Geochemical application of sterane and triterpane biomarkers to a description of oils from the Taranaki Basin in New Zealand

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Organic Geochemistry; (UK)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0146-6380(88)90249-5· OSTI ID:7173162

Czochanska, Z; Sheppard, C M; Weston, R J; Wood, T A; Woolhouse, A D ^[1]; Gilbert, T D; Philp, R P ^[2]

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1. DSIR, Petone (New Zealand)
2. CSIRO Division of Fossil Fuels, North Ryde (Australia)

The distributions of sterane and terpane biomarkers in a suite of 25 oils from onshore and offshore regions of the Taranaki Basin of New Zealand have been determined by gc-ms. Features of these distributions include the presence of relatively high concentrations of a number of C{sub 24} tetracyclic terpanes, the virtual absence of tricyclic terpanes, a predominance of C{sub 29} normal-, iso- and dia- steranes and the presence of a number of non-hopanoid triterpanes. In one member of the suite (Urenui) 18{alpha}(H)-oleanane is the most abundant component (m/z 191 ion chromatogram) of the terpane class of biomarkers. Based upon the distributions of 18{alpha}(H)oleanane, the McKee and Moturoa families of oils can be delineated. These terpane distributions are qualitatively similar to those encountered in crude oils from a number of Far-eastern Basins and from the Handil field of the Mahakam delta (Indonesia). The Taranaki oils are of approximately the same thermal maturity. Maturity parameters calculated from the distributions of C{sub 29} steranes and of 17{beta}(H),21{alpha}(H)- and 17{alpha}(H),21{beta}(H)- hopanes confirm recent findings of incomplete nuclear isomerization in oils derived from Tertiary sediments. An attempt has been made to correlate the McKee-1 and Maui-4 crude oils with potential source rocks from depths of 3,708 m and 3,825 m respectively. The rocks studied have attained insufficient maturity to have been the sources of these oils.

• OSTI ID: 7173162
• Journal Information: Organic Geochemistry; (UK), Journal Name: Organic Geochemistry; (UK) Vol. 12:2; ISSN ORGED; ISSN 0146-6380
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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CORRELATIONS
DEPTH
DIMENSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
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