Petroleum Generation

Petroleum Geology Class 745

Spring 2002

Istvan Csato
University of South Carolina
Department of Geological Sciences
I. Organic Matter
II. Petroleum Generation

III. Source Rock Evaluation

IV. Thermal Maturation Models

Sequence Stratigraphy
Controls on total organic matter

• Productivity
• Grain size
• Sedimentation rate
• Oxidation/Reduction
Preservation of Organic Matter

Demaison and Moore, 1980

Conversion of Organic Matter

• biopolymers
• bitumen
• biomarkers

Barker, 1996
I. Organic Matter

II. Petroleum Generation

III. Source Rock Evaluation

IV. Thermal Maturation Models

Conversion of Kerogen

Organic matter: 1%

• Kerogen 90%
• Bitumen 10%

Barker, 1996
Kerogen Evolution Paths

Tissot et al., 1974

Variation of the HC/TOC, Los Angeles and Ventura Basins

Philippi, 1965
Depths and Temperatures for Onset of Oil Generation

Tissot et al., 1975

General Scheme for Hydrocarbon Formation

Tissot et al., 1974

I. Organic Matter

II. Petroleum Generation

III. Source Rock Evaluation

IV. Thermal Maturation Models
 Questions for exploration geologist:

1. Does the the rock have sufficient organic matter?

2. Is the organic matter capable of generating?
3. Has this organic matter generated petroleum?
4. Has the generated petroleum migrated out?
5. Is the rock oil-prone or gas-prone?
Quantity of Organic Matter:
TOC must be greater than 0.5%

Type of Organic Matter:

Maturity
Thermal Alteration Index, Paris Basin

Correia, 1971
Maturity
Kerogen Maturation Profile, Louisiana Gulf Coast
Vitrinite: woody, Type III kerogen

Barker, 1996
Maturity
Vitrinite Reflectance Data

Dow and O’Connor, 1982

Maturity
Vitrinite Reflectance Profile, Elmsworth Field, Canada

Welte et al., 1984

Disturbing of Vitrinite Reflectance

Barker, 1996
Elemental Data For Kerogen

Peters, 1986
Pyrolysis Increase of S1 with Depth

S2

S1

Tmax
Barker, 1996
Pyrolysis Yield of Hydrocarbons with Increasing Temperature

S2

S1
S2/TOC = HI
S3/TOC = OI
S1 S2

Tmax
Barker, 1974
Changes in TR and Tmax

Espitalie et al., 1977

HI versus OI

Peters, 1986
Evaluation of Geochemical Parameters

Peters, 1986
I. Organic Matter

II. Petroleum Generation

III. Source Rock Evaluation

IV. Thermal Maturation Models

Kinetics of Chemical Reactions

KER = BIT + RESIDUE

At t=0
KER= Vo, BIT=0

At t>0
KER=Vo-Vt, BIT=Vt

dV/dt= k(Vo-Vt)

k=A*e[-E/RT] Arrhenius equation

R =Gas constant (0.008314 KJ/mol0K)
T=absolute temperature
E=activation energy
A=frequency factor
Activation Energy

Barker, 1996
Bond Energies

March, 1985
Increasing Reaction Rate with Temperature

Barker, 1996
Bitumen Release Curves with Different Activation Energies

Barker, 1996
Bitumen Release Curves with Different Frequency Factors

Barker, 1996
Increase in Reaction Rate

Barker, 1996
Bitumen Release Curves for 8 Parallel Reactions

Juntgen and Klein, 1975

Distribution of Activation Energies, Paris Basin

Tissot et al., 1987

 Temperature Factors used by Lopatin
maturity = (ti)(rni) TTI (Time-Temperature Index)

Barker, 1996
Burial History Plot

Barker, 1996
Calculated TTI

Barker, 1996
Calibration of TTI

Waples, 1980
Time-Temperature Reconstruction, Big Horn Basin, Montana

Hagen and Surdam, 1984

Kinetic Model of Tissot and Espitalie, 1975

Tissot and Espitalie, 1975

Kinetic Model of Sweeney et al., 1987

Sweeney et al., 1987