How Good Source Rocks Form:

Origin of Source Rocks

1. Sedimentation in areas of high organic

productivity
2. Preservation of organic matter in
sediment

Photosynthesis
The most important reaction on
the planet (for us)
chlorophyl

CO2 + H2Olight CH2O +

O2
glucose

Organic Matter

Fate of Organic Matter in Oceans

Proteins
Carbohydrates (sugars, starch, cellulose)
Lipids (oils, fats)
Lignin (in plants)
More resistant to
decay

HC generation is limited by available H

(reducing environment)

Requirements for High Organic

Productivity

Plankton Productivity Map

Light (for photosynthesis)

Temperature
Nutrients
Low turbidity

Phytoplankton (Photosynthesizing algae)

90% of Organic Matter in Oceans
+ Bacteria, zooplankton, fish, etc
www.planktos.com/educational/eco-solutions.htm

Areas of High Productivity

At boundaries between polar and
temperate regions
West side of continents
In the upper 100m of ocean

Ocean surface Temperature

Driving Mechanism
Upwelling of deep water brings nutrients

Preservation of
Organic Matter
Anoxic conditions
Rapid burial

Anoxic
conditions
Rapid
burial

The bottom of a basin

How do you get Anoxic conditions?

Water Stratification
Temperature
Salinity

High organic productivity near surface

Black Sea: permanent salinity

stratification

Upwelling zone
on shelf

Restricted marine basin, high

evaporation

Upwelling

Namibia
Organic productivity
exhausts oxygen at
depth
Sea level is key

Total
Organic
Content
(TOC) of
Rocks

Anoxic conditions off Peru

Source
Rocks

Evolution of Organic Matter in source rocks

during burial
ri a
c te
Ba

lD

ay
ec

Yield of gas from organic matter

Methane

Diagenesis

Org. Matter
Inc

Kerogen

rea

sing

Catagenesis
Tem

per
a tu
re

Bitumen

Oil + Gas +Residue

Maturation of Organic Matter

1. Diagenesis

Shallow burial
Temp 0 to 50oC
Bacterial decay and reduction
Chemical reduction
Produce free CH4, CO2, H20
Produce Kerogen
H:C ratio remains constant
Rocks undergoes compaction and cementation

Metagenesis

Kerogen
Disseminated solid organic matter in sed.
rocks
Insoluble in organic solvents
Made of C, H, O plus minor N and S

Phytoclasts (plant organic matter)

Amorphous Organic Matter

Humic Kerogen

Kerogen Types
Type I (Algal)
High H:C ~1.65, Low O:C
Rich in lipids (mostly saturated )
Oil prone

Kerogen
Types

Type III (Humic)

Type II

Type III
(Humic)

Tertiary
Greenland
and AK

Low H:C ~0.84, High O:C

Rich in aromatic compounds
Plant material and coal
GasProne

Atomic O/C

Pyrolysis Experiments

Maturation of Organic Matter

Jr Saudi
Arabia

Atomic H/C

Intermediate H:C ~1.25, Interm O:C

Algal+Zooplancton
Oil and Gas prone

Type I (Algal)
Green River

Van Krevelen
Diagrams

Type II (Liptinic)

Maturity

Catagenesis 50 to 200oC
Oil Window 60 to 120-160oC
Gas Window 120 to 225oC
Thermal maturation of kerogen
H:C decreases
Hunt, 1995

Monterrey
Shale (CA)

Green River
Shale (WY)

Thermal
Alteration of
Kerogen

Kerogen maturation and hydrocarbon

generation
Gasoline

Wet Gas

Graphite

Methane

Seewald, 2003

Comparison of two Source rocks

Pyrolysis and Gas Chromatography

Pryrolysis vs depth

Pryrolysis

Immature Source
Rock

Mature Source Rock

Over mature Source Rock

PaleoThermometers

Vitrinite Reflectance
Vitrinite is plant
organic matter,
common in coal,
which reflects light
more strongly as it
becomes more
cooked.

The darker the toast

the hotter it got.

1.2% reflectance vitrinite from Lower

Cretaceous Pearsall shale (TX) (near the
bottom of the oil window.

Source rock
maturity
measured
by vitrinite
reflectance
of coal

Down hole
vitrinite
reflectance
profile

Vitrinite reflectance

Hunt, 1995

Geochemical log
TOC

S1

S2

Tmax

Ro

Total
Organic
Carbon