Characteristic of homodrimane and maturity of organic matter in the low mature source rocks

Bicyclic sesquiterpenoids are mostly used to illustrate the origins of organic matter and genetic types of crude oil presently.In this paper,the relationship between distributions and compositions of C16 homodrimane in immature to mature source rocks and evolution of organic matter was studied,and the correlation between C16 homodrimane at immature to low mature stages and thermal evolution of organic matter was analyzed.The results show that in terrestrial facies depositional system,the ratio of 8α(H)-homodrimane to 8β(H)-homodrimane has a high sensitivity about the maturity’s minor changes at immature to low mature stages.It is found that when the vitrinite reflectance R0<0.7%,the ratio significantly decreases with increasing burial depth or maturity.This kind of phenomenon reveals that these parameters may be the useful maturity indicators for determining the relative maturation of organic matter at immature to low mature stages,and have certain practical value in biogeochemical and en- vironmental geochemical research on low mature oil and gas.     

碳酸盐岩生油岩的有机地球化学、岩石学特征

Features of oil-generating carbonate rocks are studied in terms of petrology and organic geochemistry of fluorescent materials in rocks. It is postulated by the authors that the organic carbon content in oil-generatlng carbonate rocks is necessarily lower than that in shales, and the possible cause of this observation is discussed. The quality of oil-ganerating carbonate rocks may be judged by aromatic structure index,amino acid, pigment index, and DTA data on organic matter. However, the application of presently available organic geochemical criteria to non-oil-generating reservoir rocks may always give misleading results. To circumvent this difficulty, it is necessary first to make distinction between primary and secondary organic matter by cxamining the fluorescent materials under a fluorescence microscope. Measurementof radical content of the organic substances and DTA are useful techniques to determine the degree of maturation. The maturation of organic substances proceeds at a lower rate in carbonate rocks than in shales. It is likely, therefore, that some older carbonate strata can also be promising areas for petroleum exploration. Oil-generating carbonate rocks consist mainly of mierite limestones rich in organic matter and are thought to be formed under low-encrgy environment. Consequently, petrological(especially mierolithofacies) studies are very important in evaluating carbonate source rocks.     

Burial Dissolution of Ordovician Granule Limestone in the Tahe Oilfield of the Tarim Basin, NW China, and Its Geological Significance

With a comprehensive study on the petrology, geology and geochemistry of some Ordovician granule limestone samples in the Tahe Oiifieid of the Tarim Basin, two stages of burial dissolution were put forward as an in-source dissolution and out-source dissolution based on macro-microcosmic petrology and geochemistry features. The main differences in the two stages are in the origin and moving pass of acid fluids. Geochemical evidence indicates that burial dissolution fluids might be ingredients of organic acids, CO2 and H2S associated with organic matter maturation and hydrocarbon decomposition, and the in-source fluid came from organic matter in the granule limestone itself, but the out-source was mainly from other argillaceous carbonate rocks far away. So, the forming of a burial dissolution reservoir resulted from both in-source and the out-source dissolutions. The granule limestone firstly formed unattached pinholes under in-source dissolution in situ, and afterwards suffered wider dissolution with out-source fluids moving along unconformities, seams, faults and associate fissures. The second stage was much more important, and the mineral composition in the stratum and heat convection of the fluid were also important in forming favorable reservoirs.     

Biomarker geochemistry of marine organic matter in the Hushan and Chaohu areas,Lower Yangtze region

Marine strata are widely exposed in the Hushan and Chaohu areas, Lower Yangtze region. As biomarker geochemistry of the strata has not been well documented, this paper deals with the biomarker composition of representative samples collected from the Silurian, Carboniferous and Triassic systems and their geological implications, thus providing clues to marine organic matter. On the basis of experimental results, it is shown that abundant biomarkers (e.g. n-alkanes, isoprenoids, terpanes and steranes) were detected. As organic matter in the strata is highly to over mature in general based on petrologic microobservation, some biomarkers (mainly n-alkanes) except terpanes and steranes cannot reflect the source, depositional environment and maturity of organic matter. Thus, primarily based on analyses of the terpanes and steranes, it is suggested that organic matter in the Silurian and Carboniferous strata is derived mainly from lower organisms, while higher plants are predominant in the Triassic organic matter. This further indicates that the depositional environment may have transformed from the marine to continental facies in the Late Triassic. These results provide new evidence for the study of regional depositional evolution, and have enriched the study of biological composition of organic matter. In addition, the biomarker geochemistry of organic matter at high to over maturation stage is addressed.     

