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Oil and gas potential assessment for coal measure source rocks on absolute concentration of n-alkanes and aromatic hydrocarbons

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Abstract

Absolute concentration of normal alkanes (n-alkanes) and aromatic hydrocarbons in bitumen extracted from source rocks in the period of thermodegradation from Turpan-Hami Basin suggests that aromatic hydrocarbons are dominant in coal and carbargilite while n-alkanes are dominant in mudstones. Bulkrock analysis and gas chromatograph/mass spectrum (GC-MS) of source rocks shows aromatic hydrocarbons are dominant in total ion chromatograms (TIC) of samples with poor perhydrous macerals while n-alkanes are dominant in TICs of samples with abundant perhydrous macerals. The identification of oil-prone and gas prone property based on GC-MS of bitumen “A” together with bulkrock analysis indicates that source rocks from Shengbei area are more oil-prone while source rocks from Qiudong and Xiaocaohu areas are more gas-prone, coinciding with the distribution of oil and gas reservoirs in Taibei Sag. Ratios used to identify oil-prone and gas-prone property for source rocks from Turpan Basin are proposed: n-alkanes >110 μg·mg−1, aromatics <15 μg·mg−1, and n-alkanes/aromatics >8 for oil-prone source rock bitumen while n-alkanes <82 μg·mg−1, aromatics >40 μg·mg−1, and n-alkanes/aromatics <1.5 for gas-prone source rock bitumen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China

    HongJing Zhao

  2. Geochemical Department of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, 434023, China

    HongJing Zhao & Min Zhang

  3. The Key Laboratory of Exploration Technologies for Oil and Gas Resources, Ministry of Education, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, 434023, China

    HongJing Zhao & Min Zhang

  4. Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, TuHa Oilfield, Hami, 839009, China

    ZhiYong Wang

Authors
  1. HongJing Zhao
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  2. Min Zhang
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  3. ZhiYong Wang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to HongJing Zhao.

Additional information

Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40472081 and 40772091) and Yangtze University Foundation (Grant No. 05Z0504)

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Zhao, H., Zhang, M. & Wang, Z. Oil and gas potential assessment for coal measure source rocks on absolute concentration of n-alkanes and aromatic hydrocarbons. Sci. China Ser. D-Earth Sci. 52 (Suppl 1), 51–58 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-009-5021-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-009-5021-9

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