Origin of crude oils in the Jinhu Depression of North Jiangsu-South Yellow Sea Basin, eastern China

Abstract

The chemical compositions of 20 crude oils and the extracts of potential source rocks from the Jinhu Depression of the North Jiangsu-South Yellow Sea Basin, eastern China were studied in detail by geochemical methods in order to understand their genetic relationship. The oil samples were collected from the major producing fields in the Western Slope (WS) and the Biandong-Yangjiaba-Minqiao uplift belt (BMY). The rock samples studied, selected after Rock-Eval pyrolysis screening of a large suite of samples, consist of 20 shale samples in the E2f2 member of the Paleocene Funing Formation from the oilfield areas (WS and BMY) and the Sanhe sag all within the Jinhu Depression. Geochemical characteristics indicate only one single family of oils. A number of biomarker features support deposition of the source rocks for these oils under conditions of enhanced salinity/stratified water columns. A wide thermal maturity range for the oils as indicated by sterane isomerization ratios was not substantiated by other maturity parameters. The genetic relationships between the oils and the E2f2 member of the Paleocene Funing Formation present in the deeper parts of the Sanhe and Longgang sags were suggested using a wide range of molecular parameters. Variation in the sterane concentrations in source rocks with different maturity suggests that migrational contamination and/or in-situ extractions of organic matter from caprocks or intra-reservoir shales by mature oils could potentially produce oils with apparent immaturity at the molecular level. Secondary alteration (e.g. biodegradation) of oils in the reservoir could also have a similar effect on the bulk oil compositions. Although we do not discount the possible presence of minor amounts of “immature oils”, exploration focus in the Jinhu Depression, as well as many other rift basins in eastern China, should be on mature oils derived from the deep source kitchens.