Organic Petrological Studies on Immature Source Rocks

Organic petrology is a marginal science that is quite practicable. At present, it has developed into a routine research tool that is widely applied in petroleum exploration and assessment. Based on several years‘ research of the authors, this paper presents the advances in organic petrological studies on immature source rocks, including the classification and characteristics of macerals, the composition of macerals and types of organic matter, the abundance and evolution of organic matter, oil-prone macerals, hydrocarbon generation and expulsion. All these results show that organic petrology is of considerable value pertaining to its application in the assessment of immature oil and gas. The immature source rocks consist of various macerals with obvious heterogeneity, contain different hydrocarbon-generating macerals with different oil thresholds and oil peaks, and show a two-staged evolutionary pattern of organic matter.     

Characteristics of biomarkers in source rocks of the Ganquan Formation in the Dahulishan region, Ejina Banner

Based on gas chromatography and gas chromatography mass spectrometry techniques, the authors examined biomarker characteristics of the Ganquan Formation source rocks in the area of Dahulishan, Ejina, and analyzed the information and petroleum geological significance that were indicated by the source of organic matter, sedimentary environment and maturity and so on. Gas chromatography peak of saturated hydrocarbons from the Ganquan Formation source rocks showed "the former peak" of the single peak distribution, the main peak of carbon being C18 , indicating the main sources of organic matter with marine organic matter. Pr/Ph ranges from 0.3 to 0.6, indicating a strongly reducing sedimentary environment. Biomarker assemblages of the Ganquan Formation source rocks are abundant in tricyclic terpane with long side chains, with a high level of gammacerane, showing dominant distribution of C27 sterane. High contents of gammacerane in organic matter show organic facies of source rocks in the saltwater sedimentary environment. That average hopane/sterane ratio is 0.59, showing that algae have made more contributions to organic matter than bacteria. And the high level of C27 steranes shows that algae are the main source of hydrocarbon precursors. The Ganquan Formation’s methylphenanthrene index, which is an effective molecular parameter index to measure thermal evolution of organic matter, ranges from 0.35 to 0.50, and the conversion of vitrinite reflectance Rc from it is within the range of 2.00-2.09, indicating that the Ganquan Formation source rocks are in the over-mature stage of thermal evolution.     

Palaeotemperatures and Diagenetic Phases of the Upper Triassic Oil-bearing Sandstones in the Eastern Part of the Ordos Basin

The maximum palaeotemperature of oil-bearing sandstones in the UpperTriassic in the eastern Ordos basin has been determined by using many methods including thevitrinite reflectance, fluid inclusion, apatite fission track, illite crystallinity, chlorite polytypeand diagenetic change of authigenic minerals. The thermal gradient in the Late Mesozoic wasabout 2.9-3.0℃/100m. The Upper Triassic was in a mature stage of organic matter andhydrocarbon began to be generated and migrated during this period. The palaeotemperatures ofoil-bearing sandstones were in the range of 88-110℃; those for the generation and migrationof oil ranged from 112 to 122℃. The thickness of the denuded strata overlying the UpperTriassic was 2465-2750m. The present burial depth of oil-bearing sandstones is generally from400 to 1200m. At a depth of ca. 1900m, the temperature may reach 140℃. Below this depth,organic matter was supermature and mainly generated gas.     

