Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Tian Liang, Zhao-Wen Zhan, Jennifer Mejia, Yan-Rong Zou, Ping'an Peng
Summary: This study established a series of 3D molecular models of solid bitumen from the Sichuan Basin using solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT), and investigated the stages of hydrocarbon generation of natural solid bitumen through pyrolysis. The relationship between structural parameters and hydrocarbon generation of solid bitumen was established for the first time in this research.
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
James M. Wood, Tristan Euzen, Lana Sharp, Scott Leroux
Summary: Tight hydrocarbon systems can experience significant depressurization through gas leakage in response to uplift, with methane content showing regional trends increasing with depth and thermal maturity. Secondary migration of methane-rich gas along suitably oriented fairways plays a crucial role in modifying hydrocarbon compositions and should be recognized for effective evaluation and exploitation in the Montney Formation and other similar systems.
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jaime Cesar, Bernhard Mayer, Christine Deblonde, Andy Mort, Omid H. Ardakani
Summary: This study assessed the occurrence of methane, ethane, and propane in the Montney Formation using parameters based on molecular interconversion between C1-C3 alkanes, which helped identify boundaries between hydrocarbon plays, migration zones, maturity indicators, and target areas for natural gas liquids production. The approach used in this study can be further explored in other low-permeability hydrocarbon reservoirs.
Article
Energy & Fuels
James M. Wood, Mark E. Curtis, Omid H. Ardakani, Hamed Sanei
Summary: The study observed dynamic oil and brine movement phenomena within unconventional rocks at the scale of nanometers to micrometers, providing important in-situ information about fluid distribution. These phenomena demonstrate the intimate coexistence of oil and solid bitumen within the pore network of oil and gas reservoir rocks, as well as the presence of well-connected brine.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Lulu Liao, Gensheng Li, Yu Liang, Yijin Zeng
Summary: This study analyzes the geo-stress, pore pressure, and key reservoir properties of the Montney Shale formation using DFIT data. Three different analysis methods are applied to estimate the reservoir properties, and numerical simulation and history matching are conducted for fracture geometry analysis. The results have significant implications for the development and hydraulic fracturing design of the Montney Shale formation.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Omid H. Ardakani, Jaime Cesar, Per K. Pedersen, Samantha J. Mackie, Julito Reyes, James M. Wood
Summary: This study investigates the organic petrography and molecular geochemistry of the Montney Formation, revealing the type of organic matter, thermal maturity, and hydrocarbon sources. The results show that the Montney Formation contains both external and internal hydrocarbon sources, confirming its status as a hybrid unconventional reservoir. The molecular geochemistry also indicates favorable conditions for organic matter preservation during deposition.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COAL GEOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Gareth R. L. Chalmers, Pablo Lacerda Silva, Amanda A. Bustin, Andrea Sanlorenzo, R. Marc Bustin
Summary: The geochemistry of produced fluids in the Triassic Montney Formation in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin has been studied to optimize operations and increase production efficiency. The workflow of basin modeling and mapping was used to highlight areas of gas compositional changes and the migration of hydrocarbons. Understanding the distribution of gas compositions within the play area is crucial for maximizing liquid recovery during well operations.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Kejie Wang, Li Lin, J. M. Shaw
Summary: Interfacial properties play a crucial role in hydrocarbon resource production, transport, and refining processes. Liquid crystal domains, particularly in the form of biplex structures, have been identified in unreacted heavy fractions of petroleum resources, surrounded by thin liquid crystal shells around homogeneous cores. The isolation and analysis of gram quantities of liquid-crystal-rich materials from produced water revealed humic substances as principal components, which contribute to interfacial stability and surface deposition problems in petroleum production.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Chinonso Ezenwajiaku, Midhat Talibi, Ramanarayanan Balachandran
Summary: This study focuses on the formation and growth characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in inverse diffusion flames of various hydrocarbon fuels enriched with H-2. The results show that only the addition of H-2 to CH4 significantly reduces PAH concentrations as the flame length increases. Additionally, the growth rate of PAHs remains relatively stable regardless of the fuel bonding, molecular structure, and H:C ratio.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Xiaojun Li, Jingchun Tian, Miao Wang, Yong Chen
Summary: The study evaluated the geochemical characteristics and hydrocarbon generation prospects of the source rocks in the Qum Formation in the Garmsar Area of Iran. It found that the organic matter type is mainly II1-II2, with low maturity but overall conducive to hydrocarbon generation. The study is significant for further exploration in the area.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Khaled R. Arouri, Clemens van Dijk
Summary: Research indicates that the influx of gas condensates into the upper part of the preexisting oil reservoir, possibly facilitated by a major fault, caused thermodynamic disequilibrium, leading to de-asphalting and subsequent deposition of solid bitumen. The initiation of bitumen deposition was estimated to be 129 million years ago, potentially improving sealing efficiency along the unconformity and affecting trapping of subsequent hydrocarbon charges in the underlying reservoir.
