塔里木盆地生物降解油中多系列三甲基—烷基苯的鉴定与成因意义

Identification and genetic implications of multi-series trimethyl-alkylbenzenes in biodegraded oils from Tarim Basin

  • 摘要: 三甲基—烷基苯是重要的分子标志物,对沉积环境与成熟度判识具有关键意义,但其结构相似导致的共溢出问题以及生物降解、热演化的影响,给鉴定与应用带来挑战。以塔里木盆地不同生物降解程度的原油和沥青为研究对象,采用沥青质键合态烃与游离态烃对比的方法,系统研究了多系列三甲基—烷基苯(包括芳基类异戊二烯)的差异分布特征与成因指示意义。针对结构相似造成的共溢出问题,使用不同极性色谱柱可有效改善分离效果,进一步结合多系列三甲基—烷基苯的质谱特征,能够更准确地鉴定各类异构体。塔里木盆地生物降解油/沥青的沥青质键合态烃中普遍检出2,3,6-三甲基—芳基类异戊二烯(2,3,6-TMIPB)、2,3,6-三甲基—异己基苯(2,3,6-TMiHB)和三甲基—正烷基苯(TMnAB)系列,其中2,3,6-TMIPB和2,3,6-TMiHB在盆地内及边缘的原油和沥青中广泛存在,指示烃源岩有机质沉积时具有相似的沉积环境与母质来源,同时表明沥青质键合态烃是研究生物降解油成因的关键。塔里木盆地原油和沥青样品游离态与沥青键合态烃中三甲基—烷基苯的相对含量差异显著,综合反映了生物降解程度、不同期次充注原油的热演化程度以及早期充注原油的二次裂解程度差异。对于古老含油气盆地,多套烃源岩体系与多期成藏事件的叠加导致生物降解原油普遍存在再次充注与混合现象。研究为生物降解储层中原油充注—混合历史的恢复提供了新依据,对判断原油多期次改造及资源勘探潜力评估具有积极指导意义。

     

    Abstract: Trimethyl-alkylbenzenes are important molecular markers and are of great significance for interpreting depositional environments and thermal maturity. However, their identification and application are challenging due to co-elution problems caused by structural similarities, as well as the effects of biodegradation and thermal alteration. This study focused on oils and asphaltenes with varying degrees of biodegradation from the Tarim Basin. By comparing asphaltene-bound hydrocarbons with free hydrocarbons, this study systematically investigated the differential distribution characteristics and genetic implications of multiple series of trimethyl-alkylbenzenes, including aryl isoprenoids. To address the co-elution problem caused by structural similarities, chromatographic columns with different polarities could effectively improve separation. Furthermore, combining the mass spectrometric characteristics of multi-series trimethyl-alkylbenzenes enabled more accurate identification of various isomers. The 2,3,6-trimethyl-aryl isoprenoid (2,3,6-TMIPB), 2,3,6-trimethyl-isohexylbenzene (2,3,6-TMiHB), and trimethyl-n-alkylbenzene (TMnAB) series were widely detected in asphaltene-bound hydrocarbons of biodegraded oils/asphaltenes from the Tarim Basin. Among them, 2,3,6-TMIPB and 2,3,6-TMiHB were widely present in oils and asphaltenes from both the interior and margin of the basin, indicating that the organic matter of source rocks had similar depositional environments and parent material sources during source rock deposition. Additionally, it demonstrated that asphaltene-bound hydrocarbons were key to investigating the origin of biodegraded oils. Significant differences in the relative abundances of trimethyl-alkylbenzenes between free and asphaltene-bound hydrocarbons were observed in oil and asphaltene samples from Tarim Basin, reflecting variations in the degree of biodegradation, the thermal maturity of oils from different charging episodes, and the extent of secondary cracking of early-charged oils. In ancient petroliferous basins, the superimposition of multiple source rock systems and multi-stage hydrocarbon accumulation events led to the widespread occurrence of post-biodegradation oil re-charging and mixing. This study provides new evidence for reconstructing the oil charging and mixing history in biodegraded reservoirs, and has positive implications for assessing multi-phase oil alteration and evaluating resource exploration potential.

     

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