Hydrocarbon potential and prospects for exploration of Eastern Arctic oil and gas deposits

Conditions for the formation of hydrocarbon systems and prospects for searching for accumulations of oil and gas in the waters of the Eastern Arctic are considered. Significant hydrocarbon potential is predicted in the sedimentary basins of this region. All known manifestations of oil hydrocarbons are installed on land adjacent to the south, as well as on the east of the shelf. The East Arctic waters are included in a single model in order to perform an adequate comparative analysis of the evolution of hydrocarbon systems. The purpose of the research was to build space-time digital models of sedimentary basins and hydrocarbon systems, and to quantify the volume of generation, migration, and accumulation of hydrocarbons for the main horizons of source rocks. To achieve this goal, a spatiotemporal numerical basin simulation was carried out, based on which the distribution of probable hydrocarbon systems was determined and further analyzed. Following to the data obtained the most probable HC accumulation zones and types of fluids contained in potential traps were predicted. Keywords: numerical space-time basin modeling; modeling of hydrocarbon systems; evidence of oil and gas presence; Eastern Arctic; elements of hydrocarbon systems; oil and gas reservoirs; migration; accumulation; perspective objects

Age-old transformation of oil hydrocarbons in polluted Grey-Brown Soil in the Absheron Peninsula

Oil production, transportation and refining are a source of the extensive environmental pollution. The study of oil pollutants allows the identification of their behavior pattern necessary in order to elaborate efficient decontamination technologies. The Absheron oil field is one of the most long-term exploited deposit in the world. Today this area is a unique place to investigate the long-lasting natural oil transformation processes. Grey-Brown Soils contaminated with crude oil 100 and 40 years ago and currently were investigated. Hexane-extractable fraction of oil compounds was examined by chemical methods, gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. In the process of natural degradation, molecular weight of oil hydrocarbons and degree of oxidation significantly increased, while the contents of carbon and hydrogen slightly decreased with time. The results obtained have shown the accumulation of high-molecular weight aromatic molecules with high degree of unsaturation in the upper layer of the soil contaminated 100 years ago. These aromatic structures exhibit the great resistance to decomposition and may be carcinogenic, thus posing a risk to human health. The contamination with oil resulted in altering soil properties. More pronounced change was observed in the soil carbon, including the soil contaminated 100 years ago. Over time after contamination, the soil alkalinity enhanced, whereas soil pH did not change. Our study evidences that oil pollutants continue to be present and the soil properties have not recovered even 100 years after pollution. Reclamation of these areas requires the application of special technologies.

Mineral oil hydrocarbons: a new challenge for the oils and fats processing industry

Mineral oils are widespread food contaminants, and edible oils, like many other foodstuffs, are often contaminated. The lack of robust analytical methods and proper toxicological evaluation make it difficult to set a tolerance level. • The best way to avoid mineral oil contamination is to prevent it by complying with good manufacturing practices, and the best solution to reducing mineral oil contamination in edible oils is through refining, especially during deodorization. This paper gives an overview of contamination sources, levels in some edible oils, regulatory aspects, analytical methods, and strategies for mitigation during refining.

Occurrence of Mineral Oil Hydrocarbons in Omega-3 Fatty Acid Dietary Supplements

Omega-3 fatty acid dietary supplements have become increasingly popular with consumers due to their multiple health benefits. In this study, the presence of mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) was investigated in seventeen commercial samples of such supplements, characterized by different formulations. The analyses were performed using on-line liquid chromatography–gas chromatography (with flame ionization detection), which is considered the most efficient method for the determination of MOH in foodstuffs. Analyte transfer was performed by using the retention gap technique, with partially concurrent solvent evaporation. Various degrees of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbon contamination (from 2.4 ppm to 375.7 ppm) were found, with an average value of 49.9 ppm. Different C-number range contaminations were determined, with the >C25–≤C35 range always found with an average value of 26.9 ppm. All samples resulted free of mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons, except for two samples in which a contamination was found at the 9.9 and 6.6 ppm levels, respectively.

Screening method for quick detection of mineral oil hydrocarbons from lubricants used in the coconut oil supply chain

Contamination by mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) affects all types of food and feed due to the ubiquitous presence of these compounds. Technical lubricants used in edible oil supply chains can be a source of contamination. This article describes a new method developed for the quick detection and identification of the presence of lubricants in crude coconut oil that can serve as an extra control step in identifying the source of contamination and preventing MOH migration.