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Bo Wang, Xianlong Gong, Ziduan Zhang, Quan Zhu, Wei He
Summary: This study investigates the deposit formation of hydrocarbon fuels by exploring the characteristics of coke. It reveals that the differences in physical properties and reactivity of coke between different tubes are due to the different growth mechanism. The study also finds that low reactive filamentous carbon produced by metal catalytic coking is the primary cause of pipeline blockage, while TiN coating effectively inhibits its production.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Catherine C. C. Sampson, Peter J. J. Metaxas, Mark T. J. Barwood, Rebecca Sinclair-Adamson, Peter E. E. Falloon, Paul L. L. Stanwix, Michael L. L. Johns, Eric F. F. May
Summary: CO2 poses a solid-formation risk in cryogenic liquefaction processes, even in trace concentrations. New solid-fluid equilibrium (SFE) data for CO2 in liquid methane are presented, indicating that existing models overestimate CO2 solubility at LNG storage temperatures by nearly a factor of 3. These new data help improve the predictive ability of CO2 solid formation risk in cryogenic natural gas processing.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yong Li, Shijia Chen, Xiangjun Liu, Bingyan Wu, Jingyue Zhang, Xin He, Feisheng Mou, Liyuan Luo
Summary: This study focuses on the logging response characteristics and quantitative identification methods of solid bitumen at different thermal evolution stages, using samples from the Devonian outcrop profile and Well ST3 in the northwestern Sichuan Basin. The results show linear correlations between the solubility of solid bitumen and porosity, permeability, P-wave time difference, and S-wave time difference, as well as an exponential correlation with resistivity. Additionally, the influence of solid bitumen on porosity and permeability decreases with increasing thermal evolution, while the influence on acoustic time difference and resistivity increases. Two NMR logging interpretation models for bitumen reservoirs are established based on the NMR response characteristics of solid bitumen at different thermal evolution stages.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Qingmeng Fu, Xianfeng Liu, Jingli Yao, Yongbo Wang, Nan Wu, Qinghai Xu, Jian Wang, Yilin Liang
Summary: This study analyzed the characteristics of the Cenozoic source rocks in the Yinchuan Graben and determined the formation and destruction of the fossil oil reservoirs using an integrated approach. The results indicated the presence of a fossil oil reservoir and provided insights into its formation process.
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Leibo Bian, Anthony Chappaz, Niels H. Schovsbo, Hamed Sanei
Summary: This study investigated the speciation of vanadium in organic-rich shale and found a new V(+IV)-S structure, suggesting its formation under strongly sulfidic conditions.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Nicolas Pinet, Omid Haeri-Ardakani, Josue Jautzy, Martine M. M. Savard, Patrick Sack, Patrick Mercier-Langevin
Summary: This study combines various analytical techniques to constrain the thermal evolution of Carlin-type gold deposits in central Yukon. The results show that fluid inclusion temperatures and clumped isotope measurements are consistent with those of Carlin-type deposits in Nevada. This study provides valuable insights into the thermal and chemical evolution of these gold deposits.
