Primary hydrocarbon migration

Modified after Tissot and Welte, 1984. Reprinted with permission of Springer-Verlag. 

Leythaeuser and Poelchau, 1990 Mackenzie et al., 1987, 1988). The pressure-driven separate phase hydrocarbon migration is treated in Section 3.2.2. 

1 Primary hydrocarbon migration involving active groundwater flow 

Three possible modes of primary hydrocarbon migration involving groundwater movement, are described below  

---

Primary hydrocarbon migration independent of active groundwater flow... 

Different primary migration mechanisms are probably responsible for the transport of hydrocarbons through the hydrocarbon-generating source rocks in sedimentary basins. The three major mechanisms of primary hydrocarbon migration seem to be ... 

Magara, K. Agents for primary hydrocarbon migration a review. In Problems of petroleum migration, Roberts, III W. H. Cordell, R. J. (Eds.), American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Tulsa, OK, 1980 pp. 33-45.. 

The porosity of many of the large hydrocarbon reservoirs is generally of a secondary nature, a fact that has become known only fairly recently. The favourable situation in this context is the formation of this secondary porosity prior to the hydrocarbon migration. It may be reduced considerably, but at greater depths it will be much better preserved than the primary porosity. 

These experiments show that asphaltenes migrate to the oil-water interface from the oil. This shows why an emulsion that sits for a period of time may become more viscous and more stable as time progresses. During this time, asphaltenes are still migrating to the oil-water interface, thus rendering the emulsion more stable. The experiments show that migration still occurs after one or more weeks of contact. Furthermore, these experiments provide evidence that asphaltenes are the primary hydrocarbon group responsible for emulsion stability. Further work is necessary to determine if the resins will act in the same manner. 

Lewan MD (1987) Petrographic study of primary petroleum migration in the Woodford Shale and related rock units. In Doligez B (ed) Migration of hydrocarbons in sedimentary basins. Technip, Paris, pp 113-130... 

Price, L.C. (1973) The Solubility of Hydrocarbons and Petroleum in Water. Ph.D. Thesis., University of California, Riverside, CA. Price, L.C. (1976) Aqueous solubility of petroleum as applied to its origin and primary migration. Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull. 60, 213-244. 

The primary focus of this chapter is to introduce approaches that limit (or prevent) migration of hydrocarbon and organic contaminants from the vadose zone into underlying water-bearing zones. The more conventional strategies, including a brief discussion of the process, relative cost, practical constraints, and limitations, are presented. Also presented are two typical soil vapor extraction case histories. 

Migration (primary) the movement of hydrocarbons (oil and natural gas) from mature, organic-rich source rocks to a point where the oil and gas can collect as droplets or as a continuous phase of liquid hydrocarbon. 

---