Use of the distribution and geochemistry of oil-bearing fluid inclusions to unravel petroleum charge histories: an example from offshore Brazil

Oil-bearing fluid inclusions offer a unique opportunity to learn about the distribution and composition of petroleum in the geologic past. While the composition and distribution of free petroleum is often the result of a complex charge history with multiple charge, mixing, biodegradation and leakage events, the composition of petroleum in inclusions tends to be the result of a discrete, commonly early charge event. We here report on the distribution and geochemistry of oil-bearing fluid inclusions in a stacked petroleum reservoir and provide an example how these data can be used to constrain the fill history of reservoirs with variably preserved and/or degraded oil occurrences.