Elution of 17α 25-Norhopanes and Triaromatic Steroids from Weathered Soils by Mixed Triton X-100/Na_2SiO_3 Surfactant Solution

Sodium silicate（NazSiO3） was used to improve the elution of super heavy oil from weathered soil on an ultrasound-enhanced elution system by the solution containing 0-6000 mg/L surfactant Triton X-100. The removal extent of three markers[C26-34 17a 25-norhopanes, C26-28triaromatic steroids（TAS）, and C27-29methyl triaromatic steroids（MTAS）] was monitored. The average elution percentages of C26-34 norhopanes, C26-28 TAS, and C27-29 MTAS by Triton X-100/Na2SiO3 solutions were increased by 11%-13%, 9%-11% and 8%-13% with increasing Triton X-100 concentrations from 150 mg/L to 6000 mg/L. All the concentrations of Triton X-100 improved the elu- tion of TAS homologs containing fewer carbon atoms, whereas high concentrations improved the elution of larger 17a 25-norhopane and MTAS species. Addition of Na2SiO3 produced a noticeable increase in elution, particularly for lower-weight species. Scanning electron microscope（SEM） images and energy spectroscopy data reveal that surfac- rant solution of 6000 mg/L Triton X-100 and 4000 mg/L Na2SiO3 produced the greatest improvement in the elution of super heavy oil aggregates encapsulating the soil surface and the emulsification of particle dispersions. That is to say mixed solutions of Triton X-100 and Na2SiO3 in combination with ultrasound are a potential means of removing super heavy oil from weathered soils.

Biological and Molecular Geochemical Evidence for Dinoflagellate Ancestors in the Upper Sinian-Cambrian

Dinoflagellates are single celled organisms that reflect the ecological conditions in modern oceans and lakes. Their earliest undisputed fossil record suggests that dinoflagellates originated from the Middle Triassic (c. 240 Ma ago). However, the presence of molecular biomarkers (dinosterane, 4α-methyl-24-ethylcholestane and tria-romatic dinosteroids) in rock extracts and coccoid dinoflagellate fossils from the upper Sinian to Cambrian of the Tarim basin confirms the hypothesis that dinoflagellates have an ancient origin, and predate the oldest undisputed dinoflagellate fossils at least by 300 Ma, as early as the late Sinian-Cambrian.

Typical end-member oil derived from Cambrian-Lower Ordovician source rocks in the Tarim Basin, NW China

Based on GC-MS data of saturate and aromatic hydrocarbon fractions in crude oils from Well TD 2 and the Yingmaili and Tazhong area in the Tarim Basin, the end-member oil derived from Cambrian-Lower Ordovician source rocks was determined. The analytical results show that the crude oil from Well TD2 is rich in 3-6 ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons without alkyl group, suggesting that this oil was altered by an abnormally thermal event. It contains a complete series of normal alkanes and 25-norhopanes,

The abnormal distribution of the molecular fossils in the pre-Cambrian and Cambrian:its biological significance

Dinosteranes and 4-methyl-24-ethylcholestanes are usually to be thought of as biomarkers for dinoflagellates, and 24-norcholestanes and C28 steranes for diatom. Therefore, the highest concentrations of these compounds are typically found in strata deposited since the beginning of the Mesozoic. However these compounds appeared widely and abundantly in extracts from organic-rich sediments in the Sinian and Cambrian of the Tarim Basin. This suggests that some of the planktonic algae such as dinoflagellates and diatoms have an earlier origin than the Mesozoic. Some of the remarkable algal fossils observed in the Cambrian, in both well He 4 and the outcrop section of Xiao-Er-Bulak, Tarim Basin, provide possible biological evidence for this kind of inference.

Molecular fossils and oil-source rock correlations in Tarim Basin, NW China

The distribution of 'molecular fossils' （bio-markers） of steroid compounds in extracts from some spe-cific geologic age in the Tarim Basin have been analyzed andare used as the fingerprints for the oil-source rock correla-tion. Having been affected by maturation, migration, phasefractionation and biodegradation, not any molecular fossilsrelated to source and environment can be used as the finger-prints for oil-source rock correlation. Some special bio-markers widely existed in the extracts from Cambrian andOrdovician rocks in the Tarim Basin and showed obviousdifference in each stratum, including dinosteranes (C30),4-methyl-24-ethyl-cholestanes (C30) and their aromatizedsteroids, C24-norcholestanes and C28 steranes originated fromdinoflagellates and diatom. Few oils such as the heavy oildrilled in the Cambrian reservoir from Tadong 2 well （TD2）correlated well with the extracts from the Cambrian. Theamazing similarity of the relative contents of these com-pounds between the marine oils produced in Tazhong andTabei uplifts and the extracts from the Upper Ordoviciansuggests that the Middle-Upper Ordovician is the very likelymain source for the marine oils.