Compound specific isotopic variability in Uinta Basin native bitumens: paleoenvironmental implications

We have analyzed the solvent extracts from three different types of native bitumens from the Uinta Basin in northeastern Utah by a variety of analytical techniques, including GC-IRMS, to evaluate variations in the paleodepositional environment during two periods of Lake Uinta deposition. The gilsonite and tabbyite bitumens are associated with Parachute Creek Member sediments deposited during a major expansion of ancient Lake Uinta. Compound specific isotopic analyses of ß-carotane and phytane (δ 13C = −32.6 to −32.1%0) from these bitumens reflect input from primary photosynthetic producers such as cyanobacteria. Sterane δ 13C values (−34.5 to −29.2%0) refflect contributions from lacustrine algae, while extremely...

Categories: Publication; Types: Citation, Journal Citation; Tags: Organic Geochemistry, bitumen, compound-specific carbon isotope ratios, cyanobacteria, gammacerane, All tags... gc-irms, gilsonite, methylhopanes, sulfate-reduced bacteria, tabbyite, uinta basin, utah, wurtzilite, β-carotane, Fewer tags