Compositional characteristics and geochemical significance of light hydrocarbons for crude oils in Tarim Basin, China

Light hydrocarbons, especially C7 isoalkanes, cyclopentanes, cyclohexanes and n-heptane in 540 oils from the Tarim Basin were studied systematically. The results suggested the K1 values [ （2-MH＋ 2,3-DMP）/（3-MH ＋ 2,4-DMP） ] of crude oils vary from a lowest value of 0.78, to a highest value of 1.54, but the K1 values of the majority of oil samples （80%） range from 0.90 to 1.20. However, the absolute contents of （ 2-methylhexane ＋ 2,3-dimethylpentane） and （ 3-methylhexane ＋ 2,4-dimethylpentane） in the total light hydrocarbons （ C4-C7 ） show a similar variation trend. The variation of K1 values of crude oils can suggest a typical sedimentary environment for source rocks. Therefore, according to the compositional characteristics of C7 light hydrocarbons in light of the steady-state catalytic hypothesis, nonmarine oils from the Yingmaili area and marine oils from the Tazhong uplift in the Tarim Basin were genetically classified.     

轻烃的稳态成因及其在油气勘探中的应用

对Mango的轻烃稳态成因理论进行了综述：基于大量实际分析资料,Mango发现轻烃的形成受一种化学过程控制,且有4个C,异构化合物的相对组成有显著的不变性,即轻烃稳态成因模式;基于该模式,Mango建立了轻烃参数与生油层最大埋深温度的关系,同时发现参数K1、1（2的不同来源于有机质类型不同。在该理论基础上,通过对苏北盆地湖相油和海相油气轻烃的分析,探讨了轻烃参数K1、K2在确定油气母质类型方面的应用,同时依据轻烃参数2,4．／2,3-DMP与最大埋深温度关系式计算了苏北湖相油与海相油气的生成温度,结果显示湖相油生成温度与甾烷C2920S／（S＋R）参数有较好的相关性,处于成熟阶段;海相油气生成温度显著高于湖相油,处于成熟晚期阶段。     

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.     

Dibenzofuran Series in Terrestrial Source Rocks and Crude Oils and Applications to Oil-Source Rock Correlations in the Kuche Depression of Tarim Basin, NW China

Ten series of aromatic hydrocarbon compounds (biphenyl, naphthalene, phenanthrene, anthracene, retene, chrysene, benzoanthracene, dibenzofuran, fluorene, dibenzothiophene) isolated from seven Triassic and Jurassic lacustrine mudstone samples and three swamp coal samples, as well as five crude oil samples collected in the Kuche depression of the Tarim Basin,NW China, have been analysed by GC-MS techniques. It is found that the relative abundances of dibenzofuran series are higher in the three swamp coal samples than those in the lacustrine mudstone samples. Based on the similar relative abundances of dibenzofuran series, especially dibenzofuran compound, in the TICs of aromatic hydrocarbons, crude oils from wells SA3 (K), YTK5(E,K) and QL1 (E) are thought to have been derived predominantly from the coals of the Lower Jurassic Yangxia Formation or Middle Jurassic Kezilenuer Formation, whereas those from wells YM7 (O) and YHI (E) were derived mainly from Triassic and Jurassic lacustrine mudstones in the Kuche depression. This is the first report about how to distinguish coal-generated oils from lacustrine mudstone-generated oils in the Kuche depression in terms of the dibenzofuran series.The present paper has enlightening and directive significance for further oil-source rock correlations and oil and/or gas exploration in the Kuche depression of the Tarim Basin.     

Reservoir geochemistry of the Tazhong oilfield in the Tarim Basin, China, Part I. Geochemical characteristics and genetic classification of crude oils

1 Introduction Since the 1990’s of the 20th century, oil & gas geochemists have shifted their research focus on hydrocarbon source rocks in the past to that on reservoir rocks and oil reservoirs at present; their research field has been expanded from oil & gas exploration to the assessment of oil reservoirs and production & management. Therefore, reservoir geochemistry as a branch disciplinary of organic geochemistry is now attracting great concern of many oil & gas explorers and oilfield en…     

Reservoir geochemistry of the Tazhong Oilfield in the Tarim Basin, China, Part II. Migration, accumulation and mixing of crude oils

