THE ORIGINS OF COASTAL BITUMENS FROM WESTERN AUSTRALIA

1994 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 787
Author(s):  
R. Alexander ◽  
T.J. Currie ◽  
R.I. Kagi

A total of 83 samples of stranded bitumens collected from the western and southern coasts of Western Australia have been classified into eight groups on the basis of their biomarker compositions. The source rock characteristics inferred for these bitumens, in terms of organic matter type and depositional setting indicated by the biomarkers, suggest strongly that the bitumens originate from a variety of areas in SE Asia in the vicinity of the Indonesian archipelago. In fact, in seven of the eight cases a good correlation is observed between biomarker composition of each bitumen group and a produced crude oil or oil seep from this region. The bitumens are transported to and around the Australian coastline by a system of ocean currents.

DYNA ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 88 (216) ◽  
pp. 62-68
Author(s):  
Germán Javier Tomas ◽  
Walter Vargas ◽  
Adrián Javier Acuña

The biomarker profiles are characteristic of oils. The goal of this study was to evaluate the biomarkers in oil samples using geochemical analysis. Oil samples were obtained from Austral Basin and from Golfo San Jorge Basin. Specifically, the aliphatic and aromatic fractions were analyzed by Gas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry. Biomarker ratios were calculated for isoprenoids, terpanes, steranes to correlate the organic matter precursor, deposition environment, and others to differentiate distinct crude oil sources. Based on the specific parameters, the crude of the Austral Basin appears to have been generated from organic matter type II-III (mixed), in deposition environments with moderate oxygen concentration, associated with a siliciclastic lithology and a moderate to high thermal maturity. On the contrary, the crude oils from the Golfo San Jorge Basin displayed biomarkers profiles characteristics to a type II (marine) kerogen, corresponding to an anoxic deposition environment, carbonated lithology and low thermal maturity.


2015 ◽  
Vol 52 (11) ◽  
pp. 1014-1026 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian Ma ◽  
Zhilong Huang ◽  
Xiaoyu Gao ◽  
Changchao Chen

Tight oil in the Permian Tiaohu Formation in the Santanghu Basin, northwest China, has a peculiar property such that the reservoir is sedimentary organic matter-bearing tuff characterized by high porosity (10%–25%) and very low permeability, mainly in the range of 0.01–0.50 mD. Biomarker and stable carbon isotope compositions of selected crude oils and source-rock extracts were analyzed to determine the source rock of the tight oil. Source rocks in the Lucaogou Formation consist of various rock types dominated by mudstones containing organic matter with intense yellow–green fluorescence. Mudstones in the Lucaogou Formation have total organic carbon (TOC) values mainly in the range of 1.0–8.0 wt%, hydrocarbon generation potential (S1 + S2) mostly >6 mg/g, and chloroform extractable bitumen “A” generally >0.1%. The maceral composition is predominantly fluorescing amorphinite. The hydrogen index (HI) varies from 300 to 900 mg HC/g TOC, indicating dominant Type I and Type II kerogen. Compared with the mudstones and tuffs in the Tiaohu Formation, the mudstones in the Lucaogou Formation are the best source rocks. The biomarker characteristics of mudstone extracts in the Lucaogou Formation differ from those in the Tiaohu Formation, based on the gammacerane index, β-carotane content, and the relative contents of C27, C28, and C29 regular steranes. Crude oil samples in the tuff show low pristane/phytane (Pr/Ph) ratios, high gammacerane indices, high β-carotane, and a dominance of the C29 regular sterane followed by C28 and C27 steranes, as well as depleted stable carbon isotope compositions. Oil–source correlation with biomarkers and δ13C values shows that the crude oil in the tuffs mainly originates from underlying source rocks in the Lucaogou Formation. The sedimentary organic matter in the tuffs also makes a small contribution to the tuffaceous reservoir. Therefore, the tuffaceous tight reservoir in the Tiaohu Formation is unusual in that the oil is not indigenous; rather, it migrates a long distance to accumulate in the upper reservoir.


