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Geochemical characteristics of light hydrocarbons in cracking gases from chloroform bitumen A, crude oil and its fractions

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Abstract

The composition characteristics of light hydrocarbons from crude oil, chloroform bitumen A, saturated hydrocarbon fraction, aromatic hydrocarbon fraction, and asphaltene fraction during cracking have been studied systematically. The results revealed that the content of n-alkanes, branched alkanes and cycloalkanes in light hydrocarbons from the samples gradually decreased as the simulation temperature increased, and finally almost depleted completely, while the abundance of methane, benzene and its homologues increased obviously and became the main products. The ratios of benzene/ n-hexane and toluene/n-heptane can be used as measures for oil cracking levels. Variation characteristics of maturity parameters of light hydrocarbons, for example, iC4/nC4, iC5/nC5, isoheptane value, 2,2-DMC4/nC6, and 2-MC6+3-MC6/nC7 for different samples with increasing pyrolysis temperature, are consistent with those in petroleum reservoirs, indicating that these parameters may be efficient maturity index.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geochemistry, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, 434023, China

    XiaoHui Chen, Min Zhang, GuangHui Huang & Xiang Wang

  2. Key Laboratory of Oil & Gas Resources and Exploration Technology, Ministry of Education, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, 434023, China

    XiaoHui Chen, Min Zhang & GuangHui Huang

  3. Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, PetroChina, Beijing, 100083, China

    GuoYi Hu & GuanJun Xu

Authors
  1. XiaoHui Chen
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  2. Min Zhang
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  3. GuangHui Huang
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  4. GuoYi Hu
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  5. Xiang Wang
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  6. GuanJun Xu
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Correspondence to XiaoHui Chen.

Additional information

Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40573030), and the National Key Science and Technology Program of China During the 10th Five-Year Plan Period (Grant No. 2004BA616A02-01-01-03)

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Chen, X., Zhang, M., Huang, G. et al. Geochemical characteristics of light hydrocarbons in cracking gases from chloroform bitumen A, crude oil and its fractions. Sci. China Ser. D-Earth Sci. 52 (Suppl 1), 26–33 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-009-5014-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-009-5014-8

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