Measurements of the absolute and relative concentrations of nitrogen-containing compounds in crude oils from different reservoir strata (Ordovician, Silurian and Carboniferous) in the Tazhong region of the Tarim Basin, Xinjiang, China, showed that even though there are quite a number of factors affecting the distributional and compositional characteristics of neutral nitrogen-containing compounds in crude oils, the distributional and compositional characteristics of crude oils whose source conditions are approximate to one another are influenced mainly by the migration and fractionation effects in the process of formation of oil reservoirs. In addition, crude oils in the Tazhong region show obvious migration-fractionation effects in the vertical direction. Carboniferous crude oils are characterized by high migration parameters and low compound concentrations, just in contrast to Ordovician crude oils. This indicates that crude oils from shallow-level oil reservoirs were derived from those of deep-level oil reservoirs via faults, unconformable contact or carrier beds. Crude oils from the Tazhong region show some migration-fractionation effects in the lateral direction, but mixing of crude oils derived from different hydrocarbon source rocks in the process of formation of oil reservoirs made it more complicated the migration and accumulation of crude oils, as well as the formation of oil reservoirs.     

Reservoir Geochemistry of the Kuche Petroleum System in the Tarim Basin, China

The geochemical characteristics of crude oils and reservoir core extracts from the Kuche petroleum system are described and studied systematically by means of various geochemical techniques and methods to acquire molecular information. The results suggest crude oils from the petroleum system can be divided into two groups: marine oils and non-marine oils. The former represents the dominant oils found in the area. Tar mats were firstly discovered and determined accurately in terrestrial oil and gas reservoirs, with Lower Tertiary sandstone reservoirs in the Yaha oilfield of the Tarim Basin. However, based on the ratio of 20S/(20S 20R)C29 sterane as a maturity parameter, lacustrine oils filled into the Tertiary reservoirs in the direction toward the western part of the petroleum system. In contrast, according to the fact that methylcyclohexane indices of eastern oils are greater than those of western oils, the location in which coalgenerated oils filled into the Tertiary reservoirs lies in the eastern part of the petroleum system.     

Dibenzofuran Series in Terrestrial Source Rocks and Crude Oils and Applications to Oil-Source Rock Correlations in the Kuche Depression of Tarim Basin, NW China

1IntroductionTheTarimBasin ,NWChina,istheonlybasininChinawherenotonlymarine ,butalsoter restrialindustrialoilandgaspoolsaredeveloped .TheterrestrialoilandgaspoolshavebeenfoundintheKuchedepressioninthenorthernpartofthebasinanditsfrontupliftarea (Fig .1) .ThesourcerocksoftheterrestrialoilandgaspoolsareTriassicandJurassiclacustrinemudstonesandswampcoals.ThebiomarkersfromthesaturatedfractionsofTriassicandJurassicterrestrialsourcerocksandFig .1 .LocationofTriassicandJurassicterrestrialsource…     

The calculation of hydrocarbon-generating temperature — Theory and practice

How to quantitatively evaluate the maturity of crude oils is still an open question. Mango discovered a remarkable compositional invariance of four isoheptane ratios in crude oils, and proposed a steady-state catalytic model for the origin of light hydrocarbons. According to this model, 2,4/2,3 dimethylpentane ratio is a pure temperature parameter. Bement, Mango et al. established the functional equation between the two parameters--light hydrocarbon temperature and burial temperature and applied it to the calculation of hydrocarbon-generating temperature, which provided a new choice for the study of oil maturity. In this paper, the Mango＇s parameters for hydrocarbons from the Tazhong area were calculated, the average K1 value is 1.06, which is in good consistency with the Mango＇s proposal that the K1 value is relatively stable. Calculated with the functional formula of hydrocarbon-generating temperature, the hydrocarbon-generating temperatures are with the range of 120-129℃, and the converted vitrinite reflectance （Ro） varies from 0.88% to 0.90%. This is well consistent with the maturity characteristics of neohopanes. The results have verified the reliability of this method.     

