Displacement simulation experiments of migration effect on carbazole parameters of crude oil

Abstract

The investigation of oil and gas migration plays a vital role in the field of oil and gas exploration and development. Determining the direction and path of crude oil migration is challenging due to factors such as crude oil viscosity, complex chemical composition, and geological influences. Molecular geochemical parameters are a valuable tool for studying petroleum migration, although they can be affected by factors like compound formation, distribution, and maturation. One approach involves simulating these parameters under controlled laboratory conditions to isolate their individual effects. This study establishes a sandy-packed system to simulate oil-driven experiments and uses a C18 solid-phase extraction column to analyze carbazole compound fractions at different migration distances. The findings indicate that certain carbazole parameters, such as 1-/4-MCA, 1, 8-/1, 7-DMCA, 1, 8-/2, 4-DMCA, 1, 8-/2, 5-DMCA, and 1, 8-/2, 7-DMCA, increase significantly with transport distances. Notably, fully shielded and fully exposed isomers like 1, 8-/2, 4-DMCA and 1, 8-/2, 5-DMCA show enrichment levels of up to 63.97% and 35.50%, making them potential indicators of oil migration. However, parameters related to benzo [a]/[c] carbazole show inconsistencies with previous findings, likely due to intrinsic configurations and varying geological conditions that must be taken into account. The experimental results presented in this study offer insights for assessing specific reservoirs, with a recommendation to also consider molecular kinetics when selecting molecular parameters.

Keywords

• carbazole compound
• displacement simulation
• geochromatographic effect
• crude oil migration