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Lookup NU author(s): Professor Stephen Larter
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Essentially all petroleums are mixtures with different components charged from source rocks at different temperatures. This heterogeneous charge is the basis for compositional differences in reservoirs that are the basic elements of reservoir geochemical approaches. Because many classical petroleum geochemical tracers of source facies and maturity, such as the cyclic biomarker hydrocarbons, show several orders of magnitude variation in concentration in petroleum systems these compounds do not reliably track facies or maturity signals in mixed oil situations. Light hydrocarbon and aromatic hydrocarbon parameters are more reliable in this sense but, as mixtures are the norm, the concept of the maturity of oils needs revising. We suggest an alternative approach is needed which tracks the maturity/petroleum mass fraction relationships for reservoired oils (mass fraction maturity) and allows the bracketing of source kitchen maturity. We strongly advise against using compound ratios in reservoir geochernical studies without having knowledge of the compounds concentration range variations within the petroleum system being studied. © The Geological Society of London 2004.
Author(s): Wilhelms A, Larter SR
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Geological Society Special Publication
Year: 2004
Issue: 237
Pages: 27-35
Print publication date: 01/01/2004
ISSN (print): 0305-8719
ISSN (electronic):
