Occurrence and palaeoenvironmental significance of aromatic hydrocarbon biomarkers in Oligocene sediments from the Mallik 5L-38 Gas Hydrate Production Research Well (Canada)

The aromatic hydrocarbon biomarker distributions of thirty Oligocene sediment samples with different lithology (lignite, clay and sand) from the JAPEX/JNOC/GSC et al. Mallik 5L-38 Gas Hydrate Production Research Well, Canada, were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The compositions vary with lithology, indicating a change in palaeoenvironmental conditions at the time of deposition. Aromatic diterpenoids of the abietane type are more abundant in the lignite samples than in the clay samples and represent a gymnosperm (e.g., conifer) dominated palaeovegetation. In contrast, in the clay samples aromatic triterpenoids are generally preserved as major constituents, indicating angiosperm dominated vegetation. The sand samples contain only minor amounts of aromatic terpenoids, but show a preference for diterpenoid gymnosperm markers. To recognise gymnosperm versus angiosperm dominated palaeoenvironments a new ratio, termed the angiosperm-gymnosperm aromatic ratio (AGAR), has been developed. Thus, the terpenoid distribution in the deltaic sediments provides information on the compositional changes in the plant community at the Mallik site (lignites) and the hinterland (clays) over time. Concomitantly, the changing dominance in the plant communities allows an insight into varying climatic conditions during the late Oligocene in the area. Additionally, the aromatic biomarker composition has been used to assess the level of thermal maturity of the organic matter in the Mallik samples and indicates a prevailing immature character.