Source and commingling features of light oils from the Chepaizi uplift in the Junggar Basin,Northwest China

Geochemical composition characteristics of light oils from the Tertiary in the west of the Chepaizi uplift in the Junggar basin, northwest China, are distinct from those of biodegraded oils derived from the Permian in the study area and crude oils from some adjacent oil fields such as the Chepaizi and Xiaoguai oilfields. Oil source correlation shows that light oils in the study area have similar n-alkane and isoprenoid distribution patterns and carbon isotope compositions with the coal-derived oils from the Jurassic, and display obvious discrepancy on biomarker composition characteristics with the Cretaceous source rock extracts, inferring that they are probably the mixed oils from the Jurassic coal measures and Cretaceous source rocks. In this study, combined with the geochemical data of coal-derived oils from the Jurassic and Cretaceous source rocks or crude oils from the Cretaceous, the source and commingling features of the Tertiary crude oils of Well Pai 2 and Well Pai 8 were investigated. The proportion of the two sources in the mixed crude oils was estimated, and the hydrocarbon accumulation pattern of reservoirs in the study area was established.     

塔里木盆地原油金刚烷含量校正及裂解程度评价

准确评价原油裂解程度对研究原油稳定性和预测油气的相态分布具有重要意义.原油裂解程度通常用金刚烷含量来表征,然而气洗和热化学硫酸盐还原作用(TSR)等次生作用可能会造成原油中金刚烷含量增加,从而难以准确评价其含量.本研究通过对塔里木盆地原油中金刚烷化合物进行分析,发现TSR初期对金刚烷含量影响不大,但会使成熟度参数乙基单...     

The Variance of Mango‘s Light—Hydrocarbon Parameter K

The analyses of light hydrocarbons in oils from the Tarim Basin show that the Mango‘s parameter K is about unity except those oils trapped in the eastern part of the Tazhong (Central Tarim)Fault Uplift,The regular variance of K may indicates the accumulation and admixture of the oil populations in the eastern part of the Tazhong Fault Uplift.     

石油碳、氢同位素组成的研究

通过对我国18个含油气区、385个石油样品进行碳、氢同位素和部分馏份碳同位素分析,将所获数据对两种不同性质的石油如正常原油和轻质（凝析）油分别研究其碳、氢同位素地球化学特征,提出轻质（凝析）油的碳同位素值（δ13C为-32.5‰～ -24.3‰）比正常原油δ13C为-34.4‰～ -24.6 ‰．6‰）相对偏高;石油馏份中芳烃碳同位素组成的变化受母质继承效应更为明显。因此,用芳烃碳同位值可以判识不同母质来源的石油。与海相有关的轻质（凝析）油的氢同位素值大于-15.0‰,而非海相轻质（凝析）油的δD值( δD为-21.0‰～-1.05‰）基本覆盖了海相轻质油的分布范围,从淡水－微咸水－半咸水和海水环境其氢同位素有明显变重趋势,表明氢同位素主要与沉积环境密切相关。     

塔中台盆区原油正构烷烃摩尔浓度分布特征及意义

塔里木盆地塔中地区原油性质的多样性和复杂性十分罕见;分析表明,成熟作用和源岩相很可能是原油多样性的次要因素,主要影响因素可能与多期成藏或成藏后储层内的次生蚀变作用有关。本文对照正构烷烃摩尔浓度分布图版,辨别了塔中地区不同构造单元原油正构烷烃摩尔浓度的分布类型,分析了原油遭受次生蚀变作用的程度,以及蒸发分馏作用、气洗作用发生的原因及其对原油物性的影响。结果表明,由于运移通道以及与油气源的距离等因素,从塔中Ⅰ号断裂坡折带至中央断垒带,蒸发分馏作用和气洗作用发生的频率逐渐降低,但基态原油分布频率有增高的趋势。并且Ⅰ号断裂坡折带部分凝析油、高蜡油的形成主要与上述蒸发分馏、气洗、晶析等储层内的次生蚀变作用有关。     

Geochemical characteristics of aromatic hydrocarbons in saline lacustrine crude oils and their significance as exemplified by the south area of western Qaidam Basin

Based on quantitative GC-MS analysis of 40 crude oil samples collected from the south area of western Qaidam Basin,one of the largest saline lacustrine basins in China,the geochemical characteristics of aromatic hydrocarbons in oils were studied systematically in this paper.Among those constitutes,naphthalene(43% 59%),phenanthrene(12% 21%) and taromatic-sterane series(6% 28%) were the main ones of aromatic hydrocarbons.The ratio of aromatic hydrocarbon maturity parameter vs.saturated hydrocarbon maturity parameter C 29 20S/(20S+20R) shows that some aromatic hydrocarbon maturity parameters are not suitable for low-mature oils,including MPI,MNR,DNR,etc.Meanwhile,maturity parameters for dibenzothiophene and taromatic-sterane series are more appropriate for low maturity saline lacustrine crude oils.Based on the ratio of 4,6-DMDBT/1,4-DMDBT,the R c values are within the range of 0.59% 0.72%.However,the abundance of dibenzothiophene(DBT) is low,and the dibenzofuran(DBF) content is even lower,suggesting that the crude oils were formed in a saline lacustrine anaerobic environment.The high abundance of C 26 triaromatic steroid also indicates that the source material is brackish water-saline water with strong reducibility.     

