The significance of 24-norcholestanes,triaromatic steroids and dinosteroids in oils and Cambrian–Ordovician source rocks from the cratonic region of the Tarim Basin,NW China

Two oil families in Ordovician reservoirs from the cratonic region of the Tarim Basin are distinguished by the distribution of regular steranes, triaromatic steroids, norcholestanes and dinosteroids. Oils with relatively lower contents of C₂₈ regular steranes, C₂₆ 20S, C₂₆ 20R + C₂₇ 20S and C₂₇ 20R regular triaromatic steroids, dinosteranes, 24-norcholestanes and triaromatic dinosteroids originated from Middle–Upper Ordovician source rocks. In contrast, oils with abnormally high abundances of the above compounds are derived from Cambrian and Lower Ordovician source rocks. Only a few oils have previously been reported to be of Cambrian and Lower Ordovician origin, especially in the east region of the Tarim Basin. This study further reports the discovery of oil accumulations of Cambrian and Lower Ordovician origin in the Tabei and Tazhong Uplifts, which indicates a potential for further discoveries involving Cambrian and Lower Ordovician sourced oils in the Tarim Basin. Dinosteroids in petroleum and ancient sediments are generally thought to be biomarkers for dinoflagellates and 24-norcholestanes for dinoflagellates and diatoms. Therefore, the abnormally high abundance of these compounds in extracts from the organic-rich sediments in the Cambrian and Lower Ordovician and related oils in the cratonic region of the Tarim Basin suggests that phytoplankton algae related to dinoflagellates have appeared and might have flourished in the Tarim Basin during the Cambrian Period. Steroids with less common structural configurations are underutilized and can expand understanding of the early development history of organisms, as well as define petroleum systems.     

Origin and quantitative source assessment of deep oils in the Tazhong Uplift,Tarim Basin

A large amount of deep oil has been discovered in the Tazhong Uplift, Tarim Basin whereas the oil source is still controversial. An integrated geochemical approach was utilized to unravel the characteristics, origin and alteration of the deep oils. This study showed that the Lower Cambrian oil from well ZS1C (

_1x) was featured by small or trace amounts of biomarkers, unusually high concentration of dibenzothiophenes (DBTs), high δ³⁴S of DBTs and high δ¹³C value of n-alkanes. These suggest a close genetic relationship with the Cambrian source rocks and TSR alteration. On the contrary, the Middle Cambrian oils from well ZS1 (

_2a) were characterized by low δ¹³C of n-alkanes and relatively high δ³⁴S of individual sulfur compounds and a general “V” shape of steranes, indicating a good genetic affinity with the Middle–Upper Ordovician source rocks. The middle Cambrian salt rock separating the oils was suggested to be one of the factors responsible for the differentiation. It was suggested that most of the deep oils in the Tazhong Uplift were mixed source based on biomarkers and carbon isotope, which contain TSR altered oil in varied degree. The percentage of the oils contributed by the Cambrian–Lower Ordovician was in the range of 19–100% (average 57%) controlled by several geological and geochemical events. Significant variations in the δ³⁴S values for individual compounds in the oils were observed suggesting a combination of different extent of TSR and thermal maturation alterations. The unusually high DBTs concentrations in the Tazhong-4 oilfield suggested as a result of mixing with the ZS1C oil (

_1x) and Lower Ordovician oils based on δ³⁴S values of DBT. This study will enhance our understanding of both deep and shallow oil sources in the Tazhong Uplift and clarify the formation mechanisms of the unusually high DBTs oils in the region.     

Origin of the Silurian Crude Oils and Reservoir Formation Characteristics in the Tazhong Uplift

