Fuel, Vol.90, No.4, 1575-1583, 2011
Organic geochemical comparison of asphaltites of Sirnak area with the oils of the Raman and Dincer fields in Southeastern Turkey
Fifty-five samples of asphaltites from 12 different veins in Sirnak area and two oil samples from Raman and Dincer Oil fields in South East (SE) Turkey have been analyzed by organic geochemical methods (total organic carbon, rock-eval pyrolysis, gas chromatography of saturated fractions, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and stable carbon isotope). The total organic carbon (TOC) contents in asphaltites ranged from 12% to 65%. The T(max) values range between 428 degrees C and 465 degrees C. The hydrogen index (HI) values vary between 270 and 531 mg HC/g TOC. The levels of biodegradation of the asphaltites were studied by GC analyses of the saturated fractions and none to moderate biodegradation has been found. Maturity of the asphaltite samples were assessed biomarker ratios provided by GC-MS analysis. Stable carbon isotope ((13)C) analyses of Raman-Dincer oils produced values about -27% and the asphaltene fractions of the asphaltite samples revealed similar values about 26.8%. It is presumed that the asphaltites are of oil origin and has been solidified in veins close to surface and the geochemical correlation and encountering to the oil seeps in crevices suggest similarities between the Sirnak area asphaltites and Raman-Dincer oils. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.