Keywords: 
• crude oil cracking /
• gaseous hydrocarbon yield

Abstract: The thermal simulation experiment of Yaha and Hade crude oil samples in Tarim Basin was carried out, by using the gold tube confined system. The yield characteristics and kinetic parameters of cracking gases from Yaha and Hade oil samples were studied. The results demonstrate that the Yaha and Hade oil samples have high total gas yields (738.87 ml/g, 598.98 ml/g) and C25  yields (256.85 ml/g, 188.63 ml/g). Differences are existed in the kinetic parameters of cracking gases in the Yaha and Hade oils. The activation energy distributions of methane, ethane and propane generated from the Yaha oil sample are in the range of (66～83)×4.186kJ/mol, (59～72)×4.186kJ/mol, and (59～65)×4.186kJ/mol. Their frequency factors from the Yaha oil sample are 2.07×10¹⁶s^-1, 1.0×10¹⁴ s^-1, and 1.0×10¹⁴s^-1, respectively. The activation energy distributions of methane, ethane and propane from the Hade oil sample are in the range of (63～84)×4.186 kJ/mol, (57～63)×4.186 kJ/mol, and (58～70)× 4.186 kJ/mol. Their frequency factors from the Hade oil sample are 1.42×10¹⁶s^-1, 1.0×10¹⁴s^-1, and 1.0×10¹⁴s^-1, respectively. The Mandong 1 gas pool in the eastern Tarim Basin was taken as an example and its kinetic modeling of gas generation was studied. It is suggested that gas source of the Mandong 1 gas pool was resulted from a large number of crude oil cracking.