Comparison of Alkane Distributions in Crude Oils Detected by Gas Chromatography of Whole Oils and Saturated Fractions and Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry of Saturated Fractions
6 affiliations
- 1Xi’an Petroleum University , , ,
- 2SINOPEC Petroleum Exploration and Production Research Institute , ,
- 3Changqing Oilfield Company , , ,
- 4Exploration and Development Research Institute of PetroChina Changqing Oilfield Company , ,
- 5Natural Gas Research Institute of Yanchang Petroleum (Group) Co.Ltd. , ,
- 6PetroChina , , ,
Abstract
Alkane-related parameters of oils obtained by both gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were widely used in oil-source correlation. However, it is still unclear whether different detection methods will lead to significant differences in these parameters. The compositions of alkanes in Jurassic oils from the Sichuan Basin were investigated using GC analysis of whole-oil samples and saturated hydrocarbons and GC-MS analysis of saturated hydrocarbons. Comparative analyses of alkane-related parameters obtained by these detection methods were also performed in this study. n-Alkanes in the range nC3–nC35 were detected in oils using whole-oil GC analysis. By contrast, short-chain n-alkanes (nC3–nC13) were not detected by GC and GC-MS analysis of saturated hydrocarbons. The abundances of n-alkanes in the range nC14–nC16 were lower than those detected by whole-oil GC analysis. nC21–/nC22+ ratios and terrigenous/aquatic ratios (TAR = (nC27 + nC29 + nC31)/(nC15 + nC17 + nC19)) obtained by GC analysis of saturated hydrocarbons are similar to those obtained by m/z 85 mass chromatograms of GC-MS and show huge differences from those obtained by whole-oil GC analysis and total ion current of GC-MS. However, the differences between these ratios obtained by GC analysis of saturated hydrocarbons, m/z 85 mass chromatograms, and total ion current of GC-MS are systematic. Pristane/phytane (Pr/Ph) ratios obtained by GC analysis of saturated hydrocarbons exhibit little difference from those obtained by total ion current of GC-MS but show large differences from those obtained by whole-oil GC and m/z 85 mass chromatograms of GC-MS. While, the differences between Pr/Ph obtained by all these methods mentioned above are systematic and can be basically eliminated. Additionally, the different detection methods have no influence on carbon preference index, odd-to-even preference, Pr/nC17 and Ph/nC18.
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BibTeX
@article{wang2026comparison,
title = {{Comparison of Alkane Distributions in Crude Oils Detected by Gas Chromatography of Whole Oils and Saturated Fractions and Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry of Saturated Fractions}},
author = {Wenqiang Wang and Xiaolin Lu and Jiahui Xi and Xingying Wang and Yang You and Xuening Qi and Kun Tian and Peng Song and Xinyu Ai and Chenghan Li and Zhaohua Xue and Baohong Shi},
journal = {ACS Omega},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1021/acsomega.6c06134},
url = {https://pubs.acs.org/acsodf/article/doi/10.1021/acsomega.6c06134/5453793/Comparison-of-Alkane-Distributions-in-Crude-Oils},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Comparison of Alkane Distributions in Crude Oils Detected by Gas Chromatography of Whole Oils and Saturated Fractions and Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry of Saturated Fractions
AU - Wenqiang Wang
AU - Xiaolin Lu
AU - Jiahui Xi
AU - Xingying Wang
AU - Yang You
AU - Xuening Qi
AU - Kun Tian
AU - Peng Song
AU - Xinyu Ai
AU - Chenghan Li
AU - Zhaohua Xue
AU - Baohong Shi
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/19
JO - ACS Omega
DO - 10.1021/acsomega.6c06134
UR - https://pubs.acs.org/acsodf/article/doi/10.1021/acsomega.6c06134/5453793/Comparison-of-Alkane-Distributions-in-Crude-Oils
AB - Alkane-related parameters of oils obtained by both gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were widely used in oil-source correlation. However, it is still unclear whether different detection methods will lead to significant differences in these parameters. The compositions of alkanes in Jurassic oils from the Sichuan Basin were investigated using GC analysis of whole-oil samples and saturated hydrocarbons and GC-MS analysis of saturated hydrocarbons. Comparative analyses of alkane-related parameters obtained by these detection methods were also performed in this study. n-Alkanes in the range nC3–nC35 were detected in oils using whole-oil GC analysis. By contrast, short-chain n-alkanes (nC3–nC13) were not detected by GC and GC-MS analysis of saturated hydrocarbons. The abundances of n-alkanes in the range nC14–nC16 were lower than those detected by whole-oil GC analysis. nC21–/nC22+ ratios and terrigenous/aquatic ratios (TAR = (nC27 + nC29 + nC31)/(nC15 + nC17 + nC19)) obtained by GC analysis of saturated hydrocarbons are similar to those obtained by m/z 85 mass chromatograms of GC-MS and show huge differences from those obtained by whole-oil GC analysis and total ion current of GC-MS. However, the differences between these ratios obtained by GC analysis of saturated hydrocarbons, m/z 85 mass chromatograms, and total ion current of GC-MS are systematic. Pristane/phytane (Pr/Ph) ratios obtained by GC analysis of saturated hydrocarbons exhibit little difference from those obtained by total ion current of GC-MS but show large differences from those obtained by whole-oil GC and m/z 85 mass chromatograms of GC-MS. While, the differences between Pr/Ph obtained by all these methods mentioned above are systematic and can be basically eliminated. Additionally, the different detection methods have no influence on carbon preference index, odd-to-even preference, Pr/nC17 and Ph/nC18.
SN - 2470-1343
ER -