Biomarker distributions and depositional environments of continental source rocks in Sichuan Basin, SW China. Issue 6 (November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Huang, Siqin; Xu, Guosheng; Xu, Fanghao; Wang, Wei; Yuan, Haifeng; Yan, Zhaokun; Lin, Xuemei; Zhang, Menglin
• Is Part Of: Energy exploration & exploitation. Volume 38:Issue 6(2020)
• Page Start: 2296
• Page End: 2324
• Publication Date: 2020-11
• Subjects: Biomarkers -- source rock -- sedimentary environment -- continental facies -- Triassic -- Jurassic -- Sichuan Basin; Power resources -- Periodicals; 333.79
• DOI: 10.1177/0144598720915533
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0144-5987

Abstract

In order to study the distributions of the biomarker of the continental source rocks in the Sichuan Basin, 71 source rock samples were collected from the Upper Triassic-Lower Jurassic strata in different regions. The n- alkanes, isoprenoids, terpane, sterane, sesquiterpenes, caranes and aromatics in the extracts were analyzed in detail. GC-MS analysis has been conducted to analyze the biomarker of the continental source rocks. The results of GC-MS analysis indicate that the Upper Triassic source rocks are high in the content of extended tricyclic terpanes, pristane, phytane, gammacerane, C28 regular sterane and carotene. However, they are low in content of rearranged compounds. The ratio of Pr/Ph is less than 1, with the characteristics of tricyclic terpane C21 > C23 . The Lower Jurassic source rocks are extremely low in content (even zero) of extended tricyclic terpanes, pristane, phytane, gammacerane, C28 regular sterane and carotene, and high in content of rearranged compounds. The ratio of Pr/Ph is more than 1, with tricyclic terpane C21 > C23 . These characteristics are still preserved after maturation. Moreover, during the sedimentation of the source rocks of T3 x 2 –T3 x 3 members, the supply of continental plants was low (TAR < 1, with regular sterane C27 > C29, 1-MP/9-MP < 1). The source rocks of T3 x 5 member were low in salinity (slightly low content of gammacerane and carotene), being different significantly from the other Upper Triassic source rocks. In addition, during the sedimentation of the source rocks of J1dn Member, the supply of continental plants was also low (regular sterane C27 > C29, 1-MP/9-MP < 1), being quite different from that of J1 l member. Through analysis of the difference in biomarkers, it is indicated that the sedimentary environment had changed from anoxic and brackish water during the Late Triassic to oxygen-rich and freshwater during the Early Jurassic in the Sichuan Basin. During this process, the types of organic matters had changed for several times.