The geochemical characteristics and origin of crude oils in the Kekeya Oilfield, Xinjiang, China.

GC/MS and GC/MS/MS techniques were employed to describe the characteristics of biomarker assemblages in two sets of hydrocarbon source rocks, Jurassic and Permian, in southwestern Tarim, and the parameters for the classification of the two sets of hydrocarbon source rocks have been established. It is found that diahopane and C30-unknown terpane are abundant in Permian samples, the contents of diahopane in Jurassic samples are relatively low, and terpenoids have been detected in Jurassic samples but not in Permian source rock samples. Kekeya crude oils are abundant in diahopane and C30-unknown terpane. The results of fine oil-rock correlation indicated that Kekeya crude oils were derived mainly from the Permian hydrocarbon source rocks. However, a small amount of diterpenoid was detected in the crude oils, indicating that the Jurassic hydrocarbon source rocks also made a certain contribution to Kekeya crude oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]