Molecular characterization of kerogen — Applications to primary and secondary migration studies and to maturation modelling

Abstract

Traditionally, while a central part of petroleum exploration source rock analysis programs, kerogen typing has been a rather qualitative tool of rather general applicability to real exploration problems. With the development of sophisticated quantitative analytical procedures, such as quantitative pyrolysis-gas chromatography and novel data analysis procedures, molecular kerogen analysis is now becoming a central tool in many aspects of petroleum geology. Applications of quantitative kerogen analysis to problems associated with (1) estimation of primary expulsion efficiency from source beds; (2) better approaches to kinetic modelling of vitrinite reflectance evolution and (3) determination of factors affecting phase/volume behaviour of migrating petroleum charge (determination of initial gas fraction in petroleum) are reviewed and discussed. The increasingly sophisticated kerogen analysis methodologies are evaluated pragmatically with the broader scope of the critical areas now facing the petroleum geologist. Here, physical as well as chemical constraints on reservoired petroleum composition must be considered.