumption that these sections of the shale formation were deposited under similar lacustrine conditions. In Basin and Petroleum Systems Modeling (BPSM), actual drilled wells provide direct, high-precision subsurface data essential for calibration and validation, enabling accurate assessments of stratigraphy, lithology, and fluid properties, whereas pseudo-wells--derived from seismic data and other geophysical methods--are less reliable due to their indirect nature, lower resolution, and inherent uncertainties in seismic interpretation, often leading to potential inaccuracies in modeling; however, pseudo-wells remain valuable in data-sparse regions such as the Albert Rift for preliminary exploration and regional geological insights. In this study the pseudo-well was used to assess the lateral differences in petroleum system conditions in the deeper western parts of the basin where wells have not been drilled. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{p{71.1 pt} p{113.8 pt} p{113.8 pt} p{113.8 pt}} \hline
\begin{tabular}{p{} represents the initial phase of rifting in the \\ Pakwach Basin, with block faulting creating \\ half-graphen structures and host uptits as \\ primary sediment sources. Proximal alluvial \\ fans formed near active fault scraps, with later \\ fluvial systems transporting sediments \\ basinward. The upper fine-grained deposits \\ indicate decreasing depositional energy and ongoing subsidence. \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table}