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Application of sterane and triterpane biomarkers in petroleum exploration

Abstract

Sterane and triterpane biomarkers are important in applying geochemistry to exploration programs, and are often used to help describe organic facies, determine maturity of oils, and correlate oils with each other or with rock extracts. Steranes are derived from precursor steroid molecules in plants. Regular steranes can be useful in evaluating the types of photosynthetic material in sediments. Diasterane concentrations are governed mainly by maturity and lithology, thus providing additional facies information. Unusual compounds may occasionally be useful as facies indicators. Triterpanes, derived primarily from bacteria, can indicate diagenetic conditions, thus complementing infomation derived from sterane distribution. The presence of unusual compounds or unusual concentrations of common compounds can indicate cerain depositional environments. Changes in certain sterane and triterpane ratios have been used as maturity indicators for extracts and crude oils. However, many biomarker ratios depend on facies as well as on maturity. Failures in the usually reliable modern correlations are usually due to low biomarker concentrations, lack of distinguishing characteristics in the biomarker distributions, or extreme biodegradation. The relative stability of steranes and triterpanes during biodegradation makes them useful in correlating somewhat biodegraded samples, but where biodegradation is extreme even these biomarkers will experience some transformation. In petroleum exploration,  More>>
Authors:
Waples, D W; Machihara, Tsutorru [1] 
  1. Japan National Oil Corp., Chiba (Japan)
Publication Date:
Sep 01, 1990
Product Type:
Journal Article
Reference Number:
CANM-91-001041; EDB-91-137961
Resource Relation:
Journal Name: Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology; (Canada); Journal Volume: 38:3
Subject:
02 PETROLEUM; BIOLOGICAL MARKERS; REVIEWS; PETROLEUM; GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY; MASS SPECTROSCOPY; MATURATION; ORIGIN; STRUCTURAL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS; CHROMATOGRAPHY; DOCUMENT TYPES; ENERGY SOURCES; FOSSIL FUELS; FUELS; SEPARATION PROCESSES; SPECTROSCOPY; 023000* - Petroleum- Properties & Composition
OSTI ID:
5259347
Country of Origin:
Canada
Language:
English
Other Identifying Numbers:
Journal ID: ISSN 0007-4802; CODEN: BCPGA
Submitting Site:
CANM
Size:
Pages: 357-380
Announcement Date:
Nov 01, 1991

Citation Formats

Waples, D W, and Machihara, Tsutorru. Application of sterane and triterpane biomarkers in petroleum exploration. Canada: N. p., 1990. Web.
Waples, D W, & Machihara, Tsutorru. Application of sterane and triterpane biomarkers in petroleum exploration. Canada.
Waples, D W, and Machihara, Tsutorru. 1990. "Application of sterane and triterpane biomarkers in petroleum exploration." Canada.
@misc{etde_5259347,
title = {Application of sterane and triterpane biomarkers in petroleum exploration}
author = {Waples, D W, and Machihara, Tsutorru}
abstractNote = {Sterane and triterpane biomarkers are important in applying geochemistry to exploration programs, and are often used to help describe organic facies, determine maturity of oils, and correlate oils with each other or with rock extracts. Steranes are derived from precursor steroid molecules in plants. Regular steranes can be useful in evaluating the types of photosynthetic material in sediments. Diasterane concentrations are governed mainly by maturity and lithology, thus providing additional facies information. Unusual compounds may occasionally be useful as facies indicators. Triterpanes, derived primarily from bacteria, can indicate diagenetic conditions, thus complementing infomation derived from sterane distribution. The presence of unusual compounds or unusual concentrations of common compounds can indicate cerain depositional environments. Changes in certain sterane and triterpane ratios have been used as maturity indicators for extracts and crude oils. However, many biomarker ratios depend on facies as well as on maturity. Failures in the usually reliable modern correlations are usually due to low biomarker concentrations, lack of distinguishing characteristics in the biomarker distributions, or extreme biodegradation. The relative stability of steranes and triterpanes during biodegradation makes them useful in correlating somewhat biodegraded samples, but where biodegradation is extreme even these biomarkers will experience some transformation. In petroleum exploration, biomarker data should always be fully integrated with all other available geochemical and geological information to make the most reasonable interpretation possible. 81 refs., 21 figs., 3 tabs.}
journal = []
volume = {38:3}
journal type = {AC}
place = {Canada}
year = {1990}
month = {Sep}
}