The relationship between methylated chromans and maturity of organic matter in the source rocks from Jianghan hypersaline basin

The distribution, the relative composition, and their variation of methylated chromans (MTTC) with maturation of organic matter in the source rocks from Mingjia 1 well, Jianghan hypersaline basin, have been analyzed and studied. There is a close relationship between the distribution of methylatd chromans and paleosalinity of depositional environment. In the Eq 1–Eq 3 source rocks deposited under hypersaline environment with lower Pr/Ph ratio, higher gammacerane index and abundant organic sulfur-containing compounds, methyl MTTC and dimethyl MTTC are main components, but in the Eq 4 source rocks deposited non-hypersaline environment with relatively higher Pr/Ph ratio, lower gammacerane index and organic sulfur-containing compounds, trimethyl MTTC is a major compound in methylate chromans. Obviously, the distributions and the compositions of methylated chromans in the source rocks are in harmony with biomarker indicators indicating the paleaosalinity and redox of depositional environment. The relationship between the ratio of 5,8-dimethyl MTTC to 7,8-dimethyl MTTC (dimethyl MTTC ratio) and the maturity of organic matter in the source rocks from Mingjia 1 well has been discussed. The results show that dimethyl MTTC ratio increased with the burial depth and the maturation of organic matter in the source rocks, especially in immature level. It is noteworthy that this ratio is very susceptible to small variation in the maturity of organic matter in the source rocks when vitrinite reflectance R o is less than 0.65%. It may imply that this ratio is a good and susceptible aromatic maturity indicator for the relative maturity of organic matter in immature source rocks.