<正>The Silurian stratum in the Tazhong uplift is an important horizon for exploration because it preserves some features of the hydrocarbons produced from multi-stage tectonic evolution.For this reason,the study of the origin of the Silurian oils and their formation characteristics constitutes a major part in revealing the mechanisms for the composite hydrocarbon accumulation zone in the Tazhong area.Geochemical investigations indicate that the physical properties of the Silurian oils in Tazhong vary with belts and blocks,i.e.,heavy oils are distributed in the TZ47-15 well-block in the North Slope while normal and light oils in the No.Ⅰfault belt and the TZ16 well-block,which means that the oil properties are controlled by structural patterns.Most biomarkers in the Silurian oils are similar to that of the Mid-Upper Ordovician source rocks,suggesting a good genetic relationship. However,the compound specific isotope of n-alkanes in the oils and the chemical components of the hydrocarbons in fluid inclusions indicate that these oils are mixed oils derived from both the Mid-Upper Ordovician and the Cambrian-Lower Ordovician source rocks.Most Silurian oils have a record of secondary alterations like earlier biodegradation,including the occurrence of "UCM" humps in the total ion current(TIC) chromatogram of saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons and 25-norhopane in saturated hydrocarbons of the crude oils,and regular changes in the abundances of light and heavy components from the structural low to the structural high.The fact that the Silurian oils are enriched in chain alkanes,e.g.,n-alkanes and 25-norhopane,suggests that they were mixed oils of the earlier degraded oils with the later normal oils.It is suggested that the Silurian oils experienced at least three episodes of petroleum charging according to the composition and distribution as well as the maturity of reservoir crude oils and the oils in fluid inclusions.The migration and accumulation models of these oils in the TZ47-15 well-blocks,the No.Ⅰfault belt and the TZ16 well-block are different from but related to each other.The investigation of the origin of the mixed oils and the hydrocarbon migration and accumulation mechanisms in different charging periods is of great significance to petroleum exploration in this area.     

Molecular fossils and sources of Cambrian heavy oil of Well Tadong-2 in the Tarim Basin,Xinjiang, China

Research on the molecular fossil characteristics of heavy oil from Well Tadong-2 is of great importance to constrain the source of marine crude oils in the Tarim Basin, Xinjiang, China. The authors synthetically applied the isotope mass spectrograph, chromatography and chromatography-mass spectrography to the studies of molecular fossil characteristics of heavy oil from Well Tadong-2 in the Tarim Basin, and the results obtained revealed that heavy oil from Well Tadong-2 is characterized by high gammacerane, high C₂₈ sterane, low rearranged sterane and high C₂₇-triaromatic steroid, these characteristics are similar to those of Cambrian-Lower Ordovician source rocks, demonstrating that Cambrian crude oils came from Cambrian-Lower Ordovician source rocks; condensed compounds (fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, bow, benzo fluoranthene, benzopyrene) of high abundance were detected in heavy oil from Well Tadong-2, and the carbon isotopic values of whole oil are evidently heavy, all the above characteristics revealed that hydrocarbons in the crude oils became densified in response to thermal alteration.     

塔河油田混源油地球化学及多元数理统计学对比研究

       混源油的定量判识是当前石油地质地球化学研究的热点与难点。以塔里木盆地塔河油田奥陶系中聚集的混源油为典型研究实例,通过地质地球化学与数理统计学相结合的方法,探索了定量研究混源油的方法,取得良好效果。原油地球化学研究结果表明,塔河油田原油普遍混源,并表现出多期充注特征,早期充注原油遭受了生物降解,因此目前原油中的轻烃、链状烃、规则甾烷等生物标志物主要反映的是后期充注原油的特征,不能很好地指示早期充注原油。据此,选择受生物降解影响相对较小的三环萜烷和藿烷定量数据,采用多元数理统计学交替最小二乘算法进行了原油成因研究,综合分析后认为现今混源油中可划分出4个端元,其中端元1和2可能主要代表了中上奥陶统烃源岩的贡献,而端元3和4则可能主要代表了寒武系烃源岩的贡献。塔河主体区以寒武系原油聚集为主,而外围地区则以中上奥陶统原油聚集为主,并且在整个塔河油田,总体上以寒武系原油的贡献比例相对最高。这一综合对比研究表明,多元数理统计学方法在混源油的比例计算、端元分析等方面具有重要作用,是对传统地球地球化方法研究的有效补充,值得推广应用,此外,研究认识还为区域油气勘探提供了新的参考信息。     

Application of sulfur and carbon isotopes to oil–source rock correlation: A case study from the Tazhong area,Tarim Basin,China

