Features of the Hydrocarbon Distribution in the Bottom Sediments of the Norwegian and Barents Seas

The results of the study of hydrocarbons (HCs): aliphatic (AHCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in bottom sediments (2019 and 2020, cruises 75 and 80 of the R/V Akademik Mstislav Keldysh) in the Norwegian-Barents Sea basin: Mohns Ridge, shelf Svalbard archipelago, Sturfiord, Medvezhinsky trench, central part of the Barents Sea, Novaya Zemlya shelf, Franz Victoria trough are presented. It has been established that the organo-geochemical background of the Holocene sediments was formed due to the flow of sedimentary material in the coastal regions of the Barents Sea on shipping routes. The anthropogenic input of HCs into bottom sediments leads to an increase in their content in the composition of Corg (in the sandy sediments of the Kaninsky Bank at an AHC concentration up to 64 μg/g, when its proportion in the composition of Corg reaches 11.7%). The endogenous influence on the of the Svalbard archipelago shelf in Sturfiord and in the Medvezhinsky Trench determines the specificity of local anomalies in the content and composition of HCs. This is reflected in the absence of a correlation between HCs and the grain size composition of sediments and Corg content, as well as a change in hydrocarbon molecular markers. At the same time, the sedimentary section is enriched in light alkanes and naphthalene’s that may be due to emission during point discharge of gas fluid from sedimentary rocks of the lower stratigraphic horizons and/or sipping migration.

Hydrocracking of Octacosane and Cobalt Fischer–Tropsch Wax over Nonsulfided NiMo and Pt-Based Catalysts

The effect of activation environment (N2, H2 and H2S/H2) on the hydrocracking performance of a NiMo/Al catalyst was studied at 380 °C and 3.5 MPa using octacosane (C28). The catalyst physical structure and acidity were characterized by BET, XRD, SEM-EDX and FTIR techniques. The N2 activation generated more active nonsulfided NiMo/Al catalyst relative to the H2 or H2S activation (XC28, 70–80% versus 6–10%). For a comparison, a NiMo/Si-Al catalyst was also tested after normal H2 activation and showed higher activity at the same process conditions (XC28, 81–99%). The high activity of the NiMo/Al (N2 activation) and NiMo/Si-Al catalysts was mainly ascribed to a higher number of Brønsted acid sites (BAS) on the catalysts. The hydrocracking of cobalt wax using Pt/Si-Al and Pt/Al catalysts confirmed the superior activity of the Si-Al support. A double-peak product distribution occurred at C4–C6 and C10–C16 on all catalysts, which illustrates secondary hydrocracking and faster hydrocracking at the middle of the chain. The nonsulfided NiMo/Al and Pt/Al catalysts, and NiMo/Si-Al catalyst produced predominantly diesel (sel. 50–70%) and gasoline range (sel. > 50%) hydrocarbons, respectively, accompanied by some CH4 and light hydrocarbons C2–C4. On the other hand, the hydrocarbon distribution of the Pt/Si-Al varied with conditions (i.e., diesel sel. 87–90% below 290 °C or gasoline sel. 60–70% above 290 °C accompanied by little CH4) The dependence of the isomer/paraffin ratio on chain length was studied as well. The peak iso/paraffin value was observed at C10–C13 for the SiAl catalyst.

Early Paleozoic Extension-Compression Transition and Formation of a Paleo-Oil Reservoir System in the NW Sichuan Basin: Implications for Deeply Buried Hydrocarbon Accumulation

Owing to multiple tectonic events after the Late Triassic, the northern segment of the western Sichuan depression (NSWSCD) has a complex geological history of significant uplift and deeply buried. With abundant oil and gas play in the NSWSCD, the study of paleo-oil reservoir systems and early hydrocarbon accumulation in this area is of great significance for deep marine hydrocarbon distribution prediction in complex structural settings. Analysis on the northern section of the Mianyang-Changning Intracratonic Sag (MY-CN IS) and the Tianjingshan Paleouplift (TJS PU), the two Early Paleozoic tectonic units are laterally superimposed. Combined the reservoir bitumen of the Sinian Dengying Fm firstly, the biomarker (TT23/tT24, S21/S22, etc.) and Organic δ13C (lighter than 30‰) characteristics indicate that the Sinian-Jurassic paleo-oil system in the TJS PU area is the main source of Lower Cambrian organic-rich black shale. This is closely related to the superimposition and combination effects of the intracratonic sag and paleouplift. Therefore, this study establishes a geological-geochemical accumulation model through a combination of R o and fluid inclusion data. The No. 1 fault is an important zoning fault in the NSWSCD, which significantly controls the division of the oil-gas zone. The process of paleo-oil reservoir destroyed directly only exists in the frontal deformation zone. The deep marine strata of the eastern No. 1 fault demonstrate the four-center hydrocarbon accumulation processes, which include oil generation, gas generation, gas storage, and gas preservation. The superdeep Dengying Fm has long-term exploration potential in the NSWSCD.

Origin of hydrocarbons in the Bach Ho field (The Vietnamese shelf)

This article presents the results of a geochemical study of oil on the Vietnam shelf (Cuu Long basin), including those in the crystalline basement. The Bach Ho field oils in the basement have a hydrocarbon distribution that is no different than oil of numerous accumulations in Oligocene and Miocene sedimentary sequences. Similar to the organic origin oils of the world, oils from the Bach Ho field lack regular isoprenanes С12 and С17 and cheilanthanes (tri-cyclic terpanes) С22 and С27. A distinctive feature of these oils is a large amount of cheilanthanes С19-С29, and large neo-adiantane to adiantane and hopanes to steranes ratios. All these parameters indicate a large bacterial contribution in the generation of these oils. Studies have shown the similarity between oil biomarker parameters and the organic matter of sedimentary rocks, which supports the organic nature of the oils in the basement fields on the Vietnam shelf. It is shown that the hydrocarbon accumulations in the basement complexes of the Cuu Long basin are in a secondary occurrence, and their origin was the organic matter of the sedimentary source rocks.