Tracing Hydrocarbons Migration Pathway in Carbonate Rock in Lunnan-Tahe Oilfield

ENERGY EXPLORATION & EXPLOITATION · Volume 28 · Number 4 · 2010 pp.
259-278 259
Tracing hydrocarbons migration pathway in carbonate

rock in Lunnan-Tahe oilfield
Xinyuan Zhou1, Weiwei Jiao2,3*, Jianfa Han1, Jie Zhang2,3,

Hongfeng Yu1 and Lin Wu2,3
1
Tarim Oilfield Company, PetroChina, Korla, Xinjiang 841000, China
2
Faculty of Natural Resources & Information Technology, China University
of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China
3
State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Prospecting, China University
of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China
*Author for corresponding. E-mail address:jiaoweiw-210@163.com
(Received 15 February 2010; accepted 26 June 2010)
Abstract
Tracing hydrocarbons migration pathway is of great significance in studying
hydrocarbon accumulation process and predicting hydrocarbon bearing potential
of exploration targets, but it is very difficult to trace the hydrocarbons migration
pathway in ancient carbonate formations due to strong heterogeneity. In this
paper, a combination of geological and geochemical methods is used to discuss
the hydrocarbons migration pathway in Ordovician carbonate rock of the
Lunnan-Tahe Oilfield in the Tarim Basin. Deep faults and karst unconformity
constitute the hydrocarbons passage framework in this area. High angle fractures
caused by tectonic stress, pores and cavities formed by karstification played an
important role in the connectivity and continuity of this network system. Core
observation and thin-section identification revealed that the karsted holes
communicating with fractures in the geologic history were the effective pathway
for hydrocarbons migration in carbonate formation. The marks of hydrocarbon
migration were left in these kinds of fractures and cavities, which were the direct
evidence of hydrocarbon migration. The regularities of geochemical parameters
of crude oil and hydrocarbon inclusion could effectively indicate the direction of
hydrocarbon migration. It could be seen from the section analysis results in this
paper that the features of vertical migration in a single well are apparent due to
fracture communication; while in the lateral direction, the network system in
which fractures and cavities are interconnected constitutes the main lateral
pathway for hydrocarbons migration. Analysis results of such wells as Lunnan
63, Jiefang 127, Lunnan 39 and Lunnan 44 indicate that hydrocarbons migration
direction was from bottom to top in the vertical direction and from south to north
and from east to west in the lateral direction.
Keywords: Carbonate rock, Migration pathway, Conduit systems, Lunnan-

Tahe Oilfield, Tarim Basin
260 Tracing hydrocarbons migration pathway in carbonate rock
in Lunnan-Tahe oilfield
1. INTRODUCTION
Tracing hydrocarbons migration pathway allows recognition of dynamic processes of
hydrocarbon migration, accumulation and reservoiring, and prediction of hydrocarbon
bearing potential of traps by establishing hydrocarbons passage framework (Fisher
et al., 2001; Al-Busafi et al., 2005; Yang, 1996; Jin et al., 2005; Sun et al., 2009a).
Hydrocarbons migration pathway is not a simple planar structure, but a complex 3D
network system consisting of faults and unconformities, reservoir beds and surrounding
rocks (Jiang, 2000; Wilkins et al., 2007). The strong heterogeneity of carbonate
reservoir beds and later strong reformation (Jin et al., 1998; Lü et al., 2000, 2004; Du
et al., 2009; Lü et al., 2009) led to increasing difficulty in studying the vertical and
lateral migrations in reservoir beds. The analysis of hydrocarbons migration pathway,
on one hand, is to describe the combination and distribution of various kinds of
transporting bodies in 3D space underground (Chen et al., 2009), and on the other hand,
is to indicate the hydrocarbons migration direction based on the regularities of physical
properties and geochemical parameters of hydrocarbons during the migration process
(Liu et al., 1996; Huang, 2003; Wang et al., 2004; Wu et al., 2007; Wen, 2008).
With the discoveries of Lunnan and Tahe Oilfields and continuing expansion of
their sizes, some scholars did researches on the direction of hydrocarbons migration of
Lunnan or Tahe Oilfield based on the geochemical characteristics of hydrocarbons.
Light hydrocarbons in crude oil, biomarkers, nitrogen compounds and other indices
were selected to make comparison of their lateral or vertical changes in order to
determine the direction of hydrocarbons migration (Huang, 2003; Gu, 2003, 2007;
Chen, 2004; Shao, 2005; Wang, 2007; Zhen, 2007; Duan, 2007). These researches not
only defined the transporting systems in each oil/gas bearing area but also discussed
the direction of hydrocarbons migration.
In recent years, PetroChina Tarim Oilfield Company and Sinopec Northwest
Oilfield Company have strengthened data exchange, enabling us to have an overall
understanding of Lunnan Oilfield, PetroChina and Tahe Oilfield, Sinopec as a whole.
Taking Lunnan-Tahe Ordovician carbonate oil-gas field as the research object, this
paper adopts a combination of geological and geochemical methods to trace the
pathway of hydrocarbons migration. By combining seismic profile interpretation and
drilling core observation, the hydrocarbon transporting pathway was firstly established
and confirmed; then by combining the geochemical analysis of crude oil in oil-gas
wells and selecting and comparing the changes of relevant parameters in different
directions, the direction of hydrocarbon migration could be determined.
Gas chromatography (GC) and Gas chromatographic–mass spectrum (GC-MS)
analyses was performed as described by Qin et al. (2008) and Sun et al. (2004).
2. GEOLOGICAL SETTING OF LUNNAN-TAHE CARBONATE OILFIELD

