Abstract
Oil-source rock correlation is an integral part of exploration geochemistry and biomarkers have been used successfully for this purpose. This paper reports three case studies which illustrate some of the inherent problems in oil-source rock correlations on samples from the Norwegian continental shelf. In the first study an oil is compared directly with mature source rocks on the structure, showing that the oil must have been expelled very early. In the second, oils are compared with immature source rock units on the structure, showing the potential of multivariate analysis for correlation problems. Finally an unusual Barents Sea oil is compared with Triassic source rocks from Spitsbergen. It is shown that correlations based on individual characteristics can only be supported in rare cases. Multivariate analysis is a safer method of correlation of oils to a typical potential source rock of mixed kerogen facies and low maturity.
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