Oil & Gas Geology ›› 2008, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (2): 210-216.doi: 10.11743/ogg20080209

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Geochemical characteristics and implication of high thermal maturity oils in Tazhong-Ⅰ faulted slope break zone

Li Sumei1,2, Pang Xiongqi1,2, Yang Haijun3, Gu Qiaoyuan3, Li Yujiang4   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resource and Prospecting, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China;
    2. Research Center of Basin and Reservoir, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China;
    3. PetroChina Tarim Oil Field Company, Korla, Xinjiang 841000, China;4. Seabeach Exploitation Company of PetroChina Dagang Oil Field Company, Tianjin 300280, China
  • Received:2008-02-13 Online:2008-04-24 Published:2012-01-16

Abstract:

Considerable quantity of oils and gas with diverse characteristics and origins has been discovered in the Tazhong-Ⅰ faulted slope break zone,Tarim basin.Totally 45 oil samples were gathered and analyzed with conventional geochemical approaches.The results show that the oils are characterized by significant predominance of light fractions and lack of heavy fractions,suggesting high thermal maturity of source rocks and/or thermal cracking of the oils.High absolute abundance of dibenzothiophene was detected in the oils,indicating a marine source.Several indexes(including relative distribution of gammacerane/C30 hopane,C27-to C29-steranes,and C30-steranes) and biomarker fingerprints indicate that the oils in the area were generated from at least two kinds of primary source rocks.It was suggested that there is a strong gas invasion point at the eastern end of Tazhong-Ⅰ faulted slope break zone according to the abnormal distributions of diamondoid hydrocarbons and n-alkanes.There are evident differences among those oils even from closely adjacent wells,inferring different hydrocarbon generation and accumulation processes.All the features for the oil samples analyzed indicate the common characteristics of the oils in the superimposed basins in western China,i.e.,high thermal maturity,multiple sources and multiphase pooling,heterogeneity of chemical composition,and relative compartmentalization.This study is helpful for investigating the origin and accumulation mechanisms of the oils.It was suggested that great petroleum potential could be expected in the Tazhong-Ⅰ faulted slope break zone.

Key words: marine oil and gas, maturity, biomarker, gas invasion, mixed source, Tazhong-Ⅰ faulted slope break zone, Tarim Basin

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