2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 398-415
Author(s):  
He Bi ◽  
Peng Li ◽  
Yun Jiang ◽  
Jing-Jing Fan ◽  
Xiao-Yue Chen

AbstractThis study considers the Upper Cretaceous Qingshankou Formation, Yaojia Formation, and the first member of the Nenjiang Formation in the Western Slope of the northern Songliao Basin. Dark mudstone with high abundances of organic matter of Gulong and Qijia sags are considered to be significant source rocks in the study area. To evaluate their development characteristics, differences and effectiveness, geochemical parameters are analyzed. One-dimensional basin modeling and hydrocarbon evolution are also applied to discuss the effectiveness of source rocks. Through the biomarker characteristics, the source–source, oil–oil, and oil–source correlations are assessed and the sources of crude oils in different rock units are determined. Based on the results, Gulong and Qijia source rocks have different organic matter primarily detrived from mixed sources and plankton, respectively. Gulong source rock has higher thermal evolution degree than Qijia source rock. The biomarker parameters of the source rocks are compared with 31 crude oil samples. The studied crude oils can be divided into two groups. The oil–source correlations show that group I oils from Qing II–III, Yao I, and Yao II–III members were probably derived from Gulong source rock and that only group II oils from Nen I member were derived from Qijia source rock.


Minerals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitrios Rallakis ◽  
Raymond Michels ◽  
Marc Brouand ◽  
Olivier Parize ◽  
Michel Cathelineau

The Zoovch Ovoo uranium deposit is located in East Gobi Basin in Mongolia. It is hosted in the Sainshand Formation, a Late Cretaceous siliciclastic reservoir, in the lower part of the post-rift infilling of the Mesozoic East Gobi Basin. The Sainshand Formation corresponds to poorly consolidated medium-grained sandy intervals and clay layers deposited in fluvial-lacustrine settings. The uranium deposit is confined within a 60- to 80-m-thick siliciclastic reservoir inside aquifer driven systems, assimilated to roll-fronts. As assessed by vitrinite reflectance (%Rr < 0.4) and molecular geochemistry, the formation has never experienced significant thermal maturation. Detrital organic matter (type III and IV kerogens) is abundant in the Zoovch Ovoo depocenter. In this framework, uranium occurs as: (i) U-rich macerals without any distinguishable U-phase under SEM observation, containing up to 40 wt % U; (ii) U expressed as UO2 at the rims of large (several millimeters) macerals and (iii) U oxides partially to entirely replacing macerals, while preserving the inherited plant texture. Thus, uranium is accumulated gradually in the macerals through an organic carbon–uranium epigenization process, in respect to the maceral’s chemistry and permeability. Most macerals are rich in S and, to a lesser extent, in Fe. Frequently, Fe and S contents do not fit the stoichiometry of pyrite, although pyrite also occurs as small inclusions within the macerals. The organic matter appears thus as a major redox trap for uranium in this kind of geological setting.


Author(s):  
Sebastian Grohmann ◽  
Susanne W. Fietz ◽  
Ralf Littke ◽  
Samer Bou Daher ◽  
Maria Fernanda Romero-Sarmiento ◽  
...  

