Delineating compositional variabilities among crude oils from Central Montana, USA, using light hydrocarbon and biomarker characteristics

Three compositionally distinctive groups of oils identified in central Montana by biomarker analyses are also recognized by the unique compositions of their light hydrocarbon (gasoline range) fraction. The majority of oils produced from Paleozoic pools (Pennsylvanian Tyler–Amsden interval) group into one broad category based on the distribution of C₂₀–C₄₀ biomarkers. These oils not only have the lowest Paraffin Indices and relative concentrations of normal heptane, but are readily distinguishable from the other compositional groups by using selected “Mango” parameters. However, the biomarker-based subdivision of this group into at least two sub-families is not reflected in the gasoline range fraction, suggesting little effect of source rock host lithology on the distribution of C₅–C₈ hydrocarbons. Oils occurring predominantly in Jurassic–Cretaceous reservoirs display different biomarker and gasoline range characteristics, including Paraffin Indices, K1 parameter and relative concentrations of C₇ compounds, and are classified in two separate compositional categories. In contrast to oils from the Tyler–Amsden interval, the oils produced from the Mesozoic strata are amongst the most mature oils in the study area. The unique biomarker/light hydrocarbon signatures are likely due to different source organic matter. Secondary alteration of oil due to biodegradation and migration, although recognized, appears less significant. The results indicate the overall usefulness of gasoline range compositions in delineating compositional affinities of crude oils in central Montana, clearly suggesting that the oils found in Paleozoic and Mesozoic reservoirs belong to different petroleum systems.     

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.     

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.     

乌兰花凹陷原油特征及成因

乌兰花凹陷是二连盆地南部新发现的富油凹陷,对乌兰花凹陷原油物理性质和地球化学性质进行了系统的分析以揭示其特征及来源。原油物理性质显示,乌兰花凹陷原油比重（API gravity）介于20.2°~40.0°之间,主体为正常原油。原油生物标志化合物参数表明,不同构造带之间原油特征存在差异,可以划分为两类原油。一类以土牧尔构造带原油为主,具有低姥值比（Pr/Ph）和C₂₁/C₂₃三环萜烷,相对较高的伽马蜡烷/C₃₁藿烷和规则甾烷/C₃₀藿烷的特征,原油主要为烃源岩在成熟阶段早期的产物,主要以藻类来源为主。另一类原油包括赛乌苏和红井构造带原油,具有高姥值比（Pr/Ph）和C₂₁/C₂₃三环萜烷,相对较低的伽马蜡烷/C₃₁藿烷和规则甾烷/C₃₀藿烷,主要为陆源有机质和藻类有机质混合来源,原油具有更高的成熟度。原油碳同位素和正构烷烃单体烃碳同位素表明这两类原油应是一套烃源岩在不同成熟阶段的产物,原油主要来源于南洼槽阿尔善组烃源岩。阿尔善组烃源岩的非均质性和成熟度导致了两类原油的差异。      

微生物降解有机物的碳氢同位素分馏研究进展

微生物降解使有机化合物的稳定碳、氢同位素发生不同程度分馏的研究在有机污染物来源和微生物环境修复等领域取得了长足进展,并对原油和天然气微生物降解研究有借鉴意义。微生物作用下的同位素分馏为动力同位素分馏,导致重同位素在残余物中富集。影响微生物降解有机物同位素分馏的主要因素有微生物的降解代谢途径、辅酶作用、降解类型与程度、同位素质量差异和有机物碳数等。不同的微生物代谢途径代表不同的生物化学反应,造成了同位素分馏的显著差异;辅酶对反应的催化作用使微生物作用造成的同位素分馏更加复杂。低碳数正构烷烃遭受微生物降解程度越高,碳、氢同位素的分馏也越大,同位素变重与降解程度之间有明显的相关性。但对于复杂化合物,由于降解的多级反应,同位素分馏与降解程度间的相关性并不明显。在同样降解程度下,氢同位素分馏大于碳同位素分馏,低碳数正构烷烃的同位素分馏大于高碳数正构烷烃的同位素分馏。     