Lunnan Oilfield, PetroChina and Tahe Oilfield, Sinopec are located on the southern
slope of the Lunnan low arch, the Tabei uplift in the Tarim Basin, with the Halahatang
sag in the west, the Caohu sag in the east, the Manjiaer depression in the south and the
near east-west striking Shaya-Luntai fault-uprising belt in the highest part of the Tahe
uplift in the north. According to the division of exploration right, this area is currently
divided into Lunnan oil/gas region (including Sangtamu Oilfield and Lungu Oilfield in
ENERGY EXPLORATION & EXPLOITATION · Volume 28 · Number 4 · 2010 261
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well Isobath/m Fault Annihilation line
Figure 1. Location Diagram of Lunnan-Tahe Oilfield Area (Liang, 2008, revised).
addition) and Tahe oil/gas region. Lunnan low arch began its development from the
early Paleozoic and a south pitching large nose-shaped arch was formed at the end of
the late Paleozoic due to compressive structural deformation (Zhang, 1999). Multi-age
intensive uplifting and erosion formed an Ordovician large palaeo-buried hill (Fig. 1).
Ordovician residual formations on the slope from bottom to top are Sangtamu
Formation (O3s), Lianglitage Formation (O3l), Yijianfang Formation (O2yj) and
Yingshan Formation (O1y).
Influenced by multi-age, multi-direction and multi-attribute tectonic movements,
faulted systems were developed in the Ordovician in the Lunnan-Tahe area. The
faulted systems constituted an inter-communicated network, which connected different
karst systems in the same area to make a fracture-cavity system, forming an effective
fracture-cavity reservoir bed. Cambro-Ordovician hydrocarbons were mainly
accumulated in the fracture-cavity system, forming oil/gas reservoir apparently
controlled by fracture-cavity reservoir beds. Therefore, Ordovician oil/gas reservoir is
a “quasi-layered” or “network” reservoir that is controlled by the development of
fracture-cavity system, related to but not fully controlled by structures (Zhou, 2000;
Han et al., 2006), and the development of fracture-cavity shows strong heterogeneity.
ITS 450 T2050 T2150 T2250 T2350 T433 T2550 T2650 TK435 TK641 T2950
3100 3100
3200 3200
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3500 3500
T74
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3700 3700
3800 3800
3900 3900
4000 4000
4100 4100
4200 4200
fmt 901.3dv 235 inn Line 2752
8 37 tr/um 5.3 IF8 8
Figure 2. Seismic Profile of Tahe Oilfield.

Seismic profile shows that faults develop in this area, and most faults cut the surfaces of
unconformity above the lower Ordovician, but they do not cut through upper mudstone
cover. Therefore, these faults and the surfaces of unconformity constitute pathways for
hydrocarbon migration, without damaging hydrocarbon’s storage conditions. T74
seismic reflection profile is a reflection profile on the top of lower Ordovician.
3. HYDROCARBONS MIGRATION PATHWAY

