Hydrothermal fluid activity during sedimenta- tion of the Triassic Yanchang Formation in the Ordos Basin and the impact of said activity on formation and preservation conditions of source rocks have received little attention. Oil yield, major element, trace element, rare earth element, and total sulfur （TS） data from the oil shale within the Yanchang are here presented and discussed in the context of hydrothermal influence. Oil shale samples returned relatively high total organic carbon （TOC）, in the range of 4.69%-25.48%. A high correlation between TS and TOC suggests TS in the oil shale is dominated by organic sulfur and affected by organic matter. The low Al/ Si ratio of oil shale samples implies quartz is a major mineralogical component. Si/（Si ＋ Al ＋ Fe） values suggest close proximity of the oil shale to a terrigenous source. δEu; Fe versus Mn versus （Cu ＋ Co ＋ Ni）× 10; and SiO2/（K2O ＋ Na2O） versus MnO/TiO2, Fe/Ti, and （Fe ＋ Mn）/Ti are evidence of hydrothermal fluid activity during oil shale sedimentation, and δU and U/Th of the oil shale indicate reducing conditions. The Sr/Ba of oil shale samples suggests fresh-water deposition. The high correlations of Fe/Ti and （Fe ＋ Mn）/Ti with δU, U/Th, and TS demonstrate that hydrothermal fluid activity promotes reducing conditions. Sr/Ba ratios had low correlation with Fe/Ti and （Fe ＋ Mn）/Ti, implying that hydrothermal fluid activity had little impact （Fe ＋ Mn）/Ti, δU, U/Th, and on paleosalinity. Fe/Ti, Cu ＋ Pb ＋ Zn all exhibited high positive correlation coefficients with TOC in oil shale samples, suggesting that more intense hydrothermal fluid activity improves conditions in favor of formation and preservation of organic matter.
Delu LiRongxi LiZengwu ZhuXiaoli WuFutian LiuBangsheng ZhaoBaoping Wang
As an important unconventional resource, oil shale has received widespread attention. The oil shale of the Chang 7 oil layer from Triassic Yanchang Formation in Ordos Basin represents the typical lacustrine oil shale in China. Based on analyzing trace elements and oil yield from boreholes samples, characteristics and paleo-sedi- mentary environments of oil shale and relationship between paleo-sedimentary environment and oil yield were studied. With favorable quality, oil yield of oil shale varies from 1.4% to 9.1%. Geochemical data indicate that the paleo-redox condition of oil shale＇s reducing condition from analyses of V/Cr, V/（V ＋ Ni）, U/Th, δU, and authi genic uranium. Equivalent Boron, Sp, and Sr/Ba illustrate that paleosalinity of oil shale is dominated by fresh water. The paleoclimate of oil shale is warm and humid by calculating the chemical index of alteration and Sr/Cu. Fe/Ti and （Fe ＋ Mn）/Ti all explain that there were hot water activities during the sedimentary period of oil shale. In terms of Zr/Rb, paleohydrodynamics of oil shale is weak. By means of Co abundance and U/Th, paleo-water-depth of oil shale is from 17.30 to 157.26 m, reflecting sedimentary environment which is mainly in semi deep-deep lake facies. Correlation analyses between oil yield and six paleoenvironmental factors show that the oil yield of oil shale is mainly controlled by paleo-redox conditions, paleoclimate, hot water activities, and depth of water.Paleosalinity and paleohydrodynamics have an inconspicuous influence on oil yield.
