Organic matter accumulation in lacustrine shale of the Permian Jimsar Sag,Junggar Basin,NW China

The lacustrine organic-rich shale in the Permian Lucaogou(LCG)Formation of the Jimsar Sag,Junggar Basin,is one of the main shale oil plays in China.In this paper,geological and geochemical research techniques were employed to evaluate the geochemical variability of the lacustrine shale and the pro-duction of organic matter and its preservation conditions.The LcG Formation is characterized by its complex mineral compositions and a wide range of organic matter richness and quality.The presence of high proportions ofβ-carotane and C2g steranes,indicates that the organic matter mainly originated from phytoplankton and aquatic algal-bacterial organisms,especially cyanobacteria.This study found that the productivity of the Lower LCG Member(P2li)was highest,and the Middle LCG Member(P_(2)l_(2))was the lowest.During the deposition of the Lower LCG Member,the lake's bottom water was predominantly a reducing environment,and the degradation of organic matter was largely a result of bacterial sulfate reduction.During the deposition of the Middle and Upper LCG members,the lake's bottom water was mainly oxidizing,and the degradation of organic matter was likely to be caused by aerobic processes.Based on a comprehensive analysis of the origin and production of organic matter,as well as its depo-sitional environment and preservation conditions,two organic matter accumulation models were pro-posed to explain the distribution of the organic-rich shale.In model A,the high influx of volcanic ash released nutrients and brought abundant sulfate into the water,the accumulation of organic matter was mainly controlled by the preservation of organic matter,which was mainly controlled by BsR.In the model B,the influx of volcanic ash was small,organic matter was mainly degraded by oxygen and the accumulation of organic matter is mainly determined by the production of organic matter.

Geochemical Characterization and Origin of High-Sulfur,Heavy Oils in Jiyang Sub-Basin,East China

High-sulfur,heavy petroleum is widely occurring in the Tertiary lacustrine Jiyang sub-basin, Bohai Bay Basin.They are differentiated into two families based on the bulk properties and biomarker compositions.Family 1 is characterized by high resins（40%-71%）and sulfur（2%-4%）,and low wax （l%-6%）,with n-alkanes removed by biodegradation,whereas family 2 is characterized by extremely abundant sulfur（3%-10%）,and high asphaltenes（7%-31%）and wax（2%-19%）,with no evidence of microbial attack.The oils of family 1 are distributed in the reservoir,lower than 1500 m throughout the sub-basin.Biomarker assemblages,such as low pristane/phytane ratios（1 Pr/Ph）and a high abundance of carotane,gammacerane,and dinosterane,suggest that they are derived from the calcareous mudstones and shales among the stratified,saline Es_4~u unit,in addition to the in situ biodegradation-concentrated sulfur content.However,the oils of family 2 are identified only in the western Zhanhua and eastern Chezhen depressions,with a depth deeper than 1700 m.Physical properties,together with biomarker ratios,including even-numbered n-alkanes,1 Pr/Ph,trace diasteranes,higher C35 homohopanes,and abundant dibenzothiophene series,with1 dibenzothiophene/phenanthrene,indicate an origin from carbonate source rocks.The X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the carbonate source rock is limited in the Es_4~u unit of the Bonan sag,which is different from most other source rocks in the same horizon.It is suggested that the high-sulfur,heavy oils are generated at the early stage of the oil window.Bacterial sulfate reduction might be responsible for the occurrence of sulfur species in the high-sulfur,heavy oils,while heavy biodegradation will enhance sulfur concentrations.

Environment controls on Mesoproterozoic thrombolite morphogenesis:A case study from the North China Platform

Thrombolites are widespread in the Mesoproterozoic Wumishan Formation in the North China Platform.This study shows that they mainly concentrated in subtidal carbonate facies with relatively low hydrodynamic conditions,rather than in intertidal zone as suggested previously.From the deep lower to the shallow upper subtidal facies,the thrombolites show evident changes in morphology from dominantly domal to tabular forms,likely suggestive of environmental controls on their morphogenesis and distribution.As the most important component in thrombolites,mesoclots typically consist of organic-rich micritic nuclei and organic-poor fibrous aragonite rims.Mesoclots may vary considerably in their morphology,but a type of specifically shaped mesoclots tends to concentrate predominantly in a particular group of thrombolites.The proportion of the fibrous aragonite rims in mesoclots decrease as the depositional environments become shallower,likely suggesting that the environmental changes also have controls on the internal fabrics of thrombolites.Putative filamentous bacterial colonies are well preserved in some aragonite fans in the matrix between mesoclots,invoking rapid precipitation and aragonite-supersaturated conditions in the ambient waters.It seems that a suboxic to anoxic environment,highly alkaline seawater and relatively low hydrodynamic conditions were among the important factors that facilitated the development and preservation of thrombolites in the Mesoproterozoic epeiric sea on the North China Platform.