Geochemical Characteristics of Crude Oils from Zao-V Oil Measures in Shenjiapu Oilfield

The geochemical characteristics of crude oils from Zao-V oil measures in the Shen-jiapu oilfield are systematically described in terms of the fractional composition of crude oils, GC characteristics of saturated hydrocarbon fraction of crude oils and the characteristics of their bio-markers. The deposifional environment, type and evolution of the biological source are also discussed. All pieces of evidence such as low saturated hydrocarbon fraction, high resin and asphalt, high isoprenoid alkane, weak odd-carbon number predominance ( CPI ranging from 1.23 to 1,29, OEP ranging from 1.14 to 1.16) and low sterane and terpane maturity parameters show these crude oils are immature oils. Low Pr/Ph ratios (0.66 -0.88) and high gammacer-ante/C31 hopane ratios ( 0.59 - 0.86 ) indicate the source rocks were formed in a slightly saline to brackish reducing lake depositional environment. Gas chromatographic characteristics of the saturated hydrocarbon fraction and the predominance of C30 hopane in terpane series and C29 sterane in sterane series indicate the biological source of the crude oils is composed mainly of bacterial and algal organic matter, and some algae are perhaps the main contributor of organic matter to the source rocks.     

Molecular correlation of crude oils and oil components from reservoir rocks in the Tazhong and Tabei uplifts of the Tarim Basin, China

Molecular data from a large set of source rock, crude oil and oil-containing reservoir rock samples from the Tarim Basin demonstrate multiple sources for the marine oils in the studied areas of this basin. Based on gammacerane/C₃₁ hopane and C₂₈/(C₂₇ + C₂₈ + C₂₉) sterane ratios, three of the fifteen crude oils from the Tazhong Uplift correlate with Cambrian-Lower Ordovician source rocks, while the other crude oils from the Tazhong Uplift and all 39 crude oils from the Tahe oilfield in the Tabei Uplift correlate with Middle-Upper Ordovician source rocks. These two ratios further demonstrate that most of the free oils and nearly all of the adsorbed and inclusion oils in oil-containing reservoir rocks from the Tazhong Uplift correlate with Cambrian-Lower Ordovician source rocks, while the free and inclusion oils in oil-containing carbonates from the Tahe oilfield correlate mainly with Middle-Upper Ordovician source rocks. This result suggests that crude oils in the Tazhong Uplift are partly derived from the Cambrian-Lower Ordovician source rocks while those in the Ordovician carbonate reservoirs of Tahe oilfield are overwhelmingly derived from the Middle-Upper Ordovician source rocks.The scatter of C₂₃ tricyclic terpane/(C₂₃ tricyclic terpane + C₃₀ 17α,21β(H)-hopane) and C₂₁/(C₂₁ + ΣC₂₉) sterane ratios for the free and inclusion oils from oil-containing carbonates in the Tahe oilfield possibly reflects the subtle organofacies variations in the source rocks, implying that the Ordovician reservoirs in this oilfield are near the major source kitchen. In contrast, the close and positive relationship between these two ratios for oil components in the oil-containing reservoir rocks from the Tazhong Uplift implies that they are far from the major source kitchen.     

芳烃分析在油气化探中的作用和意义

三维荧光光谱具有指纹特征,分析钻井岩屑的荧光光谱,可以判别是否含油气或煤;分析油气样品的固定波长同步荧光光谱,可以推断油气是海相或陆相成因;根据荧光光谱的非油气特征,可以辩识污染或干扰.恒定能量同步荧光光谱技术能够消除拉曼光干扰,用于芳烃及石油分析,优于固定波长同步荧光光谱,是油气化探中有应用前途的方法.     

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.     

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.