Improved assessment of biodegradation extent and prediction of petroleum quality

Biodegradation of crude oil causes volumetrically important compositional changes, which lead to significant deterioration in quality, in particular during the early stages of alteration. To better understand these effects we focussed on a detailed assessment of light to moderate levels of alteration. We investigated a suite of 40 crude oil samples from five different petroleum systems to evaluate the extent of alteration occurring in reservoirs. Based on a comprehensive geochemical characterization, five individual crude oil sequences were defined, where compositional variability is mainly due to microbial activity in the reservoir. In particular, samples from the Gullfaks field (offshore Norway) and from a petroleum system offshore Angola illustrate that conventional molecular biodegradation parameters, such as the Pr/n-C₁₇ and Ph/n-C₁₈ alkane ratios are not suitable for defining the extent of biodegradation in petroleum reservoirs. Here, we suggest a new molecular biodegradation parameter, the degradative loss, that can be used to quantify depletion in individual crude oil constituents. The approach allows improved assessment of the extent of biodegradation in crude oil samples by means of the mean degradative loss. It is demonstrated that crude oil quality, as assessed from API gravity, can be predicted directly from the molecular composition of crude oils. Our data clearly indicate that the degradation patterns of light hydrocarbons and n-alkanes differ in different petroleum systems. This suggests that microbial communities are different and therefore generate different molecular degradation patterns which have to be evaluated individually for each system.     

Assessment of petroleum biodegradation using stable hydrogen isotopes of individual saturated hydrocarbon and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon distributions in oils from the Upper Indus Basin,Pakistan

The stable hydrogen isotopic compositions (δD) of selected aliphatic hydrocarbons (n-alkanes and isoprenoids) in eight crude oils of similar source and thermal maturity from the Upper Indus Basin (Pakistan) were measured. The oils are derived from a source rock deposited in a shallow marine environment. The low level of biodegradation under natural reservoir conditions was established on the basis of biomarker and aromatic hydrocarbon distributions. A plot of pristane/n-C₁₇ alkane (Pr/n-C₁₇) and/or phytane/n-C₁₈ alkane (Ph/n-C₁₈) ratios against American Petroleum Institute (API) gravity shows an inverse correlation. High Pr/n-C₁₇ and Ph/n-C₁₈ values and low API gravity values in some of the oils are consistent with relatively low levels of biodegradation. For the same oils, δD values for the n-alkanes relative to the isoprenoids are enriched in deuterium (D). The data are consistent with the removal of D-depleted low molecular weight (LMW) n-alkanes (C₁₄–C₂₂) from the oils. The δD values of isoprenoids do not change with progressive biodegradation and are similar for all the samples. The average D enrichment for n-alkanes with respect to the isoprenoids is found to be as much as 35‰ for the most biodegraded sample. For example, the moderately biodegraded oils show an unresolved complex mixture (UCM), loss of LMW n-alkanes (<C₁₅) and moderate changes in the alkyl naphthalene distributions. The relative susceptibility of alkyl naphthalenes at low levels of biodegradation is discussed. The alkyl naphthalene biodegradation ratios were determined to assess the effect of biodegradation. The dimethyl, trimethyl and tetramethyl naphthalene biodegradation ratios show significant differences with increasing extent of biodegradation.     

Thermal controls on biodegradation around the Peace River tar sands: Paleo-pasteurization to the west

Bitumens of the Alberta tar sands share a similar primary source rock, but exhibit varying levels of degradation. In the Peace River tar sands area, the wide range of API gravity and sulphur content in Lower Cretaceous reservoirs is investigated in terms of biodegradation processes, using detailed geochemical analyses, burial history modelling and charge/degrade modelling. Decreasing tar sand degradation to the west can be attributed to increasing reservoir temperatures which retard biodegradation. Gething oils west of the Peace River tar sands are derived from the same source, but are minimally degraded due to reservoir pasteurization at 80 °C shortly after charging. Long charge times, reservoir filling and possibly compositional or very low temperature degradation retardation have limited biodegradation of the Alberta tar sands despite long oil residence times and low reservoir temperatures.     

