Photometric methods for measuring the thermal maturity on strew-mounted kerogen slides

Journal Article · Thu Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1987 · Organic Geochemistry; (UK)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0146-6380(88)90004-6· OSTI ID:6992071

Lo, H B ^[1]

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1. Exxon Production Research Co., Houston, TX (USA)

The optical examination of strew-mounted kerogen slides is essential for evaluating the source quality and thermal maturity of potential source rocks. The methods currently used to assess thermal maturity on kerogen slides should be improved because the data currently obtained are qualitative and operator-dependent. The use of two photometric methods to measure the thermal maturity of kerogen on strew-mounted slides are introduced. The kerogen analyst can measure the transmittance of spore/pollen and the reflectance of vitrinite on a kerogen slide and convert the data to a calibrated thermal maturity scale, TAI (Thermal Alteration Index). The advantages of using the photometrically measured transmittance and reflectance to assess the thermal maturity of a sample are (1) the method is semi-quantitative, (2) the parameters measured are physically defined and are easy for interlaboratory comparison of the data, (3) the parameters measured supplement each other, and (4) this method is applicable at all levels of maturity. Major limitations of this photometric methods are (1) the vitrinite reflectance is less reliable when measured from the kerogen slides of immature samples, and (2) the palynomorph transmittance is thickness-dependent.

• OSTI ID: 6992071
• Journal Information: Organic Geochemistry; (UK), Journal Name: Organic Geochemistry; (UK) Vol. 12:4; ISSN ORGED; ISSN 0146-6380
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
023000* -- Petroleum-- Properties & Composition
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CONSTRAINTS
EVALUATION
GAMETES
GERM CELLS
KEROGEN
LIGHT TRANSMISSION
MACERALS
MATERIALS
MATURATION
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
ORGANIC MATTER
PERFORMANCE
PHOTOMETRY
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POLLEN
REFLECTIVITY
SOURCE ROCKS
SPORES
SURFACE PROPERTIES
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
VITRINITE