A study on hydrocarbon generation potential of deep source rocks and gas sources in Changling Fault Depression,Songliao Basin

Through natural gas exploration in the Changling Fault Depression,abundant natural gas flows were obtained and high-quality source rocks were also reveiled.Based on bulk analyses,organic matter abundance,organic matter type and thermal maturity of the source rocks were studied systematically.At the same time,gas gener-ating intensity and gas generating quantity were quantitatively analyzed by using basin modeling technologies.The results indicated that gas source rocks of the Shahezi Formation are characterized by abundant organic matter and dark mudstone distributions and high-over thermal maturity.They possess high gas generating intensity with the biggest value surpassing 500×108 m3/km2,and large gas generating quantity,accounting from 74.40% of the total amount.The Yingcheng Formation has good gas-source rocks with moderate dark mudstone and relatively high organic matter.It has type-Ⅲ organic matter and low-over thermal maturity.The gas generating intensity is moderate,between 20×108 and 60×108 m3/km2.The gas generating quantity is 13.63% of the total amount.The Huoshiling Formation has relatively good source rocks with limited dark mudstone and low organic matter.It has type-Ⅲ kerogen and over-thermal maturity.The gas generating quantity is 7.10% of the total amount.The Denglouku Formation has poor-gas source rocks,and is characterized by undeveloped dark mudstone and low organic matter abundance.It has type-Ⅲ organic matter and low-high thermal maturity.Hydrocarbon gases in the Changling Fault Depression mainly originated from the Shahezi Formation,and secondarily from the Yingcheng Formation.The contribution of the Huoshiling Formation gas source rocks is relatively small.     

Graptolite, Chitinozoan and Scolecodont Reflectances and Their Use as Indicators of Thermal Maturity

Based on studies of the reflectance of Ordovician and Silurian zooclasts from 11 sections around the Huangling Anticline, Hubei, China, combined with determination of the conodont colour alteration indices (CAI) and of infrared spectroscopy of dispersed organic matter from the same or adjacent horizons, it is further proved that reflectances of graptolites, chitinozoans and scolecldonts, like vitrinite and natural bitumen, increase with increasing maturation, but follow different reflectance paths. They may be used, therefore, as thermal maturation indicators. Graptolites display optically strong anisotropy. The maximum reflectance measured from graptolite on polished section cut parallel to the bedding plane is the most suitable for determination of maturation of their host rocks. In polished section chitinozoan and scolecodont show reflectance, but no bireflectance owing to their isotropy. The random reflectance of chitinozoans is higher than that of scolecodonts in the case of the same maturity. By analysing the distribution trends of graptolite, chitionzoan and scolecodont reflectances, the Ordovician and Silurian strata can be subdivided into three areas of maturation in the present region. The potential of oil or gas generation is discussed for each area. The result is basically coincident with the distribution pattern of regional organic maturation presented by CAI and infrared spectroscopic determination of organic matter.     

Organic Geochemistry of Sedimentary Rock-hosted Disseminated Gold Deposits in Southwestern Guizhou Province, China

Sedimentary rock-hosted disseminated gold (SRHDG) deposits in the Youjiang-Nanpanjiang Basin,southwestem Guizhou Province are commonly hosted by the same fold crests that commonly contain a remarkable amount of organic material. The total organic carbon (TOC) contents of the ores and host rocks are usually less than 1%. The reflectance of vitrinite and pyrobitumen in the ores and the host rocks ranges from 1.5% to 4.5%, often in the range of 2% to 3%. In the Lannigou deposit, the reflectance of vitrinite and pyrobitumen in the ores is usually somewhat higher than those within the host rocks, indicating a hydrothermal impact on the organic matter in the altered host rocks. On the contrary, the estimated maximum paleotemperatures of the Getang and Zimudang deposits are higher than the homogenization temperatures of the fluid inclusions in the ores, signifying that the organic matter maturation predated Au mineralization. No correlation between the organic matter contents and Au concentrations were recognized in the ores.However, the most striking observation is that there is a positive correlation between the $2 (a parameter of Rock-Eval analysis), Au and As contents of the ores in the Lannigou deposit. Organic matter maturation and migration is apparent from the TOC vs. HCI diagram. Furthermore, group analysis of the dichloromethane extractable organic component of the ores and host rocks shows that the maturation degree of the organic matter in the ores is slightly higher than that of the host rocks in the Lannigou gold deposit. However, the compositions of their alkanes, steranes and terpenes, which serve as biomarkers, are quite similar; this suggests that the organic matter found in the ores and host rocks has a common marine source. Organic matter probably contributed to the preconcentration of Au in the host rocks. Hydrocarbons in the system,on the other hand, clearly contributed to the emplacement of the gold mineralization through thermal sulfate reduction.Organic matter in the solution might have increased the potential of the hydrothermal solution to transport Au.     

