Research Progress on Manifold Hydrocarbon Source and Its Trace System in Marine Strata
海相层系多种烃源及其示踪体系研究进展

The important breakthroughs in marine petroleum exploration recently show that the enormous exploration potential and new progress of theoretical research on oil and gas geology, including the theory on hydrocarbon generation: multiformity of type of hydrocarbon source and conversion in marine strata, indicate that manifold hydrocarbon sources coexist in mutual conversion, and in continuous or superposed hydrocarbon generation despite different phases or ages, present the mechanism of "multi-source complex and multi-stage continuity" on formation and evolution of natural gases; preliminary trace index system are proposed; experimental geology and experimental methods & analytical techniques are developing quickly; the biodegradation of modern algae and the simulating experiments of modern algae thermal evolution, catalytic hydropyrolysis from the higher evolved organic sediment, and the compositions of noble gases and their isotopic quantitative analysis are presenting a good research platform and experimental techniques for the in-depth studies on the theory of hydrocarbon generation and perfect the trace index system. Whereas, the marine petroleum exploration is still faced with many challenges, which include many unresolved questions relating to the mechanism, index, and technique for effective revealing of main hydrocarbon source, so the theory of hydrocarbon generation is up for perfection, and the composite application of multiple index and development of new index is still an important way.