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.