Pregnanes as molecular indicators for depositional environments of sediments and petroleum source rocks

Steroids with unconventional side chains have increasingly been applied as diagnostic markers for geological source and age assessments. However, one of the most distinctive characteristics, the abnormal abundance of pregnane and homopregnane in ancient sediments and petroleum, remains unresolved. Higher pregnane and homopregnane, as well as C₂₃–C₂₆ 20-n-alkylpregnanes, relative to the regular steranes were observed in samples collected from different petroleum basins in China. These included Precambrian marine carbonate-derived petroleum (NW Sichuan Basin), Lower Paleozoic marine marl derived crude oils (Tarim Basin), and Eocene hypersaline lacustrine carbonate source rocks and associated petroleum (Bohai Bay Basin). However, all of the samples have many common biomarker characteristics, such as pristane/phytane ratios < 1, low amounts of diasteranes and high C₂₉/C₃₀ hopane (∼0.6–1), C₃₅/C₃₄ hopane (mostly ⩾ 1) and dibenzothiophene/phenanthrene (DBT/PHEN, mostly 0.5–1) ratios revealing a contribution from anoxic carbonate/marl source rocks deposited in restricted, clastic-starved settings. We suggest that 5α,l4β,l7β-pregnane and homopregnane, as well as their higher C₂₃–C₂₆ homologues, are geological products derived from steroids bound to the kerogen by a sulfurized side chain. Carbon or carbonate minerals are considered to be natural catalysts for this cracking reaction via preferential cleavage of the bond between C-20 and C-22. Similar distributions occur in the short chain analogues of 4-methylsterane, triaromatic steroid and methyltriaromatic steroid hydrocarbons, providing circumstantial evidence for this proposal. The ratio of pregnane and homopregnane to the total regular steranes and the ratio of C₂₇ diasteranes to cholestanes can be sensitive indicators of sedimentary environments and facies. In general, high diasteranes and low pregnanes (with homologues) indicate an oxic water column or significant input of terrigenous organic matter in clay rich source rocks and some organic lean carbonate rocks. Low diasteranes with high pregnanes implies restricted, sulfur rich conditions, typical of anoxic carbonate source rocks. Furthermore, the two ratios may be useful to assess the variation of mineralogy and openness of source rock depositional settings.     

Molecular geochemical characteristics of source rock in faulted lacustrine basin: A case study of the Lishu Fault Depression in southern Songliao Basin, China

Terrestrial faulted lacustrine basin is considered as a favorable place for the development of source rocks,especially the fault basins in eastern China.Based on molecular composition study of saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons in the extracts of source rocks of the Yingcheng and Shahezi formations in the Lishu Fault Depression,it is revealed that the extracts of source rocks are provided with low ratio of Pr/Ph,low content of C24 tetracyclic terpanes,high content of tricyclic terpanes and gammacerane,relatively high content of C27 steranes in the sag belt and its periphery;relatively high ratio of Pr/Ph,relatively high content of tetracyclic terpanes and gammacerane,low content of C27 steranes and obvious advantages of C29 steranes in its gentle slope belt;with high ratio of Pr/Ph,high content of C19,C20 tricyclic and C24 tetracyclic terpanes,very low content of gammacerane and C27 steranes,and high content of C29 steranes in the edge of fault depression.According to the organic matter input and sedimentary environment,three types of source rocks have been established,which,respectively,are the mode of mixing organic matter input in deep and semi-deep lake,the advantage of terrigenous input in shallow lake and terrigenous input in shore-shallow lacustrine.The first mode is supposed to generate oil and gas,while the second one tends to generate oil.The distribution characteristics of oil and gas in the Lishu Fault Depression are very likely to be controlled by hydrocarbon generating characteristic of different source rock types.     

