Oil cracking to gases: Kinetic modeling and geological significance

A Triassic oil sample from LN14 of Tarim Basin was pyrolyzed using the sealed gold tubes at 200-620 degrees C under a constant pressure of 50 MPa. The gaseous and residual soluble hydrocarbons were analyzed. The results show that the cracking of oil to gas can be divided into two distinct stages: the primary generation of total C1-5 gases from liquid oil characterized by the dominance of C2-5 hydrocarbons and the secondary or further cracking of C2-5 gases to methane and carbon-rich matters leading to the progressive dryness of gases. Based on the experimental data, the kinetic parameters were determined for the primary generation and secondary cracking of oil cracking gases and extrapolated to geological conditions to predict the thermal stability and cracking extent of crude oil. Finally, an evolution model for the thermal destruction of crude oil was proposed and its implications to the migration and accumulation of oil cracking gases were discussed.