Vanadylporphyrins, indicators of kerogen breakdown and generation of petroleum

Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(88)90136-6· OSTI ID:5339951

Sundararaman, P ^[1]; Biggs, W R; Reynolds, J G; Fetzer, J C ^[2]

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1. Chevron Oil Field Research Company, La Habra, CA (USA)
2. Chevron Research Company, Richmond, CA (USA)

Attempts at understanding the transformation of organic material into fossil fuels often relies on biomarkers, organic compounds present in the geological record that can be related to naturally-occurring molecules from specific organisms. While porphyrins were the first biomarkers identified in fossil fuels, no significant use has been made of them in geochemical correlation studies. The authors believe that one limitation to their usage has been inaccurate models proposed for the fate of porphyrins during catagenesis. Using laboratory pyrolysis experiments they show that the changes observed in vanadylporphyrin distribution during catagenesis is due to increasing dilution of preexisting DPEP vanadylporphyrins by ETIO vanadylporphyrins released from kerogen. In conjunction with a quantitative expression describing the change in vanadylporphyrin distribution during maturation called the Porphyrin Maturity Parameter (PMP), a basis is now provided for the use of vanadylprophyrins as indicators of onset of petroleum generation.

• OSTI ID: 5339951
• Journal Information: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (USA), Journal Name: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (USA) Vol. 52:9; ISSN GCACA; ISSN 0016-7037
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200 -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
023000* -- Petroleum-- Properties & Composition
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000 -- Geosciences
BIOLOGICAL MARKERS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CATAGENESIS
CHEMISTRY
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOCHEMISTRY
HETEROCYCLIC ACIDS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
KEROGEN
MATERIALS
MATURATION
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MATTER
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORIGIN
PETROLEUM
PORPHYRINS
SOURCE ROCKS