Petroleum Geology

The Origin of Petroleum

Prepared by:

Rebar Ali

Supervised by:
Dr. Khosraw Bazrafshan

University Of Kurdistan- Hawler

21st October,2014

The Origin of Petroleum

 The origin (genesis) of petroleum enlightens you about how petroleum has been
formed and from where it has been derived or emanated. Petroleum genesis is a debatable subject
and the precise details are still arguable about it. In order to understand petroleum and perceive
where to look for it and how to explore and produce it, we have to have a good comprehension
about the origin of petroleum otherwise we will end up in vain. Regarding the origin of
petroleum, there are two different theories: Organic (Biotic) Theory and Inorganic (Abiotic)
Theory. Any theory of the origin of Petroleum has to clarify geological and chemical
observations in order to be accepted and approved. The organic theory of Petroleum Genesis is
upheld more by scientists and more evidences are available for its support. However, the
Abiogenic origin of Petroleum cannot be outclassed and dismissed because it has contributed to
the formation of petroleum back to the sixteenth’s onward till even nineteenth’s. All in all,
Organic theory is more in favor of scientists, geologists and chemists.

The geological observations are that: huge accumulations of hydrocarbons occur in Sedimentary
rocks. According to (Pratt, 1942) hydrocarbons are characteristic of unmetamorphosed marine
and continental sediments. And they arise in porous materials encapsulated from other porous
materials. Moreover, traces of indigenous hydrocarbons are also observed in Igneous,
metamorphic rocks and chondritic meteorites.

Beside the geological observations, there are some chemical ones too:
Crude oil differs from recent hydrocarbons which are rare:
A. they contain even numbered carbon chains unlike the recent hydrocarbons which contain odd
numbered carbon chains.
B. They contain 50% of light hydrocarbons; meanwhile light hydrocarbons are rare or even
absent in modern hydrocarbons.

‘’Early theories of petroleum generation postulated an inorganic origin’’ (Berthelot, 1860;

Mendele’ev, 1877, 1902). The strongest and chief support for the inorganic origin of Petroleum
can be seen in the fact that hydrocarbons such as benzene, methane, acetylene and ethane have
been repetitively made from an inorganic source material. Another hypothesis by Sokolof 1890
says that petroleum has a cosmic origin, and the presence of hydrocarbons in the bodies out of
which the earth was formed make the earth’s interior contain much more hydrocarbons than the
produced hydrocarbons from decayed fish. Moreover, the abiogenic mantle theory of
Mendele’ev cannot be forgotten. He suggested that mantle contained Iron Carbide and this will
react with percolating water, and as a result, hydrocarbons such as methane are formed
(FeC2+2H2O=CH4 +FeO2) . White and Waring (1963) have revised some of the occurrences
from which petroleum has been recorded emanating from volcanoes. Methane gas may have
been formed and derived from the heating of the organic matter as volcanoes erupt through a
coat of sedimentary rocks. Furthermore, another supporting hypothesis is that hydrocarbons
occurred within igneous rocks and this is where the igneous rocks mostly have intruded the
sediments. ‘’Solid and liquid hydrocarbons have been reported in the Precambrian basement
rocks in Karelia and the kola peninsula of northern Russia’’Filippov, 1995; Gottikh, 1995;
Pushkarev, 1995). Lastly, Chondritic Meteorties also comprise more than 6% methane and
various traces of other hydrocarbons. Despite these entire hypotheses regarding the inorganic
origin of petroleum, there are some problems which make the inorganic theory unacceptable:
There is no field evidence that inorganic processes have existed and occurred in nature. A
commercial and fruitful amount of hydrocarbons cannot be emitted and gained from volcanoes,
igneous rocks and magma. The lack of connection between volcanism and petroleum origin is
another point for doubting inorganic theory. Lastly, the optical activity is a characteristic of
petroleum and it is almost entirely related to organic origin of petroleum.

Organic Theory says that the origin of petroleum is from the remains of organic matter mostly
planktons. There are many compelling reasons which favor an organic hypothesis. First and
foremost, the relation and connection between, Carbon- Hydrogen- and Organic matter. They are
the primary constituent of any organic matter either Plants or animals. ‘’Hydrocarbons and
related compounds occur in many living organism and are also deposited in sediments with little
or no change’’ (Smith, 1952, 1954: Stevens, 1956; Hunt, 1957; Meinschein, 1959; Erdman,
1961; Kvenvolden, 1964; Silverman, 1965).
Second, Porphyrins and Nitrogen are found in all organic matters, and petroleum also contains
porphyrins and nitrogen. So this proves that petroleum is of Organic origin. Petroleum is from
anaerobic condition otherwise there will be oxidization in the presence of oxygen.
Third, Optical activity which is a characteristic of petroleum only occurs in organic matters and
it is because of cholesterol (C26H45OH) and it occurs in vegetables and animal. This again
supports the organic theory of petroleum.
Fourth, almost all petroleum occurs in sediments which are of marine origin and those which are
of non-marine genesis probably have migrated into the areas of marine source materials.
Moreover, temperature has never exceeded 392 C where porphyrins are available because they
will get decomposed above this temperature. This gives an indication that petroleum has
originated from a low temperature environment.
Lastly, the close relationship between organic source materials and petroleum in the sediment
leaves no doubt behind that the origin of petroleum is organic because the hydrocarbons found in
the organic materials of a non-reservoir rock such as shale and carbonates are the same as those
hydrocarbons found in the sediments. Hackford (1922) showed that oil and bitumen could be
produced by the pyrolysis and hydrolysis of algae in low temperature because the ash content of
algae is similar of oil and both comprise Iodine, Bromine, Phosphorous, and Ammonium salts.
Petroleum hydrocarbons of modern Gulf of Mexico sediments are evidence and additional proof
of organic genesis. All in all, the organic theory of petroleum holds that carbon and hydrogen
which are important to the formation of oil and gas have been derived from the early marine
living organisms on the earth and the most known one is marine planktons. Marine planktons
provide their energy through sun, and they usually exist in deep oceans. When they die; their
remains will be directed to the sea bed and organic source materials. The organic source material
will be concentrated in a source rock, and through heat and increased temperature, they will get
converted to crude oil and natural gas.

To conclude, organic theory of petroleum is most acceptable by scientists because commercial

volumes of hydrocarbons can be found from organic source materials. Plus, organic theory of
petroleum abides by the two sets of geological and chemical observation. Moreover, there are
many stable evidences that support this theory fully. On the other hand, the inorganic theory
which is an old theory is still upheld by some people but it will not be publicly accepted unless
giant, commercial and fruitful amounts of hydrocarbons can be found through.