The origin and fate of 4-methyl steroids—II. Dehydration of stanols and occurrence of c30 4-methyl steranes

Certain features of the distributions of sedimentary 4-methyl steroid hydrocarbons have been investigated: (i) competitive dehydration experiments with stanols adsorbed on a shale suggests a possible explanation for the low abundance of 4-methyl sterenes relative to their desmethyl counterparts in immature sediments, (ii) a 4-methyl spirostene which is a minor product of the backbone rearrangement of 4-methylcholest-4-ene in the laboratory has been tentatively assigned; its presence in a Toarcian black shale with a second isomer provides further evidence that the sedimentary backbone rearrangement of 4-methyl sterenes is analogous to that of their desmethyl counterparts and (iii) the major C₃₀ 4-methyl steranes in Semécourt shale (Toarcian, Paris Basin) differ from those in an Eocene lacustrine shale from China; this indicates the potential complexity of C₃₀ steroidal alkanes (both 4-methyl and desmethyl) which can occur in sedimentary organic matter and shows that care must be taken in using m/z 217 mass chromatograms alone for routine input and maturity assessment using steroidal alkanes.     

Oil geochemistry derived from the Qinjiatun–Qikeshu oilfields: insight from light hydrocarbons

A suite of 27 oils from the Qinjiatun–Qikeshu oilfields in the Lishu Fault Depression of the Songliao Basin was analyzed using whole oil gas chromatography. In combination with the relative distribution of C₂₇, C₂₈, and C₂₉ regular steranes, detailed geochemical analyses of light hydrocarbons in oil samples revealed crude oils characterized by the dual input of lower aquatic organisms and higher terrestrial plants. Several light hydrocarbon indicators suggest that the liquid hydrocarbons have maturities equivalent to vitrinite reflectances of around 0.78%–0.93%. This is consistent with the maturity determination of steranes C₂₉ 20S/(20S + 20R) and C₂₉ ααβ/(ααα + αββ). Crude oils derived from the two distinct oilfields likely both have source rocks deposited in a lacustrine environment based on light hydrocarbon parameters and on higher molecular weight hydrocarbon parameters. The results show that light hydrocarbon data in crude oils can provide important information for understanding the geochemical characteristics of the Qinjiatun–Qikeshu oils during geologic evolution.     

Improved understanding of the petroleum systems of the Niger Delta Basin,Nigeria

Biomarker and n-alkane compound specific stable carbon isotope analyses (CSIA) were carried out on 58 crude oil samples from shallow water and deepwater fields of the Niger Delta in order to predict the depositional environment and organic matter characteristics of their potential source rocks. Using a source organofacies prediction approach from oil geochemistry, the presence in the western deepwater oils relatively abundant C₂₇ steranes, C₃₀ 24-n-propyl cholestane, low oleanane index, relatively low pr/ph ratios, gammacerane, and positive to nearly flat C₁₂–C₃₀ n-alkane compound specific stable carbon isotope profiles, suggests that the source facies that expelled these oils contain significant marine derived organic matter deposited under sub-oxic and stratified water column conditions. This contrasts with the terrigenous organic matter dominated source rocks accepted for shallow water Niger Delta oils. Oils in the shallow water accumulations can be separated into terrigenous and mixed marine-terrigenous families. The terrigenous family indicates expulsion from source rock(s) containing overwhelmingly higher plant source organic matter (average oleanane index = 0.48, high C₂₉ steranes) as well as having negative sloping n-alkane isotope profiles. Oxic source depositional conditions (pr/ph > 2.5) and non-stratified conditions (absence to low gammacerane content) are inferred for the terrigenous family. The mixed marine-terrigenous family has biomarker properties that are a combination of the deepwater and terrigenous shallow water oils. Bitumen extracts of the sub-delta Late Cretaceous Araromi Formation shale in the Dahomey Basin are comparable both molecularly and isotopically to the studied western deepwater oil set, but with an over all poor geochemical correlation. This poor geochemical match between Araromi shale and the western deepwater oils does not downgrade the potential of sub-delta Cretaceous source rock contribution to the regional oil charge in the deepwater Niger Delta.     

An assessment of paleodepositional environment and maturity of organic matter in sediments of the Setap Shale and Belait formations in West Sabah,East Malaysia by organic geochemical methods