Up until now, it has been assumed that oil in the Palaeozoic reservoirs of the Tazhong Uplift was derived from Upper Ordovician source rocks. Oils recently produced from the Middle and Lower Cambrian in wells ZS1 and ZS5 provide clues concerning the source rocks of the oils in the Tazhong Uplift, Tarim Basin, China. For this study, molecular composition, bulk and individual n-alkane δ¹³C and individual alkyl-dibenzothiophene δ³⁴S values were determined for the potential source rocks and for oils from Cambrian and Ordovician reservoirs to determine the sources of the oils and to address whether δ¹³C and δ³⁴S values can be used effectively for oil–source rock correlation purposes. The ZS1 and ZS5 Cambrian oils, and six other oils from Ordovician reservoirs, were not significantly altered by TSR. The ZS1 oils and most of the other oils, have a “V” shape in the distribution of C₂₇–C₂₉ steranes, bulk and individual n-alkane δ¹³C values predominantly between −31‰ to −35‰ VPDB, and bulk and individual alkyldibenzothiophene δ³⁴S values between 15‰ to 23‰ VCDT. These characteristics are similar to those for some Cambrian source rocks with kerogen δ¹³C values between −34.1‰ and −35.3‰ and δ³⁴S values between 10.4‰ and 21.6‰. The oil produced from the Lower Ordovician in well YM2 has similar features to the ZS1 Cambrian oils. These new lines of evidence indicate that most of the oils in the Tazhong Uplift, contrary to previous interpretations, were probably derived from the Cambrian source rocks, and not from the Upper Ordovician. Conversely, the δ¹³C and δ³⁴S values of ZS1C Cambrian oils have been shown to shift to more positive values due to thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR). Thus, δ¹³C and δ³⁴S values can be used as effective tools to demonstrate oil–source rock correlation, but only because there has been little or no TSR in this part of the section.     

Correlation of crude oils and oil components from reservoirs and source rocks using carbon isotopic compositions of individual n-alkanes in the Tazhong and Tabei Uplift of the Tarim Basin,China

Carbon isotopic compositions were determined by GC–IRMS for individual n-alkanes in crude oils and the free, adsorbed and inclusion oils recovered by sequential extraction from reservoir rocks in the Tazhong Uplift and Tahe oilfield in the Tabei Uplift of Tarim Basin as well as extracts of the Cambrian–Ordovician source rocks in the basin. The variations of the δ¹³C values of individual n-alkanes among the 15 oils from the Tazhong Uplift and among the 15 oils from the Triassic and Carboniferous sandstone reservoirs and the 21 oils from the Ordovician carbonate reservoirs in the Tahe oilfield demonstrate that these marine oils are derived from two end member source rocks. The major proportion of these marine oils is derived from the type A source rocks with low δ¹³C values while a minor proportion is derived from the type B source rocks with high δ¹³C values. Type A source rocks are within either the Cambrian–Lower Ordovician or the Middle–Upper Ordovician strata (not drilled so far) while type B source rocks are within the Cambrian–Lower Ordovician strata, as found in boreholes TD2 and Fang 1. In addition, the three oils from the Cretaceous sandstone reservoirs in the Tahe oilfield with exceptionally high Pr/Ph ratio and δ¹³C values of individual n-alkanes are derived, or mainly derived, from the Triassic–Jurassic terrigenous source rocks located in Quka Depression.The difference of the δ¹³C values of individual n-alkanes among the free, adsorbed and inclusion oils in the reservoir rocks and corresponding crude oils reflects source variation during the reservoir filling process. In general, the initial oil charge is derived from the type B source rocks with high δ¹³C values while the later oil charge is derived from the type A source rocks with low δ¹³C values.The δ¹³C values of individual n-alkanes do not simply correlate with the biomarker parameters for the marine oils in the Tazhong Uplift and Tahe oilfield, suggesting that molecular parameters alone are not adequate for reliable oil-source correlation for high maturity oils with complex mixing.     

