Generation and expulsion of oil as determined by hydrous pyrolysis
- Amoco Production Co., Tulsa, OK (United States)
Hydrous pyrolysis is a laboratory technique used to simulate oil generation within and expulsion from thermally immature source rocks. This technique maintains a liquid-water phase in contact with the source rock as it is heated at subcritical water temperatures ({lt}374C). If the proper time and temperature conditions are employed, a free-flowing liquid oil accumulates on the water surface. Oil formation by hydrous pyrolysis may be divided into four distinct stages: (1) pre-oil, (2) incipient-oil, (3) primary-oil, and (4) post-oil. Pre-oil generation represents a thermally immature stage in which the organic matter occurs predominantly as a solid insoluble kerogen dispersed within the rock matrix. Incipient-oil generation begins when thermal stress is sufficient to initiate the decomposition of kerogen into a tarry soluble bitumen. The net volume increase generated by this overall reaction results in bitumen expansion along the planar bedding fabric of the rock matrix to form a continuous bitumen network. As thermal stress increases, primary-oil generation begins with the bitumen partially decomposing into a liquid oil. The net volume increase generated by this overall reaction and the lack of pore volume in the bitumen-impregnated rock matrix results in expulsion of the generated oil. This suggests that oil expulsion from a rock is a consequence of oil generation within a rock, and generation and expulsion of oil may be considered as one collective process. Post-oil generation begins when oil generation ceases. As thermal stress continues to increase, the remaining bitumen generates gas and pyrobitumen.
- OSTI ID:
- 7025215
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-910403--
- Journal Information:
- AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States) Vol. 75:3; ISSN AABUD; ISSN 0149-1423
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
BITUMENS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
KEROGEN
MASS TRANSFER
MATERIALS
MATTER
MATURATION
MINERAL RESOURCES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MATTER
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESOURCES
SOURCE ROCKS
TAR
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS