Observations on Indian Permian Gondwana Coals Under Fluorescence Microscopy: An Overview

Macerals like sporinite, cutinite, suberinite and resinite of the liptinite group have been insufficiently recorded in Indian Permian Gondwana coals, until the fluorescence microscopy came into existence. With the introduction of this technique, macerals like bituminite, fluorinite and exsudatinite were convincingly recognized and alginite and liptodetrinite, normally mistaken for mineral matter under normal reflected light in routine coal petrographic analysis, were identified with certainty. Thus, fluorescence microscopy has added certain new macerals to the tally of the liptinite group and has increased their overall proportion in Indian Gondwana coals.In addition to the liptinite group, collodetrinite (=desmocollinite) and a certain fraction of collotelinite (=telocollinite) macerals of the vitrinite group were found to be fluorescing with dull reddish-brown to dark brown colours. Certain semifusinite and inertodetrinite macerals of inertinite group were also found to fluoresce with almost identical intensity and colour as that of the associated perhydrous (fluorescing) vitrinite. Contributions of degraded resinite, algal matter and bitumen in the formation of perhydrous vitrinite have been established. The fluorescence behaviour of inertinite appears to be related with its genesis from partial oxidation of resin/bitumen-impregnated cell walls.     

Limitation of petrographic indices in depositional environmental interpretation of coal deposits

Organic petrology based petrographic indices (Tissue Preservation Index and Gelification Index) is a widely utilized tool in the study of depositional palaeoenvironment of coal. Evaluation of these petrographic indices suggests that, at present, utilize only vitrinite/huminite and inertinite macerals to interpret depositional environment of coal. Liptinite group macerals have important depositional environment implications, but liptinite macerals have not been taken into account in earlier petrographic indices (TPI and GI) formulations. This article examines the limitation of TPI and GI, and proposes improved TPI and GI indices, including the liptinite and inertinite macerals having depositional environment significance.     

Organic geochemistry and petrography of Lower Cretaceous Wealden black shales of the Lower Saxony Basin: The transition from lacustrine oil shales to gas shales

Ninety-seven Wealden black shale samples from three wells in the Lower Saxony Basin have been studied by organic geochemical and organic petrographical methods to determine their maturity, organic facies and depositional environment. The maturities of the three wells range from early mature (Ex-A), late to postmature (Ex-C) to overmature (Ex-B) as determined by vitrinite reflectance measurements, diamondoid ratios and other geochemical maturity parameters. Ex-C and Ex-B show distinct petrographic features related to oil generation and migration. In particular, the occurrence of dispersed solid bitumen replacing initial type I kerogen suggests a formerly active petroleum system. Structural and textural differences between early mature alginites and solid bitumen in postmature to overmature samples show an alteration of the pore system with increasing maturity. A freshwater depositional environment is indicated by widespread occurrence of botryococcus algae and other small alginite particles predominating in the immature well. These alginites are absent in the more mature gas shales of wells Ex-C and Ex-B. Geochemical evidence of algae and phytoplankton in general is provided by numerous biomarker parameters, while the occurrence of β-carotane in some samples indicates events of increased salinity, although no hypersaline conditions are inferred due to very low gammacerane indices. Increased amounts of vitrinite and inertinite in samples of Ex-B suggest locally significant terrigenous input of organic matter for some periods during Wealden Shale deposition. High sulfur/organic carbon ratios provide evidence for sulfate rich waters and (partly) anoxic bottom water conditions. While the lower mature lacustrine source rocks generate paraffinic/waxy oils, gas and condensates are produced at post-mature stages. Furthermore, maturity distribution maps from 3D numerical petroleum systems modeling reveal substantial differences in respect to petroleum generation.     

Comparison of source rock geochemistry of selected rocks from the Schei Point group and Ringnes formation, Sverdrup basin, arctic Canada

Organic-rich from the Schei Point group (middle to late Triassic in age) and the Ringnes formation (late Jurassic) from the Sverdrup basin of the Canadian arctic archipelago have been geochemically evaluated for source rock characterization. Most samples from the Schei Point group are organic-rich (> 2% TOC and are considered as immature to mature oil-prone source rocks [kerogen types I, I–II (IIA) and II (IIA)]. These kerogen types contain abundant AOM1, AOM2 and alginite (Tasmanales, Nostocopsis, Leiosphaeridia, acritarch and dinoflagellate) with variable amounts of vitrinite, inertinite and exinite. Samples from the Ringnes formation contain dominant vitrinite and inertinite with partially oxidized AOM2, alginite and exinite forming mostly immature to mature condensate- and gas-prone source rocks [kerogen type II–III (IIB), III and a few II (IIA)]. Schei Point samples contain higher bitumen extract, saturate hydrocarbons and saturate/ aromatic ratio than the Ringnes samples. Triterpane and sterane (dominant C₃₀) distribution patterns and stable carbon isotope of bitumen and kerogen suggest that the analyzed samples from the Schei Point group are at the onset of oil generation and contain a mixture of sapropelic (algal) and minor terrestrial humic organic matter. Sterane carbon number distributions in the Ringnes formation also suggest a mixed algal and terrestrial organic matter type. There are some variations in hopane carbon number distributions, but these are apparently a function of thermal maturity rather than significant genetic differences among samples. Pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of the two samples with similar maturity shows that the Schei Point sample generates three times more pyrolyzate than the Ringnes sample. Both samples have a dominant aliphatic character, although the Ringnes sample contains phenol and an aromaticity that is higher than that of the Schei Point sample.     

