Retardation of vitrinite reflectance in Green River oil shales, Piceance Creek basin, northwestern Colorado

Conference · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6411282

Nuccio, V F; Johnson, R C

Vitrinite reflectance (R/sub o/) of coaly inclusions in the otherwise alginitic rocks of the Green River Formation, northwestern Colorado, is greater in sandstones, marlstones, and organic-lean oil shales than in adjacent organic-rich oil shales. The R/sub o/ of the coaly inclusions in these organic-lean rocks increases from about 0.30% for samples with a maximum burial depth of less than 1000 m (3300 ft) to 0.55% for samples with a maximum burial depth of more than 1500 m (5000 ft). The higher R/sub o/ in the organic-lean rocks (oil yield < 10 gal/ton with the modified Fischer assay method) thus appears to record the thermal history of the area more precisely. In contrast, coaly inclusions from oil shales (yields > 10-15 gal/ton) all have lower R/sub o/ values, typically in the range of 0.20-0.27, regardless of depth of burial. This retardation effect appears to be very localized and has not altered the vitrinite in coaly material as close stratigraphically as 30 cm (12 in.) to rich oil-shale beds.

• Research Organization: Geological Survey, Denver, CO
• OSTI ID: 6411282
• Report Number(s): CONF-8405216-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States) Journal Volume: 68:4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040500* -- Oil Shales &amp; Tar Sands-- Properties &amp; Composition
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COLORADO
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION VIII
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GREEN RIVER FORMATION
MACERALS
MATERIALS
NORTH AMERICA
OIL SHALES
OIL YIELDS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
USA
YIELDS