Alkanes in benthic organisms from the Buccaneer oil field

Abstract

From the Conclusions: “Alkane profiles of 48 benthic organisms from the Buccaneer oil field are reported. Coral samples contained biogenic alkanes in the C22 to C32 region…. Hydroid specimens exhibited similar profiles which were also ascribed a biogenic origin. Samples of one species of mollusc, Pleuroploea giganta, from the production and quarters platforms contained petroleum alkanes, while corresponding samples from the well jacket did not contain these compounds. Some specimens of another mollusc, Pteria colymbus, contained petroleum hydrocarbons, there was no evidence for petroleum hydrocarbons in any of the other species examined: Arbacia unctulata, Chloeia viridis, Murex fulvescens, Pagurus floridanus, and Fasciolaria hunteria.

Molluscs have been shown to sequester petroleum hydrocarbons after long periods of exposure... In the present study, however, petroleum alkanes were found only in Pleuroploea gigantea and Pteria colymbus, but even in these organisms such hydrocarbons were generally present in concentrations lower than those of the biogenic hydrocarbons.”