Hydrocarbon Source Analysis Using Diamondoid Concentrations and Isotopes

Diamondoid concentrations in Browse Basin oils, measured via GCxGC-TOFMS and CSIA, reveal a mixture of high-maturity gas and marine oil contributions in non-biodegraded fields. The study combines quantitative diamondoid analysis with biomarker and compound-specific isotope data to unravel complex hydrocarbon charge histories. Data was published by the Australian Ocean Data Network, with a record last updated in April 2026.

Use Cases

• Identify hydrocarbon sources by analyzing source-specific diamondoid concentrations and ratios.
• Assess thermal maturity and biodegradation resistance using diamondoid yields and isotopic composition.
• Differentiate mixed hydrocarbon signatures by combining biomarker parameters with quantitative diamondoid data.
• Trace fluid migration and gas escape events by correlating high diamondoid concentrations with the absence of recovered gas.

Strengths

• Analysis includes both non-biodegraded and biodegraded oil samples from distinct fields.
• Employs two advanced analytical techniques: GCxGC-TOFMS and compound-specific isotope analysis.

Limitations

• Sample size and specific row count for measurements are not provided.
• Primary data format is a PDF, which may require extraction for computational analysis.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Laboratory analysis via comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GCxGC-TOFMS) and compound-specific isotope analyses (CSIA).

Freshness

Record metadata was last updated in April 2026.

Geography

Browse Basin, offshore Northwest Australia.