The black shale samples collected from two Neogene formations in the Klias Peninsula area, West Sabah, have been assessed and characterized in details by gas chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and a variety of organic geochemical parameters. The aims of this study are to describe the characteristics of organic matter of these sediments in terms of source/type of the organic matter, assess its thermal maturity and paleoenvironment of deposition, based primarily on biomarker distributions. The results of both formations do not reveal significant differences within the rock extracts. The gas chromatograms of the saturated hydrocarbon fractions of the Setap Shale and the Belait formations displayed monomodal n-alkane distributions and nearly identical regular sterane compositions with a predominance of C₂₇ regular steranes. These are consistent with open marine depositional environments dominated by marine biological matter. Another related feature of these rock extracts is the presence of a high relative abundance of gammacerane, indicating anoxic marine hypersaline source depositional environment. The relatively high abundance of common land plant-derived biomarkers, such as bicadinanes and oleananes, is a clear indication of a major terrigenous input to the source of the extractable organic matter. The predominance of oleanane biomarkers in both formations is indicative of angiospermis input and Tertiary source rocks. The high C₂₉/C₃₀ hopane ratios, moderate development of C₃₃–C₃₅ hopanes, high abundance of tricyclic terpanes and a slight predominance of C₂₇ regular sterane over C₂₈ and C₂₉ steranes are characteristic features tending to suggest a significant marine influence on these source rocks, thereby suggesting a mixed source input. The 22S/(22S+22R)C₃₂ hopane ratio has reached equilibrium, and this is supported by the high maturity level as indicated by the 22S/22SC_31–33 extended hopane ratios and 20S/(20S+20R)C₂₉ regular steranes ratios.     

辽宁金羊盆地羊D1井油砂地球化学特征及意义

在中国地质调查局沈阳地质调查中心实施的"羊D1"井的中侏罗统髫髻山组火山岩中见多处油气显示,取得了油气新发现。对该井已发现的2件油砂样品中的原油采用气相色谱-质谱技术(GC-MS)进行了分析测试,结果显示,2个油砂样品的地球化学特征一致,表现为链烷烃呈现出单峰态的分布,主峰碳数分别为C_(21)和C_(22),无明显奇碳数优势,姥植比值低;萜类化合物表现为,三环萜烷以C_(23)为主峰呈正态分布,C_(24)四环萜烷与C_(26)三环萜烷丰度相当,伽马蜡烷含量较高;甾类化合物表现为规则甾烷相对含量关系为C_(27)C_(29)C_(28),以C_(27)甾烷占优势的不对称"V"形分布。这些指标总体指示,原油为成熟油,对应烃源岩沉积于偏还原性的湖相环境,母质来源主要为藻类等低等水生生物,陆源高等植物也具有一定贡献。通过和周边的北票组烃源岩进行油岩对比研究发现,油砂样品中的原油可能来自于盆地内下伏的下侏罗统北票组烃源岩的贡献。研究结果说明,北票组在金羊盆地分布广泛,其烃源岩可能具有较好的生油潜力,金羊盆地是一个具有勘探潜力的含油气盆地。     

Typification of oils in the Timan-Pechora province according to the composition of hydrocarbon biomarkers (steranes and terpanes)

Distinctive compositional features of cyclic saturated hydrocarbon biomarkers have been established in oils from the main petroliferous lithostratigraphic complexes of various structural zones in the Timan-Pechora petroliferous province (TPPP). Four geochemical families (types) of oils in TPPP are recognized based on the variations in the geochemical parameters of steranes and terpanes including sterane ratios C₂₇/C₂₉ and C₂₈/C₂₉, K¹ mat and K² mat, diasterane/regular sterane, pregnane (C_21–22)/sterane (C_21–22 + C_27–29), as well as terpane Ts/Tm parameters, adiantane C₂₉/hopane C₃₀, neoadiantane/adiantane, tryciclic terpane/pentacyclic terpane, hopane/sum of C₂₉ steranes, etc. The distribution of various types of oil in the sedimentary sequence of TPPP makes it possible to infer source rocks for each of the four selected types.     

四环聚异戊二烯类化合物:中国东部断陷湖盆新分子化石

渤海湾盆地海域断陷湖盆歧口凹陷古近系烃源岩及原油样品中,检测出丰富的四环聚异戊二烯类化合物。四环聚异戊二烯类化合物（C₃₀TPP）具有两个异构体,能有效地区分渤海湾盆地海域歧口凹陷沙三段（Es₃）烃源岩和沙一段（Es₁）烃源岩形成的混源原油,是湖相原油的油源对比研究中的新分子化石。四环聚异戊二烯类化合物与水体盐度之间有密切关系,沉积环境水体盐度越高,其丰度越高。随热演化程度增大,原油的四环聚异戊二烯类化合物（TPP）丰度逐渐降低。四环聚异戊二烯类化合物（TPP）具有湖相有机质输入的很强专属性,可用于判识湖相原油研究,在研究湖相沉积环境有机质的油源对比、沉积环境及热演化规律中具有重要地质-地球化学意义。     

