Compound-specific carbon isotope study on the hydrocarbon biomarkers in lacustrine source rocks from Songliao Basin

Abstract

Stable carbon isotopic composition of organic matter (δ13Corg) and compound-specific δ13C values of biomarkers from 15 lacustrine source rocks were analyzed to identify the original paleoenvironment and source organisms. The δ13C values of hopanes (δ13Chop) ranged from −68.7‰ to −32‰ and exhibit strongly 13C-depleted values in the lower part of Member 1 of the Nenjiang Formation (K2n1, up to −68.7‰), suggesting an origin from predominantly methanotrophic bacteria. 13C-enriched δ13CGa values and significantly 13C-depleted δ13Chop in K2n1, which coincide with water stratification and an intermittent anoxic photic zone, represents a shallow chemocline. The presence of an intermittent anoxic photic zone, which means that the anoxia expanded into the euphotic zone, is beneficial for OM preservation and results in high values of TOC and HI in this section. However, the absence of gammacerane and 13C-enrichment of δ13Chop in Member 2 of Nenjiang Formation (K2n2) reflect a deeper chemocline, corresponding to relatively oxidizing conditions and low values of TOC and HI. Moreover, the negative correlation of TOC vs δ13Corg and HI vs δ13Corg reflects the control of OM formation by sedimentary environments rather than productivity in the water column. Thus, the depth of the chemocline not only controls the abundance of OM but also affects the development of the microbial community, such as chemoautotrophic bacteria in the deep chemocline and chemoautotrophic and methanotrophic bacteria in the shallow chemocline. Moreover, δ13CGa and δ13C values for 4-methyl steranes are related to water salinity, with a higher salinity accompanied by 13C-enrichment in gammacerane and 4-methyl steranes.