2nd Session : 28 October 2020

• Carbon Cycle & Formation of Petroleum

Source Rocks
Petroleum Geology – JEO 445E
A Cartoon Illustration of a Petroleum System:

showing where oil and/or gas accumulations may occur

Petroleum Systems Elements and Processes
 Origin of OIL : Biogenic or Abiogenic ?

ABIOGENIC ORIGIN OF HYDROCARBONS:

As in the deep mantle, CO2 and H2 can be combined into CH4, which
might be further merged with hydrogen to generate various kinds of
hydrocarbon

The Fischer–Tropsch process is a collection of chemical

reactions that converts a mixture of carbon
monoxide and hydrogen into liquid hydrocarbons

(2n + 1) H2 + n CO → CnH2n+2 + n H2O

Awesome, isn’t 5it ?

 Modern Organic Geochemistry
BIOGENIC ORIGIN OF owes a lot to TREIBS
HYDROCARBONS: for his pioneer work for proposal of
organic origin for oil.

Chlorophyll structure Porphyrin structure

A green pigment, present Found in Oil and Bitumen
in all green plants and in
cyanobacteria: responsible
for the absorption of light to
provide energy for
photosynthesis 6
Other biological markers in oil and source rock extract

Source rock
bitumen

Oil

Philp, 1987
7
Other biological markers in oil and source rock extract
Source rock
bitumen

Oil

8
Talukdar, 1988
We have the proof that the oil is of biogenic origin. It follows
that we should Expect and Search for Petroleum
Only in Sedimentary Basins

So Let us review the process leading to formation of

petroleum source rocks in Sedimentary Basins
Source of Organic Biomass

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From Production of Organic Matter to Formation of Petroleum Source Rock

1. Production of Organic Matter

2. Accumulation of Organic Matter

3. Preservation of Organic Matter

4. Formation of Organic Matter-rich Sediments

5. Burial and Compaction (Diagenesis)

6. Formation of Organic Matter –rich Rocks (Petroleum

Source Rocks)
 Accumulations of Sediments

Before we go into discussion of accumulation of organic

matter in depositional settings, let us remind ourselves of
how sediments are deposited.
 From sediments to rocks

• Loose sediments
• Burial of sediments under overburden
• Compaction, Porosity loss and Cementation (for
sandstone and carbonates) leads to sedimentary
rocks
Source of Organic Biomass

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The Carbon Cycle
 Carbon Cycle
Why is Carbon so Important in the Life Cycle?

•Carbon has numerous ways of bonding with many other elements,

particularly oxygen and hydrogen.

•It forms “organic” and “inorganic” compounds. Organic compounds are

considered unstable in the biosphere because they are in the reduced
state.

•Inorganic compounds, principally calcite and dolomite, are stable because

they are in the oxidized state.

•Carbon is contained in most substances that are vital for the development
of life (“biomolecules”): Proteins, lipids, sacharides, etc.
 The Carbon Cycle

CO2

POC and DOC and Carbonates

C in Flora & Fauna & Organic Carbon
Carbon Cycle

Uptake from atmosphere and Fixation

•Photosynthesis and OM formation

•Carbonate mineral formation

Release to atmosphere

•Oxidation
•Volcanism
•Fossil fuels burning
From Production of Organic Matter to Formation of Petroleum Source Rock

1. Production of Organic Matter

2. Accumulation of Organic Matter

3. Preservation of Organic Matter

4. Formation of Organic Matter-rich Sediments

5. Burial and Compaction (Diagenesis)

6. Formation of Organic Matter rich-Rocks (Petroleum

Source Rocks)
 Organic Matter (OM) Production - 2

Photosynthesis
and OM Production heat
CO2
Photosynthesis
and OM Production CO2
Organic Matter Preservation
Fate of organic matter from production to burial
Summary:
Formation of Organic Matter and Its Incorporation into Sediments

Photosynthesis
and OM Production
heat

SL
Photosynthesis OM production

SWI
Photosynthesis
and OM Production
heat

SL
Photosynthesis OM production

OM settling

OM Accumulation
SWI
Photosynthesis
and OM Production
heat

SL
Photosynthesis OM production

OM settling

OM Oxidation

OM Accumulation
SWI
OM-rich sediments OM Preservation
Photosynthesis
and OM Production
heat

SL
Photosynthesis OM production

OM settling

OM Accumulation
SWI
OM-rich sediments OM Preservation

Burial and compaction

(Diagenesis)

OM-rich Source Rocks

Resultant organic matter (OM)-rich Black Shales

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 Formation of Source Rock
Depositional Conditions
• Primary Productivity
• Oxic, anoxic water and SWI
• High vs. low dilution

Organic Matter Source

• Marine, lacustrine, higher plant material
• Bacterial biomass

Three major depositional sites for high organic carbon productivity leading to
prolific petroleum source rocks

1) Upwelling of cold-nutrient rich deep waters creating oxygen minimum zones on

the continental shelf (off west coast of S. America and S. Africa

2) Closed circulation and anoxia in silled basins (e.g., Black Sea)

3) Delta environments with rich terrestrial organic matter input

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Major Controlling Factors for
Formation of organic matter (OM)-rich sediments

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 Organic Matter’s Constituents: the Biomolecules

We keep talking about organic matter.

But, what are the main constituents of different organic matters ?

And why does this really matter ??

Let’s take a look

Paraffins (n-alkanes, iso-alkanes)
Naphtenes (cyclo-alkanes)
Aromatics
 Sources of Sedimentary Carbon

1) Planktonic Organisms (e.g., coccoliths, diatoms, dinoflagellates,

foraminifera, radiolarians)

2) Nectonic Organism (e.g., fish, ammonites)

3) Benthonic Organisms (Mollusks, algae)

4) Bacteria

5) Higher (vascular) plants

37
Structures of some biological molecules in living organisms

39
Average Cheemical Compositions of Biomolecules
( & Petroleum)
KEROGEN FORMATION from Biological Molecules

Degradation–recondensation
mechanisms
Tissot and Welte, 1978

Kerogen: Organic matter

which is insoluble in
organic solvents

41
Selecetive Preservation of biomolecules Largeau et al., 1989

42
KEROGEN FORMATION (revised)
Degradation–recondensation
mechanisms
Tissot and Welte, 1978

Selective preservation of
materials from algal cell walls
(Hatcher et al 1983; Largeau et
al., 1989 )

Selective preservation of
materials in protective layers of
higher plants (Tegelaar et al.,
1989)

Kerogen: Organic matter

which is insoluble in
organic solvents
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Petroleum Source Rock

• Organic matter rich

• Generate oil and/or gas upon maturation
• Deposited in variety of environments
• Necessary element of Petroleum System

Hence, It is logical that

We should Expect and Search for Petroleum

Only in Sedimentary Basins

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 Outline

Source Rocks: Definition

Source Rocks: Depositional Environments

Source Rocks: Quantity and Quality of OM

Source Rocks: Maturity of OM and HC Generation

Source Rocks: Geochemical Characterization

Techniques
45
Major Sedimentary Basins of the World

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Sedimentary Environments of Deposition
To be continued in Second week of Session 2
(4 November 2020)