Organic geochemical and tectonic evolution of the midcontinent rift system: Organic geochemistry and micropaleontology

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5835377

Hayes, J M; Pratt, L M ^[1]; Knoll, A H ^[2]

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1. Indiana Univ. Foundation, Bloomington, IN (USA). Biogeochemical Labs.
2. Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (USA). Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences

During the first half of the third year of funding for this project, we concentrated on structural and isotopic analyses of biological marker compounds. Molecular structures were identified in collaboration with Dr. Roger Summons (Bureau of Mineral Resources, Canberra, Australia). Isotopic compositions of individual n-alkanes were determined by isotope-ratio-monitoring GCMS in the Biogeochemical Laboratories at Indiana University. On the basis of our initial data on n-alkanes, the distribution of isotopic compositions with respect to chain length can be related to lithofacies (laminated silty shales versus carbonate laminites). The isotopic composition of n-alkanes in seep petroleum from White Pine is intermediate between these two lithofacies and suggests derivation from both sources. Additional samples will be analyzed in order to verify this observation. Analytical work was completed on a suite of rock and petroleum samples from the White Pine Mine, in collaboration with Jeff Mauk (Ph.D. student working with William Kelly at the University of Michigan). During the second half of this year, we are completing the isotopic analyses of n-alkanes and undertaking the determination of sulfur isotopic compositions for the major sulfur species. We plan to make sulfur isotopic measurements on about 50 samples. For most of these samples, pyrite is the only sulfur compound present above trace concentrations. A few samples appear to contain small amounts of monosulfides (acid-volatile sulfides) that will be analyzed separately. Sulfur isotopic compositions will be used to evaluate the sources of sulfate in the Nonesuch basin and the depositional and diagenetic conditions in Nonesuch sediments. 45 refs., 16 figs., 3 tabs.

• Research Organization: Indiana Univ. Foundation, Bloomington, IN (USA). Biogeochemical Labs.
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-88ER13978
• OSTI ID: 5835377
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/13978-3; ON: DE91011489
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020200 -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
ALKANES
BITUMENS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMISTRY
COMPILED DATA
DATA
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELEMENTS
GEOCHEMISTRY
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGIC SURVEYS
HYDROCARBONS
INFORMATION
MINERAL RESOURCES
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MATTER
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PROGRESS REPORT
RESOURCES
RIFT ZONES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SHALES
SULFUR
SURVEYS
TAR
TECTONICS