Evidence for euphotic zone anoxia during the deposition of Aptian source rocks based on aryl isoprenoids in petroleum,Sergipe–Alagoas Basin,northeastern Brazil

Four crude oil samples from the Sergipe–Alagoas Basin, northeastern Brazil, were analyzed using full scan gas chromatography–quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC–qMS) for biomarkers, in order to correlate them using aromatic carotenoids thereby enhancing knowledge about the depositional environment of their source rocks. The geochemical parameters derived from saturated fractions of the oils show evidence of little or no biodegradation and similar thermal maturation (Ts/(Ts + Tm) for terpanes, C₂₉ αββ/(αββ + ααα), C₂₇, and C₂₉ 20S/(20S + 20R) for steranes). Low pristane/phytane ratios and the abundance of gammacerane and β-carotane are indicative of an anoxic and saline depositional environment for the source rocks. Moreover, we identified a large range of diagenetic and catagenetic products of the aromatic carotenoid isorenieratene, including C₄₀, C₃₃, and C₃₂ diaryl isoprenoids and aryl isoprenoid derivatives with short side chains and/or additional rings. These results indicate anoxia in the photic zone during the deposition of the source rocks.     

Petroleum geochemistry of the Potwar Basin, Pakistan: 1. Oil-oil correlation using biomarkers, δC and δD

Geochemical characterisation of 18 crude oils from the Potwar Basin (Upper Indus), Pakistan is carried out in this study. Their relative thermal maturities, environment of deposition, source of organic matter (OM) and the extent of biodegradation based on the hydrocarbon (HC) distributions are investigated. A detailed oil-oil correlation of the area is established. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses and bulk stable carbon and hydrogen isotopic compositions of saturated and aromatic HC fractions reveals three compositional groups of oils. Most of the oils from the basin are typically generated from shallow marine source rocks. However, group A contains terrigenous OM deposited under highly oxic/fluvio-deltaic conditions reflected by high pristane/phytane (Pr/Ph), C₃₀ diahopane/C₂₉Ts, diahopane/hopane and diasterane/sterane ratios and low dibenzothiophene (DBT)/phenanthrene (P) ratios. The abundance of C₁₉-tricyclic and C₂₄-tetracyclic terpanes are consistent with a predominant terrigenous OM source for group A. Saturated HC biomarker parameters from the rest of the oils show a predominant marine origin, however groups B and C are clearly separated by bulk δ¹³C and δD and the distributions of the saturated HC fractions supporting variations in source and environment of deposition of their respective source rocks. Moreover, various saturated HC biomarker ratios such as steranes/hopanes, diasteranes/steranes, C₂₃-tricyclic/C₃₀ hopane, C₂₈-tricyclic/C₃₀ hopane, total tricyclic terpanes/hopanes and C₃₁(R + S)/C₃₀ hopane show that two different groups are present. These biomarker ratios show that group B oils are generated from clastic-rich source rocks deposited under more suboxic depositional environments compared to group C oils. Group C oils show a relatively higher input of algal mixed with terrigenous OM, supported by the abundance of extended tricyclic terpanes (up to C₄₁₊) and steranes.Biomarker thermal maturity parameters mostly reached to their equilibrium values indicating that the source rocks for Potwar Basin oils must have reached the early to peak oil generation window, while aromatic HC parameters suggest up to late oil window thermal maturity. The extent of biodegradation of the Potwar Basin oils is determined using various saturated HC parameters and variations in bulk properties such as API gravity. Groups A and C oils are not biodegraded and show mature HC profiles, while some of the oils from group B show minor levels of biodegradation consistent with high Pr/n-C₁₇, Ph/n-C₁₈ and low API gravities.     

