Secondary hydrocarbon generation potential from heavy oil, oil sand and solid bitumen during the artificial maturation

摘要

Secondary hydrocarbon generation potentials from natural bitumen, oil sand and heavy oil, representing different residual oil accumulations, were determined by artificial maturation in a closed pyrolysis system. Simulated results indicate that their thermal behavior and reactivity are similar to those of kerogen, and that they can generate hydrocarbons once subjected to suitable geological processes. Overall differences in oil and gas generation potentials among the samples result from differences in the chemical structure of precursor components, physical compaction status, and mineral matrices. Hydrogen rich precursors, such as oil sand and heavy oil, have greater potential to generate hydrocarbons than hydrogen poor ones. Naturally compacted oil sand has slightly higher conversion efficiency than artificially compacted heavy oil as indicated by lower residual bitumen content. However, total gas and liquid oil recovery from oil sand is lower than from heavy oil due to the poor release of pyrolytic products from well compacted and cemented networks in the experiments. Mineral matrices of previous oil deposits also affect further hydrocarbon generation potential. Carbonate matrices inhibit total oil and gas generation, which consequently retains high gas potential at the postmature stage. Traditional oil generation models mainly consider the thermal alteration of kerogen; this study provides supplemental information for superimposed basins where previous oil accumulations may have been destroyed and reburied to serve as secondary sources of oil and gas. Consideration of previous oil residues as potential source rock allows better estimates of available oil resources and the risks associated with their exploration. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.