The abundance and distribution of diamondoids in biodegraded oils from the San Joaquin Valley: Implications for biodegradation of diamondoids in petroleum reservoirs

Organic Geochemistry
By: , and 

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Abstract

The biodegradability of diamondoids was investigated using a collection of crude oil samples from the San Joaquin Valley, California, that had been biodegraded to varying extent in the reservoir. Our results show that diamondoids are subjected to biodegradation, which is selective as well as stepwise. Adamantanes are generally more susceptible to biodegradation than other diamondoids, such as diamantanes and triamantanes. We report a possible pathway for the microbial degradation of adamantane. This cage hydrocarbon possibly breaks down to a metabolic intermediate through the action of microbes at higher levels of biodegradation in petroleum reservoirs. Microbial alteration has only a minor effect on diamondoid abundance in oil at low levels of biodegradation. Our results suggest that most diamondoids (with the exception of adamantane) are resistant to biodegradation, like the polycyclic terpanes (e.g. C19-C24 tricyclic terpanes, hopanes, gammacerane, oleananes, Ts, Tm, C29 Ts), steranes and diasteranes. Microbial alteration of diamondoids has a negligible impact on the quantification of oil cracking achieved using the diamondoid-biomarker method. ?? 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title The abundance and distribution of diamondoids in biodegraded oils from the San Joaquin Valley: Implications for biodegradation of diamondoids in petroleum reservoirs
Series title Organic Geochemistry
DOI 10.1016/j.orggeochem.2007.07.009
Volume 38
Issue 11
Year Published 2007
Language English
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Organic Geochemistry
First page 1910
Last page 1926
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