Several significant hydrocarbon accumulations were discovered over the past decade in the Levant Basin, Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Onshore studies have investigated potential source rock intervals to the east and south of the Levant Basin, whereas its offshore western margin is still relatively underexplored. Only a few cores were recovered from four boreholes offshore southern Cyprus by the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) during the drilling campaign Leg 160 in 1995. These wells transect the Eratosthenes Seamount, a drowned bathymetric high, and recovered a thick sequence of both pre- and post-Messinian sedimentary rocks, containing mainly marine marls and shales. In this study, 122 core samples of Late Cretaceous to Messinian age were analyzed in order to identify organic-matter-rich intervals and to determine their depositional environment as well as their source rock potential and thermal maturity. Both Total Organic and Inorganic Carbon (TOC, TIC) analyses as well as Rock-Eval pyrolysis were firstly performed for the complete set of samples whereas Total Sulfur (TS) analysis was only carried out on samples containing significant amount of organic matter (>0.3 wt.% TOC). Based on the Rock-Eval results, eight samples were selected for organic petrographic investigations and twelve samples for analysis of major aliphatic hydrocarbon compounds. The organic content is highly variable in the analyzed samples (0–9.3 wt.%). TS/TOC as well as several biomarker ratios (e.g. Pr/Ph < 2) indicate a deposition under dysoxic conditions for the organic matter-rich sections, which were probably reached during sporadically active upwelling periods. Results prove potential oil prone Type II kerogen source rock intervals of fair to very good quality being present in Turonian to Coniacian (average: TOC = 0.93 wt.%, HI = 319 mg HC/g TOC) and in Bartonian to Priabonian (average: TOC = 4.8 wt.%, HI = 469 mg HC/g TOC) intervals. A precise determination of the actual source rock thickness is prevented by low core recovery rates for the respective intervals. All analyzed samples are immature to early mature. However, the presence of deeper buried, thermally mature source rocks and hydrocarbon migration is indicated by the observation of solid bitumen impregnation in one Upper Cretaceous and in one Lower Eocene sample.


2006 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 261-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leszek Marynowski ◽  
Aleksandra Gawe¸da ◽  
Paweł Poprawa ◽  
Michał M. Zywiecki ◽  
Beata Ke¸pińska ◽  
...  

2013 ◽  
Vol 868 ◽  
pp. 121-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Yuan ◽  
Yan Bin Wang ◽  
Xin Zhang ◽  
Jing Jing Fan ◽  
Pei Xue

The Shanxi and Taiyuan formations in Permo-Carboniferous of upper Paleozoic Erathem of Qinshui Basin, not only has abundant coal and CBM resources, also has a lot of shales. By analyzing the shale thickness, organic matter type, organic matter abundance, vitrinite reflectance, mineral composition of the Permo-Carboniferous coal-bearing strata, considered that the shale thickness of coal-bearing strata in the Qinshui Basin is larger, the organic matter abundance is general, but maturity is high and full of rich brittle mineral. It is in favor of late fracturing.


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. SF225-SF242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xun Sun ◽  
Quansheng Liang ◽  
Chengfu Jiang ◽  
Daniel Enriquez ◽  
Tongwei Zhang ◽  
...  

Source-rock samples from the Upper Triassic Yanchang Formation in the Ordos Basin of China were geochemically characterized to determine variations in depositional environments, organic-matter (OM) source, and thermal maturity. Total organic carbon (TOC) content varies from 4 wt% to 10 wt% in the Chang 7, Chang 8, and Chang 9 members — the three OM-rich shale intervals. The Chang 7 has the highest TOC and hydrogen index values, and it is considered the best source rock in the formation. Geochemical evidence indicates that the main sources of OM in the Yanchang Formation are freshwater lacustrine phytoplanktons, aquatic macrophytes, aquatic organisms, and land plants deposited under a weakly reducing to suboxic depositional environment. The elevated [Formula: see text] sterane concentration and depleted [Formula: see text] values of OM in the middle of the Chang 7 may indicate the presence of freshwater cyanobacteria blooms that corresponds to a period of maximum lake expansion. The OM deposited in deeper parts of the lake is dominated by oil-prone type I or type II kerogen or a mixture of both. The OM deposited in shallower settings is characterized by increased terrestrial input with a mixture of types II and III kerogen. These source rocks are in the oil window, with maturity increasing with burial depth. The measured solid-bitumen reflectance and calculated vitrinite reflectance from the temperature at maximum release of hydrocarbons occurs during Rock-Eval pyrolysis ([Formula: see text]) and the methylphenanthrene index (MPI-1) chemical maturity parameters range from 0.8 to [Formula: see text]. Because the thermal labilities of OM are associated with the kerogen type, the required thermal stress for oil generation from types I and II mixed kerogen has a higher and narrower range of temperature for hydrocarbon generation than that of OM dominated by type II kerogen or types II and III mixed kerogen deposited in the prodelta and delta front.


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