Organic geochemistry of sediments of deep Gulf of Mexico basin

Conference · Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA)

OSTI ID:5112073

Fang, J; Sassen, R; Nunn, J; Roberts, H ^[1]

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1. Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge (USA)

An analysis of 716 core samples from DSDP (Deep Sea Drilling Project) Leg 96 in the Mississippi submarine fan and the Orca and Pigmy basins in the Louisiana continental slope was done using a Rock-Eval pyrolysis unit with TOC (total organic carbon) module. The analysis allows computation of the hydrogen index (HI), TOC, and kerogen type, and assessment of the oil-generative capacity of the sediments in the Louisiana continental slope. No samples are obviously oil prone. TOC content ranges from 0.12 to 2.29%, with an overall average of 0.82%. HI values are generally less than 150 mg HC/g TOC. T{sub max} (temperature of the maximum of the S{sub 2} peak) values (425{degree}C average) show the sediments are immature throughout the study area. Hydrocarbon-generative potential of the sediments ranges from 492 to 1,107 ppm, with an average of 854 ppm. Because of organic lean, thermally immature, and gas-prone terrestrial organic matter, there is little reason to assume that the sediments from the Mississippi fan can provide oil source rock for the Gulf Coast basin, and that sediments of anoxic basins in the Louisiana continental slope are analogs to the past environments where source rocks for crude oil have been deposited.

• OSTI ID: 5112073
• Report Number(s): CONF-8910221-; CODEN: AABUD
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA), Vol. 73:9; Conference: Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies and Gulf Coast Section of SEPM meeting, Corpus Christi, TX (USA), 25-27 Oct 1989; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
GULF OF MEXICO
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
SEDIMENTS
SOURCE ROCKS
BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
CONTINENTAL SLOPE
KEROGEN
PYROLYSIS
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
ATLANTIC OCEAN
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CARIBBEAN SEA
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
CONTINENTAL MARGIN
DECOMPOSITION
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
MATERIALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
ORGANIC MATTER
RESOURCES
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration