Constraints on the diversity of crude oil types in the Lunnan Oilfield, Tarim Basin, NW China

Abstract

Hydrocarbons, include heavy oils, normal oils, waxy oils and light oils, condensate oils and gases were all found in Lunnan Oilfield, the occurrences of hydrocarbons with complicated physical properties indicates a complicated distribution of reservoirs. By the drilling data, the distribution pattern had been found that, in plan view, the density of crude oils in the western part is heavier than that of oils in the eastern part in Lunnan region, namely the crude oils were mainly found in the western part while the natural gases were mainly found in the eastern, which shows that an obvious differentiation in the east and west part was presented in the Lunnan region. Furthermore, in vertical view, the light hydrocarbons were mainly found in the Carboniferous reservoir while the heavier hydrocarbons were mainly found in the Ordovician and Triassic reservoirs. By analysis of the semi-logarithm distribution ofn-alkanes, biomarker ratios and stable carbon isotopic compositions of crude oils, we have found that two oil families and discontinuous distribution were presented in hydrocarbons in Lunnan Oilfield. This kind of discontinuous distribution of geochemical parameters was not from continuous fractionation in migration process. The biodegraded heavy oil reservoirs in western part belong to the lower matured oil family, while the light or condensate oils reservoirs belong to higher matured oil family. Thus, a mixed filling of hydrocarbons was occurred in the middle part in Lunnan Oilfield and resulted in the occurrence of waxy oil. The mixed filling model may help to explain the distribution pattern of hydrocarbon reservoirs in Lunnan Oilfield, especially can lead to a relatively consistent explanation for all kinds of geochemical data, such as physical properties, pyrrolic nitrogen compounds, biomarker parameters and stable carbon isotopic compositions.