For the lower Palaeozoic carbonate reservoirs in the Lunnan-Tahe area, faults,
structural fractures accompanying faults, unconformities, and their accompanying
weathering crusts formed due to weathering and leaching, dissolved pores, dissolved
cavities and dissolved fractures formed by karstification, could be pathways for
hydrocarbon transportation and migration. A combination of these elements formed
various types of conduit systems.
Faults and structural fractures were the basic framework for transporting deep
carbonate hydrocarbons in the Tarim Basin (Liang, 2005; Kang et al., 2005), large
faults were developed in the Lunnan-Tahe area (Fig. 2) and hydrocarbons are rich in
faulted zones and surrounding areas. Large faults communicated with lower oil source
rocks, and deep hydrocarbons moved upward along faults. Meanwhile, influenced by
faults, most structural fractures that were developed along with faults were high angle
fractures (Gu et al., 1998), and the open fractures provided pathways for vertical
migration of hydrocarbons.
Structural evolution controlled and developed many unconformities in this area,
especially the unconformity at the top of the lower Ordovician, which was very
important in the formation of Lunnan-Tahe carbonate reservoir (Lü et al., 2000).

Primary matrix pores were not developed in Ordovician Yijianfang-Yingshan-
Penglaiba Formation in the Lunnan-Tahe Oilfield, but as is influenced by
structural movement in the Caledonian and Hercynian, lower Ordovician carbonate
rocks were exposed to a large extent, especially in the central and northwestern
parts of the Lunnan low arch. Secondary dissolved pores, cavities and fractures
formed due to weathering and corrosion improved reservoir bed quality. Covered
by Carboniferous mudstone at the top, the carbonate rock, on one hand, provided
pathways for lateral migration of hydrocarbons, and on the other hand, the
dissolved pores, cavities and fractures also constituted the main reservoir space.
Carbonate reservoirs are mainly distributed within 250m under the buried
hill surface.
Due to atmospheric corrosion and leaching as well as corrosion and replacement
related to deep thermal fluid activities, carbonate multi-age karst fractures and
cavities were formed on exposed carbonate tablelands (Kappler et al., 2000; Lü
et al., 2005; 2006; Jin et al., 2006; Jin et al., 2006; 2009; Lü et al., 2009). Isolated
pores and cavities communicated with crevices and fractures to form a fracture and
cavity network system, providing good migration pathways Ordovician carbonate
rocks in the Lunnan-Tahe area have long been eroded by weathering, and a
complete set of karst sequences was developed from top to bottom, i.e. ground
karst zone, vadose karst zone and underflow karst zone. As different karst zones
were under the control of flow patterns of underground water, the pores, cavitys
and fractures formed as reservoir space differed in size, form, scale and their
combination. Reservoir spaces that were formed in the ground karst zone are
mainly pores and cavities, and large cavities were developed in the karst slope
zone to form pore-cavity type reservoir beds. The pay zones of Well LG15 and
Well LG15-1 are ground karst pore-cavity reservoir beds. Large cavities
(Underground River) were developed in the underflow karst zones. On the top and
bottom of large cavities in the karst crushed zone network, fractures, dissolved
pores, cavities and fractures were fully developed to form fracture-cavity reservoir
beds. For example, the underflow karst zone in Well LG42 is 5,746 m~5,849 m deep,
and two layers of large dissolved cavities were developed. The cavity is 22 m
high, with a 3.5 m thick barrier. Dissolved fracture zone on the cavity top is 43 m
thick, and dissolved fracture zone on the cavity bottom is 15 m. These three
sections are 61.5 m thick in total. Karsting is well developed, and netted fractures,
dissolved pores, cavities and fractures are widely distributed. Log interpretation
shows a maximum porosity of 7.04%.
In a word, large faults were developed vertically in the Lunnan-Tahe area,
accompanied by a great amount of small faults and structural fractures formed by
structural stress. Because of weathering and corrosion, dissolved pores, cavities and
fractures were formed in lower Paleozoic carbonate formations toward deeper zones.
Unconformity and weathered crust conduit system were developed in mid-lower
Ordovician limestone and upper Ordovician mudstone in the lateral direction to form
a 3D hydrocarbon passage framework (Fig. 3).
Figure 3. Profile Section for Development of Fracture-Cavity Reservoir Beds in

Lower Palaeozoic Carbonatite Weathered Crust in Lunnan-Tahe Area.
4. PETROLOGIC EVIDENCES FOR HYDROCARBON MIGRATION

