Study on the Applicability of Saturated Hydrocarbon Parameters in the Evaluation of Lacustrine Source Rocks and Oils Based on Thermal Simulation Experiments

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments on the manuscript “Study on the applicability of saturated hydrocarbon parameters in the evaluation of lacustrine source rocks and oils based on thermal simulation experiments”

The paper evaluates saturated hydrocarbon biomarker parameters by closed-system pyrolysis experiments using a Mesozoic lacustrine source rock from the Mesozoic rift Yingen-Ejinaqi Basin, located in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of northwest China. The samples in this study were collected from well H2 in Suhongtu depression, a secondary tectonic unit in the north part of the Yingen-Ejinaqi Basin. The lithology of the samples was dark grey limestone, developed in the second member (K1b2) of the Lower Cretaceous Bayingobi Formation, the main exploration target.

The main goal is to verify the application of several biomarker parameters from lacustrine source rocks and crude oil to recognize the evolution characteristic of saturated hydrocarbons according to the thermal simulation experiments.

The objective is clearly stated, and the results obtained are significant and well-presented by the authors. Data support the discussion and conclusion, which may help recognize the paleoenvironmental significance of saturated hydrocarbons in source rocks.

Thus, I recommend publication in the form in which the authors submitted the manuscript to the journal.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

The authors of the article studied application of biomarker parameters to lacustrine source rocks/crude oil. Some remarks are given below

1.      The abstract should paraphrase or remove the results on normal alkanes, the fact that alkanes undergo C-C bonding as a result of thermal cracking is well known, and the results of this study confirm previous work, as written in lines 244-246

2.      А scheme of the reactor device should be given, if possible, indicate the model

3.      Why was a mixture of chloroform-methanol 93/7 used for the extraction of hydrocarbons? Is there any standard methodology that the authors relied on? If there is, it should be referenced. It is also not clear how the end of the extraction was determined?

4.      aromatic hydrocarbons were not removed before the GC-MS analysis. Doesn't this make it difficult to analyze?

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf