Thermal Maturity and Organic Facies of Devonian Shales from Selected Wells
- Mound Plant (MOUND), Miamisburg, OH (United States)
- GeoChem Research Inc., Houston, TX (United States)
An organic geochemical study was performed on core samples of the Devonian shale from wells in Ohio, Kentucky, and Illinois. The thermal maturity of the organic matter (kerogen) contained in the fine-grained sediments was investigated by vitrinite reflectance and kerogen coloration (Thermal Alteration Index). The results indicate that the organic matter has been thermally matured to the early stages of petroleum and associated gas generation. A suite of geochemical analyses designed to evaluate the organic richness, the hydrocarbon potential for gas, condensate, and/or oil, and the type of organic matter was performed on the samples analyzed for thermal maturity. In general, two types of organic facies were encountered. The rich organic facies (A) is characterized by abundant gas, gasoline, and gas-oil hydrocarbons, a high organic carbon content, and organic matter prone to generate abundant oil and associated gas. Based on the geochemical data, a second type of organic facies (B) interbedded with the rich organic facies (A) was encountered in Kentucky and Ohio wells. Organic facies B consists of sediments relatively lean in organic carbon and gas-oil hydrocarbons, and abundant gas and gasoline hydrocarbons. In most cases, facies B is composed of woody and coaly types of kerogen. The woody-coaly kerogen is presumed to indicate a nonmarine derived depositional source prone to generate predominately gas (methane).
- Research Organization:
- Mound Plant (MOUND), Miamisburg, OH (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; US Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- EY-76-C-04-0053
- OSTI ID:
- 968215
- Report Number(s):
- MLM--2471(OP)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Geological studies of the COST numbers G-1 and G-2 wells, United States north Atlantic outer continental shelf
Organic geochemistry of the Pennsylvanian and Lower Permian, Palo Duro Basin, Texas