GHG report 2974 North Sea Hydrocarbons S.

Canal Bank #2

A Geochemical Evaluation of the South Canal Bank #2 Oil from Belize

SUMMARY

The South Bank Canal #2 oil is a black viscous oil derived from marine
carbonate source rocks. The oil has high aromatic and asphaltene contents and
is likely to have a high (>2%) sulphur content. The API gravity of just 16.73o is
at odds with the pour point of around 1oC but the gas chromatographic analyses
suggest that the oil is a mixed oil. The dominant oil fraction is an aromatic-
intermediate oil which derives from type IIS organic matter in carbonate source
rocks. The biomarkers indicate the oil to be of peak maturity but the gasoline
fraction of the oil is thought to be more mature than the rest of the oil
suggesting that the original oil which has suffered some minor alteration
through water washing and biodegradation before receiving a second, minor,
charge of mainly gasoline range hydocarbons.

A possible source for the oil is the Coban limestones of Cenomanian-Turonian

age.

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GHG report 2974 North Sea Hydrocarbons S. Canal Bank #2

CONTENTS

Summary…………………………………………………….1

Introduction…………………………………………………..3

Results and discussion……………………………………….4

Conclusions…………………………………………………..8

References…………………………………………………….8

TABLES

1. Oil compositional data

FIGURES

1. Whole oil gas chromatogram

2. Saturate gas chromatogram
3. Summary sterane (m/z 218) mass chromatogram
4. Summary hopane (m/z191) mass chromatogram

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GHG report 2974 North Sea Hydrocarbons S. Canal Bank #2

INTRODUCTION

This report presents the results of a geochemical evaluation of the South Bank
#2 oil. The analyses performed on the oil were designed to determine the
preservation state of the oil, its origin and level of organic maturity.

Sample details

A jar of black viscous oil identified as the South Canal Bank#2 oil was received
by GHGeochem Ltd on the 19th of July 2013. On receipt the sample was given
the GHG project code 2974. The oil was subjected to a number of analyses
including API gravity, oil compositional analysis, Gas chromatography and GC-
MS. The results of the analyses are presented in Table 1 and graphically in
Figures 1 through 4.

Report details

A digital copy of this report has been forwarded to Derek Howard Orchard at
the offices of North Sea Hydrocarbons in Cheltenham.

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GHG report 2974 North Sea Hydrocarbons S. Canal Bank #2

Results and Discussion

The South Canal Bank #2 oil analysed in this study is a black viscous oil with a
pour point of +1.1oC and an API gravity of 16.73 degrees. Table 1 presents oil
compositional data resulting from asphaltene precipitation and HPLC of the
maltene fraction. Compositionally the oil is depleted in paraffins (saturate
hydrocarbons) and enriched in the aromatic and asphaltene fractions. On the
basis of the percentage of paraffins and aromatics in the oil the South Canal
Bank#2 oil may be classified as an aromatic intermediate oil.

TABLE 1. Oil Composition –South Bank #2 (normalised %)

GHG No. % Saturates % Aromatics % NSO’s % Asphaltenes

2974-001 24.72 41.40 9.51 24.34

Whole oil gas chromatography

In order to perform whole oil gas chromatography the oil needed to be warmed
and injected onto to the GC with a hot needle. The whole oil gas chromatogram
was expected to reveal a loss of the lighter hydrocarbons (which could have
given rise to the viscous nature of the oil) but instead the chromatogram is more
typical of a light to mid gravity oil with abundant n-alkanes extending from
nC5, maximising at between nC6 and nC10, but depleting rapidly beyond nC20.
This is not as was expected from the physical properties of the oil and an
examination of the gasoline range hydrocarbons reveals a depletion in the
cycloparaffins and in the aromatics. The unusal distribution of gasoline range
hydrocarbons (50.8% paraffins but only 2% aromatics and 6.6% cycloparaffins)
suggests that the oil composition has been altered either by secondary alteration
processes or by oil mixing. Certainly the high proportion of n-alkanes within the
gasoline range changes the Heptane and isoheptane values dramatically such
that they do not fit into any of the normal Thompson plots.

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GHG report 2974 North Sea Hydrocarbons S. Canal Bank #2

FIGURE 1. Whole oil gas chromatogram –South Canal Bank #2

uV
C5
200000
C10
175000

150000

C15
125000

100000

C20
75000
Pr Ph C25
50000
C30
25000
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 min

The raised baseline in the c10+ portion of the whole oil gas chromatogram
provides evidence of the naphthenic nature of the oil whilst pristane being less
than phytane suggests that the oil gas a carbonate source.

