Organic geochemistry of source rocks in the Baiyun Sag of the Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea

Abstract

Source rock samples (i.e., drill cuttings) of the Wenchang, Enping, and Zhuhai formations from the Baiyun sag in the deep-water area of the Pearl River Mouth Basin (PRMB) in the South China Sea were collected and subjected to organic geochemical analysis. The three sets of potential source rocks were further divided into six types, based on biomarkers and carbon isotopic compositions: shallow lacustrine and semideep–deep lacustrine source rocks of Wenchang Formation, shallow lacustrine and marine transgression-related source rocks of Enping Formation, and littoral and neritic source rocks of Zhuhai Formation. The Wenchang Formation semideep–deep lacustrine source rocks developed in the Baiyun Sag are characterized by low ratio of C30 4-methylsteranes to C29 steranes (4-Me/C29 < 0.25) and relatively 13C-depleted isotopic compositions (δ13Ckerogen < −27.5‰), which are obviously different from those from shallow-water area in the PRMB. Rock–Eval analysis shows the Wenchang Formation develops good source rocks, which are better than those in the Enping Formation. The Zhuhai Formation does not contain effective source rocks because of its low maturity. According to the distribution of bicadinanes and oleanane, it is speculated that shallow lacustrine source rocks of Wenchang Formation in the northern Baiyun Sag have similar high bicadinanes to C30 hopane ((W + T)/C30H) and low oleanane to C30 hopane (OL/C30H) ratios to those of the Enping Formation, indicating their possible contribution to the discovered hydrocarbon accumulations. In summary, hydrocarbons generated by the Wenchang Formation source rocks should become the next key exploration target in the Baiyun Sag.