Quantitative assessment of gas washing of oils in the Tazhong area of the Tarim Basin,Northwest China

Gas washing has been known in the Tazhong area of the Tarim Basin, but its quantitative assessment has not yet been reported. Here the influence of gas washing fractionation in the area was discussed based on the gas chromatogram data of 68 oils and the results of the mixing experiments of a black oil and a condensate. The results show that the intensity of gas washing fractionation decreased generally from northern to southern part and vertically from deep reservoirs to shallow reservoirs. The gas washing fractionation was mainly controlled by fault systems in this area, with the increase of n-alkane mass depletion positively correlated to the number and scale of faults. Gas washing fractionation appears to have affected the hydrocarbon property, and as a result the diversity of the crude oils is markedly controlled by gas washing. In addition, the occurrence of waxy oil in this area may be resulted from multiple factors including gas washing, mixed filling and migration fractionation. Supported by National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2006CB202303) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40672091)     

Geochemical characteristics of Tertiary Sagara oil from an active forearc basin, Shizuoka, Japan

Abstract   The Sagara oil field is located in the Neogene Kakegawa Basin, close to the Izu collision zone at the junction between the main Japanese Islands and the Izu–Bonin Arc. The Sagara oil field is one of the few oil fields situated in a forearc basin on the Pacific side of Japan and is present in a sedimentary basin with poor oil-generating potential. Several crude oils from Sagara oil field were investigated to infer their origin. Organic geochemical characteristics of Sagara oils showed the influences of light biodegradation, migration-contamination, and migration-fractionation. The maturity levels of Sagara oils evaluated based on abundant alkylnaphthalenes corresponded to 0.9–1.2% vitrinite reflectance. Sagara oils were characterized by significant amounts of higher plant biomarkers, a high pristane/phytane ratio and an absence of organic sulphur compounds, suggesting a siliciclastic source rock deposited under nearshore to fluvial–deltaic environments. Numerous faults and fractures in the active forearc basin provided excellent conduits and facilitated upward migration of light hydrocarbons generated at greater depth in the Kakegawa Basin.     

Formation mechanism and geochemical characteristics of shallow natural gas in heavy oil province,China

Shallow gas reservoirs are distributed widely in Chinese heavy oil-bearing basins.At present,shallow gas resources have opened up giant potentials.The previous researches indicate the intimate genetic relationship between shallow gas and heavy oil.Shallow gas resources are generated from crude oil degraded by anaerobic microscopic organism,it belongs to biogenic gas family of secondary genesis, namely heavy oil degraded gas.Shallow gas resources are usually distributed in the upward position or the vicinity of heavy oil reservoirs.They are mainly of dry gas,which are composed of methane and only tiny C2 heavy hydrocarbon and relatively higher contents of nitrogen gas.Generally,methane isotopes are light,whose values are between biogenic gas and thermal cracking gas.Ethane isotopes are heavy,which mixed possibly with thermogenic gas.Carbon dioxide bear the characteristics of very heavy carbon isotope,so carbon isotopic fractionation effects are very obvious on the process of microscopic organism degradation crude oil.The heavy oil degraded gas formation,a very complex geological,geochemical and microbiological geochemical process,is the result of a series of reactions of organic matter-microbes and water-hydrocarbon,which is controlled by many factors.     

Overpressure development and oil charging in the central Junggar Basin,Northwest China: Implication for petroleum exploration

The Junggar Basin is one of the largest and most petroliferous superimposed petroleum basins in China. The central depression area has become the frontier field for petroleum exploration. The characteristics of potential source rocks and reservoir sandstones, and the pressure regime in the central Junggar Basin were studied. Permian shales are dominated by hydrogen-rich, oil-prone algal organic matter, and Jurassic mudstones are dominated by hydrogen-poor, higher-plant derived organic matter. These source rocks are widespread and have been mature for hydrocarbon generation, suggesting good to excellent exploration potential, both for crude oils and for natural gases. The deeply buried Jurassic sandstones usually have low porosity and permeability. However, sandstones beneath the Jurassic/Cretaceous unconformity display relatively high porosity and permeability, suggesting that meteoric water leaching had improved the quality of the sandstones. Overpressure developed over much of the central Junggar Basin. The overpressured rocks are characterized by slightly increased interval transit time, low sandstone permeability, increased organic matter maturity, and high relative hydrocarbon-gas contents. Mudstones in the overpressured system have quite the same clay mineral compositions as mudstones in the lower part of the normally pressured system. Overpressure generation in the central Junggar Basin is best to be explained as the result of hydrocarbon generation and fluid retention in low-permeability rocks. Petroleum generated from Permian and Jurassic source rocks could migrate laterally through preferential petroleum migration pathways and accumulated in structural traps or lithological traps in the overpressured system, or migrate vertically through faults/hydraulic fractures into the overlying, normally pressured system and accumulate in structural or lithological traps. Therefore, commercial petroleum reservoirs could be potentially found in both the overpressured system, and in the normally pressured system.     