MINERALIUM DEPOSITA
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Leibo Bian, Anthony Chappaz, Niels H. Schovsbo, Xiaomei Wang, Wenzhi Zhao, Hamed Sanei
Summary: The late Cambrian extinction - Early Ordovician biodiversification is a crucial lower Paleozoic biological change, but the mechanisms behind this transition are not well understood. This study reconstructed the paleoenvironmental changes and assessed the Cambro-Ordovician biological turnover. The results showed that depositional environments became extremely sulfidic with lower nutrient inputs, leading to the Steptoean Positive Carbon Isotope Excursion event. Intense volcanic activity in the early Jiangshanian contributed to recurrent bio-calamities. Later, enhanced terrestrial weathering and oceanic water upwelling facilitated biological recovery and laid the foundation for the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Stephane Bodin, Mickael Charpentier, Clemens Ullmann, Arka Rudra, Hamed Sanei
Summary: This study investigates the environmental changes and formation mechanisms of OAE 1b by analyzing the Briers section in the Vocontian Basin of France. The results suggest that the variations in organic matter during OAE 1b are mainly related to changes in continental weathering and marine primary productivity. The global carbon isotope fluctuations during OAE 1b are primarily influenced by Milankovitch-paced changes in monsoonal activity.
GLOBAL AND PLANETARY CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Jin Wu, Qingyong Luo, Ningning Zhong, Fariborz Goodarzi, Vaclav Suchy, Hamed Sanei, Christian B. Skovsted, Meijun Li, Ye Zhang, Dahua Li, Jia Wu, Daofu Song
Summary: Vitrinite-like macerals (VLM) are commonly used as a substitute for classical vitrinite in evaluating the thermal maturity of marine shales. However, the molecular structure of VLM itself has received limited attention. In this study, Raman spectroscopy was used to investigate the molecular structures and thermal evolution of VLM in natural and artificial shales. The results showed that the molecular structure of VLM gradually evolved with increasing thermal maturity, similar to classical vitrinite. Raman spectroscopy, particularly the RBS parameter, proved to be a useful tool for evaluating the thermal maturity of VLM-rich sediments.
JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL AND APPLIED PYROLYSIS
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Jennifer M. Galloway, Stephen E. Grasby, Feiyue Wang, Thomas Hadlari, Keith Dewing, Stephane Bodin, Hamed Sanei
Summary: The geochemical record of the Christopher Formation on Axel Heiberg Island, Canada, indicates variations in redox conditions and the presence of carbon isotopic excursions associated with Oceanic Anoxic Event 1b (OAE 1b). The elevated concentrations of mercury in the formation are likely sourced from sulphide minerals rather than organic matter. The input of mercury into marine basins can be predominantly detrital, and there are no clear atmospheric sources of mercury anomalies associated with specific sub-levels of OAE 1b.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anna Sobek, Sebastian Abel, Hamed Sanei, Stefano Bonaglia, Zhe Li, Gisela Horlitz, Arka Rudra, Kazumasa Oguri, Ronnie N. N. Glud
Summary: Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are found in hadal trench sediment in the Atacama trench at depths down to 8085 m. High turnover of organic matter in the trench contributes to elevated contaminant concentrations in this extreme and remote place.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jaime Cesar, Omid H. Ardakani, Elizabeth Watt, Yishu Song, Andrew Kingston, Jason M. E. Ahad
Summary: The parental material for hydrocarbons in low-permeability reservoirs in Western Canada is derived from biodegraded oil, as indicated by the presence of framboidal pyrite formed during microbial sulfate reduction (MSR). The identified pyrite framboids are associated with phosphorus (P), which is essential for sulfate-reducing bacteria. The occurrence of pyrite-P assemblage embedded in solid bitumen confirms the environment provided by migrated hydrocarbons for microbial growth. Severe biodegradation, including the detection of 17-nortricyclic terpanes, has been masked by both thermal degradation during maximum burial and mixing with late gas-condensate charges. Favorable conditions for biodegradation occurred during the Early Cretaceous (<80 degrees C, basin uplift). The confirmation of paleo-biodegradation implies significant hydrocarbon loss that has not been accounted for. Additionally, microbial sulfate reduction (MSR) and Early Cretaceous seawater sulfate might have contributed to the generation of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) observed today.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jaime Cesar, Rachel Robinson, Sebastian Naeher, Marina Milovic, Omid H. Ardakani