渤海湾盆地临南地区有效油气运聚系统分析

临南地区原油来源于临南洼陷沙三段富有机质成熟烃源岩,其中部分原油受到轻微的生物降解和水洗作用。根据轻烃、生物标志物组成及油源对比结果,将临南洼陷分为南北两个油源区,在渐新世末和中新世末两期油气运聚过程中,形成了四个有效油气运聚系统。各运聚系统的油气沿一定主导方向运移,除已知油田外,位于该主导方向上的曲堤地垒是有利勘探方向。     

Geochemistry of Heavy Oil in the T Block, Oriente Basin and its Origin

<正>Exploration and development experience show that there is obvious oil gravity difference between the southern part and northern part of the"M1"reservoir in the Fanny oil field in the slope of the Oriente Basin,Ecuador.The American Petroleum Institute Gravity(API) values of oils in the northern part are higher than the one in the southern part of the Fanny oil field,with the values of 20°and 10.0°-13.0°,respectively.So the primary purpose of this study was to analyze the heavy oil characteristics of biodegradation and the oil-oil correlation according to the biomarker data and theδ~(13)C signature of oil samples from T block.The results of the hydrocarbon gas chromatography fingermark and the inversion attribute characteristics indicated that there are fluid compartments between the"M1"reservoir of Fanny south.Finally,the models of oil-gas accumulation under the control of multiple-activities of complicated fault systems,as well as the origin of heavy oil,are contended.The early stage oils from the western part of the basin were biodegraded heavily in varying degrees in the whole basin,and the later stage oils were derived from the southern part in a large scale and were mature and lighter.Generally,oil mixing is the primary control of net oil properties,such as API gravity in Oriente Basin.We therefore predicted that the API gravity variation of oil pools radically depends on the injection amount of the later stage oil.Because of the shale barrier in the"M1"reservoir of Fanny south,the later stage hydrocarbon could not pass through and contribute to increase the oil API value.     

含油流体包裹体：地球化学分析与地质应用

利用含油流体包裹体可以获得与原油和源区常规分析同等质量的可靠地球化学数据。细致而又小心谨慎地对待各测试步骤(如样品清洗、背景空白等)是成功进行包裹体油气成分分析的基础。从技术上来说，每一分析步骤都具有挑战性，但如果我们能按步骤循序渐进，就不仅能够分析那些含有大量石油包裹体的样品(如当今或古油藏样品)，而且可以测试含极少量石油包裹体的样品(如迁移路径或极古老岩石样品)。包裹体中可被测试的碳氢化合物多种多样，包括低分子量的碳氢化合物、n-链烷、类异戊二烯、生物标志物、芳香族碳氢化合物等。流体包裹体内石油成分分析在地质上有广泛应用，比如可以更好地重建储集区石油重注史、确定盆地中以前未知的活性源岩。在储集区内由生物降解造成的石油再造和(或)水洗作用经常被抹去，流体包襄体分析则可以解释储集区复杂成油阶段，当然更可以去除钻孔泥浆添加剂或其他污染物的影响。此外，也可以获知地球早期生物圈碳氢化合物的组成及多样性，以及在勘探区或盆地进行二次迁移路径填图。     

