Correlation of crude oils with their oil source formation,using high resolution GLC C6-C7 component analyses

A new method has been devised, based on high resolution GLC component analyses of the C₆-C₇ hydrocarbons from shales and from crude oils, whereby composition parameters in an oil are compared with the corresponding parameters in a shale. Ideally, a given composition parameter should have the same value for a crude oil and the source rock which generated and expelled that crude oil. A Similarity Coefficient has been devised, to measure the degree of correlation between crude oil and source rock hydrocarbons or between the hydrocarbons from different groups of crude oils. The maximum value of the Similarity Coefficient is 1.00, and the theoretical minimum is a positive fraction close to zero. Based on the natural variation in composition of primary (not biodegraded) crude oils of the same basin and origin, it was found that if the Similarity Coefficient is about 0.80 or higher, correlation between the natural hydrocarbons considered is good. If the Similarity Coefficient is less than 0.73, correlation is poor.Based on strict rules for sample selection (e.g. maturity of shales and lack of biodegradation in the oils), ten presumed crude oil-source formation pairs were selected. Most of these pairs have high Similarity Coefficients of 0.80 or more. Erroneous crude oil-source rock combinations from areas with more than one source formation, as in West Texas, have low Similarity Coefficients. This indicates that the crude oil-source formation correlation method based on the Similarity Coefficient generally is functioning properly.