Genetic features of gas-condensate reservoirs in the Kekeya Field,southwest depression in the Tarim Basin,China

Oils, condensates and natural gases in the Kekeya Field, southeast depression of the Tarim Basin were studied for their geochemical characteristics. According to the distribution analysis of the C₂/C₃ values with C₁/C₂ values, C₂/C₃ values with C₁/C₃ values, as well as C₂/C₃ values with dryness index, there are two different types of natural gases in the studied field, which are spatially regularly distributed. One is the oil cracking gas, located on shallow reservoirs over X ²₅ reservoir, namely Upper oil legs; the other is kerogen cracking gas, located on X ²₇ reservoirs, X₈ reservoirs and E₂ k reservoirs, namely Lower oil legs. In addition, the distribution patterns of molar concentration of oils and condensates with different carbon numbers of the n-alkanes in the Kekeya Field indicate that the crude oils have experienced several kinds of secondary alterations, which were closely related to the charging of gaseous hydrocarbons after petroleum accumulation. These results indicate that, based on the research of δ ¹³C values of individual hydrocarbons, heptane values and isoheptane values of light hydrocarbons and aromatic maturity parameters for oils, condensates and natural gases, oils and gases were charged at different geological time in the Kekeya Field.

     

Hydrogen isotopic compositions, distributions and source signals of individual n-alkanes for some typical crude oils in Lunnan Oilfield, Tarim Basin, NW China

Petroleum mainly comprises carbon and hydrogen elements. The stable carbon isotopic analysis for whole oil was undertaken as early as the 1930s. After decades, the stable carbon isotopic analytical methods have been developed from analysis for whole oil and oil fractions (e.g., saturated, aromatic and polar frac-tions) into compound-specific isotopic analysis with the emergence of the newly developed GC-C-IRMS analytical technique. Especially, by using com-pound-specific isotopic analytical…     

Genetic features of gas-condensate reservoirs in the Kekeya Field,southwest depression in the Tarim Basin,China

Oils, condensates and natural gases in the Kekeya Field, southeast depression of the Tarim Basin were studied for their geochemical characteristics. According to the distribution analysis of the C₂/C₃ values with C₁/C₂ values, C₂/C₃ values with C₁/C₃ values, as well as C₂/C₃ values with dryness index, there are two different types of natural gases in the studied field, which are spatially regularly distributed. One is the oil cracking gas, located on shallow reservoirs over X ₅ ² reservoir, namely Upper oil legs; the other is kerogen cracking gas, located on X ₇ ² reservoirs, X₈ reservoirs and E₂ k reservoirs, namely Lower oil legs. In addition, the distribution patterns of molar concentration of oils and condensates with different carbon numbers of the n-alkanes in the Kekeya Field indicate that the crude oils have experienced several kinds of secondary alterations, which were closely related to the charging of gaseous hydrocarbons after petroleum accumulation. These results indicate that, based on the research of δ ¹³C values of individual hydrocarbons, heptane values and isoheptane values of light hydrocarbons and aromatic maturity parameters for oils, condensates and natural gases, oils and gases were charged at different geological time in the Kekeya Field.     

Formation mechanism and geochemical characteristics of shallow natural gas in heavy oil province,China

Shallow gas reservoirs are distributed widely in Chinese heavy oil-bearing basins. At present, shallow gas resources have opened up giant potentials. The previous researches indicate the intimate genetic relationship between shallow gas and heavy oil. Shallow gas resources are generated from crude oil degraded by anaerobic microscopic organism, it belongs to biogenic gas family of secondary genesis, namely heavy oil degraded gas. Shallow gas resources are usually distributed in the upward position or the vicinity of heavy oil reservoirs. They are mainly of dry gas, which are composed of methane and only tiny C ₂ ⁺ heavy hydrocarbon and relatively higher contents of nitrogen gas. Generally, methane isotopes are light, whose values are between biogenic gas and thermal cracking gas. Ethane isotopes are heavy, which mixed possibly with thermogenic gas. Carbon dioxide bear the characteristics of very heavy carbon isotope, so carbon isotopic fractionation effects are very obvious on the process of microscopic organism degradation crude oil. The heavy oil degraded gas formation, a very complex geological, geochemical and microbiological geochemical process, is the result of a series of reactions of organic matter-microbes and water-hydrocarbon, which is controlled by many factors.     