The activities of hydrocarbon in conduit systems can be observed from multiple
aspects. From the petrologic record of fluid activities, the research means of macro
core observation and micro thin-section identification etc. are often used to analyze and
study the characteristics of hydrocarbon existence and migration in the geologic
history (Sun et al., 2010).
4.1. Macro observation of hydrocarbon activity in fractures and cavities of core

The regional tectonic movement led to faults activity and small-scale development of
fractures in the Lunnan-Tahe area. The multi-stage activities provided important
prerequisite and pathways for fluid activity (Tang et al., 2006). Both core observation
and microscopic thin-section fluorescent observation revealed the trace left by
hydrocarbon activity.
It was discovered from a large amount of drilling core observations in the Lunnan-
Tahe area that significant fractures and cavities were developed in the Ordovician
carbonate reservoir beds, including structural fractures, dissolved fractures, dissolved
pores and dissolved cavities developed along dissolved fractures. Some fractures and
cavities, not filled by shale and calcite and other filling materials or not completely
filled, can act as effective fractures and cavities for migration and storage of
hydrocarbons (Fig. 4), and the dissolved holes and cavities developed in calcite vein
can also act as effective holes and cavities favorable to hydrocarbon migration and
storage. The calcite vein in Ordovician carbonate reservoir beds in the Lunnan-Tahe
area, during its formation process, captured a large amount of hydrocarbon inclusions,
which also proved that the fractures and cavities fully filled or partly-filled by calcite
vein, before being filled, once acted as the pathway for hydrocarbons migration.
4.2. Microscopic thin-section observation for distribution of hydrocarbon inclusions

As seen from a large amount of drilling core observations of Ordovician carbonate
reservoir in the Lunnan-Tahe area, calcite veins were developed widely in this region,
A B
(A) Well Ln17, 5572.5 m, O, light grayish brown calcarenite, fractures development,
semi-filled with calcite, with residual oil trace. (B) Well S91, 5692.1 m, O2yj,
light gray micritic limestone, and fracture development, with residual black
oil trace on fracture surface.
C D
(C) Well S91, 5692.6 m, O2yj, light gray micritic limestone, dissolved hole
development, with residual oil trace. (D) Well S115, 5901.2 m, O3t(q), gray micritic
limestone, fractures development, with leakage and spilling of crude oil.
E F
(E) Well JF127, 5306.8 m, O3l, offwhite brecciform limestone, dissolved hole semi-
filled with calcite, with oil trace. (F) Well S116, 6060.8 m, O2-3, light gray micritic
limestone, fractures development, semi-filled with calcite, with residual oil trace.
Figure 4. Core Photos of Some Wells in Lunnan-Tahe Oilfield, with Oil Trace in
Dissolved Cavities and Fractures.
mostly penetrating through the core in the vertical direction or at a high angle, and
meanwhile several calcite veins intercrossed with each other; obviously, the fractures
and dissolved holes and cavities fully filled with calcite currently cannot act as the
pathway for hydrocarbons migration, but in the history, i.e. before calcite was
crystallized and filled, did such type of fractures and cavities provide pathway for
hydrocarbons migration? We have some discoveries from microscopic core thin-
section observations. Besides such fractures and cavities fully filled with calcite,
fractures partly-filled with calcite were developed in part of cores, and residual oil can
be seen on the fracture surfaces, thus such type of fractures currently can still act as the
pathway for hydrocarbon migration.
The microscopic observation of thin-sections from core samples with developed
calcite veins showed that the calcite veins captured a large amount of hydrocarbon
inclusions. Most of which were distributed along the direction of fracture development
(Fig. 5) but some had the trend of traversing or cutting the fracture direction. The
distribution of hydrocarbon inclusions was only limited to the inside of calcite veins,
and it could be predicted that the differences in crystallizing directions of calcite veins
led to different arrangement directions of hydrocarbon inclusions during the capturing
process. In addition, the captured inclusions could also be seen in the filling calcite in
dissolved holes and cavities, which indicated that there once existed hydrocarbons in
the dissolved holes and cavities; before being filled, the dissolved holes, cavities and
fractures together constituted the conduit systems for hydrocarbons migration.
a Microscopic polarized-light photo b Microscopic fluorescent photo

(A) Well Ln17, 5658.6 m, O1y, light gray brown limestone, core thin-section fluorescent
photo, microscopic observation of hydrocarbon inclusions in dissolved holes.

(B) Well S61, 5523.2 m, O1, micritic limestone, fractures development, filled with
calcite. With excitation of blue weak fluorescence, hydrocarbon inclusions in calcite
appear in pale blue.

