Molecular and stable carbon isotope geochemistry of mud-gas-derived hydrocarbons and its application for the assessment of low-permeability reservoirs from the Montney Formation, Western Canada

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dc.contributor.authorCesar, Jaime
dc.contributor.authorMayer, Bernhard
dc.contributor.authorBecker, Veith
dc.contributor.authorNightingale, Michael
dc.contributor.authorArdakani, Omid H.
dc.date.accessioned2023-03-18T04:04:27Z
dc.date.available2023-03-18T04:04:27Z
dc.date.issued2022-01-03
dc.description.abstractMud-gas isotope logging (MGIL) of hydrocarbons (methane, ethane, propane) has become a widely used approach to fingerprint gas-bearing formations during the drilling of vertical and horizontal oil and gas wells often with the goal to assess potential cross-formational gas migration. In this study, we have used mud-gas molecular and isotope data to assess the usefulness of MGIL for the geochemical assessment of a single low-permeability reservoir formation, the Montney Formation in Western Canada. An example from a well completed in British Columbia shows that hydrocarbon samples collected in IsoJars® tend towards more positive carbon isotope ratios compared to data for samples obtained using IsoTubes®, potentially attributed to 13C enriched residual gas retained in the cuttings. Additionally, in publically available mud-gas data from 45 other wells, it was found that the carbon isotope ratios of mud-gas from the Montney Formation are overall consistent with the thermal maturity of this stratigraphic unit, but the data display a relatively scattered trend on a thermal maturity plot based on Δ13CC1-C2 and Δ13CC1-C3. Molecular parameters such as [C1/(C2 + C3)] can be modified via processes such as desorption and diffusion after sampling gases in IsoJars®, while the i-C4/n-C4 ratio was found to be the most consistent molecular parameter between sampling techniques. We conclude that mud-gas molecular and isotope data derived from samples collected in IsoTubes® are suitable for geochemical assessment (e.g. thermal maturity, fluid–fluid correlations) of low permeability hydrocarbon reservoirs such as the Montney Formation.en_US
dc.identifier.citationCesar, J., Mayer, B., Becker, V., Nightingale, M., & Ardakani, O. H. (2022). Molecular and stable carbon isotope geochemistry of mud-gas-derived hydrocarbons and its application for the assessment of low-permeability reservoirs from the Montney Formation, Western Canada. Organic Geochemistry, 163, 104328. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2021.104328en_US
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2021.104328en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/115940
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisherElsevieren_US
dc.publisher.departmentGeoscienceen_US
dc.publisher.facultyScienceen_US
dc.publisher.hasversionacceptedVersionen_US
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen_US
dc.publisher.policyhttps://www.elsevier.com/journals/organic-geochemistry/0146-6380/open-access-optionsen_US
dc.rightsUnless otherwise indicated, this material is protected by copyright and has been made available with authorization from the copyright owner. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.en_US
dc.subjectMud-gasen_US
dc.subjectCarbon isotopesen_US
dc.subjectMaturityen_US
dc.subjectMontney Formationen_US
dc.titleMolecular and stable carbon isotope geochemistry of mud-gas-derived hydrocarbons and its application for the assessment of low-permeability reservoirs from the Montney Formation, Western Canadaen_US
dc.typejournal articleen_US
ucalgary.item.requestcopyfalseen_US
ucalgary.scholar.levelFacultyen_US
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