Chemical fractionation during the phase separation of hydrocarbons and its applications in tracing petroleum origins

WANG Xiaofeng; LIU Peng; WANG Jie; WANG Zhiyong; LI Xiaofu; ZHENG Jiashu

doi:10.16152/j.cnki.xdxbzr.2025-03-009

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Chemical fractionation during the phase separation of hydrocarbons and its applications in tracing petroleum origins

更新时间：2025-06-26

- Chemical fractionation during the phase separation of hydrocarbons and its applications in tracing petroleum origins
- Journal of Northwest University (Natural Science Edition) Vol. 55, Issue 3, Pages: 601-612(2025)
- 作者机构：
  
  1.西北大学　地质学系/大陆演化与早期生命全国重点实验室，陕西　西安　 710069
  2.中国石油吐哈油田公司勘探开发研究院，新疆　哈密　 839009
- 作者简介：
- 基金信息：
- DOI：10.16152/j.cnki.xdxbzr.2025-03-009
  CLC： TE122.1
- Received：31 December 2024，
  
  Published：25 June 2025
- 稿件说明：
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WANG Xiaofeng, LIU Peng, WANG Jie, et al. Chemical fractionation during the phase separation of hydrocarbons and its applications in tracing petroleum origins[J]. Journal of northwest university (natural science edition), 2025, 55(3): 601-612.
DOI：

WANG Xiaofeng, LIU Peng, WANG Jie, et al. Chemical fractionation during the phase separation of hydrocarbons and its applications in tracing petroleum origins[J]. Journal of northwest university (natural science edition), 2025, 55(3): 601-612. DOI： 10.16152/j.cnki.xdxbzr.2025-03-009.

摘要

作为地壳中重要的地质流体之一，烃类的生成演化与运聚过程与规模油气藏的形成具有密切关系。干酪根裂解生烃是油气形成的主要化学反应途径。不同碳数的烃类分子自形成后将经历差异运聚而进入不同相态，从而分别形成油气藏。然而，目前对烃类从形成后至进入气液两相中的化学分馏表征缺乏有效手段，从而影响对干酪根裂解生烃后的初次运移中相分离和气液相平衡过程的深入理解。该文以建立的烃源岩热脱附烃在线获取装置为基础，以近源成藏的吐哈盆地深层致密油气藏为研究对象，系统开展了短距离运移的致密油气系统中烃类形成后在气液两相间的化学分异。结果表明，相同碳数的不同类型烷烃分子在不同相态之间也存在化学分馏。与异构烷烃相比，正构烷烃倾向于在液相（原油与地层水）中富集，而芳香烃则更倾向于富集于地层水中。而对于烃源岩而言，热脱附烃的相关参数介于富集相态与亏损相态之间。基于质量守恒定律建立的数学模型进一步证实了相对封闭的油气系统中烃源岩形成原始烃类、原油、天然气与地层水相应正构/异构和芳香烃/烷烃比值之间应具有线性关系。该理论和相应的实验测试技术将为烃类初次运移中相分离和气液相平衡机理研究提供理论基础，同时为直接气源对比技术提供新的思路与方法。

Abstract

As one of the important geological fluids within the Earth's crust

the generation

evolution

and migration of hydrocarbons are related to the formation of large-scale petroleum reservoirs. The cracking of kerogen to generate hydrocarbons is the primary pathway for petroleum formation. After generation

hydrocarbon with different carbon numbers have differential migration pathways

entering different phase states

thereby forming petroleum reservoirs. However

no effective approach can characterize the chemical fractionation of hydrocarbons from their formation to their entry into the gas-liquid phases

which impedes the in-depth understanding of phase separation and gas-liquid phase equilibrium processes during the initial migration after kerogen cracking. In this study

based on an established online thermal desorption hydrocarbon extraction method for mudstone

we investigate the chemical fractionation of hydrocarbons between the gas and liquid phases in a short-distance migration within a tight oil and gas system. The results show that hydrocarbons of the same carbon number also exhibit chemical fractionation between different phases. Compared with isomeric alkanes

normal alkanes tend to enrich in the liquid phase (oil and formation water)

while aromatic hydrocarbons are more inclined to concentrate in formation water. For source rocks

the parameters of thermally desorbed hydrocarbons lie between the enriched and depleted phase states. A mathematical model based on the law of mass conservation further confirms that

in relatively confined petroleum systems

there should be a linear relationship between the normal/isomeric and aromatic/alkane ratios in the original hydrocarbons

oil

natural gas

and formation water. This result

along with corresponding experimental methods

provides a theoretical foundation for the study of phase separation and gas-liquid phase equilibrium mechanisms in the initial migration of hydrocarbons

and offers new approach for direct source rock identification.

关键词

Keywords

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