Title: Laboratory simulation of the influence of chromatographic effect and microbial oxidation on hydrocarbon microseepage

Authors: Guo-Jian Wang; Yu Zou; Ronald W. Klusman; Jun-Hong Tang; Li Lu

Addresses: Wuxi Research Institute of Petroleum Geology, Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Production, SINOPEC, Wuxi, 214126, Jiangsu, China ' Wuxi Research Institute of Petroleum Geology, Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Production, SINOPEC, Wuxi, 214126, Jiangsu, China ' Department of Chemistry and Geochemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, 80401, USA ' College of Material and Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, 310018, Zhejiang, China ' Wuxi Research Institute of Petroleum Geology, Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Production, SINOPEC, Wuxi, 214126, Jiangsu, China

Abstract: An experimental apparatus has been constructed with various experimental conditions to simulate the influence factors of the hydrocarbon gases microseeping from the deep reservoir to the surface. Both the chromatographic effect and the microbial oxidation effect are considered in the experiment. The results show that: the vertical hydrocarbon microseepage has the characteristics of a 'jump-over migration effect'; the coupling of a chromatographic process and microbial oxidation has less effect on the composition ratios of microseepage hydrocarbons, whereas the microbial oxidation has a large effect on the isotope values of methane; and the normal alkane and iso-alkane content of vertical microseepage show obvious differences due to the influence of chromatographic process and microbial oxidation. These experimental results may help to identify the genetic origins of the vertically migrating hydrocarbons, and thus promote the successful application of the surface hydrocarbon geochemical exploration technology. [Received: July 1, 2021; Accepted: February 23, 2022]

Keywords: microseepage hydrocarbon; chromatographic effect; microbial oxidation; simulation experiment; geochemical anomaly identification.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOGCT.2022.126833

International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology, 2022 Vol.31 No.4, pp.362 - 381

Received: 01 Jul 2021
Accepted: 23 Feb 2022
Published online: 08 Nov 2022 *

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