Oil source analysis of Upper Tertiary Shawan Formation in Chepaizi area,in the northwest margin of Junggar basin

Well che89, located in the Chepaizi area in the northwest margin of Junggar basin, acquires high production industrial oil flow, which is an important breakthrough in the exploration of the south foreland slope area of Junggar basin. The Chepaizi area is near two hydrocarbon generation depressions of Sikeshu and Shawan, which have sets of hydrocarbon source rock of Carboniferous to Jurassic as well as Upper Tertiary. Geological and geochemical parameters are proper for the accumulation of mixed source crude oil. Carbon isotope, group composition and biomarkers of crude oil in Upper Tertiary of well Che89 show that the features of crude oil in Upper Tertiary Shawan Formation are between that of Permian and Jurassic, some of them are similar to these two, and some are of difference, they should be the mixed source of Permian and Jurassic. Geochemical analysis and geological study show that sand extract of Lower Tertiary Wulunguhe Formation has the same source as the crude oil and sand extract of Upper Tertiary Shawan Formation, but they are not charged in the same period. Oil/gas of Wulunguhe Formation is charged before Upper Tertiary sedimentation, and suffered serious biodegradation and oxidation and rinsing, which provide a proof in another aspect that the crude oil of Upper Tertiary Shawan Formation of well Che89 is not from hydrocarbon source rock of Lower Tertiary.     

Formation mechanism and geochemical characteristics of shallow natural gas in heavy oil province,China

Shallow gas reservoirs are distributed widely in Chinese heavy oil-bearing basins. At present, shallow gas resources have opened up giant potentials. The previous researches indicate the intimate genetic relationship between shallow gas and heavy oil. Shallow gas resources are generated from crude oil degraded by anaerobic microscopic organism, it belongs to biogenic gas family of secondary genesis, namely heavy oil degraded gas. Shallow gas resources are usually distributed in the upward position or the vicinity of heavy oil reservoirs. They are mainly of dry gas, which are composed of methane and only tiny C ⁺₂ heavy hydrocarbon and relatively higher contents of nitrogen gas. Generally, methane isotopes are light, whose values are between biogenic gas and thermal cracking gas. Ethane isotopes are heavy, which mixed possibly with thermogenic gas. Carbon dioxide bear the characteristics of very heavy carbon isotope, so carbon isotopic fractionation effects are very obvious on the process of microscopic organism degradation crude oil. The heavy oil degraded gas formation, a very complex geological, geochemical and microbiological geochemical process, is the result of a series of reactions of organic matter-microbes and water-hydrocarbon, which is controlled by many factors.

     

Oil source analysis of Upper Tertiary Shawan Formation in Chepaizi area,in the northwest margin of Junggar basin

Well che89, located in the Chepaizi area in the northwest margin of Junggar basin, acquires high production industrial oil flow, which is an important breakthrough in the exploration of the south foreland slope area of Junggar basin. The Chepaizi area is near two hydrocarbon generation depressions of Sikeshu and Shawan, which have sets of hydrocarbon source rock of Carboniferous to Jurassic as well as Upper Tertiary. Geological and geochemical parameters are proper for the accumulation of mixed source crude oil. Carbon isotope, group composition and biomarkers of crude oil in Upper Tertiary of well Che89 show that the features of crude oil in Upper Tertiary Shawan Formation are between that of Permian and Jurassic, some of them are similar to these two, and some are of difference, they should be the mixed source of Permian and Jurassic. Geochemical analysis and geological study show that sand extract of Lower Tertiary Wulunguhe Formation has the same source as the crude oil and sand extract of Upper Tertiary Shawan Formation, but they are not charged in the same period. Oil/gas of Wulunguhe Formation is charged before Upper Tertiary sedimentation, and suffered serious biodegradation and oxidation and rinsing, which provide a proof in another aspect that the crude oil of Upper Tertiary Shawan Formation of well Che89 is not from hydrocarbon source rock of Lower Tertiary.

