Effect of Ancient Salinity on the Distribution and Composition of Tricyclic Terpane in Hydrocarbon Source Rocks in the Mahu Depression

Ma2 and Ma3 hydrocarbon source rock samples from the Fengcheng Formation in well Maye 1, Mahu Depression, Junggar Basin, were studied using conventional geochemical analysis methods and saturated hydrocarbon gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The distribution patterns, abundance, relative content, and ratios of different carbon compounds of tricyclic terpane in hydrocarbon source rocks from fresh-to-mildly-saline (type I), moderately saline (type II), and saline (type III) water environments significantly differed. The C 28 –C 29 TT/C 30 H and C 19 –C 29 TT/C 30 H ratios were the lowest in the type I hydrocarbon source rock. The relative ratios of C 23 TT/C 21 TT, C 25 TT/C 24 TT, C 28 TT/C 26 TT, (C 23 –C 26 TT)/(C 19 –C 22 TT), and (C 28 –C 29 TT)/(C 19 –C 22 TT) gradually increased with the increase in the salinity of the hydrocarbon source rock. The percentage of low-carbon tricyclic terpanes gradually decreased to 28%, whereas those of the medium- and high-carbon tricyclic terpanes increased to 52% and 20%, respectively. The differences in triterpane types of different hydrocarbon source rocks were mainly controlled by the depositional environment. The primary factor that controlled the distribution pattern; relative abundance, especially the high carbon tricyclic terpane content; and differences in the relative ratio of different carbon compounds in different hydrocarbon source rocks was the salinity of the ancient waterbody during deposition.