Experimental Simulation Study of the Dominant Enrichment Area of Terrestrial Organic Matter in the Shallow-Delta Sedimentary System of the Yacheng Formation in the Qiongdongnan Basin

Shallow-delta sedimentary systems receive both terrestrial and marine organic matter. As oil and gas exploration activities determine that the source rocks of the deep-water area of the Qiongdongnan Basin, northern South China Sea, are generally rich in and even dominated by terrestrial organic matter, this has led many researchers to examine the rules governing terrestrial organic matter enrichment in shallow-delta sea sedimentary systems. However, the deep burial of source rocks in deep-water areas and the relatively small amount of drilling undertaken have greatly restricted the study of these rules. In this study, the ‘forward modeling’ research method was used to observe and analyze the deposition and preservation of terrestrial organic matter through flume experiments, where the depositional results were carefully depicted and sampled. The total organic carbon content of selected samples was measured and when combined with qualitative observations and quantitative comparison results, the dominant enrichment areas of terrestrial organic matter were identified. The experimental results show that the overbank parts of the delta front, the dune countercurrent surface, the low-lying parts, the delta front slope area and the shallow-prodelta sea area are where terrestrial organic matter is predominantly enriched. This provides an important basis and guidance for the prediction of the development areas of marine source rocks with terrestrial input in the deep-water areas of the Qiongdongnan Basin.     

Research on the carbon isotopic composition of organic matter from Lake Chenghai and Caohai Lake sediments

The carbon isotopic composition of organic matter from lake sediments has been extensively used to infer variations in productivity. In this paper, based on the study of the contents and δ13C values of organic matter in different types of lakes, it has been found that δ13C values of organic matter have different responses to lake productivity in different lakes. As to the lakes dominated by aqutic macrophytes such as Lake Caohai, organic matter becomes enriched in 13C with increasing productivity. As to the lakes dominated by aquatic algae such as Lake Chenghai, δ13C values of organic matter decrease with increasing productivity, and the degradation of aquatic algae is the main factor leading to the decrease of δ13C values of organic matter with increasing productivity. Therefore, we should be cautious to use the carbon isotopic composition of organic matter to deduce lake productivity.     

Analysis of evaporation of high-salinity phreatic water at a burial depth of 0 m in an arid area

High-salinity phreatic water refers to which with total dissolved solids(TDS)30 g/L. Previous studies have shown that high salinity phreatic water evaporation is different at different depths. High salinity phreatic water evaporation under 0 m depth is the basis of the high salinity phreatic water evaporation studies. In this study, evaporation of high-salinity phreatic water at a burial depth of 0 m in arid area was investigated. New insights were gained on evaporation mechanisms via experiments conducted on high-salinity phreatic water with TDS of 100 g/L at 0 m at the study site at Changji Groundwater Balance Experiment Site, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in China, where the lithology of the vadose(unsaturated zone) was silty clay. Comparison was made on the data of high-salinity phreatic water evaporation, water surface evaporation(E_(Φ20)) and meteorological data obtained in two complete hydrological years from April 1, 2012 to March 31, 2014. The experiments demonstrated that when the lithology of the vadose zone is silty clay, the burial depth is 0 m and the TDS is 100 g/L, intra-annual variation of phreatic water evaporation is the opposite to the variation of atmospheric evaporation E_(Φ20) and air temperature. The salt crust formed by the evaporation of high-salinity phreatic water has a strong inhibitory effect on phreatic water evaporation. Large volumes of precipitation can reduce such an inhibitory effect. During freezing periods, surface snow cover can promote the evaporation of high-salinity phreatic water at 0 m; the thicker the snow cover, the more apparent this effect is.     

