Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Determining the temperature of petroleum formation from the kinetic properties of petroleum asphaltenes

Nature volume 406, pages 173–176 (2000)Cite this article

Abstract

Knowledge of the timing and location of petroleum formation is important in assessing the extent of available reserves in hydrocarbon-forming basins. This can be predicted from the thermal history of a basin and the kinetic parameters that characterize the thermal breakdown of kerogen in source rocks. At present, the kinetic parameters of kerogen breakdown are experimentally determined using immature rock samples from basin margins1, but questions remain about the accuracy of this approach2, especially when significant variability is observed within individual source units3,4,5. Here we show that the kinetics of hydrocarbon generation from petroleum asphaltenes can be used to determine the temperature conditions of the actual source rock at the time of expulsion of the sampled petroleum. This relationship reflects the structural similarity of asphaltenes to the parent kerogen6,7. We expect that our approach may be used as a comparatively simple alternative method for assessing the petroleum generation characteristics of a given basin, which will allow for better estimates of the available oil resources and the risks associated with their exploration.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Comparison of computed transformation ratios of source-rock kerogens and asphaltenes.
Figure 2: Activation energy distributions and calculated transformation ratios.
Figure 3: Range of kinetic variability of Draupne Formation samples compared to petroleum asphaltene.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Tegelaar, E. W. & Noble, R. A. Kinetics of hydrocarbon generation as a function of the molecular structure of kerogen as revealed by pyrolysis-gas chromatography. Org. Geochem. 22, 543–574 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Ungerer, P. & Pelet, R. Extrapolation of the kinetics of oil and gas formation from laboratory experiments to sedimentary basins. Nature 327, 52–54 ( 1987).

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Jarvie, D. M. Factors affecting Rock-Eval derived kinetic parameters. Chem. Geol. 93, 79–99 ( 1991).

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Sundararaman, P., Teerman, S. C. & Mann, R. G. Determination of kerogen activation energy distribution. Energy Fuels 6, 793–803 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Soldan, A. L., Rangel, H. D., Telles, A. C. S. Jr, De Grande, S. M. B. & Henz, G. I. in Organic Geochemistry: Developments and Applications to Energy, Climate, Environment and Human History (eds Grimault, J. O. &&amp&amp&amp& Dorronhoro, C.) 128–130 (AIGOA, San Sebastian, 1995).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Pelet, R., Behar, F. & Monin, J. C. Resins and asphaltenes in the generation and migration of petroleum. Org. Geochem. 10, 481– 498 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Louis, M. C. & Tissot, B. P. Influence de la temperature et de la pression sur la formation de hydrocarbures dans les argiles a kerogene. Proc. 7th World Petroleum Congr. Mexico. 2, 47–60 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Tissot, B. P. & Welte, D. H. Petroleum Formation and Occurrence 1–699 (Springer, Berlin, 1984).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  9. Béhar, F. & Pelet, R. Pyrolysis-gas chromatography applied to organic geochemistry. Structural similarities between kerogens and asphaltenes from related rock extracts and oils. J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis 8, 173–187 ( 1985).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Jones, D. M., Douglas, A. G. & Connan, J. Hydrous pyrolysis of asphaltenes and polar fractions of biodegraded oils. Org. Geochem. 13, 981 –993 (1988).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Cassani, F. & Eglinton, G. Organic geochemistry of Venezuelan extra-heavy crude oils. 1. Pyrolysis of asphaltenes: a technique for the correlation and maturity evaluation of crude oils. Chem. Geol. 56, 167–183 (1986).

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Wilhelms, A. & Larter, S. Origin of tar mats in petroleum reservoirs. Part 1: introduction and case studies. Mar. Petrol. Geol. 11, 418–441 (1994).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Muscio, G. P. A., Horsfield, B. & Welte, D. H. in Organic Geochemistry: Advances and Applications in Energy and the Natural Environment. 15th meeting of the European Association of Organic Geochemists Poster Abstracts (ed. Manning, D.) 447– 449 (Manchester Univ. Press, Manchester, 1991).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Horsfield, B., Heckers, J., Leythaeuser, D., Littke, R. & Mann, U. A study of the Holzener Asphaltkalk, Northern Germany: observations regarding the distribution, composition and origin of organic matter in an exhumed petroleum reservoir. Mar. Petrol. Geol. 8, 198–211 (1991).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Horsfield, B., Dueppenbecker, S. J., Schenk, H. J. & Schaefer, R. G. in Basin Modelling: Advances and Applications (ed. Doré, A. G. et al.) 243–249 (Norwegian Petroleum Society (NPF) Special Publication No. 3, Elsevier, Amsterdfam, 1993).

    Google Scholar 

  16. di Primio, R. & Horsfield, B. Predicting the generation of heavy oils in carbonate/evaporitic environments using pyrolysis methods. Org. Geochem. 24, 999–1016 (1997).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Santamaria-Orozco, D., Horsfield, B., di Primio, R. & Welte, D. H. Influence of maturity on distributions of benzo- and dibenzothiophenes in Tithonian source rocks and crude oils, Sonda de Campeche, Mexico. Org. Geochem. 28, 423–439 (1998).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Horsfield, B., Clegg, H., Wilkes, H. & Santamaria-Orozco, D. Maturity control of carbazole distributions in petroleum systems. Naturwissenschaften 85, 233–237 ( 1998).

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  19. Guzman-Vega, M. A. & Mello, M. R. Origin of oil in the Sureste Basin, Mexico. Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bulletin 83, 1068–1095 ( 1999).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Speight, J. G. et al. Molecular weight and association of asphaltenes: a critical review. Rev. Inst.Fr. Petrol. 40, 51– 61 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Neumann, H. J., Paczynska-Lahme, B. & Severin, D. Composition And Properties Of Petroleum (Ferdinand Enke, Stuttgart, 1981).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Schaefer, R. G., Schenk, H. J., Hardelauf, H. & Harms, R. in Advances in Organic Geochemistry 1989 (eds Durand, B. & Behar, F.) 115–120 (Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1990 ).

    Google Scholar 

  23. Mills, N. et al. in Improving the Exploration Process by Learning from the Past (eds Ofstad, K., Kittilsen, J. E. & Marrack, P. A.) (Norwegian Petroleum Society (NPF) Special Publication No. 9, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2000).

    Google Scholar 

  24. Horstad, I., Larter, S. R. & Mills, N. in The Geochemistry of Reservoirs (eds Cubitt, J. M. & England, W. A.) 159–183 (Geological Society Special Publication No. 86, London, 1995).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Saga Petroleum ASA, Norsk Hydro, PEMEX and the Mexican Petroleum Institute for support and permission to publish.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Mario A. Guzman-Vega

    Present address: Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo, deleg. G.A. Madero, Eje Central Lazaro Cardenas 152, Mexico City, 07730, Mexico

  2. Rolando di Primio

    Present address: Norsk Hydro Research Centre, PO Box 7190, N-5020, Bergen, Norway

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Saga Petroleum ASA, Kjørbøveien 16, Sandvika, 1301, Norway

    Rolando di Primio

  2. ICG-4, Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, Juelich, 52425, Germany

    Brian Horsfield

Authors
  1. Rolando di Primio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Brian Horsfield
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mario A. Guzman-Vega
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

di Primio, R., Horsfield, B. & Guzman-Vega, M. Determining the temperature of petroleum formation from the kinetic properties of petroleum asphaltenes. Nature 406, 173–176 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/35018046

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/35018046

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing