MATURATION AND DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS OF CRUDE OILS FROM GULF OF SUEZ

摘要

Crude oil samples from the major producing fields in the Gulf of Suez were geochemically assessed to evaluate maturity, origin and depositional environmental trends. Multiple analytical parameters used to charactrizethe petroleum samples included asphaltene content, sulfur content, liquid chromatographic separation, and gas chromatography of the saturated hydrocarbons fraction. From the results obtained, it was suggested that the crude oils are mature. Also, no strong evidence of biodegradation has been observed. Distribution of n-alkanes indicated that the crude oils are derived mainly from marine sedmentary source rocks. Pristane/phytane ratio of the crude oils seemed to be mostly below unity, indicating reducing deposltional enviroments.