(C) Well Ln19, 5386.5 m, O1y, gray brown fine crystal limestone, core polarized-
light thin-section and fluorescent thin-section, microscopic observation of
hydrocarbon inclusions in micro-fractures.

(D) Well S105, 5870.7 m, O2yj, gray calcarenite, development of relatively large
dissolved cavities, filled with calcite.
(E) Well Ln39, 5381.1 m, O2yj, gray limestone, core polarized-light thin-section
and fluorescent thin-section, microscopic observation of hydrocarbon inclusions
in holes and cavities.
Figure 5. Microscopic Core Thin-section Photos of Some Wells in Lunnan-Tahe

Oilfield, with Hydrocarbon Inclusions in Dissolved Cavities and Fractures.
5. GEOCHEMICAL EVIDENCES FOR HYDROCARBON MIGRATION

Twenty-one samples of fractures and pores with filled calcite were selected from 11
wells at different well depths in the interval where Ordovician reservoir beds were
developed (Table 1, see Fig. 1 for well locations). As most crude oil in the Lunnan-
Tahe Oilfield were obtained from open hole mixed well test of multiple intervals, it is
difficult to obtain crude oil from a single interval in the Ordovician. Therefore,
geochemical analysis data of hydrocarbon inclusions in core fracture-cavity calcite in
the Ordovician was used in this paper, in addition to partial crude oil data. Gas
chromatographic–mass spectrum (GC-MS) analysis was performed for saturated
hydrocarbons in the inclusions. By selecting representative maturity indices, we
analyzed their change at different depths in reservoir beds and in different areas in the
region, and studied the patterns and directions of hydrocarbons migration and changes
in fluid conduit systems.
In this study, we selected saturated hydrocarbons maturity parameters applicable to
immature, mature and over mature stages. The ratios of saturated hydrocarbon maturity
parameters, including Pr/nC17, Ph/nC18, Ts/(Ts Tm), C29 C29Ts/(C29 C29Ts
C2917(H) C29Ts) namely C29Ts/(C29Ts C2917(H) norhopane), tricyclene/
(tricyclene 17(H) hopane) namely C23 ring/(C23 ring C30 hopane), rerranged
sterane/regular sterane namely (C27 rearranged sterane-20S C27 rearranged sterane-
20R)/C27 regular sterane aaa-20R, showed heterogeneity in spatial distribution (Sun
et al. 2006). The first two parameters (Pr/nC17, Ph/nC18) decreased with increasing
maturity, and the latter four parameters increased with increasing maturity. They were
less influenced by secondary activities, such as migration.
Table 1. Statistics of test Samples of hydrocarbon inclusions in calcite

in core fractures and pores.
Well
Well No. depth (m) Formation Description of core
LN1 5052.70 O1y Light brown gray micrite, with micro-fracture filled with calcite
LN17 5597.30 O2yj Light brown gray crystal powder limestone, 45o inclined
fracture, 2 mm wide, fully filled with calcite
LN17 5658.60 O1y Light brown gray limestone, where dissolved pores and
cavityrns filled with calcite develop
LN19 5386.50 O1y Gray brown crystal powder limestone, calcite crystal in
horizontal fracture
LN39 5389.30 O2yj Brownish gray limestone, with vertical fractures filled
with calcite
LN39 5430.30 O2yj Brownish gray limestone, with vertical fractures filled
with calcite, 3 mm wide
LN44 5324.50 O1y Brownish gray breccia, 3~6 mm wide vertical fractures
fully filled with calcite
LN48 5348.70 O3l Light gray limestone, with vertical fractures filled with calcite
LN48 5440.20 O2yj Gray crystal powder limestone, 80o inclined fractures
fully filled with calcite, 3~6 mm wide
LN48 5478.50 O2yj Brownish gray crystal powder limestone, 70o inclined
fracture, 1mm wide, fully filled with calcite

