Differences and identification on multi-time hydrocarbon generation of carboniferous-permian coaly source rocks in the Huanghua Depression,Bohai Bay Basin

Coal is a solid combustible mineral,and coal-bearing strata have important hydrocarbon generation potential and contribute to more than 12%of the global hydrocarbon resources.However,the deposition and hydrocarbon evolution process of ancient coal-bearing strata is characterized by multiple geological times,leading to obvious distinctions in their hydrocarbon generation potential,geological processes,and production,which affect the evaluation and exploration of hydrocarbon resources derived from coaly source rocks worldwide.This study aimed to identify the differences on oil-generated parent macerals and the production of oil generated from different coaly source rocks and through different oil generation processes.Integrating with the analysis of previous tectonic burial history and hydrocarbon generation history,high-temperature and high-pressure thermal simulation experiments,organic geochemistry,and organic petrology were performed on the Carboniferous-Permian(C-P)coaly source rocks in the Huanghua Depression,Bohai Bay Basin.The oil-generated parent macerals of coal's secondary oil generation process(SOGP)were mainly hydrogen-rich collotelinite,collodetrinite,sporinite,and cutinite,while the oil-generated parent macerals of tertiary oil generation process(TOGP)were the remaining small amount of hydrogen-rich collotelinite,sporinite,and cutinite,as well as dispersed soluble organic matter and unexhausted residual hydrocarbons.Compared with coal,the oil-generated parent macerals of coaly shale SOGP were mostly sporinite and cutinite.And part of hydrogen-poor vitrinite,lacking hydrocarbon-rich macerals,and macerals of the TOGP,in addition to some remaining cutinite and a small amount of crude oil and bitumen from SOGP contributed to the oil yield.The results indicated that the changes in oil yield had a good junction between SOGP and TOGP,both coal and coaly shale had higher SOGP aborted oil yield than TOGP starting yield,and coaly shale TOGP peak oil yield was lower than SOGP peak oil yield.There were significant differences in saturated hydrocarbon and aromatic parameters in coal and coaly shale.Coal SOGP was characterized by a lower Ts/Tm and C31-homohopane22S/(22S+22R)and a higher Pr/n C17compared to coal TOGP,while the aromatic parameter methyl dibenzothiophene ratio(MDR)exhibited coaly shale TOGP was higher than coaly shale SOGP than coaly TOGP than coaly SOGP,and coal trimethylnaphthalene ratio(TNR)was lower than coaly shale TNR.Thus,we established oil generation processes and discriminative plates.In this way,we distinguished the differences between oil generation parent maceral,oil generation time,and oil production of coaly source rocks,and therefore,we provided important support for the evaluation,prediction,and exploration of oil resources from global ancient coaly source rocks.

Differences in geochemistry and hydrocarbon generation of sourcerock samples dominated by telalginite and lamalginite: A case study on the Permian saline lacustrine source rocks in the Jimusaer Sag, NW China

The Middle Permian Lucaogou Formation in Northwestern China mainly contains typical saline lacustrine oil shale.To study the differences in geochemistry and hydrocarbon generation of source-rock samples in Lucaogou Formation in Jimusaer Sag,57 core samples from two boreholes were analyzed herein by performing total organic carbon(TOC)analysis,RockeEval pyrolysis,and gas chromatographicemass spectrometry experiments on saturated hydrocarbons.The kinetics of oil generation were studied using two samples comprising typical maceral components.The results showed that the hydrocarbons produced by telalginite are relatively rich in pristane(Pr),phytane(Ph),b-carotane,high-carbon normal alkanes,and C29 regular steranes.Hydrocarbons produced by lamalginite contain a significantly higher content of C20 tricyclic terpanes(TT),C21TT,C24 tetracyclic terpanes(TeT),C29 norhopane,and C28 regular sterane.Based on the pyrolysis and biomarker compound parameters,telalginite has a higher conversion rate for hydrocarbons than lamalginite in the low-mature to mature stage,which is consistent with their kinetic analysis.Lamalginite source rock displays a much narrower distribution of activation energies than telalginite source rocks.Such narrower activation energy distribution effectively narrows the main stage of hydrocarbon generation.In addition,the activation energy distribution of lamalginite concentrated in the high-value interval,indicating the characteristics of the relatively lagging hydrocarbon generation of lamalginite.

