Geochemical correlation of crude oils in the NW Niger Delta, Nigeria

Sixty-six oils from eleven offshore and onshore fields in the NW Niger Delta, Nigeria were analyzed geochemically for their biomarker and isotopic compositions. Multivariate statistical analysis was employed to distinguish generic oil families from the large, complex data set. Biomarker and isotopic source parameter distributions were used to group the oils into three generic families. Family A oils, located in the onshore swamp to transitional area, received charges from predominantly Late Cretaceous or younger marine source rocks laid down in a sub-oxic to oxic depositional environment. Family B oils occur in the near-offshore area and are derived from Tertiary source facies that received an input of mixed terrigenous and marine organic matter Family C oils, which dominate the offshore area, were derived from Tertiary source rocks typical of those deposited in oxic, nearshore or deltaic settings receiving significant terrestrial organic matter Biomarker maturity parameters showed that the onshore (swamp) oils were generated at the peak of the oil generating window, while the transitional to offshore oils were expelled at an earlier stage of oil generation.