泌阳凹陷核桃园组三段富有机质泥页岩形成环境及发育模式

通过Rock-Eval、饱和烃色谱质谱、电感耦合等离子质谱分析和X荧光光谱等测试方法,对南襄盆地泌阳凹陷核桃园组三段2油组和3油组泥页岩开展了有机质丰度、类型,生物标志化合物特征和常微量元素参数综合分析,探讨了湖相富有机质泥页岩地球化学特征及其沉积环境,并建立了富有机质泥页岩发育模式。研究结果表明,2油组沉积时期,泥页岩有机碳含量相对较低,湖盆内的有机质由水生生物和陆源有机质共同供给,有机质类型从Ⅰ型到Ⅲ型均有分布,高盐度下的水体分层和还原环境为有机质提供了良好的保存条件,但高盐环境抑制了水生生物的繁盛,一定程度上降低了湖泊生产力,此外较高的陆源碎屑的输入稀释了湖泊生产力,不利于有机质的富集;而3油组沉积时期,泥页岩有机碳含量相对较高,有机质类型以Ⅰ型和Ⅱ₁型为主,尽管水体盐度降低,分层作用减弱,但是缺氧的还原环境为有机质提供了保存条件,该环境下的湖泊高生产力是富有机质页岩形成的主控因素。     

Geochemical characteristics of Tertiary saline lacustrine oils in the Western Qaidam Basin,northwest China

Based on the systematic analyses of light hydrocarbon, saturate, aromatic fractions and C isotopes of over 40 oil samples along with related Tertiary source rocks collected from the western Qaidam basin, the geochemical characteristics of the Tertiary saline lacustrine oils in this region was investigated. The oils are characterized by bimodal n-alkane distributions with odd-to-even (C₁₁–C₁₇) and even-to-odd (C₁₈–C₂₈) predominance, low Pr/Ph (mostly lower than 0.6), high concentration of gammacerane, C₃₅ hopane and methylated MTTCs, reflecting the high salinity and anoxic setting typical of a saline lacustrine depositional environment. Mango’s K₁ values in the saline oils are highly variable (0.99–1.63), and could be associated with the facies-dependent parameters such as Pr/Ph and gammacerane indexes. Compared with other Tertiary oils, the studied Tertiary saline oils are marked by enhanced C₂₈ sterane abundance (30% or more of C₂₇–C₂₉ homologues), possibly derived from halophilic algae. It is noted that the geochemical parameters of the oils in various oilfields exhibit regular spatial changes, which are consistent with the depositional phase variations of the source rocks. The oils have uncommon heavy C isotopic ratios (−24‰ to −26‰) and a flat shape of the individual n-alkane isotope profile, and show isotopic characteristics similar to marine organic matter. The appearance of oleanane and high 24/(24 + 27)-norcholestane ratios (0.57–0.87) in the saline oils and source rocks confirm a Tertiary organic source.     

Geochemical Characteristics of Different Kinds of Crude Oils in the Tarim Basin,Northwest China

Based on the compositions and distributions of biomarkers in thirty-five representative oil samples, oils from the Tarim Basin of northwestern China are mainly divided into two oil families. One oil family contains relatively low amounts of C₁₅-C₂₀ isoprenoid hydrocarbons and shows pristane predominance with Pr/Ph ratios ranging from 1.50 to 3.00. The GC/MS analytical data of these oils show the occurrence of abundant hopanes, and low concentrations of steranes and tricyclic terpanes with hopanes/steranes ratios from 6.25 to 12.24 and tricyclic terpanes/hopanes ratios from 0.03 to 0.24. These oils contain low drimane relative to homodrimane (C₁₅/C₁₆ < 1.0) and abundant rearranged bicyclanes in bicyclic sesquiterpanes. They are dominated by low carbon number (C₁₉-C₂₁) compounds in the tricyclic terpanes, and are rich in rearranged hopanes, C₂₉Ts and an unknown C₃₀ compound in pentacyclic triterpanes. These geochemical characteristics suggest that the oils were generated mainly from terrigenous organic matter. The other oil family shows remarkably different biomarker compositions and distributions. The oils revealed Pr/Ph ratios of about 1.0, high drimane/homodrimane ratios (>1.0), low hopanes/steranes ratios (0.65–2.50), high tricyclic terpanes/hopanes ratios (0.30–2.00) and a dominant peak at C₂₃ in tricyclic tepanes, suggesting a marine organic origin. Oil-source rock correlation indicates that these two oil families seem to have been derived from Mesozoic Jurassic-Triassic terrestrial source rocks (shales and coal seams) and Lower Paleozoic Ordovician-Cambrian marine source rocks, respectively.     

