吐哈盆地中下侏罗统源岩和油的生物标志物分布特征——饱和烃馏分

通过对吐哈盆地煤系地层中下侏罗统煤岩、炭质泥岩、原油饱和烃组分的有机组分分析,获得以下认识:具有共同的特征生物标志化合物:γ 羽扇烷、异降松香烷、C24 四环二萜烷、高丰度C29甾烷,表明它们具有相同的高等植物母质来源。较高Pr/Ph比值、以及γ 蜡烷相对丰度很低等指示环境的参数具有一致性,说明它们的早期沉积环境相同,都是水质偏淡的弱氧化—弱还原环境。甾烷异构化参数C29 ββ／（ββ＋αα）在研究的低演化煤岩及炭质泥岩(Ro:0.47~0.53)中显示明显的高比值（0.294~0.489）,显示岩样在成岩过程中曾遭受过比较强烈的微生物作用,因此,煤岩早期的微生物作用可能是煤系地层早期生烃的动因。     

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.     

Organic geochemical characteristics of crude oils from the Masila Basin, eastern Yemen

The Masila Basin is an important hydrocarbon province in Yemen, but the origin of hydrocarbons and their generation history are not fully understood. In this regard, 10 crude oils from different petroleum reservoir sections in the Masila Basin were characterized by a variety of biomarker and non-biomarker parameters using GC, GC-MS and stable carbon isotope techniques. Oils from the Masila Basin display pristane/phytane (Pr/Ph) ratios ranging from 1.7 to 2.0, low sulfur content, high C₃₅ homohopane index, relatively high C₂₇ sterane concentrations and relatively high tricyclic terpanes suggesting a marine clay source rock that was deposited in mildly anoxic to suboxic conditions with dominantly algal organic matter. C₂₉ 20S/(20S + 20R) steranes and ββ/(ββ + αα) sterane ratios indicate that the Masila oils have reached peak oil window maturity. Another related feature of these oils is the absence of 18α (H)-oleanane, which suggests a source age older than Cretaceous. The carbon isotope compositions are similar to those of the potential source rocks, which range from −25.4‰ to −28.3‰, indicating a marine environment. The new data presented in this paper suggest that the Masila oils constitute one oil family and that the oil originated from the Upper Jurassic Madbi source rock in the basin.     

银额盆地查干凹陷原油地化特征及油源对比

银额盆地东部查干凹陷首次发现轻质低硫成熟原油，其饱和径含量在90％以上，成熟度相当于镜煤反射率Ro1．0％左右，是生油高峰阶段的产物；原油全碳同位素δ^13C值－31．1‰。原油生物标志物中类异戊二烯含量较高，植烷与姥皖烷均势；三环萜烷含量高于五环萜烷；含有较高的TS C29、Ts、C30重排藿烷、伽马蜡烷；藿烷中以C50藿烷为主，C32以上升藿烷含量极低；孕甾烷含量高；甾烷中以C29甾烷为主，C27甾烷含量也较高，异胆甾烷含量高于胆甾烷；重排甾烷含量低；甾烷的含量与萜烷含量相当，是典型的湖相原油。已发现的天然气中甲烷含量达80％，为湿气。原油和源岩生物标志物组成特征分析对比表明下白垩统巴音戈壁组源岩是主要油源岩。生物标志物特征示原油具有一定的运移效应。     

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.     

塔里木盆地一类新海相原油的地球化学特征

对塔中52等井奥陶系储层产出的原油进行的分析结果表明,它们的三环萜烷系列较为特殊,主要表现为其相对丰度呈C19>C20>C21>C23>C24>C25>C26阶梯状的模式,C24四环萜烷异常丰富,且其丰度远高于C26三环萜烷,这一分布模式一般出现在淡水沼泽相和浅湖相沉积地层与原油中。在三萜烷分布特征上,其伽马蜡烷含量很低,甾烷系列和藿烷系列的分布与组成特征与该地区来源于中上奥陶统烃源岩的海相原油十分接近,同时它们的全油均具有轻的碳同位素组成,其δ13Ｃ值都小于-30‰,具有海相成因原油的特征。而塔中12井上奥陶统良里塔格组4-5段烃源岩中生物标志物的分析结果进一步证实了该类原油与那些富含宏观藻残片,且有机质类型偏腐殖型的上奥陶统海相烃源岩关系密切,是该地区油气勘探中值得关注的对象。      

