Isotopic Geochemistry of Non—hydrocarbons in Natural Gases from the Sanshui Basin,Guangdong Province,China

Isotopic geochemistry of non-hydrocarbons in natural gases from the Sanshui Basin,Guangdong Province,China

This study is focused on geothermal heat flow and the origin of non-hydrocarbons in natural gases in terms of the isotope geochemical characteristics of Ar, He, CO₂ and N₂ in natural gases from the Sanshui Basin, Guangdong Province. China.³He/⁴He ratios are of (1.60-6.39) × 10^-6, and⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar ratios of 450–841. The carbon isotopic composition (δ_l3C PDB) of carbon dioxide ranges from -20‰ to -2‰. δ^l5N(air) ratios have a wider range of-57 ‰- +95 ‰. The isotope geochemical characteristics of non-hydrocarbons indicate that He, Ar and N₂ in the gas reservoirs enriched in non-hydrocarbons were derived largely from the upper mantle. Non-hydrocarbons in gaseous hydrocarbon reservoirs consist mainly of crustal radiogenic He and⁴⁰Ar and some mantle-derived He and Ar, as well as of¹³C-depleted carbon dioxide and nitrogen generated as a result of thermal decomposition of organic matter in strata. Carbon dioxide enriched in¹³C was derived largely from carbonate rocks and partially from the lower crust and upper mantle. Based on the relationship between geothermal heat flow (Q) and³He/⁴ He ratio in natural gases, the Q values for the area studied have been calculated. Similar Q values are reported from the upper mantle uplift area (77 mWm^-2) in Huabei and the Tancheng-Lujiang Rift Zone (88 mWm^-2). More than 60 percent of geothermal heat flow in the Sanshui Basin may have been derived from the upper mantle. The project is financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.