The Impact of Aqueous Medium on Gas Yields and Kinetic Behaviors of Hydrogen Isotope Fractionation during Organic Matter Thermal Degradation

In order to recognize the impact of aqueous medium on gas yields and the kinetic behaviors of hydrogen isotope fractionation during organic matter thermal degradation, the gold tube apparatus was used to conduct thermal simulation experiments by mixing the nC18 with the water of different properties and proportions. The yields of natural gas components, the relation among hydrogen isotope composition of each component and the experimental temperatures vs. heating rates have been obtained, and the results indicate that under the higher temperature conditions, the hydrous experiment has obvious impact on gas yields, such as when more water is added, higher amounts of hydrocarbon gas and H2 are yielded, and the existence of water obviously prolongs the temperature interval with the existence of heavy hydrocarbon gas. It also shows that the hydrogen isotope of hydrocarbon gas generated by the hydrous experiment is obviously lighter than that generated by the anhydrous experiment, and with the increasing amount of added water, the δD value of hydrocarbon gas gradually decreases. Compared with gas yields, the variation of δD value is more sensitive to aqueous medium in the thermal simulation experiment. However, compared with the amount of the added water, the aqueous medium property has smaller impact on the gas yields, which still shows the inherit effect on hydrogen isotope composition of aqueous medium. Through the model simulation and the isotope fractionation behavior analysis, it is validated that the hydrogen isotope fractionation process can be well described by the chemical kinetic model. The difference of reaction fraction of normal methane and D-containing methane is large, corresponding to the same activation energy. The content of normal methane is obviously higher in the part with lower activation energy, while the content of D-containing methane is higher in the part with higher activation energy. Therefore, it will result in larger hydrogen isotope fractionation amplitude, and the δD values will be more sensitive to the variation of maturity. Meanwhile, the average activation energy of methane generation from nC18 in the hydrous experiment is higher than that in the anhydrous experiment, and the greater amount of added water, the larger the average activation energy of methane generation reaction. This has laid foundation for its exploratory application in the study of gas reservoir forming history and the gas-source correlation, which indicates the research and application prospects in this orientation.     

Controlling Factors of Organic Nanopore Development: A Case Study on Marine Shale in the Middle and Upper Yangtze Region,South China

The Upper Ordovician Wufeng-Lower Silurian Longmaxi and the Lower Cambrian Qiongzhusi shales are the major targets for shale gas exploration and development in China. Although the two organic-rich shales share similar distribution ranges and thicknesses, they exhibit substantially different exploration and development results. This work analyzed the nanopore structures of the shale reservoirs in this region. Pore development of 51 shale samples collected from various formations and locations was compared using the petromineralogical, geochemical, structural geological and reservoir geological methods. The results indicate that the reservoir space in these shales is dominated by organic pores and the total pore volume of micropores, mesopores, macropores in different tectonic areas and formations show different trends with the increase of TOC. It is suggested that organic pores of shale can be well preserved in areas with simple structure and suitable preservation conditions, and the shale with smaller maximum ancient burial depth and later hydrocarbon-generation-end-time is also more conducive to pore preservation. Organic pore evolution models are established, and they are as follows: ① Organic matter pore development stage, ② Early stage of organic matter pore destruction, and ③ late stage of organic matter pore destruction. The areas conducive to pore development are favorable for shale gas development. Research results can effectively guide the optimization and evaluation of favorable areas of shale gas.     