崖城地区渐新统不同沉积相带烃源岩生物标志物组合特征及其烃源意义

基于40余个不同岩性烃源岩及原油饱和烃组分的GC/MS和GC/MS/MS分析资料,揭示了琼东南盆地崖城地区渐新统不同沉积相带烃源岩的生物标志物组合特征,并与崖城油气田原油进行油源精细对比,提出了新的认识。研究结果表明,海岸平原沼泽相煤及碳质泥岩呈姥鲛烷优势(Pr/Ph>5.0),三环萜烷以低碳数化合物为主(C₁₉/C₂₃>3.0),甾烷丰度低(藿烷/甾烷>5.0), C₂₉甾烷优势显著(>60%),指示高等植物为主要的有机源,且沉积于氧化环境。浅海相泥岩中Pr/Ph值大多在1.0~2.5,表征弱还原-弱氧化环境;其三环萜烷以C₂₁或C₂₃为主峰,甾烷呈"V"字型分布,藿烷/甾烷比值小于3.0,具陆源和水生双重有机质生源。煤及碳质泥岩中奥利烷和双杜松烷等陆源标志物均较少,而泥岩中却普遍富含这些化合物,反映了近岸海相沉积有机质的特殊性。因而,在近海盆地地层中奥利烷和双杜松烷丰度并不能代表总体有机质中陆源的输入比例,更可能是指相标志。通过与烃源岩的分子地球化学对比表明,崖城油气田的主体原油兼具煤成烃和泥岩所生油的生物标志物组成,为混源油,来自渐新统不同沉积相带烃源岩。     

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.     

柴达木盆地北缘侏罗系两类不同有机质丰度泥岩的 生物标志物特征对比研究

在柴达木盆地北缘地区,分别选取有机碳含量很低和较高的侏罗系泥岩样品,对比分析了它们在生物标志物组成上的差异。结果发现,高有机质丰度泥岩的生标组成与我国西北地区侏罗纪煤系有机质的特征差异不大,相比而言,低有机质丰度泥岩的正烷烃以前主峰为特征,Pr/Ph比值在1.0左右,三环萜烷和伽马蜡烷丰度较高,并在部分样品中检出了25 降藿烷系列。结合泥岩的有机岩石学特征,认为这些差异可能反映了泥岩沉积环境和生烃母质的不同:高有机质丰度泥岩的有机显微组分以相对弱还原条件下的形态有机质为主,包括藻类体、孢子体和角质体等,而低有机质丰度泥岩的有机显微组分以相对强还原条件下的矿物沥青基质为主,其母质可能来源于低等显微菌藻类。进一步通过对比不同有机质丰度泥岩,以及区内原油生标组成之间的相互关系,讨论了研究区的油源问题。     

Molecular correlation of crude oils and oil components from reservoir rocks in the Tazhong and Tabei uplifts of the Tarim Basin, China

Molecular data from a large set of source rock, crude oil and oil-containing reservoir rock samples from the Tarim Basin demonstrate multiple sources for the marine oils in the studied areas of this basin. Based on gammacerane/C₃₁ hopane and C₂₈/(C₂₇ + C₂₈ + C₂₉) sterane ratios, three of the fifteen crude oils from the Tazhong Uplift correlate with Cambrian-Lower Ordovician source rocks, while the other crude oils from the Tazhong Uplift and all 39 crude oils from the Tahe oilfield in the Tabei Uplift correlate with Middle-Upper Ordovician source rocks. These two ratios further demonstrate that most of the free oils and nearly all of the adsorbed and inclusion oils in oil-containing reservoir rocks from the Tazhong Uplift correlate with Cambrian-Lower Ordovician source rocks, while the free and inclusion oils in oil-containing carbonates from the Tahe oilfield correlate mainly with Middle-Upper Ordovician source rocks. This result suggests that crude oils in the Tazhong Uplift are partly derived from the Cambrian-Lower Ordovician source rocks while those in the Ordovician carbonate reservoirs of Tahe oilfield are overwhelmingly derived from the Middle-Upper Ordovician source rocks.The scatter of C₂₃ tricyclic terpane/(C₂₃ tricyclic terpane + C₃₀ 17α,21β(H)-hopane) and C₂₁/(C₂₁ + ΣC₂₉) sterane ratios for the free and inclusion oils from oil-containing carbonates in the Tahe oilfield possibly reflects the subtle organofacies variations in the source rocks, implying that the Ordovician reservoirs in this oilfield are near the major source kitchen. In contrast, the close and positive relationship between these two ratios for oil components in the oil-containing reservoir rocks from the Tazhong Uplift implies that they are far from the major source kitchen.     