孟加拉湾盆地构造特征与动力学演化:来自卫星重力与地震资料的新认识

为了揭示孟加拉湾盆地的构造特征和中生代以来的动力学演化,对研究区卫星重力数据进行滤波、梯度和延拓等深度处理,对相关地震剖面进行标准化处理,在研究区建立了8条主干剖面.自由空气重力异常及其深度处理结果显示在盆地西部、海岭内部及盆地东部分别发育北西向破碎带、近东西向断裂和北东向线性构造,分别反映了海底北西向扩张、海岭侵位及印度洋洋壳北东向俯冲的影响.主干剖面经标准化处理后划分出上白垩统-第四系5套层系,结合重力异常与地层厚度,将孟加拉湾盆地划分为西部坳陷、85°E海岭隆起、中央坳陷、90°E海岭隆起和若开坳陷5个构造单元.85°E海岭隆起内发育的多个孤立高隆起是热点幕式喷发的响应,控制着碰撞前盆地“西厚东薄”的沉积格局,而碰撞后孟加拉扇体系在始新世至中新世期间一直向南迁移,未受到海岭的明显影响.90°E海岭南段(7°~14°N)的俯冲消减促进了安达曼增生楔的向西生长,北段(14°~20°N)的俯冲作用则控制着若开坳陷、印缅增生楔和孟加拉湾盆地沉积中心的演化.构造特征和动力学演化分析表明盆地经历了原始大洋盆地(晚白垩世-早渐新世)和残留洋盆地(晚渐新世-)2个主要演化阶段.      

Sea-level fluctuations on the northern shelf of the Eastern Paratethys in the Oligocene-Neogene

Sea-level fluctuations in the terminal Eocene, Oligocene, and Neogene of the Eastern Paratethys are quantitatively assessed on the basis of facies and old coastlines traced on the northern platform shelf, levels of river valley incisions, and the study of seismic profiles. The first data massif allows the characterization and correlation of transgression stages in the history of the Eastern Paratethys. The greatest transgressions fall within the first half of the Late Eocene, mid-Early Oligocene, initial Late Oligocene, initial Early Miocene, the initial Tchokrakian, Karaganian and Sarmatian in the Middle Miocene, the middle and late Sarmatian and early Pontian in the Late Miocene, and the Akchagylian in the Caspian basin of the Pliocene. In contrast, the greatest incisions of northern rivers running from the platform allow us to establish the time and extent of the main declines in the base levels of the erosion. Maximal incisions date back to the terminal Eocene-initial Oligocene, terminal Solenovian time in the terminal Rupelian, the terminal Maikop in the Early Miocene, the terminal Sarmatian and middle Pontian in the Late Miocene, and the Early Pliocene in the Caspian basin. Large regressions also formed unconformity surfaces, traced on seismic profiles as erosion boundaries of several orders. The surfaces are confined to the Eocene/Oligocene boundary, middle and late Maikop, Sarmatian/Meotian boundary, middle Pontian, and terminal Miocene-initial Pliocene, as well as being traced even in the most deep-water basins. The synthesis of these data suggests a preliminary version for the curve of transgression-regression cyclicity. Its correlation with the eustatic curve shows their similarity only in the lower part-prior to the initial Middle Miocene, when Paratethys became a semi-closed basin.     

强烈气洗作用导致原油成分变化的定量计算:以库车坳陷天然气藏为例

库车坳陷以产天然气为主,同时产出少量原油和凝析油,油气充注不同步,普遍具有"油早气晚"的特点,晚期大量天然气的侵入,必然对早期聚集的油藏发生改造作用。对气藏中原油成分变化的定量计算和讨论,可为天然气的注入强度定量评价提供直接证据。未遭受气洗的原油,正构烷烃摩尔浓度的对数与相应的碳数呈线性关系,而气洗作用可使轻组分的正构烷烃最先溶解于干气中,并随着天然气继续向前运移,原始油藏中的轻组分正构烷烃大大减少。以此为理论基础,建立了正构烷烃损失的定量计算模型。结果表明克拉2构造原油正构烷烃损失程度最高,平均可达70%左右,大北构造带原油正构烷烃损失程度差异较大,与该地区断块发育有关。气洗作用导致原油正构烷烃减少,而金刚烷、多环芳烃等在天然气中溶解度较低的化合物得以浓缩富集,相对含量大大增加。轻芳烃含量也会随之而增加,原油芳香度增加,石蜡度降低。在模拟实验基础上对气洗程度进行了定量评价,初步估算表明,克拉2构造原油遭受的气洗作用最强,是其他构造带的2～5倍。     