Saturate gas chromatography

Gas chromatographic analysis of the isolated saturate fraction shows (Figure 2)
that the n-alkanes in the topped oil extend from nC9 to beyond nC30 but are
masked in the C30+ part of the chromatogram by co-eluting biomarkers. A
Pr/Ph ratio of just 0.53 confirms a carbonate source for the oil and this is
supported by the slight even carbon preference observed above nC20. Pr/nC17
and Ph/nC18 ratios of 0.23 and 0.58 respectively not only indicate the oil to be
mature but also indicate that the oil is unaltered.

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GHG report 2974 North Sea Hydrocarbons S. Canal Bank #2

FIGURE 2. Saturate gas chromatogram-South Canal Bank #2

uV
C15 C20
100000
C10 C25
90000

80000 C30

70000
Ph
60000

50000 Pr

40000

30000

10 20 30 40 50 min

GC-MS (biomarker)Analysis

Summary sterane (m/z 218) and hopane (m/z 191) profiles for the South Canal
Bank #2 oil are presented in Figures 3 and 4. The sterane profiles are typical of
a carbonate sourced oil with diasteranes (which require the acid catalytic
reactions associated with clays to form) absent from the mass chromatogram.
The steranes are noteworthy for their unusually high abundance of the C28
steranes, this is quite unusual and suggests a unique organic make up in the
parent source rock. The South Canal Bank#1 and Xan oils also exhibit this
characteristic. The hopanes (m/z 191) are also typical of a carbonate sourced oil.
The C29 hopane is as abundant as the C30 hopane and the C35 homohopanes
are more abundant than the C34 homohopanes. Similarly, Ts is less than Tm
and the C25 tetracyclic terpane is significantly more abundant than the C26
tricyclics. The oil also has a moderate gammacerane content indicating some
restriction to the depositional environment of the parent source rock.

GC-MS analysis of the aromatic fraction of the oil resulted in some unusual
results, the naphthalenes and alkyl naphthalenes are present as are the
dibenzothiophenes but the phenanthrenes and triaromatic steranes are absent. It
is thought that the latter have been removed through water washing (+
biodegradation?) whilst the former represent a later, more mature charge?

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GHG report 2974 North Sea Hydrocarbons S. Canal Bank #2

FIGURE 3. Summary sterane (m/z 218) profile of South Canal Bank#2 oil

South Canal Bank-2 Acquired on 23-Jul-2013 at 07:20:10

2974-001 C28 SIR of 12 Channels EI+
218.00
100
2.98e5

C27
C29

17 rt
26.000 28.000 30.000 32.000 34.000 36.000 38.000 40.000 42.000 44.000 46.000 48.000 50.000 52.000 54.000 56.000 58.000 60.000 62.000 64.000

FIGURE 4. summary hopane (m/z 191) profile of South Canal Bank#2 oil
South Canal Bank-2
2974-001
C30H Acquired on 23-Jul-2013 at 07:20:10
SIR of 12 Channels EI+
100 C29H 191.00
4.69e6

%
Tm

C35
G

Ts
1 rt
46.000 48.000 50.000 52.000 54.000 56.000 58.000 60.000 62.000 64.000 66.000 68.000 70.000 72.000 74.000 76.000 78.000 80.000 82.000

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GHG report 2974 North Sea Hydrocarbons S. Canal Bank #2

CONCLUSIONS

The South Bank Canal #2 oil is black viscous oil derived from marine carbonate
source rocks. The oil has high aromatic and asphalting contents and is likely to
have a high (>2%) sulphur content. The API gravity of just 16.73o is at odds
with the pour point of around 1oC but the gas chromatographic analyses suggest
that the oil is mixed oil. The dominant oil fraction is an aromatic-intermediate
oil which derives from type IIS organic matter in carbonate source rocks. A
possible source for this is the Coban limestones of Cenomanian-Turonian age
(Petersan et.al 2012). The oil is of peak maturity (oil window) but the gasoline
fraction of the oil is thought to be more mature than the rest of the oil
suggesting that the original oil which has suffered some minor alteration
through water washing and biodegradation has received a second, much lighter,
charge of hydocarbons.

References

Peterson H.I., Holland B., Nytoft H.P., Cho A., Piasecki S., del la Cruz J. and
Cornec .H., Geochemistry of crude oils, seepage oils and source rocks from
Belize and Guatemala: Indications of carbonate-sourced petroleum
systems. Journal of Petroleum Geology, Vol 35(2), April 2012, pp 127-164