Reservoir geochemistry of the Tazhong oilfield in the Tarim Basin, China, Part Ⅰ. Geochemical characteristics and genetic classification of crude oils

According to the assemblage characteristics of saturated hydrocarbon biomarkers in crude oils and their geochemical implications, this study has proposed, for the first time, the criteria for the genetic classification of crude oils in the Tazhong area of the Tarim Basin, China. Crude oils from the area studied are classified as three genetic types： type-Ⅰ is characterized by the low contents of C29 norhopane, extremely abundant contents of gammacerane, low contents of rearranged sterane and relatively high contents of regular C28 sterane; the geochemical properties of type-Ⅱ crude oils are opposite to those of type-Ⅰ crude oils; the parameters for type-Ⅲ crude oils are intermediate between type-Ⅰ and type-Ⅱ. Results of oil correlation indicated that type-Ⅰ crude oils were derived from Cambrian-Lower Ordovician hydrocarbon source rocks, type-Ⅱ curde oils originated from Middle-Upper Ordovician hydrocarbon source rocks and type-Ⅲ crude oils are of mixed origin.