Oil & Gas Geology ›› 2022, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (2): 407-418.doi: 10.11743/ogg20220213

• Petroleum Geology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Geochemical characteristics of bitumen and tracing of gas source in the Middle Triassic Leikoupo Formation, Western Sichuan Depression

Xiaoqi Wu1,2(), Yingbin Chen1,2, Changbo Zhai2, Lingfang Zhou1,2, Xiaojin Zhou1,2, Jun Yang1,2, Yanqing Wang1,2, Xiaobo Song3   

  1. 1.Wuxi Research Institute of Petroleum Geology,Petroleum Exploration and Production Research Institute,SINOPEC,Wuxi,Jiangsu 214126,China
    2.Research Center of Exploration and Development in Sichuan Basin,Petroleum Exploration and Production Research Institute,SINOPEC,Chengdu,Sichuan 610041,China
    3.Research Institute of Exploration and Development,Southwest Oil and Gas Company,SINOPEC,Chengdu,Sichuan 610041,China
  • Received:2020-11-25 Revised:2022-01-13 Online:2022-04-01 Published:2022-03-11

Abstract:

The Middle Triassic Leikoupo Formation (T2 l) is one of the exploration targets for natural gas in western Sichuan Basin. However, the development and geochemical characteristics of bitumen in the formation is barely studied and understood. Analyses are therefore carried out on the content, reflectance, carbon isotopes, and biomarkers of bitumen samples from the formation to determine the genesis and source, and a gas source tracing is also performed based on geochemical characteristics of the bitumen, thus shedding some light on finding new ways of gas-source correlation in the area. The results indicate that the bitumen distributes sporadically along sutures and fissures, with δ13C values ranging from -28.6 ‰ to -24.6 ‰. The bitumen from core samples is of typical thermogenic origin as suggested by an average equivalent vitrinite reflectance of 3.14 %. The bitumen from outcrops has low equivalent vitrinite reflectance values, suggesting diversified origins: samples from the Huanglianqiao outcrop, Xiangshui Town, and the Ma’antang outcrop, Shiyuan Town, are the result of biodegradation, whereas those from the Xiejunmen outcrop, Tianchi Town, are derived from de-asphalting of crude oil. It also indicates a close affinity between the bitumen and carbonate rocks in the Leikoupo Formation. However, the oil cracking intensity in the formation of the area and the total gas amount generated through cracking in the whole trap calculated according to bitumen contents do not match the scale of current large gas pools. It is suggested that the pools are sourced from direct charging of gas from cracking of oil in a high maturity stage rather than the in-situ cracking of paleo-oil, and that most of the gas is from the underlying Upper Permian source rocks, rather than from the carbonates in the Leikoupo Formation. These understandings may help revealing the accumulation mechanisms and specifying exploration direction in the Leikoupo Formation of western Sichuan Basin.

Key words: reflectance, carbon isotope, geochemical characteristics, accumulation mechanism, bitumen, natural gas, Leikoupo Formation, Western Sichuan Depression

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