CMMB 545 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Kerogen, Source Rock, Diagenesis
20 Jun 2020
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Document Summary
Most widely accepted origin of fossil fuels is explained by organic theory. Oil organics formed by accumulation, burial, and transformation of ancient biomass. 3 forms of petroliferous organic matter that start in the carbon cycle. Involves the cycling of carbon (inorganic and organic) between the atmosphere and terrestrial and ocean biospheres. Most biomass is from era that predates dinosaurs. Coal deposits are formed from plant organic matter. Idea is that you have decaying plants, over time you get transformation of materials into coal seams due to pressure. Coal seam is where original peat (decaying plant) actually existed. Preliminary biomass would have been small organisms. Ancient organic matter is what geochemists have said is the formation of crude oil. Lots of crude oil formed in former marine environments. Sedimentary layers pile up on biomass, so with increased pressure and temperature organic material gets transformed into kerogen.