Spectral narratives of microstructural restyling and their controls on hydrocarbon generation potential from coal

The low to medium-rank Tertiary coals from Meghalaya,India,are explored for the first time for their comprehensive micro-structural characterization using the FTIR and Raman spectroscopy.Further,results from these coals are compared with the Permian medium and high-rank coals to understand the microstructural restyling during coalification and its controls on hydrocarbon generation.The coal samples are grouped based on the mean random vitrinite reflectance values to record the transformations in spectral attributes with increasing coal rank.The aliphatic carbon and the apparent aromaticity respond sharply to the first coalification jump(R:0.50%)during low to medium-rank transition and anchizonal metamorphism of the high-rank coals.Moreover,the Raman band intensity ratio changes during the first coalification jump but remains invari-able in the medium-rank coals and turns subtle again during the onset of pregraphitization in high-rank coals,revealing a polynomial trend with the coal metamorphism.The Rock-Eval hydrogen index and genetic potential also decline sharply at the first coalification jump.Besides,an attempt to comprehend the coal microstructural controls on the hydrocarbon poten-tial reveals that the Tertiary coals comprise highly reactive aliphatic functionalities in the type I-S kerogen,along with the low paleotemperature(74.59-112.28℃)may signify their potential to generate early-mature hydrocarbons.However,the presence of type II-II admixed kerogen,a lesser abundance of reactive moieties,and overall moderate paleotemperature(91.93-142.52℃)of the Permian medium-rank coals may imply their mixed hydrocarbon potential.Meanwhile,anchizonal metamorphism,polycondensed aromatic microstructure,and high values of paleotemperature(~334.25 to~366.79℃)of the high-rank coals indicate a negligible potential of producing any hydrocarbons.

Identification of the lower limit of high-quality source rocks and its relation to hydrocarbon accumulation——Taking the Beier Sag in the Hailaer Basin as an example

The theory of ＂source rock control＂ has evolved from source-rock-control hydrocarbon accumulation, to effective source-rock-control hydrocarbon accumulation, and to high-quality source- rock-control hydrocarbon accumulation. However, there are problems, such as whether high-quality source rocks exist or not？ What high-quality source rocks are, and how to identify them, are yet to be agreed upon. Aimed at this issue of concern to explorationists, and taking the Beier Sag in the Hailaer Basin as an example, this paper defines the high-quality source rocks and the lower limit for evaluation of high-quality source rocks, by using the inflection point on the relationship curve of hydrocarbon （oil） expulsion, which is calculated by the material balance principle, versus total organic carbon （TOC）. The results show that when TOC is low, all source rocks have limited hydrocarbon expulsion and slow growth rate, thus they cannot be high-quality source rocks. However, when TOC rises to some threshold, hydrocarbon expulsion increases significantly with TOC. This inflection point should be the lower limit of high-quality source rocks： those with TOC greater than the inflection-point value are high-quality source rocks. In addition, the lower limit of high-quality source rocks is also related to the type and maturity of organic matters in the source rocks, as well as the mineral components of the source rocks affecting the residual hydrocarbons. Theoretically, the lower limit of high-quality source rocks depends on geological conditions rather than being a constant value. However, for the sake of simplicity and practicability, in this paper TOC=2.0% is regarded as the lower limit of high-quality source rocks. The examination of such standard in the work area indicates that the high-quality source rocks in members K^n2 and K^n~ of the Nantun formation contribute 76% and 82% to oil generation, and 96% and 91% to oil expulsion, respectively. The distribution of high-quality source rocks is also closely related to the distribution of hydrocarbon reservoirs in the region, demonstrating that high-quality source rocks control hydrocarbon accumulation.

Hydrocarbon Systems in the North-Eastern Area of the Song Hong Basin

This paper reports some results of geo-scientific evaluation of the petroleum systems in the northeastern area of the Song Hong Basin offshore Vietnam. Geological-geophysical data, including regional studies, 2D and 3D seismic ＆ logging interpretation results as well as core/cutting samples analysis were integrated to reveals that the north-eastern area were controlled by pull apart activities along Song Hong river fault system, rifting phase during Eocene-Oligocene and subsidence during Miocene-Quaternary. Inversion activities at the end of Oligocene and late Miocene also play very important roles. These activities convert Pre-tertiary carbonate basement rocks to be potential reservoirs. The main source rock, overlying and adjacent to basement highs, was deposited in the lacustrine environment during rifting phase of Eocene and Oligocene and is still at the depth of oil generation window. The mentioned source rock layer is also considered as a good top seal for the basement. Petroleum system has been proven by the drilling and testing results and the studied area become more attractive and have higher chance of success.