松辽盆地西南部金D1井九佛堂组烃源岩地球化学特征

对松辽盆地西南部金宝屯-吉尔嘎朗地区金D1井九佛堂组烃源岩的有机地球化学、生物标志化合物特征进行了系统评价,结果表明：金D1井九佛堂组暗色泥岩为差-中等烃源岩,有机质类型为Ⅱ型干酪根,处于低熟-成熟阶段;正构烷烃以"前锋型"的单峰型分布为主,主峰碳数为C₁₈和C₁₉,奇偶碳优势不明显;Pr/Ph值介于0.24~0.46,伽玛蜡烷指数介于0.11~0.32,指示烃源岩形成于还原条件下淡-微咸水湖相沉积环境;C₂₇-C₂₈-C₂₉规则甾烷分布特征略有差异,反映有机质为混合来源.总体有机地球化学特征表明金D1井九佛堂组烃源岩具有一定的生烃潜力.     

Geochemical characteristics of saturate hydrocarbons in crude oils and source rocks of the Qaidam, Tarim, Tupran basins, NW China

Based on the systematic analyses of fifteen typical crude oils and ten typical potential source rocks col-lected from the Qaidam,Tarim and Turpan basins,Northwest China,the geochemical characteristics of the oils and source rocks were investigated and oil-source rock correlations undertaken.The oils and source rocks deposited in saline lacustrine environment from the western Qaidam Basin were characterized by n-alkanes with even car-bon-number preference in the C20-C28 range,low pristane/phytane(Pr/Ph) ratios(less than 0.5),and high abundances of C27 steranes,gammacerane and C35 hopanes.The oils and source rocks deposited in marine environment from the Tarim Basin were characterized by n-alkanes with even carbon-number preference in the C14-C18 range,relatively low Pr/Ph ratios(near to 1),high abundance of C28 steranes,and relatively high gammacerane.In contrast,the oils and source rocks deposited in terrigenous bog environment from the Turpan Basin were characterized by relatively high Pr/Ph ratios(oil samples greater than 6) high abundance of C29 steranes,and relatively low gammacerane and C31-35 hopanes.The higher amounts of C37 and C38 n-alkanes of source rocks from the western Qaidam Basin and the Tarim Basin suggest an origin of these alkanes from functionalized C37 and C38 n-alkadienes and alkenones in prymnesiophytes living in lacustrine and marine environments.Oil-source rock correlations suggest oils in the west-ern Qaidam Basin were derived from the Oligocene Lower Ganchaigou Formation(E3),oils in the Tabei and Tazhong uplifts from the Tarim Basin have a genetic relationship with the Middle-Upper Ordovician source beds.Oils in the Turpan Basin generally fall into two genetic types.Most oils in the Taibei depression from the Turpan Basin were derived from the Lower-Middle Jurassic coal measures,but the fewer oils in this region are a mixed source derived from the Lower-Middle Jurassic coal measure and the Upper Permian source rocks.     

Geochemical characteristics and genetic types of crude oils from Qinjiatun and Qikeshu oilfields in the Lishu Fault Depression,Songliao Basin,northeastern China

The Qinjiatun and Qikeshu oilfields are new Mesozoic petroleum exploration targets in Lishu Fault Depression of Songliao Basin, northeastern China. Currently, researches on geochemistry of crude oils from Qinjiatun and Qikeshu oilfields have not been performed and the genesis of oils is still uncertain. Based on bulk analyses, the crude oils in the Qinjiatun and Qikeshu oilfields of Lishu Fault Depression from the Lower Cretaceous can be classified as three types. TypeⅠoils, from Quantou and Denglouku formations of Qikeshu oilfield, are characterized by high C24tetracyclic terpane/C26tricyclic terpanes ratios, low gammacerance/C30hopane ratios, tricyclic terpanes/hopanes ratios, C29Ts/C29norhopane ratios and 17α(H)-diahopane/17α(H)-hopane ratios, indicating a brackish lacustrine facies. TypeⅡoils, from Shahezi Formation of Qikeshu oilfield show low C24tetracyclic terpane/C26tricyclic terpanes, high gammacerance/C30hopane ratios, tricyclic terpanes/hopanes ratios, C29Ts/C29 norhopane and C30diahopane/C30hopane ratios, thus suggesting that they originated from source rocks deposited in a weak reducing brackish lacustrine environment, or clay-rich sediments. Type oilsⅢ, from some wells of Qikeshu oilfield have geochemical characteristics intermediate between those two types and may be mixture of typeⅠand Ⅱoils.     

