Phase III GB754: Compositional kinetics
and MSSV analysis

- Compositional kinetic assessment on 3 samples for C1 (dry gas), C2-C4 (wet gas), C5-C14 (light oil), and C15+ (black oil) fractional kinetic parameters and yields data
- MicroScale Sealed Vessel (MSSV) analysis of source rocks matured to 3 different conversion levels for light hydrocarbon and generated oil fingerprints

Phase IV GB754: MSSV or hydrous pyrolysis biomarker analysis and comparison to 80 type specific oils GOM

- MicroScale Sealed Vessel (MSSV) analysis of source rocks matured to 3 different conversion levels for “whole oil” biomarker analysis
- Comparison to oils (GC, GCMS) throughout the GOM (80 oils)

Phase V: Bulk kinetics on oil asphaltenes and rock extract asphaltenes

- Asphaltene precipitation
- Bulk oil asphaltene kinetics
- Bulk extraction asphaltene kinetics

The availability of largely unaltered organic matter from the Cretaceous and Jurassic horizons will allow detailed determination of the characteristics of these source rocks. The rates of decomposition of kerogen can be measured on these rocks. In addition the maturation of these kerogens in the laboratory will allow determination of the characteristics of pristine oils as they are generated from these sources at increasing levels of thermal maturity.

Thus, accurate modeling of hydrocarbon generation based on bulk and compositional kinetics, the yields of oil and gas, and oil quality assessment will be the major benefits of this study. In addition lithofaciesðspecific biomarkers will be recorded. Modeling of thermal maturation of these kerogens will aid efforts to calibrate well data to those measured on these source rocks. Additional well data may be added.

Figure 2. The high organic carbon content and oil prone nature of these immature Cretaceous and Jurassic source rocks is demonstrated by a kerogen typing plot from TOC and Rock-Eval data (Jarvie et al., 2002).