The carbon isotopic compositions of individual terpenoids in the heavy oils
from the Karamay oilfield were determined by using the method of enrichmen
t of terpanes with molecular sieve 13X and GC-IRMS technique. The terpanes,
selectively enriched from the biodegraded oils with molecular sieve 13X, c
an meet the demand of GC-IRMS analysis. The carbon isotopic compositions of
the hopanoids (delta C-13 - 31.7 parts per thousand- - 37.8 parts per thou
sand) infer that their main source is probably non-methanotrophic bacteria,
and that the depositional environment of source rocks is a strongly reduct
ive, rapidly depositional, and closed-semi-closed saline lagoon.