LN48 5545.00 O1y Grayish brown crystal powder limestone, 70~80o inclined
fracture, 5 mm wide, fully filled with calcite
LN63 5847.20 O3l Brownish gray micrite, with vertical fractures fully filled
with calcite, 7 mm wide
LN63 5965.00 O2yj Brownish gray calcarenite, with calcite-filled dissolved
cavities along stylolite
LG17 5463.50 O2yj Light gray calcarenite, with micro-fractures filled with calcite
JF123 5263.14 O2yj Light gray crystal powder limestone, with transverse and
vertical micro-fractures cut mutually, calcite-filled
dissolved cavities developed along fractures
JF123 5258.65 O2yj Light gray micrite, with dissolved cavities filled with calcite
JF126 5214.60 O2yj Brownish gray crystal power limestone, with vertical
micro-fracture fully filled with calcite, 0.5~1 mm wide,
120 mm long
JF126 5230.60 O2yj Brownish gray micrite, 4~5 mm wide vertical fractures
fully filled with calcite
JF127 5466.85 O2yj Gray powder crystal limestone, vertical fractures fully
filled with calcite, 3~5 mm wide
JF127 5480.66 O2yj Gray powder crystal limestone, vertical fractures fully
filled with calcite, 8 mm wide
JF127 5611.24 O1y Grayish brown micrite, with vertical fractures fully filled
with calcite, 1.5 mm wide
5.1. Changes of geochemical parameters in the vertical direction

Faults are always the most important transporting bodies for vertical migration. Based
on the development features of faults system in the Lunnan-Tahe area, wells in the
Sangtamu fault belt and nearby areas were selected to analyze the change features in
hydrocarbon composition at different depths. With increasing crude oil maturity, Pr/Ph
ratio of isoprenoid hydrocarbon increased, Pr/nC17 and Ph/nC18 decreased apparently,
the ratio of light hydrocarbon and heavy hydrocarbon increased significantly.
According to gas chromatographic data of crude oil in Well LG391, Pr/nC17 and
Ph/nC18 were 0.57 and 0.69 respectively at the depth of 5,885.5 m~5,970.0 m, and
increased to 0.59 and 0.7 at the depth of 5,758.0 m~5,810.0 m (Fig. 6); In Well LN631 at
the depth of 5,885.02 m~5,990.0 m, the two parameters were 0.22 and 0.12 respectively
and increased to 0.31 and 0.29 at 5,822.1 m. Rise of Pr/nC17 and Ph/nC18 from down to
top showed hydrocarbon migration from deep formation to shallow formation.
In addition, GC-MS analysis of hydrocarbon inclusions extracted from calcite
filling in core fractures and pores in Well LN17 indicated that hydrocarbon migration
from deep formation to shallow formation also occurred near the fault belt. Pr/nC17
and Ph/nC18 of Well LN17 were 0.165 and 0.131 at the depth of 5,658.6 m, and
increased to 0.254 and 0.154 at 5,597 m, indicating hydrocarbon migration from down
to top (Fig. 7).
Well depth (m)
0.7
758. 0−5810.0
0.59 Ph/nC18
Pr/nC17
0.69
885. 5−5970.0
0.57
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8

A. Well LG91
Well depth (m)
0.29
5822.1
0.31
0.12 Ph/nC18
5885. 02−5990.0
0.22 Pr/nC17
0 0.2 0.4
B. LN631
Figure 6. Gas chromatographic –mass spectrum (GC-MS) Analysis of Change
Characteristics of Pr/nC17 and Ph/nC18 in Vertical Direction for Crude Oil from
Well LG391 and Well LN631.
Well depth (m)
5597.3 0.254
0.154
0.165 Pr/nC
5658.6 Ph/nC
0.131
0 0.1 0.2 0.3

Figure 7. Gas chromatographic –mass spectrum (GC-MS) Analysis of Change
Characteristics of Pr/nC17 and Ph/nC18 in Vertical Direction for Hydrocarbon
Inclusions from Well LN17.
5.2. Changes of geochemical parameters in the horizontal direction

According to the hydrocarbon inclusions and compositions in core samples in Well
LG17, Well LN19 and Well LN1 drilled from south to north, Ts/(TsTm), C23 ring/
(C23 ring C30 hopance), and rearranged sterane/regular sterane were selected for
contrast. All parameters gradually decreased from south to north. Ts/(TsTm) value
changed from 0.57 of Well LG17 in the south to 0.28 of Well LN19 in the north till
0.22 of Well LN1 in the north; accordingly, C23 ring/(C23 ring C30 hopance) changed
from 0.60, 0.44 till 0.22; while rearranged sterane/regular sterane showed different
changes, from 3.06 of Well LG17 to 2.67 of Well LN19 and to 0.99 of Well LN1,
indicating a hydrocarbon migration trend from south to north (Fig. 8).
Different wells were selected in the Lunnan-Tahe area from east to west. Core
samples were obtained from weathered crust that was developed under the surfaces of
unconformity. GC-MS analysis of saturated hydrocarbon for hydrocarbon inclusions
captured in calcite filling also showed a variation trend in the east-west direction.
Ts/(Ts Tm), C23 ring/(C23 ring +C30 hopance) and rearranged sterane/regular sterane
were selected for contrast. All parameters gradually decreased from east to west.
Ts/(TsTm) decreased from 0.78 of Well LN63 in the east to 0.75 of Well JF127 in
0.988397446
LN1
0.221667 N
0.219185
2.671180952
LN19 0.436095
0.283274
3.062852191
LN17 0.574685
0.599506
Well location
Rearranged sterane / regular sterane

Ts/ (Ts+Tm)
C23 ring / (C23 ring + C30 hopance)
Figure 8. Gas chromatographic –mass spectrum (GC-MS) Analysis of Rearranged

Sterane/regular Sterane for Hydrocarbon Inclusions in Calcite Fillings
in Rock Core Fractures and Cavities.
Schematic diagram of change characteristics of Ts/(TsTm) and
C23 ring/(C23 ring C30 hopance).
3.057247
0.620880
0.475408
LN44
2.931138
0.738865 3.609313
LN39
0.713332 0.802142
0.752441 5.417305
JF127
Well location
LN63
0.870128
Ts/(Ts+Ts) 0.784621
C23 ring / (C23 ring + C30 hopance)
Rearranged sterane / regular sterane
Figure 9. Gas chromatographic –mass spectrum (GC-MS) Analysis of Rearranged

Sterane / regular Sterane for Hydrocarbon Inclusions in Calcite Fillings
in Rock core Fractures and Cavities.
Schematic diagram of change of Ts/(Ts+Tm) and C23 ring / (C23 ring + C30 hopance).
the west, to 0.71 of Well LN39 till 0.48 of Well LN44 in the far west; accordingly,
C23 ring/(C23 ring +C30 hopance) decreased from 0.87, 0.80, 0.73 and till 0.62;
rearranged sterane / regular sterane showed different changes, i.e. decreasing from 5.42
of Well LN63 to 3.61 of Well JF127 and 3.06 of Well LN44, indicating a hydrocarbon
migration trend from east to west (Fig. 9).
As all the hydrocarbons in the Lunnan-Tahe Oilfield came from marine carbonate
hydrocarbon source rocks, Pr/nC17 and Ph/nC18 were mainly influenced by maturity
change and biodegradation (Sun et al., 2006). From planar distribution, high value
areas of the two parameters were found in Well LG18, Well LG381 in the Sangtamu
faulted belt in the Lunnan Oilfield and the main part of the Tahe Oilfield; while low
value areas were found in well LG405 in the northwest. This does not seem to match
with hydrocarbon migration from east to west and from south to north. However,
previous studies show that hydrocarbons in the Lunnan-Tahe area experienced many
stages of in-filling. At first, immature oil was in-filled, and then structural uplift caused
biodegradation of hydrocarbons (Jin, 2001; Li, 2005). For this reason, Pr/nC17 and
Ph/nC18 of crude oil in Well LG405 decreased. When mature and over-mature crude
oils were in-filled again later, the development of Lungu west faults prevented oil
source in the east from filling to the west. This, therefore, caused changes of Pr/nC17
and Ph/nC18 to stop in the mid way, but the trend of hydrocarbon migration from east
to west and from south to north can still be shown.
The number of sulfurous aromatic hydrocarbon methyldibenzothiophene shielding
molecule (1-MDBT) increased relatively as migration distance increased, while
4-MDBT decreased relatively, which also caused 4-/1-MDBT to decrease along the
direction of crude oil migration and in-filling (Sun et al., 2004; 2009b). Analysis of
aromatic hydrocarbon composition of crude oil produced from the Ordovician in the
Lunnan-Tahe area also showed the trend of hydrocarbon migration from southeast to
northwest. In the process of long distance migration of hydrocarbons, the relative