Organic matter and its transformation rates in different sea ecosystems

The article includes proprietary data and data from literature from the last 30 years about the fluctuations in concentration and the elemental and biochemical make-up of the dissolved and particulate organic matter (DOM and POM, respectively) in the different ecosystems of the Barents Sea. The large variability of these values in both surface and deep waters is shown, depending on the intensity of the hydrological and biological processes.DOM concentrations varied from 59 to 664 μMCorg, while POM varied from 0.25 to 38.08 μMCorg. The reduction of the ice cover affected both the distribution and the qualitative composition of the DOM and the POM. This reduction, as well as the increased flow of Atlantic waters, contributed not only to an increase in the primary production of organic matter, but also to a significant intensification of redox and hydrolytic processes of its transformation, especially in the high-latitude part of the Barents Sea. The DOM of the sea is characterized by high C / P ratios, far exceeding those of Redfeld. At the same time, C / N ratios in the most productive waters are close to those of Redfeld. We highlighted four regions in the sea where concentrations of dissolved carbohydrates increase towards the bottom, which indicates that oil hydrocarbons are supplied here.

Determination of Geothermal Gradient from Bore Hole Temperature data in Some Parts of the Eastern Niger Delta Basin

An analysis of Geothermal Gradients in the Eastern Niger Delta basin was done using Bore Hole Temperature (BHT) data from three (3) adjacent oil fields. BHT data was converted to static formation temperature by using the conventional method of increasing measured BHT data by 10% and Geothermal Gradient computed using its simple linear relationship with depth, surface temperature and static temperature at depth. Projections were then made for change in Geothermal gradients at 1km intervals to a depth of 4 km. Results obtained showed significant variations across Idama, Inda and Robertkiri fields with average geothermal gradients of 17.3⁰C/Km, 22.6⁰C/Km and 23.1⁰C/Km respectively. Variation in the geothermal gradients in the area is attributed to lithological control and differential rates of sedimentation during basin evolution. Also, results showed that the Geothermal Gradient in the area are generally moderate and could be a good reason for the occurrence of more oil hydrocarbons than gas in the area.

An inorganic origin of the “oil-source” rocks carbon substance

On the basis of an inorganic concept of the petroleum origin, the phase relationships of crystalline kerogens of black shales and liquid oil at the physicochemical conditions of a typical geobarotherm on the Texas Gulf Coast are considered. At the conditions of the carbon dioxide (CO2) high fluid pressure, the process of oil transformation into kerogens of varying degrees of “maturity” (retrograde metamorphism) takes place with decreasing temperature and hydrogen pressure. Kerogen generation in black shale rocks occurs by the sequential transition through metastable equilibria of liquid oil and crystalline kerogens (phase “freezing” of oil). The upward migration of hydrocarbons (HC) of oil fluids, clearly recorded in the processes of oil deposit replenishment in oil fields, shifts the oil ↔ kerogen equilibrium towards the formation of kerogen. In addition, with decreasing of the hydrogen chemical potential as a result of the process of high-temperature carboxylation and low-temperature hydration of oil hydrocarbons, the “mature” and “immature” kerogens are formed, respectively. The phase relationships of crystalline black shale kerogens and liquid oil under hypothetical conditions of high fluid pressure of the HC generated in the regime of geodynamic compression of silicate shells of the Earth in the result of the deep alkaline magmatism development. It is substantiated that a falling of hydrogen pressure in rising HC fluids will lead to the transformation of fluid hydrocarbons into liquid oil, and as the HC fluids rise to the surface, the HC ↔oil ↔ kerogen equilibrium will shift towards the formation of oil and kerogen. It is round that both in the geodynamic regime of compression and in the regime of expansion of the mantle and crust, carboxylation and hydration are the main geochemical pathways for the transformation of oil hydrocarbons into kerogen and, therefore, the most powerful geological mechanism for the black shale formations.

Influence of Hydrocarbon-Oxidizing Bacteria on the Growth, Biochemical Characteristics, and Hormonal Status of Barley Plants and the Content of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in the Soil

Much attention is paid to the relationship between bacteria and plants in the process of the bioremediation of oil-contaminated soils, but the effect of petroleum degrading bacteria that synthesize phytohormones on the content and distribution of these compounds in plants is poorly studied. The goal of the present field experiment was to study the effects of hydrocarbon-oxidizing bacteria that produce auxins on the growth, biochemical characteristics, and hormonal status of barley plants in the presence of oil, as well as assessing the effect of bacteria and plants separately and in association with the content of oil hydrocarbons in the soil. The treatment of plants with strains of Enterobacter sp. UOM 3 and Pseudomonas hunanensis IB C7 led to an increase in the length and mass of roots and shoots and the leaf surface index, and an improvement in some parameters of the elements of the crop structure, which were suppressed by the pollutant. The most noticeable effect of bacteria on the plant hormonal system was a decrease in the accumulation of abscisic acid. The data obtained indicate that the introduction of microorganisms weakened the negative effects on plants under abiotic stress caused by the presence of oil. Plant-bacteria associations were more effective in reducing the content of hydrocarbons in the soil and increasing its microbiological activity than when either organism was used individually.