Thermal indices innovation focuses on the utilization of correlative microscopy and spectroscopy techniques for innovative approaches to advance the understanding of thermal indices development. These techniques include correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and atomic force microscopy and infrared microscopy (AFM-IR), among others. Use of these instruments can help to differentiate sedimentary organic matter (SOM) types and reveal the spatial evolution of their properties during thermal maturity advancement, allowing for the development and application of innovative instrument tests to measure thermal indices. Thermal indices innovation research has led to pioneering results in organic petrology, including the first applications of AFM-IR, optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy via confocal laser scanning microscopy, integrated correlative light and electron microscopy, and application of cathodoluminescence as a tool to identify organic matter types.
Objectives:
An important control on reservoir permeability and hydrocarbon storage space in shale petroleum systems is an interconnected nano-porosity network. The consensus is that porosity in SOM consequently forms due to increasing thermal maturity and the generation of petroleum from SOM. There are inconsistencies, however, regarding the thermal regime with respect to its preservation in different matrices, its development in different SOM types, and timing of the onset of organic porosity development. The advancement of understanding these inconsistencies requires the ability to differentiate SOM and observe porosity at the nanoscale. Because electron microscopy is unable to differentiate SOM types, CLEM, CLSM, and AFM-IR techniques are used in this research. Prior innovation research focused on these issues yielded pioneering results on hydrocarbon generation and migration fractionation of petroleum, which led to distribution of these advancements at invited international presentations and in an invited synthesis manuscript.
Continuation of these efforts involves three main objectives to advance the understanding of thermal indices development. The first is to use CLEM techniques to document organic porosity development in different thermal regimes and SOM type at a range of scales. Another goal is to better characterize petroleum formation, expulsion, and migration processes at the microscale. The third overarching goal is to continue to innovate applications of correlative microscopy and spectroscopy techniques to characterize physical and chemical properties of SOM across a range of thermal maturities in both naturally and artificially matured sample series.
Listed below are other science projects or tasks associated with this project.
Petrographic Thermal Indices Research
Vitrinite Reflectance Service
Standardization of Petrographic Thermal Indices
Hydrous Pyrolysis and Kerogen Conversion
Listed below are data products associated with this project.
Reflectance data from figures in: Using X-ray spectrum of carbon in electron microprobe analysis to determine thermal maturity of organic matter in mudstones
Data from Cretaceous formations of the Babouri-Figuil Sedimentary Basin, northern Cameroon
Evaluation of pore-like features in sedimentary organic matter
Thermal evolution of graptolite and solid bitumen properties at high maturity under natural and artificial conditions
Strain induced molecular heterogeneity in ancient sedimentary organic matter mapped at nanoscales using optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy
Textural occurrence and organic porosity of solid bitumen in shales
Organic petrology of Cretaceous Mowry and Niobrara source-rock reservoirs, Powder River Basin, Wyoming, USA
Atomic Force Microscopy-based Infrared Spectroscopy Data within Immature Eagle Ford Shale at the Nanometer-scale
Nanoscale Molecular Composition of Solid Bitumen from the Eagle Ford Group Across a Natural Thermal Maturity Gradient
Data from Nanoscale Molecular Fractionation of Organic Matter within Unconventional Petroleum Source Beds (2019)
High Microscale Variability in Raman Thermal Maturity Estimates from Shale Organic Matter - Data Release
Listed below are publications associated with this project.
Cathodoluminescence differentiates sedimentary organic matter types
Scanning electron microscopic evaluation of broad ion beam milling effects to sedimentary organic matter: Sputter-induced artifacts or naturally occurring porosity?
Mapping ancient sedimentary organic matter molecular structure at nanoscales using optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy
Relating systematic compositional variability to the textural occurrence of solid bitumen in shales
Evaluating aromatization of solid bitumen generated in the presence and absence of water: Implications for solid bitumen reflectance as a thermal proxy
Characterization of bituminite in Kimmeridge Clay by confocal laser scanning and atomic force microscopy
The Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy Working Group of the ICCP: Final report 2021
Hydrous pyrolysis of New Albany Shale: A study examining maturation changes and porosity development
Compositional evolution of organic matter in Boquillas Shale across a thermal gradient at the single particle level
Investigating the effects of broad ion beam milling to sedimentary organic matter: Surface flattening or heat-induced aromatization and condensation?