Diversities in biomarker compositions of Carboniferous–Permian humic coals in the Ordos Basin,China

The molecular composition of Carboniferous–Permian coals in the maturity range from 0.66 to 1.63% vitrinite reflectance has been analysed using organic geochemistry to investigate the factors influencing the biomarker compositions of humic coals. The Carboniferous–Permian coal has a variable organofacies and is mainly humic-prone. There is a significant difference in the distribution of saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons in these coals, which can be divided into three types. The Group A coals have biomarker compositions typical of humic coal, characterised by high Pr/Ph ratios, a lower abundance of tricyclic terpanes with a decreasing distribution from C₁₉ tricyclic terpane to C₂₄ tricyclic terpane and a high number of terrigenous-related biomarkers, such as C₂₄ tetracyclic terpane and C₂₉ steranes. The biomarker composition of Group B coals, which were deposited in a suboxic environment, have a higher abundance of rearranged hopanes than observed in Group A coals. In contrast, in Group C coals, the Pr/Ph ratio is less than 1.0, and the sterane and terpane distributions are very different from those in groups A and B. Group C coals generally have abnormally abundant tricyclic terpanes with a normal distribution maximising at the C₂₃ peak; C₂₇ steranes predominates in the m/z 217 mass fragmentograms. The relationships between biomarker compositions, thermal maturity, Pr/Ph ratios and depositional environments, indicate that the biomarker compositions of Carboniferous–Permian coals in Ordos Basin are mainly related to their depositional environment. This leads to the conclusion that the biomarker compositions of groups A and B coals collected from Shanxi and Taiyuan formations in the northern Ordos Basin are mainly related to their marine–terrigenous transitional environment, whereas the biomarker compositions for the Group C coals from Carboniferous strata and Shanxi Formation in the eastern Ordos Basin are associated with marine incursions.     

柴达木盆地北缘侏罗系不同沉积环境烃源岩生物标志物特征及其应用

柴达木盆地北缘地区侏罗系(中下侏罗统)的优质烃源岩主要发育于湖相与三角洲相环境。研究了不同时代、不同沉积环境中烃源岩的生物标志物组成特征,结果发现,有3类化合物的分布与组成差异显著,包括三环萜烷(C19、C20、C21)的分布型式、重排藿烷的丰度以及规则甾烷的相对组成。其中,不同时代的差异主要体现在规则甾烷组成上;而不同沉积环境的差异主要体现为三环萜烷(C19、C20、C21)的分布型式及重排藿烷的丰度。分析认为,这些差异与烃源岩的沉积环境及其生源组成有密切关系。据此,初步将这些参数应用于两方面研究,一是为划分地层沉积环境提供“生物标志物相标志”,二是研究油源对比,取得良好效果。因此,本文研究结果具有重要实用价值与参考意义。     

Biomarker signatures from Neoproterozoic–Early Cambrian oil,western India

The Neoproterozoic–Early Cambrian time is the cradle of multicellular, eukaryotic life and thereafter metazoan life started populating the planet. Biomarkers, which record the chronicles of biotic events on Earth, have been investigated using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry from a suite of nine oil samples extracted from oil stained sediments and a crude oil of Neoproterozoic–Early Cambrian age from Bikaner-Nagaur Basin, western India. The biomarker distribution is characterized by high concentration of both tricyclic terpanes and pentacyclic hopanes. The predominance of C₂₉ regular sterane over C₂₇ and C₂₈ steranes indicates green algal contribution and may imply the prominence and diversification of the same algal group. The low pristane/phytane ratio and occurrence of substantial quantity of gammacerane, monomethyl 2-methyl-2-(2,4,8-trimethyltridecyl) chroman and 1,1,7,8-tetramethyl-1,2,3,4 tetrahydrophenanthrene are indicative of stratified water column as well as anoxic and enhanced salinity condition of the environment of deposition. This paper reports for the first time the presence of methyltrimethyltridecyl chromans (MTTCs) from Neoproterozoic–Early Cambrian time. Putative C₁₉ norsteranes, probably indicative of sponge input, are recorded in the studied samples and also reported from other infracambrian oils and sediments. Normal alkanes (n-C₁₇ and n-C₁₈) and isoprenoids (pristane and phytane) are highly depleted in δ¹³C. The overall biomarker distribution and carbon isotope data of oils from Bikaner-Nagaur Basin show similarities with those of other infracambrian oils like Huqf oils from Oman and Baykit High oils from eastern Siberia.     

