Quantitatively unmixing method for complex mixed oil based on its fractions carbon isotopes: A case from the Tarim Basin, NW China

Deep mixed oils with secondary alterations have been widely discovered in the Tarim Basin,but current methods based on biomarkers and isotopes to de-convolute mixed oil cannot calculate the exact mixing proportion of different end-member oils,which has seriously hindered further exploration of deep hydrocarbons in the study area.To solve this problem,we constructed a novel method based on the carbon isotope(δ13C)of the group components to de-convolute mixed liquid hydrocarbons under the material balance principle.The results showed that the mixed oil in the Tazhong Uplift was dominantly contributed at an average proportion of 68% by an oil end-member with heavier d13C that was believed to be generated from the Cambrian-Lower Ordovician source rocks,whereas the mixed oil in the Tabei Uplift was predominantly contributed at an average proportion of 61% by an oil end-member with lighter d13C that was believed to be generated from the Middle-Upper Ordovician source rocks.This indicates that,on the basis of the detailed description of the distribution of effective source rocks,the proposed method will be helpful in realizing differential exploration and further improving the efficiency of deep liquid hydrocarbon exploration in the Tarim Basin.In addition,compared to traditional δ13C methods for whole oil and individual n-alkanes in de-convoluted mixed oil,the proposed method has a wider range of applications,including for mixed oils with variations in color and density,indicating potential for promoting the exploration of deep complex mixed oils in the Tarim Basin and even around the world.

Distribution and geochemical significance of phenylphenanthrenes and their isomers in selected oils and rock extracts from the Tarim Basin,NW China

Twenty-two oil samples and eight source rock samples collected from the Tarim Basin, NW China were geochemically analyzed to investigate the occurrence and distribution of phenylphenanthrene （PhP）, phenylanthracene （PhA）, and binaphthyl （BIN） isomers and methylphenanthrene （MP） isomers in oils and rock extracts with different deposi- tional environments. Phenylphenanthrenes are present in significant abundance in Mesozoic lacustrine mudstones and related oils. The relative concentrations of PhPs are quite low or below detection limit by routine gas chromatogxaphy-mass spectrometry （GC-MS） in Ordovician oils derived from marine carbonates. The ratio of 3-PhP/3-MP was used in this study to describe the relative abundance of phenylphenanthrenes to their alkylated counterparts--methylphenanthrenes. The Ordovician oils in the Tabei Uplift have quite low 3-PhP/3-MP ratios （〈0.10）, indicating their marine carbonate origin, associating with low Pr/Ph ratios （pristane/phytane）, high ADBT/ ADBF values （relative abundance of alkylated dibenzothiophenes to alkylated dibenzofurans）, low C30 diahopane/C3o hopane ratios, and low Ts/（Ts ＋ Tm） （18α-22, 29, 30-trisnorneohopane/（18α-22, 29, 30-trisnorneohopane ＋ 17α-22, 29, 30-trisnorhopane）） values. In contrast, the oils from Mesozoic and Paleogene sandstone reservoirs and related Mesozoic lacustrine mudstones have relatively higher 3-PhP/3-MP ratios （〉0.10）, associating with high Pr/Ph, low ADBT/ ADBF, high Ts/（Ts ＋ Tm）, and C30 diahopane/C30 hopane ratios. Therefore, the occurrence of significant amounts of phenylphenanthrenes in oils typically indicates that the organic matter of the source rocks was deposited in a suboxic envi- ronment with mudstone deposition. The phenylphenanthrenes may be effective molecular markers, indicating depositional environment and lithology of source rocks.

Geochemistry and origin of Ordovician oils in the Rewapu Block of the Halahatang Oilfield(NW China)

The oils in the Rewapu Block of the Halahatang Oilfield in the Tarim Basin(northwestern China) were geochemically analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry to investigate their origin and possible secondary alteration. The physical properties and chemical compositions of these Ordovician oils vary greatly, ranging from light to extremely heavy oils. All these oils belong to one single population and were derived from same source kitchen/bed. The differences in their chemical compositions and physical properties mainly result from secondary alteration of oils that were charged during the early phase of trap formation. The thickness of Upper Ordovician and Silurian caprocks of oil reservoirs in the Rewapu Block is higher than that in the north part of the Halahatang region, and therefore, significant biodegradation process is prevented. Compared to heavy oils in the north part, the Rewapu oils are dominated by light oils with no 25-norhopanes and no GC–MS ‘‘hump''(UCM: unresolved complex mixture) on the chromatographic baselines. The heavy oils in Wells RP7 and RP101 C were primarily influenced by water washing since apparent reduction of alkylated dibenzothiophenes was observed. The local geological background favored the water washing alteration. The reservoir geochemical study has practical application in hydrocarbon exploration and predicts the nature of oils in this oilfield.

Macro-and microfeatures of Early Cambrian dolomitic microbialites from Tarim Basin, China

The fabrics of microbialites preserved in limestones are generally better than in dolostones. What are the fabrics of the microbialites preserved in heavily dolomitized dolostones? This paper presents an example of a strongly dolomitized Cambrian microbialite profile. The Xiaoerblak Formation(Cambrian Series 2 Stage 3 and lower Stage 4)of the Sugaitblak section in Aksu, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China is mainly composed of microbial dolostones. Due to strong alteration by diagenesis, their features, formation and environments have not been fully understood. Here, based on detailed observation on outcrops and thin sections, we show that this formation comprises four kinds of microbialites: laminite, thrombolite, thrombolitic laminite, and Renalcis framestone, in five intervals(Interval I to Interval V). We identified three main types of microbialite fabrics, i.e., clotted fabric, laminated fabric and skeletal fabric, and established a high-resolution vertical evolution sequence of the microbialites. The clotted fabric and the laminated fabric were further divided into subtypes. We found that the original fabrics were mainly affected by dolomitization, recrystallization and dissolution, and the alteration degree of the microbialite fabric is stronger in the lower part of this formation. The laminated fabric has the strongest resistance to diagenesis,followed by the clotted fabric. Based on studies of different rock types and sedimentary structures, we concluded that the sedimentary environment of Xiaoerblak Formation consists of three settings: a) Intervals I to III formed in restricted tidal flat environments, b) Interval IV and the lower part of Interval V in restricted deep subtidal environments, and c) upper part of Interval V in shallowing-up open subtidal environments.