Examination of inertinite within immature Eagle Ford Shale at the nanometer-scale using atomic force microscopy-based infrared spectroscopy
Nanoscale molecular composition of solid bitumen from the Eagle Ford Group across a natural thermal maturity gradient
Thermal indices innovation focuses on the utilization of correlative microscopy and spectroscopy techniques for innovative approaches to advance the understanding of thermal indices development. These techniques include correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and atomic force microscopy and infrared microscopy (AFM-IR), among others. Use of these instruments can help to differentiate sedimentary organic matter (SOM) types and reveal the spatial evolution of their properties during thermal maturity advancement, allowing for the development and application of innovative instrument tests to measure thermal indices. Thermal indices innovation research has led to pioneering results in organic petrology, including the first applications of AFM-IR, optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy via confocal laser scanning microscopy, integrated correlative light and electron microscopy, and application of cathodoluminescence as a tool to identify organic matter types.
Objectives:
An important control on reservoir permeability and hydrocarbon storage space in shale petroleum systems is an interconnected nano-porosity network. The consensus is that porosity in SOM consequently forms due to increasing thermal maturity and the generation of petroleum from SOM. There are inconsistencies, however, regarding the thermal regime with respect to its preservation in different matrices, its development in different SOM types, and timing of the onset of organic porosity development. The advancement of understanding these inconsistencies requires the ability to differentiate SOM and observe porosity at the nanoscale. Because electron microscopy is unable to differentiate SOM types, CLEM, CLSM, and AFM-IR techniques are used in this research. Prior innovation research focused on these issues yielded pioneering results on hydrocarbon generation and migration fractionation of petroleum, which led to distribution of these advancements at invited international presentations and in an invited synthesis manuscript.
Continuation of these efforts involves three main objectives to advance the understanding of thermal indices development. The first is to use CLEM techniques to document organic porosity development in different thermal regimes and SOM type at a range of scales. Another goal is to better characterize petroleum formation, expulsion, and migration processes at the microscale. The third overarching goal is to continue to innovate applications of correlative microscopy and spectroscopy techniques to characterize physical and chemical properties of SOM across a range of thermal maturities in both naturally and artificially matured sample series.
Listed below are other science projects or tasks associated with this project.
Petrographic Thermal Indices Research
Vitrinite Reflectance Service
Standardization of Petrographic Thermal Indices
Hydrous Pyrolysis and Kerogen Conversion
Listed below are data products associated with this project.
Reflectance data from figures in: Using X-ray spectrum of carbon in electron microprobe analysis to determine thermal maturity of organic matter in mudstones
Data from Cretaceous formations of the Babouri-Figuil Sedimentary Basin, northern Cameroon
Evaluation of pore-like features in sedimentary organic matter
Thermal evolution of graptolite and solid bitumen properties at high maturity under natural and artificial conditions
Strain induced molecular heterogeneity in ancient sedimentary organic matter mapped at nanoscales using optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy
Textural occurrence and organic porosity of solid bitumen in shales
Organic petrology of Cretaceous Mowry and Niobrara source-rock reservoirs, Powder River Basin, Wyoming, USA
Atomic Force Microscopy-based Infrared Spectroscopy Data within Immature Eagle Ford Shale at the Nanometer-scale
Nanoscale Molecular Composition of Solid Bitumen from the Eagle Ford Group Across a Natural Thermal Maturity Gradient
Data from Nanoscale Molecular Fractionation of Organic Matter within Unconventional Petroleum Source Beds (2019)
High Microscale Variability in Raman Thermal Maturity Estimates from Shale Organic Matter - Data Release
Listed below are publications associated with this project.