Charactristics of the Biomarkers from Nonmarine Crude Oils in China—A Review

The present paper deals with the biomarker characteristics of crude oils and source rocks from different environments(fresh,fresh-brackish and salt waters)of nonmarine depositional basins of different ages in China.Their characters are summarized as follows:1)Souce rocks and crude oils derived from fresh-water lacustrine facies have an odd/even predominance of n-alkanes and high pristine/phytane ratios.Oils from the fresh-water lacustrine facies differ from typical marine oils in the relative contents of total steranes and terpanes,the concentrations of hopanes and organic sul-phur compounds and the values of methylphenanthrene indices and C,H,S stable isotopes.2)The source rocks and crude oils derived from saline lacustrine facies possess an even/odd predominance of n-alkanes and high phytane/pristine ratios.There are also some differences between saline lacustrine oils and freshwater lacustrine oils in the concentrations of steranes,tricyclic terpanes and organic sulphur compounds,as well as in the values of methylphenanthrene indices and C,H,S stable isotopes.3)Oils derived from fresh-brackish water lake facies differ from oils from fresh-water lacustrine or samline lacustrine environments in respect of some biomarkers.According to the various distributions of these biomarkers,a number of geochemical parameters can be applied synthetically to differentiating and identifying the nature of original depositional environments of crude oils and source rocks and that of organisms-primary source materials present in those environments.     

北部湾盆地乌石凹陷流沙港组烃源岩地球化学特征

以大量烃源岩样品地球化学分析为基础,综合应用钻井以及地震等地质资料,从有机质丰度、类型、成熟度、母质来源、沉积环境以及生物标志物等方面对乌石凹陷流沙港组烃源岩地球化学特征进行了研究。研究结果表明,流三段发育于还原湖泊环境,有机质丰度较高,类型主要为Ⅱ1-Ⅱ2型;流二段沉积于弱还原至还原环境,有机质丰度最高,尤其是流二段油页岩基本为优质烃源岩,有机质类型以Ⅱ1-Ⅱ2型为主;流一段沉积于偏氧化性湖泊环境,有机质丰度最低,类型以Ⅱ2-Ⅲ型为主。依据烃源岩综合演化剖面,将其热演化过程划分为未成熟、低成熟、成熟和高成熟4个阶段,确定了烃源岩生烃门限深度为2900m,生烃高峰位于3600m。低伽马蜡烷指数显示流沙港组沉积时期水体为淡水环境,丰富的4-甲基甾烷表明水生低等植物对烃源岩母质来源有较大贡献。     

Characterization of the hydrogen isotopic composition of individual n-alkanes in terrestrial source rocks

In order to characterize the H isotopic compositions of individual lipid compounds from different terrestrial depositional environments, the δD values of C-bound H in individual n-alkanes from typical terrestrial source rocks of the Liaohe Basin and the Turpan Basin, China, were measured using gas chromatography–thermal conversion–isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC–TC–IRMS). The analytical results indicate that the δD values of individual n-alkanes in the extracts of terrestrial source rocks have a large variation, ranging from −140‰ to −250‰, and are obviously lighter than the δD of marine-sourced n-alkanes. Moreover, a trend of depletion in ²H(D) was observed for individual n-alkanes from different terrestrial depositional environments, from saline lacustrine to freshwater paralic lacustrine, and to swamp. For example, the δD values of n-alkanes from a stratified saline lacustrine environment vary from −140‰ to −200‰, δD for n-alkanes from swamp facies range from −200‰ to −250‰, while those from freshwater paralic lacustrine–lacustrine environments fall between the δD values of the end members. The shift toward lighter δD from saltwater to freshwater environments indicates that the source water δD is the major controlling factor for the H isotopic composition of individual compounds. In addition, H exchange between formation water and sedimentary organic matter may possibly be important in regard to the δD of individual n-alkanes. Therefore, other lines of geochemical evidence must be considered when depositional paleoenvironments of source rocks are reconstructed based on the H isotopic composition of individual n-alkanes.