     

Formation mechanisms of heavy oils in the Liaohe Western Depression,Bohai Gulf Basin

The Liaohe Oilfield in the Liaohe Western Depression of the Bohai Gulf Basin is the third-largest oil producing province and the largest heavy oil producing oilfield in China. A total of 65 oil samples,35 rock samples and 36 reservoir sandstone samples were collected and analyzed utilizing conventional geochemical and biogeochemical approaches to unravel the mechanisms of the formation of the heavy oils. Investigation of the oils with the lowest maturity compared with the oils in the Gaosheng and Niuxintuo oilfields indicates no apparent relation between the maturity and physical properties of the heavy oils. It is suggested that the heavy oil with primary origin is not likely the main mechanism re-sponsible for the majority of the heavy oils in the Liaohe Western Slope. The absence and/or depletion of n-alkanes etc.,with relatively low molecular weight and the occurrence of 25-norhopane series in the heavy oils as well as the relatively high acidity of the oils all suggest that the majority of the heavy oils once experienced secondary alteration. The fingerprints of the total scanning fluorescence (TSF) of the inner adsorbed hydrocarbons on the reservoir grains and the included hydrocarbons in fluid inclusions are similar to that of the normal oils in the area but are different from the outer adsorbed and reser-voired free oils at present,further indicating that most of the heavy oils are secondary in origin. Analyses of bacteria (microbes) in 7 oil samples indicate that anaerobic and hyperthermophilic Ar-chaeoglobus sp. are the dominant microbes relevant to oil biodegradation,which coincides with the shallow commercial gas reservoirs containing anaerobic bacteria derived gas in the Gaosheng and Leijia teotonic belts. The biodegradation most likely occurs at the water/oil interface,where the forma-tion water is essential for microbe removal and nutrient transportation. We think that biodegradation,water washing and oxidization are interrelated and are the main mechanisms for the formation of the heavy oils. Biodegradation was the predominant process with water washing being a prerequisite,and oxidization acting as a metabolic manifestation. This study provides unique approaches for further investigation of the formation mechanisms of heavy oils in general,and may provide some important insight for the exploration of shallow biogas in the area.     

High molecular weight (C_(35)~+) n-alkanes of high-waxy condensate and its source kitchen orientation in the Qianmiqiao burial-hill zone, Bohai Gulf Basin

Copyright by Science in China Press 2004 High-waxy condensate is a kind of special hy-drocarbon resources, i.e., the high molecular weight (HMW) alkanes, which usually appear in a solid wax fraction under normal temperature and pressure, but are dissolved by hydrocarbon gas as a high-waxy condensate of single gaseous phase under subsurface high temperature and pressure. Nevertheless, once produced in an oil-gas well, the subsurface condensate flows into the well-bottom, and then immediately …     

Composition of the water accommodated fractions as a function of exposure times and temperatures

The water accommodated fractions (WAFs) of nine oils in seawater have been studied. The oils range from light condensate to heavy crude, and include one highly biodegraded oil and one very wax rich oil. This study has identified large variations in the chemical composition of WAFs, depending on oil type, temperature, and mixing time. Experiments at different temperatures (2-13 °C) showed that it takes longer time to reach equilibrium at the lowest temperatures, and that this varies for the different oil types. Oils with higher pour point (wax rich oils) need a longer time to establish WAF in equilibrium than oils with lower pour points (naphthenic oils). At 13 °C a mixing time of 48 h, as recommended in standard procedures, seems to be sufficient for asphalthenic and paraffinic oils. The results demonstrated that for WAF prepared from an unknown oil, or at lower temperatures, different mixing times should be tested. Since the WAF often is used in toxicity testing, the toxicity might be underestimated if the mixing time is too short.     

Organism relics or kerogens in oils as oil-source rock correlation indicator

Organism relics or kerogens in oils are first obsenred by a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) and a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The complexes of kerogens in oils are characterized by the presence of a great variety of microfossils or macerals. These kerogens in oils are mainly the residues of the original organic substances from which oil formed, and minor kerogens from enclosing rocks enter the oils, therefore, the components and types of the kerogens in crude oils can serve as an indirect indicator of oil-source rock correlation. This method was applied to Jurassic oils in the Junggar Basin and the Turpan-Hami Basin, and there are two types of the kerogens in oils: one containing a lot of macerals from terrestrial plants may derive from coals, and the other, characterized by a high content of microscopic algae, fungus spores and Acritarch, may originate from Permian organic matter. In addition, the reflectance of the vitrodetrinites in oils can be used as an indicator of oil-source rock correlation.     