Distinguishing Cambrian from Upper Ordovician source rocks: Evidence from sulfur isotopes and biomarkers in the Tarim Basin

The reported source rocks for the abundant petroleum in the Tarim Basin, China range from Cambrian to Lower Ordovician and/or Upper Ordovician in age. However, the difference between the two groups of source rocks is not well characterized. In this study, pyrite was removed from eleven mature to over mature kerogen samples from source rocks using the method of CrCl₂ reduction and grinding. The kerogen and coexisting pyrite samples were then analyzed for δ³⁴S values. Results show that the kerogen samples from the Cambrian have δ³⁴S values between +10.4‰ and +19.4‰. The values are significantly higher than those from the Lower Ordovician kerogen (δ³⁴S of between +6.7‰ and +8.7‰), which in turn are generally higher than from the Upper Ordovician kerogen samples (δ³⁴S of between ?15.3 and +6.8‰). The associated pyrite shows a similar trend but with much lower δ³⁴S values. This stratigraphically controlled sulfur isotope variation parallels the evolving contemporary marine sulfate and dated oil δ³⁴S values from other basins, suggesting that seawater sulfate and source rock age have an important influence on kerogen and pyrite δ³⁴S values. The relatively high δ³⁴S values in the Cambrian to Lower Ordovician source rocks are associated with abundant aryl isoprenoids, gammacerane and C₃₅ homohopanes in the extractable organic matter, indicating that these source rocks were deposited in a bottom water euxinic environment with water stratification. Compared with the Upper Ordovician, the Cambrian to Lower Ordovician source rocks show abundance in C₂₈ 20R sterane, C₂₃ tricyclic terpanes, 4,23,24-trimethyl triaromatic dinosteroids and depletion in C₂₄ tetracyclic terpane, C₂₉ hopane. Thus, δ³⁴S values and biomarkers of source rock organic matter can be used for distinguishing the Cambrian and Upper Ordovician source rocks in the Tarim Basin.     

塔中奥陶系原油的地球化学特征及其来源

塔中奥陶系的油气资源十分丰富,是塔里木盆地油气勘探的重点层系之一,但油源仍是困扰地质勘探家的重要问题。通过系统分析塔中奥陶系原油的地球化学特征,进行了原油族群划分和油源判识。原油以轻质油为主,轻烃分析表明,原油没有发生大量裂解,原油的生成温度介于115～129℃,表明其主体成分形成于生油窗阶段。运用特征性生物标志物系统分析表明,原油可分为三个族群,分别来源于中—上奥陶统源岩、寒武系源岩及混合来源。在“三芴”组成上,原油均以较低的氧芴含量和较高的硫芴含量为特征。原油中饱和烃的碳同位素比值均轻于-31.2‰,平均值为-32.8‰,芳烃的碳同位素比值均轻于-30.4‰,平均值为-31.7‰,这些特征明显与塔东2井和塔深1井的寒武系原油不同。分析认为,碳同位素明显偏重的原油应来源于寒武系源岩,但碳同位素较轻的原油可能来源于中—上奥陶统源岩,也可能来源于寒武系源岩。     

Origin of the high waxy oils in Bohai Bay Basin, east China: Insight from geochemical and fluid inclusion analyses

An integrated approach of molecular sieve, molecular composition of fluid inclusion and compound specific isotope analysis was employed to investigate newly discovered oils reservoired in an Ordovician buried hill in the Dongying Depression of Bohai Bay Basin. The new discovered oils are characterized by high content of waxy alkanes (> 40%) with an extremely low concentration of cyclic biomarkers. The alkanes-removed waxy oil and the fluid inclusion oils correlate well with the source rocks of the Paleogene Kongdian Fm (Ek₂). The δ¹³C values of the compound-specific isotope of the alkanes indicate that Ek₂ is the primary source for the oils. This study demonstrates the existence of a new set of deeper source rocks with good oil-generation potential in the Dongying Depression.     