content of benzo [a] carbazole in nitrogenous aromatic hydrocarbon benzo carbazole
decreased while benzo [c] carbazole increased relatively, causing [a]/([a][c]) to
decrease (Larter, 1996). Therefore, the direction in which the ratio of two benzo
carbazole isomers benzo [a] carbazole/(benzo [a] carbazole benzo [c] carbazole)
decreased is the direction of hydrocarbon migration and reservoir in-filling (Wang
et al., 2000). Analysis of benzo [a] carbazole/(benzo [a] carbazole benzo [c]
carbazole), it showed that its value in the plane decreased from 0.65 in the southeast to
0.55 in the northwest, or even less. Therefore, hydrocarbons in the Lunnan-Tahe area
show an apparent migration trend from south to north and from east to west.
6. CONCLUSIONS
(1) The carbonate conduit systems is relatively complicated, and in addition to faults
and unconformities, internal communication depends mainly on fractures and
dissolved cavities; there existed three kinds of effective conduit systems in the
Lunnan-Tahe area in the geologic history: faults and structural fractures conduit
system, unconformity and weathering crust conduit system, and dissolved hole-
fracture-cavity conduit system.
(2) Aiming at the Lunnan-Tahe area, macro core observation and microscopic thin-
section inclusions observation revealed generally traces left by hydrocarbon
migration in fractures and dissolved cavities, proving that the dissolved cavities
communicating with fractures in the geologic history were the pathway for
hydrocarbon migration in the carbonate formation.
(3) By geochemical testing of crude oil and hydrocarbon inclusions in calcites of
fractures and cavities in cores in the Lunnan-Tahe area, the changes of saturated
hydrocarbon and aromatic hydrocarbon maturity parameters as well as nitrogen
compound indices were analyzed, and the results revealed that hydrocarbon
migration in this area was from bottom to top vertically and from south to north
and from east to west laterally.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This paper is a research supported by National Natural Science Fund Project (No.
40672092) and State Key Basic Research and Development Plan “973” Project
(2005CB422108, 2006 CB202308). The authors sincerely thank Prof. Lü Xiuxiang and
Dr. Yang Ning from China University of Petroleum (Beijing) for their assistance
during the research, and also Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy
of Sciences for sample analysis.
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Tracing Hydrocarbons Migration Pathway in Carbonate Rock in Lunnan-Tahe Oilfield

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ENERGY EXPLORATION & EXPLOITATION · Volume 28 · Number 4 · 2010 pp.

Tracing hydrocarbons migration pathway in carbonate

Xinyuan Zhou1, Weiwei Jiao2,3*, Jianfa Han1, Jie Zhang2,3,

(Received 15 February 2010; accepted 26 June 2010)

Keywords: Carbonate rock, Migration pathway, Conduit systems, Lunnan-

2. GEOLOGICAL SETTING OF LUNNAN-TAHE CARBONATE OILFIELD

well Isobath/m Fault Annihilation line

Figure 1. Location Diagram of Lunnan-Tahe Oilfield Area (Liang, 2008, revised).

Figure 2. Seismic Profile of Tahe Oilfield.

3. HYDROCARBONS MIGRATION PATHWAY

important in the formation of Lunnan-Tahe carbonate reservoir (Lü et al., 2000).

Figure 3. Profile Section for Development of Fracture-Cavity Reservoir Beds in

4. PETROLOGIC EVIDENCES FOR HYDROCARBON MIGRATION

4.1. Macro observation of hydrocarbon activity in fractures and cavities of core

4.2. Microscopic thin-section observation for distribution of hydrocarbon inclusions

a Microscopic polarized-light photo b Microscopic fluorescent photo

a Microscopic polarized-light photo b Microscopic fluorescent photo

a Microscopic polarized-light photo b Microscopic fluorescent photo

a Microscopic polarized-light photo b Microscopic fluorescent photo

a Microscopic polarized-light photo b Microscopic fluorescent photo

Figure 5. Microscopic Core Thin-section Photos of Some Wells in Lunnan-Tahe

5. GEOCHEMICAL EVIDENCES FOR HYDROCARBON MIGRATION

Table 1. Statistics of test Samples of hydrocarbon inclusions in calcite

fracture, 1mm wide, fully filled with calcite

5.1. Changes of geochemical parameters in the vertical direction

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8

Well depth (m)

Well depth (m)

0 0.1 0.2 0.3

5.2. Changes of geochemical parameters in the horizontal direction

Rearranged sterane / regular sterane

Figure 8. Gas chromatographic –mass spectrum (GC-MS) Analysis of Rearranged

C23 ring / (C23 ring + C30 hopance)

Rearranged sterane / regular sterane

Figure 9. Gas chromatographic –mass spectrum (GC-MS) Analysis of Rearranged

northwest. In the process of long distance migration of hydrocarbons, the relative

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