Generation storage and expulsion of oil and gas from Mesaverde Group coals, Washakie Basin, Wyoming

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1996 · AAPG Bulletin

OSTI ID:6585887

Garcia-Gonzalez, M ^[1]

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1. Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga (Colombia)

An integrated study of hydrocarbon maturation reactions of coals from the Mesaverde Group (Washakie Basin of Wyoming) demonstrates that these coals are a significant source of both liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons. Petrographic studies of subsurface coal samples from a variety of depths (e.g. thermal exposure) show that with increasing temperatures, oil is generated during alteration of desmocollinite and liptinite macerals info exsudatinite (waxy oil) and inertinite solid residue; the waxy oil is stored in porous structures and vesicles in the coal; significant oil is expelled if the coals are tectonically fractured; and in the absence of tectonic fractures, with increased thermal exposure, the oil is thermally cracked to gas and as a result the coal is fractured and gas is expelled and migrates. Similar hydrocarbon reaction, storage and expulsion scenarios are observed in hydrous pyrolysis experiments designed to simulate the thermal maturation of coal. Compositional studies utilizing supercritical CO[sub 2] extractions and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry show that liquids from natural coal samples, hydrous pyrolysis experiments and oil fields in the Washakie Basin are similar. The data suggests that coal is the main source of the oil and gas associated with the Mesaverde Group in the Washakie Basin.

• OSTI ID: 6585887
• Report Number(s): CONF-960527--; CNN: 5091-221-2146
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin Journal Volume: 5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
011000 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
02 PETROLEUM
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
03 NATURAL GAS
030200 -- Natural Gas-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
COAL DEPOSITS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATURAL GAS
NORTH AMERICA
PETROLEUM
RESOURCES
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SOURCE ROCKS
USA
WYOMING