从塔里木盆地看中国海相生油问题

塔里木盆地厚达 5～ 7km的海相寒武、奥陶系 ,可划分出下、中寒武统和中、上奥陶统两套工业性烃源岩。油源对比证实 :盆地目前保存下来的海相成因工业性油藏 ,主要来源于中上奥陶统泥灰岩。正是因为塔里木盆地比四川、鄂尔多斯盆地多了一套中等成熟的中上奥陶统油源岩 ,所以能够找到海相油田。笔者认为 :海相工业性烃源岩不必很厚 ,但w (TOC)应≥0 .5% ,碳酸盐岩要含泥质 ;海相源岩往往并不发育在凹陷中心 ,而发育在 4种有利沉积相带上 ;碳酸盐岩具有“双重母质”的特点 ,浮游藻类偏油 ,底栖藻类偏气。海相源岩的形成模式有“保存模式”和“生产力模式”两种 ,分别对应于塔里木寒武系和中上奥陶统烃源岩。塔里木古生代克拉通早期活动、晚期稳定、持续降温的演化史 ,有利于海相油气的多期成藏和晚期保存。     

Distribution and Significance of Carbazole Compounds in Palaeozoic Oils from the Tazhong Uplift, Tarim

Carbazole compounds in crude oils from the Tazhong uplift of the Tarim basin have been fractionated and detected and successfully used to study petroleum migration and trace source rocks in the study area. Alkylcarbazoles have been found in large amounts in the oil samples analyzed and alkylbenzocarbazoles detected in a small concentration only in part of the samples, but alkyldibenzocarbazoles have not been found in oils. Based on the distribution of G1, G2 and G3 of C2-alkylcarbazoles, the ratio of C3-carbazoles to C2-carbazoles and the relative amounts of alkylcarbazoles and alkylbenzocarbazoles, one can know that the vertical oil migration in the Tazhong uplift is generally from below upward, i.e. from the Ordovician through the Silurian to the Carboniferous. Evidently, source rocks in the uplift should be lower Palaeozoic strata (Ordovician and Cambrian). This study shows that carbazoles are of great importance in the study of petroleum migration and source rocks.     

柯坪隆起阿克苏油苗的地球化学特征及其成因研究

柯坪隆起区是塔里木盆地海相烃源岩露头发育较好的地区之一,但相关的油气研究报道不多。本文详细研究了塔里木盆地柯坪隆起区油苗的有机地球化学特征并进行了相关的成因分析。阿克苏油苗经历了严重的生物降解作用,饱和烃生物标志物所能提供的成因信息十分有限。原油沥青质组分及储层吸附/包裹烃受后生作用影响较小,综合分析油苗沥青质热解产物与吸附/包裹烃的生物标志物及其碳同位素组成可以获得更多有效的成因信息。研究结果表明,阿克苏油苗与其储层吸附/包裹烃具有不同来源。油苗、沥青质以及沥青质热解产物的碳同位素特征与已经报道的多数海相原油及其沥青质较为接近,与典型的寒武系烃源来源的原油差异显著。而储层吸附/包裹烃与已报道的典型寒武系烃源岩来源油的生物标志物及碳同位素特征比较类似,可能形成于较高的热演化阶段。     

Gas accumulation from oil cracking in the eastern Tarim Basin: A case study of the YN2 gas field

Oil and gas exploration in eastern Tarim Basin, NW China has been successful in recent years, with several commercial gas accumulations being discovered in a thermally mature to over-mature region. The Yingnan2 (YN2) gas field, situated in the Yingnan structure of the Yingjisu Depression, produces gases that are relatively enriched in nitrogen and C₂₊ alkanes. The δ¹³C₁ (−38.6‰ to −36.2‰) and δ¹³C₂ values (−30.9‰ to −34.7‰) of these gases are characteristic of marine sourced gases with relatively high maturity levels. The distributions of biomarkers in the associated condensates suggest close affinities with the Cambrian–Lower Ordovician source rocks which, in the Yingjisu Sag, are currently over-mature (with 3–4%Ro). Burial and thermal maturity modeling results indicate that paleo-temperatures of the Cambrian–Lower Ordovician source rocks had increased from 90 to 210 °C during the late Caledonian orogeny (458–438 Ma), due to rapid subsidence and sediment loading. By the end of Ordovician, hydrocarbon potential in these source rocks had been largely exhausted. The homogenization temperatures of hydrocarbon fluid inclusions identified from the Jurassic reservoirs of the YN2 gas field suggest a hydrocarbon emplacement time as recent as about 10 Ma, when the maturity levels of Middle–Lower Jurassic source rocks in the study area were too low (<0.7%Ro) to form a large quantity of oil and gas. The presence of abundant diamondoid hydrocarbons in the associated condensates and the relatively heavy isotopic values of the oils indicate that the gases were derived from thermal cracking of early-formed oils. Estimation from the stable carbon isotope ratios of gaseous alkanes suggests that the gases may have been formed at temperatures well above 190 °C. Thus, the oil and gas accumulation history in the study area can be reconstructed as follows: (1) during the late Caledonian orogeny, the Cambrian–Lower Ordovician marine source rocks had gone through the peak oil, wet gas and dry gas generation stages, with the generated oil and gas migrating upwards along faults and fractures to form early oil and gas accumulations in the Middle–Upper Ordovician and Silurian sandstone reservoirs; (2) since the late Yanshanian orogeny, the early oil accumulations have been buried deeper and oil has undergone thermal cracking to form gas; (3) during the late Himalayan orogeny, the seals for the deep reservoirs were breached; and the gas and condensates migrated upward and eventually accumulating in the relatively shallow Jurassic reservoirs.     

