Organic facies and thermal maturity of sedimentary rocks in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska
In 1977, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) initiated a contract with GeoChem Research, Inc., to carry out petroleum geochemical analyses on drill cuttings, conventional and sidewall cores, and hydrocarbon samples collected from wells drilled in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA). The focus of attention in this regional study was on three important goals: (1) identification of organic facies for 11 rock units, (2) determination of the richness (organic-carbon content) of these organic facies, and (3) establishment of thermal-maturation profiles in relation to the stages of petroleum generation within the geologic framework for the NPRA. The geochemical analyses discussed in this chapter are of organic-carbon content, visual kerogen, thermal-alteration index (TAI), vitrinite reflectance (percent R{sub o}), and C{sub 1}-C{sub 4} hydrocarbon composition. Although various geochemical measurements can be used to demonstrate thermal-maturity trends or degrees of geothermal stress undergone by the sedimentary rocks, it is not the purpose of this chapter to use all such geochemical criteria. Instead, the authors interpret the thermal maturity and the content and type of organic matter from examination of the inplace kerogen, using transmitted-light and reflected-light microscopic techniques. The large number of data available for the four wells considered affords an excellent opportunity to compare the use of different maturation techniques, specifically: (1) to compare increase in thermal-alteration index with increase in vitrinite reflectance, (2) to compare values from drill cuttings with those from conventional and sidewall cores, and (3) to compare these two maturity techniques with light-hydrocarbon geochemistry to establish limits for oil and gas generation and preservation.
- OSTI ID:
- 6843998
- Journal Information:
- United States Geological Survey, Professional Paper; (USA), Journal Name: United States Geological Survey, Professional Paper; (USA)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ALASKA
STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
GEOCHEMISTRY
MATURATION
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DRILL CORES
EXPLORATORY WELLS
GEOCHEMICAL SURVEYS
HYDROCARBONS
KEROGEN
MEASURING METHODS
MICROSCOPY
ORGANIC MATTER
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
REFLECTIVITY
VITRINITE
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMISTRY
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION X
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MACERALS
MATERIALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RESERVES
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SURFACE PROPERTIES
SURVEYS
USA
WELLS
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
023000 - Petroleum- Properties & Composition