Oil-source rock correlation and quantitative assessment of Ordovician mixed oils in the Tazhong Uplift, Tarim Basin

Abstract

The origin of the marine oils in the Tarim Basin has long been a disputed topic. A total of 58 DST (drill stem test) crude oil and 8 rock samples were investigated using a comprehensive geochemical method to characterize and identify the origin of the Ordovician oils in the Tazhong Uplift, Tarim Basin, northwest China. Detailed oil-oil and oil-source rock correlations show that the majority of the oils have typical biomarker characteristics of the Middle-Upper Ordovician (O2+3) source rock and the related crude oil. These characteristics include a distinct "V-shaped" relative abundance of C27, C28 and C29 regular steranes, low abundance of dinosterane, 24-norcholestanes, triaromatic dinosteroids and gammacerane. Only a few oils display typical biomarker characteristics indicating the Cambrian-Lower Ordovician (∈-O1) genetic affinity, such as linear or anti "L" shape distribution of C27, C28 and C29 regular sterane, with relatively high concentrations of dinosterane, 24-norcholestanes, triaromatic dinosteroids and gammacerane. It appears that most of the Ordovician oils in the Tazhong Uplift were derived from the O2+3 intervals, as suggested by previous studies. However, the compound specific n-alkane stable carbon isotope data indicate that the Ordovician oils are mixtures from both the ∈-O1 and O2+3 source rocks rather than from the O2+3 strata alone. It was calculated that the proportion of the ∈-O1 genetic affinity oils mixed is about 10.8%-74.1%, with an increasing trend with increasing burial depth. This new oil-mixing model is critical for understanding hydrocarbon generation and accumulation mechanisms in the region, and may have important implications for further hydrocarbon exploration in the Tarim Basin. © 2010 China University of Petroleum (Beijing) and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.