Study of genetic evolution of oil inclusion and density of surface oil by measurement of fluorescence lifetime of crude oil and oil inclusion

By using fluorescence lifetime image microscope (FLIM) and time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) technique, we measured fluorescence lifetime of crude oils with density of 0.9521–0.7606 g/cm³ and multiple petroleum inclusions from Tazhong uplift of Tarim Basin. As indicated by the test results, crude oil density is closely correlated with average fluorescence lifetime following the regression equation Y=–0.0319X+0.9411, which can thus be used to calculate density of oil inclusions in relation to fluorescence lifetime and density of corresponding surface crude. For type A oil inclusions showing brown-yellow fluorescence from Tazhong 1 well in Tarim Basin, their average fluorescence lifetime was found to be 2.144–2.765 ns, so the density of surface crude corresponding to crude trapping these oil inclusions is 0.852–0.873 g/cm³, indicating that they are matured oil inclusions trapped at earlier stage of oil formation. For type B oil inclusions with light yellow-white fluorescence, their average fluorescence lifetime was found to be 4.029–4.919 ns, so the density of surface crude corresponding to crude trapping these oil inclusions is 0.784–0.812 g/cm³, indicating that they are higher matured oil inclusions trapped at the second stage of oil formation. For type C oil inclusions showing light blue-green fluorescence, their average fluorescence lifetime was found to be 5.063–6.168 ns, so the density of surface crude corresponding to crude trapping these oil inclusions is 0.743–0.779 g/cm³, indicating that they are highly-matured light oil inclusions trapped at the third stage of oil formation.     

Carbon isotope characteristics,origin and distribution of the natural gases from the Tertiary salty lacustrine facies in the West Depression Region in the Qaidam Basin

Since the Meso-Cenozoic, controlled by paleoclimate, a series of fresh to brackish water basins and salt to semi-salt water basins were developed in wet climatic zones and in dry climate zones in China, respectively[1]. The geological and geochemical char…     

Coal-generated oil in Tuha Basin

The Turpan-Harmi (abbreviated to Tuha below) Basin is a typical basin of coal-generated oil accumulation in China. The Middle-Lower Jurassic coal measures are considered the main source beds. Hence, both desmocollinite and suberinite are considered the contributors for coal-generated oil. Principal geochemical features of the crude oil in the Tuha Basin are rich in alkanes (70%—80%), high pristane/phytane ratio (6—8), abundant heavy carbon isotope (δ¹³C PDB= -26%–-23%) and absolute GP sterane predominance. The hydrocarbon generation process from the coal series is characterized by multistages, early generation and early expulsion.     

Differentiating depositional environments and maturity of crude oils using GC-AED benzothiophenic spectra

Organosulfur compounds of crude oils and light oils (condensates), collected from ten Chinese petroleumbearing basins and representing different sedimentary environments, were analyzed and identified using a newly-developed GC-AED technique. The results show that the distributions of organosulfur compounds of crude oils from different sedimentary environments are of obvious difference. The crude oils from marine carbonates are rich in organosulfur compounds and those from the source rocks in an ocean-land interchanging facies and a littoral facies have a high abundance of organosulfur compounds, while no or less organosulfur compounds of crude oils from a fresh-water lacustrine facies and a swamp facies were detected in the detectable abundance range of the instrument. This analysis gives a new effective method for oil-source correlation. We also tried to relate the various parameters of benzothiophenic compounds of crude oils with the methane carbon isotope of associated natural gases to discuss the thermoevolutionary degree of crude oils and natural gases.     

Double Difference Location of the Mainshock and Aftershocks of the Hutubi MS6.2 Earthquake That Occurred on December 8, 2016

The mainshock and aftershocks of the Hutubi M_S6.2 earthquake on December 8, 2016 were relocated by applying the double difference method, and we relocated 477 earthquakes in the Hutubi region.The earthquake relocation results show that the aftershocks are distributed in the east-west direction towards the north side of the southern margin of the Junggar Basin fault, and are mainly distributed in the western region of the mainshock. The distance between the mainshock after relocation and the southern margin of the Junggar Basin fault is obviously shortened. Combined with the focal mechanism and the spatial distribution of the mainshock and aftershocks, it is inferred that the southern margin of the Junggar Basin fault is the main seismogenic structure of the Hutubi earthquake.