A Late Quaternary Climate Record Based on Multi-Proxies Analysis from the Jiaochang Loess Section in the Eastern Tibetan Plateau, China

We compared the stable carbon isotopic records from a loess transect of the Jiaochang in the eastern Tibetan Plateau, spanning the last ~21,000 years, with multiproxy data for pedogenesis, including magnetic susceptibility, clay fraction, Fed/Fet ratio, carbonate and total organic carbon content, in order to probe the mechanisms of δ13C values of organic matter and Late Quaternary climate variations in the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Our results indicate that there is no simple relationship between δ13C of organic matter and summer monsoon variations. The change in δ13C values of organic matter (in accordance with the ratios of C3 to C4 plants) results from the interaction among temperature, aridity and atmospheric pCO2 level. Drier climate and lower atmospheric pCO2 level contribute to positive carbon isotopic excursion, while negative carbon isotopic excursion is the result of lower temperature and increased atmospheric pCO2 level. Additionally, our results imply that the Tibetan monsoon may play an important role in climate system in the eastern Tibet Plateau, which specifically reflects frequently changing climate in that area. The results provide new insights into the forcing mechanisms on both the δ13C values of organic matter and the local climate system.     

A Novel Type of Oil—generating Organic Matter —Crystal—enclosed Organic Matter

The comparative study of organic matter in carbonate rocks and argillaceous rocks from the same horizon indicates that the organic thermal maturities of carbonate rocks are much lower than those of argillaceous rocks .Ana extensive analysis of extracted and inclused organic matter from the same sample shows that inclused organic matter is different from extracted organic matter,and the thermal maturity of the former is usually lower than that of the latter in terms of biomarker structural parameters.It seems that carbonate mineras could preserve organic matter and retard organic maturation.The inclused organic matter,abundant in most carbonate rocks,will be released from minerals and transformed into oil and gas during the high-thermal maturity stage.     

Experimental simulation of dolomite dissolution under burial diagenesis conditions and thermodynamic interpretation

Simulating experiments on dolomite dissolution by acetic acid were made under burial diagenesis conditions,at temperatures ranging from 75℃to 130℃ and pressures from 20 MPA to 30MPa,The results show that the dissolution rate of dolomite increased rapidly with increasing temperature and prssure,From 75℃/Mpa to 130℃/30 MPa,the total amount of released ca and Mg increased from 32.98mg/L to 337.9mg/L,over one order of magnitude in difference,Thermodynamic calculation indicates that the increment of Gibbs free energy (ΔG） of the chemical reaction decreases with increasing temperature and pressure.This thermodynamic result is consistent with the experimental result.Based on the Experimental results.it is suggested that secondary prosities formed by dolomite dissolution under conditions of deep burial diagenesis should be more common than those under epigenesis and shallow burial conditions,and therefore dolomite reservoires in the formations that have been deeply buried should be more abundant than in the formations that have only been shallowly buried.     

Thermal Evolution of Organic Matter in Source Rocks—Experimental and Scanning Electron Microscopic Studies

Five major froms(lamellar,banded,crack-like,dissceminated and segregated encrustation(of organic matter distribution in sourc rocks have been revealed under scanning electron microscope by using the heavy metal staining technique.The degree of organic impregnation is related to the amount of liquied hydrocarbons in the rocks,and from this relationship a rough estimation of organic matter can be made on the basis of electron microscopic observations.In conjunction with experimental studies it has been found that the distribution forms of organic matter are a function of its maturity in the process of thermal evolution and accordingly some microscopic criteria can be developed for the assessment of source rocks.     

Accumulation Conditions of Organic Matter during the Deposition of Black Shales of the Buxin Formation (Early Paleogene) in the Sanshui Basin, South China

Analyses of organic carbon, nitrogen, sulfur and iron have been performed in order to understand sources and preservation of organic matter in black shale of the Buxin Formation (Early Paleogene) from the Sanshui Basin. The C/N ratios show that the organic matter is characterized by a mixture of terrestrial and phytoplanktonic contributions. The relative importance of different sources depend on climate conditions and most of organic matter is of terrestrial origin. The relationships between C, S and Fe indicate that the brackish environment with alternation of anoxia and low-O2 developed in the bottom waters during the deposition of these organic-rich sediments as a result of a mixed setting of thermal stratification and salinity stratification, the latter being the consequence of intermittent sea water incursion. Bacterial sulfate reduction is the most effective early diagenesis affecting the preservation of organic matter. The intensity of sulfate reduction is related to the relative proportion of met