Dibenzothiophenes and benzonaphthothiophenes in oils, and their application in identifying oil filling pathways in Eocene lacustrine clastic reservoirs in the Beibuwan Basin, South China Sea

Dibenzothiophenes (DBTs) and benzo[b]naphthothiophenes (BNTs) are important sulfur heterocyclic aromatic compounds in oils and sedimentary rock extracts. Based on both migration fractionation effects and differences in thermal stability of different isomers, DBTs and BNTs can be used to trace oil migration orientations and filling pathways. They are present in significant abundances in oils, including light oils and condensates, in which biomarkers are commonly absent or present only in extremely low concentrations. Molecular biomarker compositions indicate that all oils and condensates in the Eocene clastic reservoir of the Fushan Depression (Beibuwan Basin, South China Sea) belong to a single oil population. In this study, three geochemical indicators relating to DBTs and BNTs, namely; (1), 4-/1-methyldibenzothiophene (4-/1-MDBT); (2), total content of DBTs; and (3), benzo[b]naphtha[2,1-d]thiophene/(benzo[b]naphtha[2,1-d]thiophene+benzo[b]naphtho[1,2-d]thiophene) ([1,2]BNT/([1,2]BNT+[1,2]BNT)) were applied to trace oil migration orientations and filling pathways. The results show that these parameter values gradually decrease from northeast to southwest, towards the Huachang Uplift, and from north to south towards the Bailian Faulted-Belts. Therefore, the source kitchen for identified oil accumulations in the Huachang Uplift is likely to be located in the Bailian Sag, which lies to the northeast of the Huachang Uplift. Zones in the Bailian Sag, situated upstream of the preferred oil filling pathways are likely to be the most favorable prospecting regions. It is concluded that relative parameters of DBTs and BNTs are practical molecular indicators for tracing oil migration orientations and filling pathways.