塔里木盆地原油的成因研究

对塔里木盆地原油和生油岩饱和烃进行ＧＣ－Ｃ－ＭＳ和ＧＣ－ＭＳ分析，利用单个正构烷烃碳同位素组成和三环萜烷分布特征进行油源对比，研究了塔里木盆地原油的油源问题；根据寒武—奥陶系富含菌藻有机质生油岩饱和烃色谱分析结果，对塔里木盆地海相原油含蜡较高的成因进行了探讨     

塔北、塔中地区碳酸盐岩及其原油中的二苯并噻吩类化合物

塔里木盆地塔北、塔中地区四口井(库南1井,轮南46井,塔中12井和塔参1井)寒武-奥陶系12个碳酸盐岩烃源岩(泥灰岩,泥质灰岩和云岩)岩芯样品抽提物芳烃组分中的二苯并噻吩类化合物组成和丰度变化特征可分为三种类型:Ⅰ二苯并噻吩、甲基二苯并噻吩型;Ⅱ二苯并噻吩、甲基二苯并噻吩、二甲基二苯并噻吩+三甲基芴混合物型;Ⅲ二苯并噻吩、甲基二苯并噻吩、二甲基二苯并噻吩和三甲基二苯并噻吩型。研究的塔北、塔中隆起11个海相油二苯并噻吩类化合物分布类型均为二苯并噻吩、甲基二苯并噻吩、二甲基二苯并噻吩和三甲基二苯并噻吩型,和海相烃源岩二苯并噻吩类化合物第Ⅲ种分布类型完全相同。据此推断:塔北隆起8个海相油可能主要来源于塔北轮南地区下奥陶统;塔中隆起3个海相油可能来源于塔中地区中-上奥陶统。     

Quantitative assessment and significance of gas washing of oil in Block 9 of the Tahe Oilfield, Tarim Basin, NW China

Some Ordovician and Triassic oils in Block 9 are characterized by light oils,which have distinctly differentiated from heavy oils in other blocks in the Tahe Oilfield,Tarim Basin.Based on the whole oil gas chroma- tograms,this paper estimates the effect of oil migration and fractionation and the amount of depletion(Q)in terms of the n-alkanes depletion model.The results showed that the amount of depletion in the Ordovician reservoir is highest in the east of this block,e.g.the depletion is 97% in Well T904.The amount of Q gets lower to the west,e.g.the depletion is 53.4%in Well T115 and there is no sign of depletion in Well S69.It is suggested that the direction of gas washing is from the east to the west.The compositions and isotopic characteristics of associated gas in Ordovician oils indicated that the gas might be derived from Cambrian source rocks of the Caohu Depression which lies to the east of Block 9.In contrast,no obvious depletion of n-alkanes in Triassic oils was found,suggesting that the migration pathway of natural gas has been limited to the Ordovician karst fracture system formed in the Early Hercynian Orogeny.Different depletions of the Ordovician and Triassic oils can reveal fault activities in this region.     

