Abstract
A compaction pyrolysis system was developed to simulate changes of source rocks during the course of burial and subsidence in a sedimentary basin. This system can reproduce a number of phenomena that previous methods could not achieve. With programmed temperature and pressure controllers, the system can simulate the following facets of sediment diagenesis in the natural system: 1. (a) Increase in temperature, overburden pressure, and fluid pressure during burial and subsidence of a formation. 2. (b) Petroleum generation from thermal degradation of kerogen. 3. (c) Expulsion of interstitial and bound water during compaction of sedimentary rocks. 4. (d) Expulsion of oil and gas generated. 5. (e) Phase changes of clay minerals, zeolites, and silica minerals due to increases in temperature and pressure. In addition, comparison of compaction pyrolysis with non-compacting hydrous pyrolysis shows the following: 1. (1) The composition of gas from compaction pyrolysis was similar to that of natural gases, containing only small proportions of unsaturated hydro-carbons. In contrast, gas from hydrous pyrolysis contain 5–10% unsaturated hydrocarbons. 2. (2) Both compaction and hydrous pyrolysis produced oils resembling crude oil in the natural system. 3. (3) While macerals after hydrous pyrolysis showed abundant holes by evaporation of volatile products by pyrolysis, macerals after compaction pyrolysis showed fewer holes. However, in samples from compaction pyrolysis, deformation from compaction was observed. 4. (4) During the compaction pyrolysis experiment, expulsion of oil and gas from source rock (compaction cell) was observed with the increase in fluid pressure and fluid volume. In summary, compaction pyrolysis permits a more realistic reproduction of natural phenomena, as a result of which a more detailed study of petroleum generation and migration is possible.
Published Version
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