Migration of hydrocarbons in aqueous solution

Hydrocarbons, that is principally the light hydrocarbons, may leave a source rock in aqueous solution, and initially may stay in solution in the carrier rock (Chapter 3). Hydrocarbons in aqueous solution are transported through the subsurface by convection, molecular diffusion and dynamic dispersion (Section 1.3.2). 

At the start of secondary hydrocarbon migration, i.e. in the vicinity of the source rocks, the migration direction of both hydrocarbons in aqueous solution and hydrocarbons in very fine suspension (Section 4.2.1) are strongly influenced by the direction of groundwater flow. 

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