Demethylated hopanes in crude oils and their applications in petroleum geochemistry

Analyses of some Australian crude oils show that many contain varying concentrations of A/ B-ring demethylated hopanes. These range from C₂₆ to C₃₄ and have been identified from their retention times and mass spectral data as 17α(H)-25-norhopanes. Comparison of hopane and demethylated hopane concentrations and distributions in source-related, biodegraded oils suggests that demethylated hopanes are biotransformation products of the hopanes. Further, it appears that the process occurs at a late stage of biodegradation, after partial degradation of steranes has occurred. Demethylated hopanes are proposed as biomarkers for this stage of severe biodegradation. The presence of these compounds in apparently undegraded crude oils is thought to be due to the presence of biodegraded crude oil residues which have been dissolved by the undegraded crude oil during accumulation in the reservoir sands. The timing of hopane demethylation, relative to the degradation of other compounds, has been assessed and the progressive changes in crude oil composition with increasing extent of biodegradation have been identified. The use of demethylated hopanes as maturity parameters for severely biodegraded crude oils, and the applicability of established biomarker maturity parameters to such oils, are also discussed.     

阿尔金山脉新生代剥露历史——前陆盆地沉积记录

新疆且末县江尕勒萨依盆地位于阿尔金山脉的北西山前,其内连续沉积了中生代一新生代地层。盆地内古新统一始新统为河流相沉积;渐新统至中新统为山麓河流相灰色砾岩和棕色砂岩;上新统为山麓洪积相砾岩夹泥岩;下更新统全为砾岩层。岩性组合特征及其砂岩碎屑、砾石组分变化规律,反映出阿尔金山脉的新生代剥蚀历史：古近纪早、中期,阿尔金山脉的地形高差小,古生界双峰式火山岩首先被剥蚀;至渐新世末一中新世早期,山脉高差加大,基底元古宇开始出露地表被剥蚀;中新世末期,山脉高差进一步加大,剥蚀速率加快;至第四纪早期西域砾岩开始沉积时,地形高差加剧,中、古元古界开始暴露被剥蚀。区域资料分析表明,阿尔金山脉在新生代具有多期次阶段性隆升的特征,存在3期次快速隆升事件：渐新世末一中新世早期、中新世晚期(大约8Ma)和第四纪早期。     

Paleobotanical study of a section of the Oligocene–Lower Miocene Maikop Group along the Belaya River above the city of Maikop,Ciscaucasia

A stratotypical section of the Oligocene–Lower Miocene Maikop Group in the valley of the Belaya River above the city of Maikop was studied using a complex paleobotanical method. The hydrological regime of marine basin was specified, especially for the second half of the Early Oligocene, when the basin was brackish. Its desalination began prior to accumulation of the ostracod layers and continued until the beginning of the Late Oligocene. It was once interrupted by short-term ingression of seawater into the Paratethys in the Early Morozkina Balka time. The Karadzhalga and Septarian formations were formed at the end of the Oligocene and in the Early Miocene under frequent oscillations of climate and hydrological regime with accumulation of sediments within the Laba delta front. The complexes of plant microfossils, along with dominant recent marine organic-walled freshwater phytoplankton, contain algae, spores, pollen, and a huge amount of redeposited palynomorphs. They originated from areas of erosion and included Paleogene, Mesozoic, and, locally, Paleozoic taxa.     