Summary: For the first time, the polar organic compounds in extracted bitumen from the Montney Formation have been analyzed. The study focused on polar oxygen-compounds and detected unique molecular distributions, suggesting different origins for certain compound classes. The variability in the distribution of oxygen-containing aliphatic compounds raises questions about their potential geochemical signatures within Montney reservoirs.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Nanna Andreasen, Rebecca Jackson, Arka Rudra, Henrik Nohr-Hansen, Hamed Sanei, Jorgen Bojesen-Koefoed, Marit-Solveig Seidenkrantz, Christof Pearce, Nicolas Thibault, Sofia Ribeiro
Summary: The origin, composition and preservation of organic matter in a marine sediment core recovered from the NE Greenland shelf were investigated using different techniques. The study revealed the continuous but variable input of land-derived organic carbon to the marine environment, with the highest input during the late Younger Dryas. The sediments represented a significant sink of recycled organic carbon, with a large proportion of inert carbon and terrigenous organic carbon.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Rasmus Stensh, Arash Abarghani, Nidhal Badrouchi, Yang Yu, Steven A. Smith, Arka Rudra, Henrik I. Petersen, Hamed Sanei
Summary: This study investigates the effects of supercritical CO2 injection on hydrocarbon residues in the Danish North Sea. The results indicate that sc-CO2 can effectively mobilize lighter hydrocarbon fractions while leaving behind heavier immiscible asphaltene-rich hydrocarbons. Pressure differences can cause the precipitation of solid bitumen, which can significantly alter the flow of sc-CO2 in the reservoir.
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Dane P. Synnott, Keith Dewing, Omid Haeri Ardakani, Lorenz Schwark, Emma L. Percy, Per Kent Pedersen
Summary: Thermal maturity is a crucial parameter in understanding the evolution of organic matter in sedimentary rocks. Various thermal maturity indicators have been proposed, including reflectance and Tmax. This study evaluates the applicability of different indicators using a well-constrained sample set from the Upper Cretaceous strata in western Canada.
MARINE AND PETROLEUM GEOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Levi J. Knapp, Omid H. Ardakani, Julito Reyes, Kazuaki Ishikawa
Summary: This study shows that mudstones containing high total organic sulfur (TOS) content, or Type IIS kerogen, generate organic porosity at lower thermal maturity compared to mudstones with Type II kerogen. This phenomenon has not been previously demonstrated. The implications are important for the characterization of organic-rich mudstones as cap rocks, hydrocarbon reservoirs, and disposal reservoirs for CO2 or nuclear waste. The research also highlights the role of pore systems in controlling storage volumes and matrix fluid flow.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Geology
Stephen E. Grasby, Omid H. Ardakani, Xiaojun Liu, David P. G. Bond, Paul B. Wignall, Lorna J. Strachan
Summary: The Permian-Triassic mass extinction interval is characterized by abnormal enrichment of organic carbon found in black shales. Through studying deposits in New Zealand, researchers discovered that the organic matter in these shales is primarily composed of marine snow formed from algal blooms. Simulations suggest that ash fall from volcanic eruptions in the Siberian Traps enriched the Panthalassa Ocean with phosphorus and iron, leading to a significant biobloom during the mass extinction event.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Xiao-Wei Zheng, Niels-H. Schovsbo, Lei-Bo Bian, Arka Rudra, Hamed Sanei
Summary: This study used organic geochemistry and organic petrology to investigate the depositional environment, organic matter characteristics, and thermal maturity of the Cambrian-Ordovician organic-rich marine shales in the Baltic Basin. The results showed that as the maturity increased, solid bitumen became more abundant and dispersed. Additionally, a Semifusinite-like maceral was observed in one of the studied samples, indicating a possible intrusion of Permo-Carboniferous dolerite dikes. The pyrolysis data also supported the presence of immature, early mature, and over-mature samples.