塔里木盆地寒武-奥陶系烃源岩的分子地球化学特征

对塔里木盆地下古生界样品的地球化学分析表明,上奥陶统良里塔格组、中上奥陶统却尔却克群烃源岩与其他烃源岩具有明显的差异,具有低的C28甾烷、24-降胆甾烷、甲藻甾烷、甲藻三芳甾烷与伽马蜡烷含量以及高的C24四环萜烷、重排甾烷含量等特点。柯坪地区中上奥陶统萨尔干组、印干组页岩伽马蜡烷、C28甾烷相对含量与寒武系、中下奥陶统黑土凹组烃源岩具有相似性。萨尔干组、印干组烃源岩中生物标志物的绝对含量很低。柯坪地区寒武系玉尔吐斯组、中上奥陶统萨尔干组、上奥陶统印干组、满东地区中下奥陶统黑土凹组等较强沉积环境的泥质烃源岩伽马蜡烷、C28甾烷、特殊甾烷的相对含量与海相原油主体有较大差异。上奥陶统印干组烃源岩较高含量的三芳甲藻甾烷、24-降重排胆甾烷和24-降胆甾烷化合物的检出表明,断代生物标志物的提法值得商榷。     

Accumulation and Reformation of Silurian Reservoir in the Northern Tarim Basin

Silurian sandstone in Tarim Basin has good reservoir properties and active oil and gas shows, especially thick widely-distributed bituminous sandstone. Currently, the Silurian was found containing both bitumen and conventional reservoirs, with petroleum originating from terrestrial and marine source rocks. The diversity of their distribution was the result of "three sources, three stages" accumulation and adjustment processes. "Three sources" refers to two sets of marine rocks in Cambrian and Middle-Upper Ordovician, and a set of terrestrial rock formed in Triassic in the Kuqa depression. "Three stages" represents three stages of accumulation, adjustment and reformation occurring in Late Caledonian, Late Hercynian and Late Himalayan, respectively. The study suggests that the Silurian bitumen is remnants of oil generated from Cambrian and Ordovician source rocks and accumulated in the sandstone reservoir during Late Caledonian-Early Hercynian and Late Hercynian stages, and then damaged by the subsequent two stages of tectonic uplift movements in Early Hercynian and Pre-Triassic. The authors presumed that the primary paleo-reservoirs formed during these two stages might be preserved in the Silurian in the southern deep part of the Tabei area. Except for the Yingmaili area where the Triassic terrestrial oil was from the Kuqa Depression during Late Himalayan Stage, all movable oil reservoirs originated from marine sources. They were secondary accumulations from underlying Ordovician after structure reverse during the Yanshan-Himalayan stage. Oil/gas shows mixed-source characteristics, and was mainly from Middle-Upper Ordovician. The complexity and diversity of the Silurian marine primary properties were just defined by these three stages of oil-gas charging and tectonic movements in the Tabei area.     

Stable isotope(δ~(13)C_(ker),δ~(13)C_(carb),δ~(18)O_(carb)) distribution along a Cambrian outcrop section in the eastern Tarim Basin,NW China and its geochemical significance

This study investigated the geochemical features of the lower Paleozoic strata of Yaerdang Mountain outcrop along with the core samples from well TD2∈ in the eastern Tarim Basin,NW China.The total organic carbon abundance,hydrocarbon-generating precursor biospecies,and stable isotope ratios of organics and carbonate(δ~(13)C_(ker),δ~(13)C_(carb) and δ~(18)O_(carb)) were comprehensively studied for their possible correlative constraints during sedimentary evolution.The results revealed that the δ~(13)C_(ker)(VPDB) of Cambrian kerogens along the outcrop section varied from-34.6‰ to-28.4‰,indicating an increasing tendency from the lower Cambrian to the upper Cambrian.This was on the whole accompanied by the variation in the δ~(13)C_(carb) and δ~(18)O_(carb) along the profile,which might be associated with the changes in the sea level and also in the compositional variation of benthic and planktonic biomass.The large variation in the stable carbon isotope ratios up to 6‰ along the outcrop section reflected the heterogeneity of the Cambrian source rocks from the eastern Tarim Basin.Hence,the ~(13)C-enriched crude oils from well TD2∈might have been derived from a localized stratum of Cambrian source rocks.The results from this study showed the possibility of multiple source kitchens in the Cambrian-lower Ordovician portion of Tarim Basin.