南海礼乐滩碳酸盐台地的发育及其新生代构造响应

为了探索碳酸盐台地在海盆演化过程中的作用,对南海南部礼乐滩区域碳酸盐台地的发育及其与新生代构造沉降特征的相关性进行研究.对多道地震数据的分析表明:在研究区广泛发育包括碳酸盐台地和生物礁在内的碳酸盐沉积,其发育时间主要集中在晚渐新世至早中新世期间,在中中新世后开始退积和淹没.通过对穿越礼乐滩区的两条NW-SE向测线NH973-2和DPS93-2的构造沉降反演,进行沉降量、沉降速率计算和构造分析.结果表明:沉降速率及沉降量随不同时期的构造活动而发生变化,可分为缓慢沉降期(古新世-早渐新世,张裂阶段)、隆升剥蚀期(晚渐新世-早中新世,漂移阶段)、加速沉降期(早中新世末期,后漂移阶段1)、强烈沉降期(中新世,后漂移阶段2)和稳定沉降期(晚中新世至今,后漂移阶段3)5个发育期.碳酸盐台地的发育期和南海海盆的漂移阶段相对应,构造沉降的分析表明该期间具有构造抬升作用,其与相对上升的海平面结合有利于碳酸盐沉积的发育.在南海扩张期间主地幔对流的控制下,南部陆缘区礼乐地块和礼乐滩盆地之间较大的地壳厚度差异会导致侧向上地温梯度的差异,从而形成礼乐滩盆地之下的次生对流.该次生对流控制了研究区在晚渐新世至早中新世期间的隆升剥蚀作用.      

The mid-Cenozoic succession and evolution of the Mut basin,southern Turkey,and its regional significance

The hitherto poorly known Mut basin occupies a position that is critical to our understanding of the later Cenozoic history of south central Turkey. The biostratigraphic and sedimentological study reported here reveals an extended and complex pattern of basin evolution and enables the history of this basin to be compared in detail with that of adjacent south Turkish basins.The oldest basin fill deposits are demonstrated to be Oligocene to earliest Miocene in age and comprise alluvial redbeds, thick lacustrine deposits and thin lagoonal sediments mainly supplied from northern (Tauride) sources This mainly terrestrial megasequence resulted from an early Oligocene phase of crustal extension, leading to rapid “trap-door” subsidence and the formation of narrow E–W trending troughs. This phase was terminated by a minor marine incursion and through reactivation of basement faults during renewed extension in the earliest Miocene.The overlying Miocene succession, thus, rests with local angular discordance upon tilted and gently deformed Oligocene (and older) rocks. Subsequent subaerial erosion created an irregular pre-Burdigalian palaeotopography that strongly influenced the nature, thickness and distribution of the early Miocene basin fill. In palaeotopographic depressions, the Miocene sequence commences with alluvial fan, braidplain and meander belt redbeds formed in river systems that flowed mainly south and southeast. These pass up (and laterally) into more extensive lagoonal and shallow marine mixed clastic/carbonate units yielding late Burdigalian to early Langhian microfaunas, marking the inception of the main Miocene marine transgression in this area. Episodic northwards marine advance led to isolation of the northerly source of siliciclastic detritus and resulted in periodic onlap of mid- to inner-shelf fine-grained carbonates (with thin clastic intercalations) that include isolated coralgal build-ups, calcarenite mounds and sand-waves. At the peak of Miocene transgression (mid-Serravallian), thick reefal limestones were deposited far to the north and also formed on top of basement highs forming the southern and eastern flanks of the basin. Significant influxes of coarse and fine siliciclastics from the north attest to periodic progradational events that are more conspicuous and protracted in the late Serravallian and Tortonian. However, muddy deeper shelf conditions prevailed throughout the middle Miocene in the central part of the basin, while stronger currents and unstable slopes characterise the constricted marine strait in the southeast of the basin near Silifke.In terms of their sequential arrangement, palaeoenvironmental and tectonic evolution the Oligo-Miocene sediments of the Mut basin closely resemble coeval sequences in the adjacent Ecemis–Aktoprak and Karsanti–northern Adana basins and share a similar history, involving complex interplay between regional tectonics and eustasism. Deeper water Oligo-Miocene sequences in the ‘outboard troughs,’ such as the southern Adana basin and the Kyrenia–Misis–Andirin complex, yield more subtle signatures of these tectonic and eustatic events. The differences between these basins are attributable to the influence of regional kinematic elements generated during the reorganisation of plate boundaries in the northeast Mediterranean that followed final suturing of the Arabian and Anatolide plates in the mid-Cenozoic.