The geochemical characteristics and genetic types of crude oils in the western depression of the Liaohe Basin,China

The physical properties and group compositions of crude oils in the western depression of the Liaohe Basin possess such characteristics as to increase gradually in density, viscosity and wax contents, and decrease in saturated hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon and bitumen contents from the deep level to the shallow level and from the center of the depression to its boundary. Saturated hydrocarbons have various spectra, such as single peak and double peak patterns, front peak and rear peak patterns, and smooth peak and serated peak patterns, as well as the chromatograms of biodegraded n-alkanes. The ratios of Pr/Ph in crude oils from the southern part of the depression are generally higher than those in the northern part. The distribution of regular steranes C₂₇–C₂₉ is predominantly of the ramp type, and only a few samples have relatively high C₂₈ contents in the southern part of the depression. As viewed from their physical properties and geochemical characteristics, crude oils in the study area can be divided into two types (I and II) based on oil-generating sources and sedimentary environments, and then further divided into three sub-types (I_a, I_b and I_c:II_a, II_b and III_c, respectively) based on their degrees of maturation and secondary transformation. This will provide the reliable basis for oil-source correlation and petroleum exploration and prediction.