Stable Isotopes in Understanding Origin and Degradation Processes of Petroleum
In this essay we provide a short introduction to and overview of the basics of stable isotope geochemistry and its common application in petroleum geochemistry. We identify the processes that are responsible for the carbon and hydrogen isotopic compositio
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Formation and Location
5 Stable Isotopes in Understanding Origin and Degradation Processes of Petroleum A. Vieth . H. Wilkes Helmholtz Centre Potsdam (GFZ), Organic Geochemistry, Potsdam, Germany [email protected] [email protected] 1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
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Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
3 Stable Isotope Applications in Petroleum Geochemistry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 3.1 Petroleum Formation in Sedimentary Basins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 3.2 Alteration Processes in Petroleum Reservoirs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 4
Research Needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
K. N. Timmis (ed.), Handbook of Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology, DOI 10.1007/978-3-540-77587-4_5, # Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2010
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Stable Isotopes in Understanding Origin and Degradation Processes of Petroleum
Abstract: In this essay we provide a short introduction to and overview of the basics of stable isotope geochemistry and its common application in petroleum geochemistry. We identify the processes that are responsible for the carbon and hydrogen isotopic compositions of biological and geological organic matter and indicate the utility of stable isotopes in oil-source rock correlations. Stable isotope analyses are also exploited in the investigation of different alteration processes within oils and petroleum reservoirs. State of the art work is presented, and future research needs are identified.
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Introduction
Processes controlling the molecular and isotopic composition of petroleum – and thus its physico-chemical properties and quality – are divided into two fundamental categories. Primary processes include everything influencing petroleum composition prior to the accumulation in a trap (reservoir); these are for example, the biological origin of the source organic matter, the depositional environment of the source rock and its thermal maturation as well as migration of petroleum fluids from the source rock to the trap. Secondary controls lead to an alteration of reservoired petroleum after accumulation in the trap; this includes (bio)chemical processes such as biodegradation and thermochemical sulfate reduction and physical processes such as water washing and evaporative fractionation. The evaluation of these processes is challenging as petroleum reservoirs typically have complex filling histories with, for example, alternating charging and biodegradation events. Within this essay some general information about stable isotopes is given (Section 1). Section 2.1 attempts to be suggestive of the
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