Controlling factors and geological applications of the drimane-skeleton compound content and composition of crude oils in complex petroleum systems: New insights from the Western Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea
Peng Cheng , Yuhao Ren , Haifeng Gai , Shangli Liu , Tao Cheng , Hui Tian
{"title":"Controlling factors and geological applications of the drimane-skeleton compound content and composition of crude oils in complex petroleum systems: New insights from the Western Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea","authors":"Peng Cheng , Yuhao Ren , Haifeng Gai , Shangli Liu , Tao Cheng , Hui Tian","doi":"10.1016/j.orggeochem.2024.104925","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Crude oils generally contain drimane-skeleton compounds, but the uncertainty of the main factors controlling drimane distributions limits their effective geological applications, especially in complex petroleum systems. In this study, the drimane-skeleton compound composition and the relative content of each drimane-skeleton compound to C<sub>30</sub> hopane (C<sub>DSC</sub>) were systematically studied for crude oils in different structural regions of the Western Pearl River Mouth (WPRM) Basin, South China Sea. The results show that the C<sub>DSC</sub> of crude oil is mainly controlled by its organic sources. Higher C<sub>DSC</sub> values in crude oil indicates a greater contribution from terrigenous organic matter to their source rocks. For crude oils from source rocks with similar biotic inputs, the C<sub>DSC</sub> values are controlled mainly by the depositional environment. Higher C<sub>DSC</sub> values in crude oil correspond to higher concentrations of clay minerals and lower salinities. In addition, the drimane-skeleton compound composition of crude oil is largely controlled by its maturity. The ratios of drimane to homodrimane (Dr/HDr), total rearranged drimane to total drimane and homodrimane (TRDr/TDr), and 8-rearranged drimane to 9-rearranged drimane (8RDr/9RDr) synchronously increase with increasing maturity. These ratios can effectively characterize the maturity of various types of crude oils. The maturity range characterized by the drimane maturity parameters is greater than that characterized by conventional maturity parameters. Correlation diagrams based on drimane parameters and other organic geochemical parameters can be used to classify crude oils and reveal their sources and origins, which has great application potential in complex petroliferous basins, especially in deep and ultra-deep petroleum systems with abundant light oil/condensate.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":400,"journal":{"name":"Organic Geochemistry","volume":"200 ","pages":"Article 104925"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Organic Geochemistry","FirstCategoryId":"89","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0146638024001906","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"GEOCHEMISTRY & GEOPHYSICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Crude oils generally contain drimane-skeleton compounds, but the uncertainty of the main factors controlling drimane distributions limits their effective geological applications, especially in complex petroleum systems. In this study, the drimane-skeleton compound composition and the relative content of each drimane-skeleton compound to C30 hopane (CDSC) were systematically studied for crude oils in different structural regions of the Western Pearl River Mouth (WPRM) Basin, South China Sea. The results show that the CDSC of crude oil is mainly controlled by its organic sources. Higher CDSC values in crude oil indicates a greater contribution from terrigenous organic matter to their source rocks. For crude oils from source rocks with similar biotic inputs, the CDSC values are controlled mainly by the depositional environment. Higher CDSC values in crude oil correspond to higher concentrations of clay minerals and lower salinities. In addition, the drimane-skeleton compound composition of crude oil is largely controlled by its maturity. The ratios of drimane to homodrimane (Dr/HDr), total rearranged drimane to total drimane and homodrimane (TRDr/TDr), and 8-rearranged drimane to 9-rearranged drimane (8RDr/9RDr) synchronously increase with increasing maturity. These ratios can effectively characterize the maturity of various types of crude oils. The maturity range characterized by the drimane maturity parameters is greater than that characterized by conventional maturity parameters. Correlation diagrams based on drimane parameters and other organic geochemical parameters can be used to classify crude oils and reveal their sources and origins, which has great application potential in complex petroliferous basins, especially in deep and ultra-deep petroleum systems with abundant light oil/condensate.
期刊介绍:
Organic Geochemistry serves as the only dedicated medium for the publication of peer-reviewed research on all phases of geochemistry in which organic compounds play a major role. The Editors welcome contributions covering a wide spectrum of subjects in the geosciences broadly based on organic chemistry (including molecular and isotopic geochemistry), and involving geology, biogeochemistry, environmental geochemistry, chemical oceanography and hydrology.
The scope of the journal includes research involving petroleum (including natural gas), coal, organic matter in the aqueous environment and recent sediments, organic-rich rocks and soils and the role of organics in the geochemical cycling of the elements.
Sedimentological, paleontological and organic petrographic studies will also be considered for publication, provided that they are geochemically oriented. Papers cover the full range of research activities in organic geochemistry, and include comprehensive review articles, technical communications, discussion/reply correspondence and short technical notes. Peer-reviews organised through three Chief Editors and a staff of Associate Editors, are conducted by well known, respected scientists from academia, government and industry. The journal also publishes reviews of books, announcements of important conferences and meetings and other matters of direct interest to the organic geochemical community.