With several means of analysis, the unique organic compound component and distribution of exposed oil sand existing in Qinghai, north-west China, is revealed. Qinghhai oil sand has great content of light components with high saturated hydrocarbon content up to approximately 50%, while its heavy components of colloid and asphaltene is rather low (<38%); straight-chain alkane has a regular distribution concentrating mainly around C 28; it has a very high atom ratio of H/C. The physical parameters of the oil sand mine are within the range of common heavy oils. Such chemical composition and distribution obviously differs from that of other known exposed oil sand mines. This particular property of the oil sand is formed due to the unique geographical and geological environment. Therefore, it is intended to exploit the mine with a new combined method, i.e., first drill horizontal wells and then opencut.
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