Thermal maturity and source-rock potential in Northwestern Melville Island, Arctic Canada

Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992 · Energy Sources; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00908319208908738· OSTI ID:7257860

Gentzis, T ^[1]; Goodarzi, F ^[2]

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1. Alberta Research Council, Coal Research Center Devon, One Oil Patch Drive, Devon, Alberta T0C 1E0 (CA)
2. Geological Survey of Canada, Calgary, AB (Canada)

This paper reports that approximately 130 core and drillhole cuttings samples taken from the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic of northwestern Melville Island were examined using reflected-light microscopy and Rock-Eval pyrolysis. The Palaeozoic section is dominated by bitumen, and often numerous bitumen populations are identified based on morphology, texture, and optical properties. Bitumen reflectance increases with depth, following a trend almost parallel to vitrinite, an indication that it is primary and has been subjected to similar thermal stress. The upper Palaeozoic sediments are within the hydrocarbon generation zone but have limited potential, except for an algal-rich interval in the Permian Trold Fiord Formation. Overall, the study is important because it attempts to identify the source rocks in an area of Melville Island where no previous work has been reported on the hydrocarbon-generating potential of the sedimentary succession. In addition, the use of bitumen reflectance in lower Palaeozoic strata devoid of vitrinite is evaluated and the amount of eroded section is calculated based on the thermal maturity pattern of bitumen.

• OSTI ID: 7257860
• Journal Information: Energy Sources; (United States), Vol. 14:4; ISSN 0090-8312
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
BITUMENS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
CANADA
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
RESERVOIR ROCK
DRILL CORES
MORPHOLOGY
HYDROCARBONS
KEROGEN
MESOZOIC ERA
PALEOZOIC ERA
PERMIAN BASIN
VITRINITE
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
GEOLOGIC AGES
MACERALS
MATERIALS
MATTER
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MATTER
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
TAR
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
040200 - Oil Shales & Tar Sands- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
040500 - Oil Shales & Tar Sands- Properties & Composition