Geochemical Appraisal of the Depositional Environment and Source Organic Matter of Crude Oils from Some Oil Fields in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Oraegbunam, Charles Ikenna; Osuji, Leo; Onojake, Mudiaga; Abrakasa, Selegha

doi:10.22050/ijogst.2020.221306.1538

Geochemical Appraisal of the Depositional Environment and Source Organic Matter of Crude Oils from Some Oil Fields in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Charles Ikenna Oraegbunam ¹

Leo Osuji ²

Mudiaga Onojake ³

Selegha Abrakasa ⁴

¹ M.S. Student, Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Port Harcourt, ‎Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

² Professor, Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Port Harcourt, ‎Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

³ Assistant Professor, Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Port Harcourt, ‎Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

⁴ Centre for Petroleum Geosciences, University of Port aharcourt

https://doi.org/10.22050/ijogst.2020.221306.1538

Abstract

The organic geochemical characterization of crude oil samples from the oil fields of the Niger delta was carried out using gas chromatography–-mass spectrometry (GC–-MS) to genetically characterize the oil samples in terms of their biomarker composition. Geochemical characteristics such as depositional environments, kerogen type, and source of organic matter were analyzed using aliphatic biomarkers as a supporting tool. Five samples were randomly collected from Tebidaba, Clough Creek and Azuzuama fields in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The saturated hydrocarbons were analyzed using GC–MS. The n-alkanes, isoprenoids, biomarkers hopanes, and steranes fingerprints were extracted from chromatogram for m/z 57, 191, 217 values respectively. The results revealed that the five studied samples were characterized by C₂₉ sterane predominance and the presence of oleanane, depicting organic matter with vascular land plant material inputs and a deltaic contribution. Ternary plots showed that the oils were deposited in an estuarine environment. The pristane (Pr) /nC₁₇ versus phytane (Ph)/nC₁₈ showed that TEB 08 and WELL 2 are in the anoxic environment inferring kerogen II and a mixture of types I and II respectively. TEB 12, CCST, and AZU ST has kerogen type III deposited in an oxic environment.

Highlights

Niger delta oil samples were assessed for depositional environment and organic matter source.
Three samples were deposited in an oxic environment, while two were deposited in an anoxic environment.
The organic source inputs showed type III kerogen (Terrestrial) and a mixture of types II and III (Marine).

Keywords

Biomarker

Depositional Environment

Kerogen

Organic Matter Source

Subjects

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