This work is directed at understanding the kinetics of vitrinite and solid bitumen maturation through hydrous pyrolysis experiments, potentially enabling a direct methodology to detect ‘vitrinite reflectance suppression,’ a commonly reported problem in the early- to mid-oil window. This task also examines the molecular chemistry of kerogen conversion to petroleum via in situ chemical probing by micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (micro-FTIR) and other chemical probes during thermal maturity advance. These goals are achieved by using natural and artificial maturation sequences of organic-rich shale and mudrock. Results have shown that the kinetics of solid bitumen maturation are slower than vitrinite, potentially explaining the commonly reported ‘vitrinite reflectance suppression’ effect as simple misidentification of solid bitumen as vitrinite. The significance of this work was recognized with bestowment of the 2018 Ralph Gray Award for Best Refereed Paper in Coal and Organic Petrology from The Society of Organic Petrology.
Objectives:
- Characterize the in situ chemical transformation of kerogen conversionsedimentary organic matter to hydrocarbons petroleum via micro-spectroscopy approaches, i.e., micro-FTIR and micro-Raman, among others
Below are other science projects associated with this project task.
Photomicrograph Atlas
Vitrinite Reflectance Service
Thermal Indices Innovation
Standardization of Petrographic Measurements
- Overview
This work is directed at understanding the kinetics of vitrinite and solid bitumen maturation through hydrous pyrolysis experiments, potentially enabling a direct methodology to detect ‘vitrinite reflectance suppression,’ a commonly reported problem in the early- to mid-oil window. This task also examines the molecular chemistry of kerogen conversion to petroleum via in situ chemical probing by micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (micro-FTIR) and other chemical probes during thermal maturity advance. These goals are achieved by using natural and artificial maturation sequences of organic-rich shale and mudrock. Results have shown that the kinetics of solid bitumen maturation are slower than vitrinite, potentially explaining the commonly reported ‘vitrinite reflectance suppression’ effect as simple misidentification of solid bitumen as vitrinite. The significance of this work was recognized with bestowment of the 2018 Ralph Gray Award for Best Refereed Paper in Coal and Organic Petrology from The Society of Organic Petrology.
Objectives:
- Characterize the in situ chemical transformation of kerogen conversionsedimentary organic matter to hydrocarbons petroleum via micro-spectroscopy approaches, i.e., micro-FTIR and micro-Raman, among others
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project task.
Photomicrograph Atlas
The Photomicrograph Atlas provides a basic tutorial in the nomenclature of organic materials as they occur in sedimentary rocks such as coal and shale, information on the taxonomies used by various groups and organizations, and a database of images related to the characterization of fossil fuel resources in the United States and the world.Vitrinite Reflectance Service
Vitrinite reflectance is regarded as the gold standard thermal maturity parameter and vitrinite reflectance data is needed for energy resource assessment and other types of basin analysis studies. This effort provides vitrinite reflectance and qualitative organic petrography of shale, mudrock, coal and other unconventional reservoir samples as a routine in-house service, from the Organic Petrology...Thermal Indices Innovation
Thermal indices innovation utilizes correlative microscopy techniques for innovative approaches to thermal indices development, including confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), AFM-IR (combined atomic force and infrared microscopy), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and SEM of Argon ion-milled sample surfaces combined with traditional organic petrography. The innovation task also is testing...Standardization of Petrographic Measurements
Advent of the ‘shale revolution’ since about 2005 has caused increased demand for reliable petrographic measurements of thermal maturity in shale via vitrinite reflectance, long considered the ‘gold standard’ approach. A standardized methodology for organic reflectance measurement in shale first became available in 2011 (ASTM D7708), based on prior work by task members. However, interlaboratory... - Data
- Publications