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Geochemical Characteristics and Origin of Crude Oil and Natural Gas in the Southern Slope Zone, Kuqa Foreland Basin, NW China

  • Pacific Plate Subduction and the Yanshanian Movement in Eastern China
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Abstract

Continuous exploration has triggered a heated debate on hydrocarbon resource potential in the southern slope zone of the Kuqa foreland basin, and sources of the Mesozoic-Cenozoic oil and gas have become a key problem to be solved in this region. Composition and organic geochemical parameters of crude oil and natural gas from the southern slope zone of the Kuqa foreland basin were illustrated in order to reveal their origin by using a combination of gas chromatograph (GC), gas chromatogram-mass spectrum (GC-MS) and carbon isotope analyses. The characteristics of crude oil, such as low density, viscosity, solidification point and sulfur content, and high wax content, indicate that source of the crude oil is continental. The biomarker compositions of crude oil are characterized by low to medium molecular weight compounds (n-C12 to n-C20), high Pr/Ph ratios (>1.0), low phytane/n-C18 ratios (0.06–0.54), and predominant regular sterane C29. All biomarker parameters clearly indicate that the crude oil was derived mainly from algae and aquatic plankton and deposited under weak reduction-oxidation environment, and has the characteristics of mixed kerogens. The Cretaceous crude oil was mainly derived from the Triassic lacustrine source rocks, which also contributed to the Paleogene crude oil together with Jurassic coal source rocks. Natural gas is characterized by moderate methane content, high heavy hydrocarbon and nitrogen content, and no hydrogen sulfide. The methane and ethane in Paleogene natural gas are relatively rich in 13C with δ13C1 and δ13C2 values ranging from −37.3‰ to −31.2‰ (mean = −34.25‰) and from −25‰ to −21.3‰ (mean = −23.09‰), respectively, indicating the coal-derived gas from the Middle and Lower Jurassic strata. Hydrocarbon products in the southern slope zone of the Kuqa foreland basin are primarily generated from source rocks in the mature stage. The low-amplitude structural and lithologic traps with the updip pinch-out sand bodies or plugging secondary fault at relatively high tectonic positions are the most favorable areas for discovery and breakthrough in the study area. Results of this study will provide useful information for controlling factors of reservoirs and oil and gas exploration deployment in the southern slope zone of the Kuqa foreland basin.

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Acknowledgments

This study was sponsored by the National Science and Technology Major Project in the 13th Five-Year Plan (Nos. 2016ZX05003-001, 2017ZX05001-002), the Science and Technology Project of the China Petroleum and Natural Gas Co. Ltd. (No. KT2018-02-06). We sincerely thank the Tarim Oilfield Company of PetroChina for allowing the data to be published. We also acknowledge the colleagues of PetroChina Hangzhou Research Institute of Geology, Ge Chen, Qinglu Zeng, and Junpeng Wang, for their suggestions in the process of the paper’s completion. Sincere thanks goes to Yujuan Qin, Yuanyuan Hu, Dongxiao Wei and Wei Chen for their helps. Yue Liang and Xiaojing Wang from China University of Geoscience (Wuhan) are thanked for language polishing. The final publication is available at Springer via https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-021-1412-4.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Geoscience and Technology, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, China

    Chun Liu & Shijia Chen

  2. PetroChina Research Institute of Geology in Hangzhou, Hangzhou, 310023, China

    Chun Liu & Jilong Zhao

  3. Exploration and Development Research Institute, PetroChina Tarim Oilfield Company, Korla, 841000, China

    Zhou Su

  4. Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources of Ministry of Education, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Hui Rong

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  1. Chun Liu
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Correspondence to Chun Liu.

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Liu, C., Chen, S., Zhao, J. et al. Geochemical Characteristics and Origin of Crude Oil and Natural Gas in the Southern Slope Zone, Kuqa Foreland Basin, NW China. J. Earth Sci. 33, 820–830 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-021-1412-4

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