GEOL 100 Chapter Notes - Chapter 18.1: Organic Matter, Kerogen, Diesel Fuel
Document Summary
Petroleum: organic substance, composed of carbon bonded with hydrogen and smaller amounts of other elements (hydrocarbons) Hydrocarbons: term used to refer to oil and natural gas and their refinery produced products: Reefs and other creatures that contribute organic matter to deep ocean sediment. Terrestrial and aquatic plants contribute organic matter to sediment. Land plants can change into coal and methane when buried. Most comes from microorganisms that occur in seas and lakes. Natural organic matter comes in many forms. Convert to succession of other hydrocarbons when heated (including oil) Processes that turn organic material into oil and gas: Source rock: a rock that contains enough organic material to produce petroleum. Organic material is converted into kerogen when buried to shallow depths and heated to less than 60 degrees celsius. Kerogen: a thick substance composed of long chains of hydrocarbons. Source rocks are buried by more sedimentary layers over time.
