geochemistry

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1. n. [Geochemistry, Geology]
The study of the chemistry of the Earth and within solid bodies of the solar system, including the
distribution, circulation and abundance of elements (and their ions and isotopes), molecules,
minerals, rocks and fluids. For geochemists in the petroleum industry, source rock geochemistry
is a major focus. Geochemical techniques can determine whether a given source rock is rich
enough in organic matter to generate hydrocarbons, whether the source rock has generated
hydrocarbons, and whether a particular oil sample was generated by a given source rock.
See: bitumen, generation, hydrocarbon, hydrocarbon kitchen, kerogen, mineral, petroleum
system, pyrolysis, source rock, vitrinite reflectance

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kerogen
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1. n. [Geology, Geochemistry, Shale Gas]
The naturally occurring, solid, insoluble organic matter that occurs in source rocks and can yield
oil upon heating. Kerogen is the portion of naturally occurring organic matter that is
nonextractable using organic solvents. Typical organic constituents of kerogen are algae and
woody plant material. Kerogens have a high molecular weight relative to bitumen, or soluble
organic matter. Bitumen forms from kerogen during petroleum generation. Kerogens are
described as Type I, consisting of mainly algal and amorphous (but presumably algal) kerogen
and highly likely to generate oil; Type II, mixed terrestrial and marine source material that can
generate waxy oil; and Type III, woody terrestrial source material that typically generates gas.
See: gas-prone, geochemistry, hydrocarbon, oil-prone, petroleum system, source rock, vitrinite,
vitrinite reflectance

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source rock
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1. n. [Geology, Geochemistry, Shale Gas]
A rock rich in organic matter which, if heated sufficiently, will generate oil or gas. Typical
source rocks, usually shales or limestones, contain about 1% organic matter and at least 0.5%
total organic carbon (TOC), although a rich source rock might have as much as 10% organic
matter. Rocks of marine origin tend to be oil-prone, whereas terrestrial source rocks (such as
coal) tend to be gas-prone. Preservation of organic matter without degradation is critical to
creating a good source rock, and necessary for a complete petroleum system. Under the right
conditions, source rocks may also be reservoir rocks, as in the case of shale gas reservoirs.
See: argillaceous, basin, bitumen, coal, critical moment, generation, geochemistry, hydrocarbon,
hydrocarbon kitchen, immature, kerogen, lacustrine, limestone, marine, maturity, migration,
natural gas, overmature, petroleum system, pinch-out, pinch-out, play, post-mature, primary
migration, prospect, pyrolysis, secondary migration, sedimentary basin, sequence stratigraphy,
shale, swamp, vitrinite, vitrinite reflectance

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