Application of Statistical Methods to Biomarkers for Geochemical Evaluation and Genetic Type Determination of Gas Condensates in the Persian Gulf and Coastal Fars, Southern Iran

Abstract

In a comprehensive geochemical study, the genetic relationships among 14 samples of gas condensates from the Persian Gulf were investigated for the purpose of evaluating the respective source rocks in terms of both age and sedimentary paleoenvironment. Chemometric analysis was used for categorization and determination of a certitude range to determine the genetic type of the condensate families in the studied basin. The samples were collected from Late Permian -Triassic reservoirs (Dalan and Kangan formations) located in 6 gasfields (gas condensate) hosting some of Iran's most important gas/gas condensate reserves. Obtained by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), a total of 16 biomarker parameters (10 maturity-related parameters and 6 sedimentary environment-related parameters) were used to evaluate the samples in terms of thermal maturity (and hence their positions in the maturity chart), the sedimentary environment of the source rock and the lithology. Application of Hierarchical Clustering Analysis (HCA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to the collected data led to the categorization of the samples into three main genetic groups, I-III. Groups I and III were found to be located in the east and the west of the Persian Gulf, respectively, while Group II was developed between the two other groups.