Identification of complex crude oil categories in ultra-deep petroleum systems based on a new fluorescence analysis method: An example from the southwestern Tabei Uplift, Tarim Basin, China.

Ultra-deep crude oils have become one of the most important targets for petroleum exploration. In ultra-deep petroleum systems, differential hydrocarbon generation of various source rocks and multistage oil accumulation and secondary alteration processes led to the coexistence of crude oils with diverse sources and formation mechanisms. How to effectively identify complicated crude oil categories is a difficult issue confronted with ultra-deep petroleum exploration. Because crude oils are generally fluorescent, fluorescence analysis methods exhibit great application potential for classifying ultra-deep crude oils. However, due to the lack of other restrictive parameters, previous methods based on fluorescence color and fluorescence spectra limit the geological application of fluorescence analysis methods in ultra-deep petroleum systems. Based on the combination of fluorescence spectral parameters and fluorescence lifetimes, this study innovatively provides a new fluorescence analysis method for identifying complex crude oil categories in ultra-deep petroleum systems. Moreover, the sources and formation mechanisms of the ultra-deep crude oil can be further identified by combining fluorescence parameters with physical and geochemical parameters. By applying the above method, this study effectively identified three categories of crude oils and revealed their sources and formation mechanisms in the ultra-deep petroleum system of the southwestern Tabei Uplift, Tarim Basin, China. The new fluorescence analysis method may have practical significance for revealing the sources and formation mechanisms of ultra-deep crude oils. • The new fluorescence method can effectively classify ultra-deep crude oil categories. • The fluorescence characteristics of biodegraded and non-biodegraded oils are diverse. • Fluorescence parameters can be used for direct reservoir and inclusion oil correlation. • Three categories of crude oils are identified in the southwestern Tabei Uplift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]