Organic geochemical characteristics of Eocene crude oils from Zhanhua Depression,Bohai Bay Basin,China

Geochemical studies of crude oil and source rock play an important role in future exploration in Zhanhua Depression.In this study,thirty-one oil samples collected from Shahejie Formation in Zhanhua Depression,Bohai Bay Basin,NE China have been geochemically analyzed and their organic geochemical characteristics have been applied to differentiate groups of oils.These oil samples can be classified into two families based on multiple biomarker proxies and stable carbon isotopic values.FamilyⅠis characterized by a low ratio of pristane over phytane(Pr/Ph<0.7),a relatively high ratio of phytane over n-C18(Ph/n-C18),varying ratios of gammacerane over C30 hopane(Ga/C30H)and C22/C21 tricyclic terpane,and a low ratio of C19/C23 tricyclic terpane.FamilyⅡis marked by a relatively high Pr/Ph ratio(0.7-1.6),relative low ratios of Ph/n-C18 and C22/C21 tricyclic terpane,and avarying ratio of C19/C23 tricyclic terpane.Both familiesⅠandⅡwithin these crude oils can be subdivided into two families based on different values of stable carbon isotopic composition of individual n-alkanes.Moreover,the potential source rocks of oil samples in FamilyⅠand FamilyⅡwere likely derived from the upper Es4 member and Es3 member,respectively,based on the correlation of organic geochemical characteristics of the oils and source rocks.The results of oil-source rock correlation provide insight into the process from oil generation to migration and to final accumulation,providing a better understanding of factors controlling oil-gas distribution for prediction of sweet spots.

A Thermal Event in the Ordos Basin:Insights from Illite ^40Ar-^39Ar Dating with Regression Analysis

Four samples from a Permian reservoir in the Ordos Basin of North China were separated into twelve fractions in grain sizes of 〈0.5, 0.5-1 and 1-2 μm. Using the ^40Ar-^39Ar step-heating method, all of the fractions essentially yielded plateau ages ranging from 172.5 to 217.1 Ma. These scattered plateau ages might not have been obtained from pure diagenetic illites but from mixed clay minerals, although the samples were disaggregated using a gentle freeze-thaw cycle to free them of non-clay minerals. A regional thermal event, as suggested by several proxies, led to intensive iHitization as a distinct diagenetic process when the Yanshanian Movement triggered magmatism around the entire North China Block during the Jurassic to Cretaceous. Thermal illites formed during a short time period, whereas detrital illites came from various sources. The scattered plateau ages could have resulted from mixed degassing of thermal and detrital illites. Within one sample, the plateau ages decrease with the diminution of grain sizes, but it is difficult to extrapolate to the detrital-illite-free ages. Because the plateau age is a mixture of ages for thermal and detrital illites, this regression analysis studies the dependence of the plateau ages on the synthetic values of contents and ages of detrital illites instead of on the grain sizes. Comparing the samples to one another, the plateau ages show the same trend among the different grain sizes. Weighted by the contents and ages of detrital illites, linear regression analysis revealed the relationship between the plateau ages and the relative weight proportions. Based on iterated calculations, a thermal event age and a set of weight proportions were derived. The regressed thermal event age is 163.3±1.6 Ma, which coincides with regional thermal activities and links to gas accumulation.

Bio-Organic Geochemistry research in China: Advances,opportunities and challenges

The discipline of "Bio-Organic Geochemistry" is a cross research field between biogeochemistry and traditional organic geochemistry, which focuses on geochemical processes related to the biosynthesis of organic molecules(particularly lipids) by(micro) organisms, organic matter production by primary producers, degradation of organic matter by microbial processes recorded by retainable lipid biomarkers, and organic proxies for studies of paleo-climate, paleo-environments, paleoecology and Earth evolution. This field aims to go beyond the traditional petroleum-oriented Organic Geochemistry by integrating with biogeochemical concepts concerned mostly with biomolecules from cellular material such as DNA and lipids. A formal Chinese organization in Bio-Organic Geochemistry was established in 2012 when the first conference was held in Guangzhou. This organization has witnessed rapid growth over the past six years with focused research addressing organic proxies in paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental applications, with particular rapid development in glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers-derived proxies. Most progresses in China so far are made following or paralleling the international trend in biogeochemical studies. Things have begun to change with China's ambitious initiatives in several bio-geo programs such as the Ocean Deep Drilling Program of China, the Microbial Hydrosphere Program, the Deep Carbon Observatory, and the Microbiome Program. Looking forward in the 21 st Century, the growing Chinese research community in Bio-Organic Geochemistry faces grand opportunities and challenges as Chinese scientists propel themselves toward global research frontiers.