冀中坳陷苏桥-文安地区混源油定量识别模式研究--典型原油混合实验及混源油识别模式

通过典型原油混合实验及其产物的地球化学剖析,揭示当煤成油和下第三系原油混合时,随着下第三系原油的增加,C₁₉三环萜烷,C₂₄四环萜烷,C₃₀重排藿烷,C₂₉甾烷和重排甾烷逐渐变小;而姥鲛烷和植烷,伽马蜡烷和C27甾烷含量则逐渐增加。利用饱和烃生物标志物和芳烃化合物绝对浓度的变化规律,建立了冀中坳陷苏桥-文安地区混源油定量识别模式图版。根据混源油识别的模式,判断苏49井的混源油是由10%的下第三系原油和90%的煤成油混合而成;相反文1021井混源油则是由90%的下第三系原油和10%的煤成油混合而成。     

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.     

酒西坳陷部分原油生物标记物特征异常分析

酒西坳陷大部分原油的生物标记物分布特征较单一,主要表现为三环萜烷、降新藿烷、C30重排藿烷和重排甾烷不发育,伽玛蜡烷相对比较发育,C29甾烷异构化参数较低,一般在0.45~0.5之间,尚未达异构化终点,反映其源岩成熟度并不高。此类原油主要源于青西凹陷下沟组沉积于较强还原环境的藻纹层泥质白云岩。此外,酒西坳陷还发现了部分在生物标记物特征上有别于该区“主体原油”的原油,其表现为三环萜烷、C29Ts、C30重排藿烷和重排甾烷、伽玛蜡烷相对比较发育,而且部分原油(如窿8井、窿4井和窿10井原油)成熟度较高,甾烷C2920S/(20S+20R)值高达0.56~0.58(已达异构化终点),属酒西坳陷成熟度最高的原油,特别是这些原油中绝大部分的C29ββ/(ββ+αα)值也高于“主体原油”,表明其经受了较长距离的运移。根据生物标记物所反映的沉积环境和生源前身物分析以及将其与酒东坳陷主要源于赤金堡组的原油的比较结果,认为在酒西坳陷中,这部分相对于“主体原油”而言的生标特征异常原油可能源于青西凹陷深部的赤金堡组,这一认识对酒泉盆地的深层油气勘探具有实际指导意义。     

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.     

Organic geochemistry of the oils from the southern geological Province of Cuba

The aliphatic hydrocarbon composition (acyclic isoprenoids, hopanoids and steroids) of oils from the most productive fields in the southern geological Province of Cuba have been studied. This province is defined by its position with respect to the Cretaceous overthrust belt generated during the formation of oceanic crust along the axis of the proto-Caribbean Basin. The relative abundances of 18α(H)-22,29,30-trisnorneohopane, gammacerane and diasteranes suggest that Pina oils are related to the carbonate oils from the Placetas Unit in the northern province (low T_s/(T_s+T_m) and C_27,29 rr/(rr+sd) ratios). The Cristales and Jatibonico oils exhibit some differentiating features such as higher T_s/(T_s+T_m) and absence of gammacerane. The oils from this province do not exhibit significant differences in either hopane, C₃₂ 22S/(S+R) and C₃₀ αβ/(αβ+βα), or sterane, C₂₉ αα 20S/(S+R), maturity ratios. However, the relative content of 5α(H),14β(H),17β(H)-cholestanes (C₂₉ ββ/(ββ+αα) ratio) indicates that Pina oils are more mature than Cristales and Jatibonico oils. Several of these oils (Cristales, Jatibonico and Pina 26) are heavily biodegraded, lacking n-alkanes, norpristane, pristane and phytane (the two former oils do not contain acyclic isoprenoid hydrocarbons). Other biodegradation products, the 25-norhopanes, are found in all the oils. Their occurrence is probably due to mixing of severely biodegraded oil residues with undegraded crude oils during accumulation in the reservoir.     

Geochemical characteristics of crude oils from Well Zheng-1 in the Junggar Basin, Xinjiang, China

Well Zheng-1 is located in the combined area of the central uplift and the north Tianshan piedmont depression in the Junggar Basin. Two oil-bearing beds are recognized at 4788–4797 m of the Lower Cretaceous Tugulu Formation (K1tg) and 4808.5–4812.5 m of the Lower Jurassic Sangonghe Formation (J1s). The geochemical characteristics of family composition, carbon isotopic composition, saturated hydrocarbons, sterane and terpane biomarkers and carotane of two crude oils are described in this paper. The results show that the geochemical characteristics of the two crude oils are basically similar to each other, indicating they were all derived mainly from the high mature, brine, algae-rich lake facies sediments. Oil-source correlation revealed that crude oils of the two beds were derived mainly from the source rocks of Permian and mixed by the oil derived from the source rocks of Jurassic and Triassic. This is consistent with the geological background with several sets of source rocks in the area studied.