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Title: Investigation of mineral-kerogen interactions and their relation to petroleum genesis

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:5469729

Two different types of proto-kerogens derived from marine sediments and lagoonal algal mats, respectively, were pyrolyzed alone and in the presence of five different common minerals to determine what role the inorganic matrix plays in the maturation of the polymeric organic matter. Samples were heated separately in closed systems in vacuo for one to 1000 hours at temperatures ranging from 100/sup 0/ to 500/sup 0/C. Of the gaseous products, carbon dioxide and methane were quantitatively measured and collected for delta /sup 13/C stable isotope measurements. Gas chromatography, vacuum line techniques, and stable isotope mass spectroscopy were employed. Rock Eval was used for analysis of the bulk material after pyrolysis to monitor the changes in the proto-kerogens and the products (liquid and solid) generated. Organic solvent extractions of the 300/sup 0/C samples were performed and the aliphatic hydrocarbons characterized by capillary gas chromatography. Important results can be summarized as follows: (1) calcite and illite enhance carbon dioxide production from kerogen; (2) illite was inhibitory toward methane generation whereas two montmorillonites showed enhancements of production; and (3) Calcite and one of the montmorillonites was inhibitory toward bitumen production while kaolinite, illite and the other montmorillonite were catalytic.

OSTI ID:
5469729
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English