oa Diamondoids, Biomarkers, and Chemofacies: Uniting Insights on Hydrocarbon Migration in the Cline Shale, Midland Basin

Predicting hydrocarbon distribution within fine-grained mudstones presents a pressing challenge for unconventional development and production due to their complex lithological heterogeneity and geochemical variability. In this study, chemometrics and molecular techniques are applied to overcome this challenge by (1) characterizing the chemo-stratigraphically distinct depositional units of the Wolfcamp-D interval (Cline Shale) in the Midland Basin, (2) understanding the role of lithological facies in hydrocarbon distribution, and (3) correlating produced-oil samples with the most productive zones.