Analysis Methods and Progresses of Dating of Hydrocarbon Accumulation

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Science & Technology Review ›› 2010, Vol. 28 ›› Issue (22) : 106-111.

Reviews

Analysis Methods and Progresses of Dating of Hydrocarbon Accumulation

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Abstract

The dating of hydrocarbon accumulation is a key issue in the research of hydrocarbon reservoirs, or even of petroleum systems and it is very important for the hydrocarbon reservoir formation and distribution in petroliferous basins. Based on the structural history, trap evolution, and hydrocarbon generation and expulsion, the traditional analysis methods including the analysis of hydrocarbon generation dating of source rocks, trap formation dating and reservoir saturation pressure are applied to determine the dating of hydrocarbon accumulation. They all are indirect methods. Recently, with the development of petroleum geology and geochemistry and the progresses of technology, new methods were proposed and applied for the dating of hydrocarbon accumulation, including the analysis of fluid inclusion, reservoir geochemistry and hydrocarbon accumulation threshold. They can qualitatively or quantitatively date hydrocarbon accumulation with results more reliable than those obtained by using the traditional methods. This paper reviews the basic principles of various new and traditional methods for hydrocarbon accumulation dating. The development trend of the studies of hydrocarbon accumulation dating is also briefly discussed.