The thermal evolution of solid bitumens, bitumen reflectance, and kinetic modeling of reflectance: application in petroleum and ore prospecting

Abstract This article is concerned with (1) the prevailing chemical processes involved in the thermal evolution of sulfur-rich and -poor solid bitumens, represented by the “type locality” wurtzilite and albertite, (2) the reflectance evolution of solid bitumens and its relationship to vitrinite reflectance, and (3) the application of bitumen reflectance and bireflectance in estimating the palaeothermal conditions in the petroleum- and ore-bearing sediments. The thermal evolution of wurtzilitelike bitumens will result in depolymerization and formation of petroleum-soluble molecules. The thermal evolution of albertite will result in the formation of increasingly condensed, petroleum-insoluble residues. Broadly speaking, the response of albertitelike bitumens to maturity increase is similar to that of kerogen. A kinetic model of relevance to petroleum exploration, calibrated by geological and laboratory data, was designed. The model shows that the bitumen-vitrinite reflectance relationship is insensitive to ...

[1]  J. Hunt,et al.  Petroleum Geochemistry and Geology , 1995 .

[2]  M. Fowler,et al.  Petroleum geochemistry and geology of the Albert Formation Moncton Subbasin, New Brunswick, Canada , 1991 .

[3]  P. Ungerer,et al.  THERMAL EVOLUTION OF CRUDE OILS IN SEDIMENTARY BASINS : EXPERIMENTAL SIMULATION IN A CONFINED SYSTEM AND KINETIC MODELING , 1991 .

[4]  V. Burkova,et al.  Stable carbon isotopes in source-bed organic matter of West and East Siberia , 1991 .

[5]  A. Raymond,et al.  Molecular disordering in natural cokes approaching dyke and sill contacts , 1990 .

[6]  A. Burnham,et al.  A chemical kinetic model of vitrinite maturation and reflectance , 1989 .

[7]  D. Welte,et al.  Petroleum Formation and Occurrence , 1989 .

[8]  R. Pelet,et al.  Extrapolation of the kinetics of oil and gas formation from laboratory experiments to sedimentary basins , 1987, Nature.

[9]  J. Curiale.  Origin of solid bitumens, with emphasis on biological marker results , 1986 .

[10]  Douglas W. Waples,et al.  Geochemistry in Petroleum Exploration , 1985, Geological Sciences Series.

[11]  G. Khavari-Khorasani.  Free Hydrocarbons in Uinta Basin, Utah , 1984 .

[12]  G. K. Khorasani.  Free hydrocarbons in Uinta basin, Utah , 1984 .

[13]  W. Kalkreuth,et al.  Organic Petrology of Selected Oil Shale Samples from the Lower Carboniferous Albert Formation, New Brunswick, Canada , 1984 .

[14]  T. Powell,et al.  A review of the Carboniferous Albert Formation oil shales, New Brunswick , 1984 .

[15]  S. Larter.  8 – APPLICATION OF ANALYTICAL PYROLYSIS TECHNIQUES TO KEROGEN CHARACTERIZATION AND FOSSIL FUEL EXPLORATION/EXPLOITATION , 1984 .

[16]  J. Connan.  Biodegradation of Crude Oils in Reservoirs , 1984 .

[17]  G. Khavari-Khorasani.  Structure of albertite from New Brunswick, Canada , 1983 .

[18]  S. Larter,et al.  A pyrolysis-gas chromatographic method for kerogen typing , 1980 .

[19]  D. Murchison,et al.  Microscope Photometry In Studies Of The Molecular Structure Of Carbonized Bitumens And Pyrobitumens , 1979 .

[20]  D. Murchison,et al.  The nature of Karelian shungite , 1979 .

[21]  D. Murchison,et al.  Refractive index and absorption coefficient as measures of structural organization in carbonized bitumen , 1978 .

[22]  D. Murchison,et al.  Thermally metamorphosed bitumen from Windy Knoll, Derbyshire, England , 1978 .

[23]  H. Winkler,et al.  Petrogenesis of metamorphic rocks , 1965 .

[24]  D. S. Montgomery,et al.  A study of sedimented organic matter and its natural derivatives , 1963 .

[25]  L. Cartz,et al.  New X-Ray Data on Coals , 1956, Nature.

[26]  J. Hunt,et al.  Origin of Hydrocarbons of Uinta Basin, Utah , 1954 .