Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Carbon isotope kinetics of gaseous hydrocarbons generated from different kinds of vitrinites

  • Articles
  • Published:
Chinese Science Bulletin

Abstract

Kinetics study of gaseous hydrocarbons generated from vitrinites based on pyrolysis of gold tube closed system shows that the activation energies of methane generated from telocollinite are higher than that from desmocollinite due to structure differences. But carbon isotope ratios of generated methane in pyrolysates of vitrinites at the same temperature points are similar. Carbon isotope ratio of methane may decrease in the early stage of gas generation and then increase in the later stage. But at higher temperature, δ13C1 decreases slightly or almost keeps stable with increasing temperature. Since it is known that carbon isotope distillation is controlled by time, temperature and carbon isotope ratio of bulk organic matter, the character of side chains connected to macromolecule of vitrinite and distribution of activation energies have no obvious effect on carbon isotope fraction. Decreasing trend of δ13C1 in the early stage may be caused by contagious structure of vitrinite or differences of activation energies between12C-12C and12C-13C are not strictly constant at different ranges of activation energy area.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Dai, J. X., Some problems in the study of petroleum geology, Advance in Earth Sciences (in Chinese), 2001, 16(5): 710–718.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Duan, Y. C., Study of characteristics of coal type composition in China, Coal Field Geology and Exploration (in Chinese), 1995, 23(1): 29–35.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Fu, J., Liu, D., Sheng, G., Geochemistry of Coal-generated Hydrocarbons (in Chinese), Beijing: Science Press, 1992, 89–113.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Cramer, B., Krooss, B. M., Littke, R., Modelling isotope fractionation during primary cracking of natural gas: a reaction kinetics approach, Chemical Geology, 1998, 149: 235–250.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Rooney, M. A., Claypool, G. E., Chung, H. M., Modeling thermogenic gas generation using carbon isotope ratios of natural gas hydrocarbons, Chemical Geology, 1995, 126: 219–232.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Behar, F., Tang, Y., Liu, J., Comparison of rate constants for some molecular tracers generated during artificial maturation of kerogens: influence of kerogen type, Organic Geochemistry, 1997, (3–4): 281–287.

  7. Stahl, W. J., Carey, B. D., Source-rock identification by isotope analyses of natural gas from fields in the Val Verde and Delaware Basins, West Texas Chem. Geol., 1975, 16: 257–267.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Gaveau, B., Letolle, R., Monthioux, M., Evaluation of kinetics parameters from13C isotopic effect during coal pyrolysis, Fuel, 1987, 66: 228–231.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Galimov, E. M., Sources and mechanisms of formation of gaseous hydrocarbons in sedimentary rocks, Chemical Geology, 1988, 71(1–3): 77–95.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Rayleigh, R. S., Theoretical considerations respecting the seperation of gases by diffusion and similar process, The London, Edinburgh, and Bublin Phios Magazine, 1896, 42: 493–499.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Berner, U., Faber, E., Scheeder, G. et al., Primary cracking of algal and landplant kerogens: kinetics models of isotope variations in methane, ethane and propane, Chemical Geology, 1995, 126: 233–245.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Lorant, F., Prinzhofer, A., Behar, F. et al., Carbon isotopic and molecular constraints on the formation and the expulsion of thermogenic hydrocarbon gases, Chemical Geology, 1998, 147: 249–264.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Tang, Y., Perry, J. K., Jenden, P. D. et al., Mathematical modeling of stable carbon isotope ratios in natural gases, Chemical Geology, 2000, 64: 2673–2687.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Zou, Y., Shuai, Y., Kong, F. et al., Mathematic models of stable carbon isotope composition of coal-derived methane and their application, Nature Gas Geoscience (in Chinese), 2003, 14(2): 92–96.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Cramer, B., Faber, E., Gerling, P. et al., Reaction kinetics of stable carbon isotopes in natural gas-insights from dry, open system pyrolysis experiments, Energy & Fuels, 2001, 15: 517–532.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Hartgers, W. A., Damste, J. S. S., de Leeuw, J. W. et al., Molecular characterization of flash pyrlysates of two carboniferous coals and their constituting maceral fractions, Energy & Fuels, 1994, 8(8): 1055–1067.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Monthioux, M., Landais, P., Monin, J., Comparison between natural and artificial maturation series of humic coals from the Mahakam delta, Indonesia, Organic Geochemistry, 1985, 8(4): 275–292.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Liu, J. Z., Tang, Y. C., An example of prediction of methane production ratio using kinetics of hydrocarbon generation from kerogen, Chinese Science Bulletin, 1998, 43(11): 1187–1191.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Xiong, Y. Q., Geng, A. S., Wang, Y. P., Kinetic simulating experiment on the secondary hydrocarbon generation of kerogen, Science in China, Ser. D, 2002, 45(1): 13–20.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Fu, S. Y., Peng, P. A., Zhang, W. Z. et al., Kinetic study of the hydrocarbon generation from upper paleozoic in Ordos Basin, Science in China, Ser. D, 2003, 46(3): 333–341.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Shuai, Y. H., Zou, Y. R., Peng, P. A., Kinetics modeling of stable carbon isotope of coal generated methane and its significance for gases accumulation in the Kuqu Depression, Tarim Basin, Geochimica (in Chinese), 2003, 32(5): 469–475.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Liu, W. H., Xu, Y. C., A two stage model of carbon isotope fractionation in coal gas, Geochimica (in Chinese), 1999, 28(4): 359–366.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Berner, U., Faber, E., Scheeder, G. et al., Primary cracking of algal and landplant kerogens: kinetics models of isotope variations in methane, ethane and propane, Chemical Geology, 1995, 126: 233–245.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Liu, W. H., Yu, X. K., Zhang, B. S., Carbon isotope distribution in aromatic nuclei and aliphatic side chains of sedimentary organic matter, Chinese Science Bulletin, 1995, 40(2): 145–147.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Smith, J. W., Rigby, D., Gould, K. W. et al., An isotopic study of hydrocarbon generation processes, Organic Geochemistry, 1985, 8: 341–347.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Snowdon, L. R., Natural gas composition in a geological environment and the implications for the processes of generation and preservation, Oragnic Geochemistry, 2001, 32: 913–931.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Su, A., Cheng, K., He, Z., Characteristic and formation of coal-generated hydrocarbons in Taibei Depression, Turpan-Hami Basin, Geochimica (in Chinese), 1995, 24(2): 129–138.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Huang, Z., Yan, L., Leng, S., Characteristics of fluid inclusion in Jurassic Reservoir and analysis of petroleum accumulation in Shanshan Oil Field, Tuha Basin, China Offshore Oil and Gas (Geology) (in Chinese), 1999, 13(6): 416–420.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 510640, Guangzhou, China

    Dayong Liu, Jinzhong Liu, Ping’an Peng & Yanhua Shuai

Authors
  1. Dayong Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jinzhong Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ping’an Peng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yanhua Shuai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ping’an Peng.

About this article

Cite this article

Liu, D., Liu, J., Peng, P. et al. Carbon isotope kinetics of gaseous hydrocarbons generated from different kinds of vitrinites. Chin. Sci. Bull. 49 (Suppl 1), 72–78 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02890456

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02890456

Keywords

Search

Navigation