湖相碳酸盐岩烃源岩有机显微组分分类及其岩石学特征——以酒西盆地为例

酒西盆地主力烃源岩为下白垩统下沟组和赤金堡组暗色半深湖相-深湖相的白云质泥岩和泥质白云岩,是典型的湖相碳酸盐岩烃源岩。通过对酒西盆地下白垩统二百多块湖相碳酸盐岩烃源岩详细的有机岩石学研究,解剖了湖相碳酸盐岩烃源岩中有机质的赋存形式,揭示了藻纹层为有机质纹层的主要发育形式,其与富泥晶白云石纹层和富粘土纹层构成湖相碳酸盐岩烃源岩特有的"三元式纹层"沉积结构,系统总结了各显微组分的光性、成因、生烃性及分布规律,提出了以全岩和干酪根为基础的湖相碳酸盐岩有机显微组分分类方案,首次鉴定出对酒西盆地油气有贡献的主要生烃组分为腐泥无定形体、腐殖无定形体以及浮游藻类体、孢粉体、壳屑体五种有机显微组分。     

Mineralogy and organic petrology of oil shales in the Sangkarewang Formation, Ombilin Basin, West Sumatra, Indonesia

The Ombilin Basin is filled by late Eocene to early Oligocene marginal fan deposits (Brani Formation) and lacustrine shales (Sangkarewang Formation), unconformably overlain by a late Oligocene to early Miocene fluvial sequence (Sawahlunto and Sawahtambang Formations) and capped by an early to mid-Miocene marine sequence (Ombilin Formation). Significant oil shale deposits occur in the Sangkarewang Formation, intercalated with thin laminated greenish-grey calcareous sandstones. X-ray diffraction shows that the sediments consist mainly of quartz, feldspar, carbonates and a range of clay minerals, together in some cases with minor proportions of sulphides, evaporites and zeolites. Feldspar and non-kaolinite clay minerals decrease up the sequence, relative to kaolinite, suggesting a changing sediment source as the basin was filled. Calcite, thought to be mainly of authigenic origin, is also more abundant in the middle and upper parts of the sequence.The organic matter in the oil shales of the sequence is dominated by liptinite macerals, particularly alginite (mainly lamalginite) and sporinite. Cutinite also occurs in some samples, along with resinite and traces of bituminite. The dominance of lamalginite in the liptinite components suggests that the material can be described as a lamosite. Samples from the Sangkarewang Formation have vitrinite reflectance values ranging between 0.37% and 0.55%. These are markedly lower than the vitrinite reflectance for coal from the overlying Sawahlunto Formation (0.68%), possibly due to suppression associated with the abundant liptinite in the oil shales.Fischer assay data on outcrop samples indicate that the oil yield is related to the organic carbon content. Correlations with XRD data show that, with one exception, the oil yield and organic carbon can also be correlated directly to the abundance of carbonate (calcite) and inversely to the abundance of quartz plus feldspar. This suggests that the abundance of algal material in the lake sediments was preferentially associated with carbonate deposition. High yields of oil are noted in some samples, as a percentage of the organic carbon content. This may indicate that partial generation of hydrocarbons from the material has already taken place, in association with thermal maturation of the Sangkarewang succession.     

Geochemical and petrographic characterization of organic matter in the Upper Jurassic Madbi shale succession (Masila Basin,Yemen): Origin,type and preservation

The Upper Jurassic Madbi Formation, located in the Masila Basin, eastern Yemen, represents the major source rock in this basin. Organic rich shales from two oilfields (Kharir and Wadi Taribah) were analysed to evaluate the type and origin of the organic matter and to determine the factors controlling its deposition. This study is based on geochemical analyses of whole rock (total organic carbon content, Rock-Eval pyrolysis and carbon isotope data) and petrographic analyses on organic matter (kerogen maceral composition and palynofacies) by optical and scanning electron microscopy. Organic petrographic composition of kerogen shows that the Madbi shale is characterized by high amounts of organic matter, consisting predominantly of yellow fluorescing amorphous organic matter and alginite of marine origin. Terrigenous organic materials such as vitrinite, spores and pollen are present in low quantities. The predominance of marine plankton, as indicated by visual kerogen analysis, is consistent with reported carbon isotopic values. It appears that the high amounts of organic matter in the Madbi shale succession might be mainly due to good preservation under suboxic–anoxic conditions. Consequently the Madbi shales possess very good petroleum generative potential, owing to high content of hydrogen rich Type II and I oil prone kerogen.     

南堡凹陷下第三系烃源岩显微组分组成与热演化

采用有机岩石学全岩光片镜鉴技术 ,系统研究了南堡凹陷下第三系烃源岩的显微组分组成、主要生烃组分及热演化。南堡凹陷烃源岩总体上具有以陆生高等植物生源的有机物质占优势 ,富含镜质组、贫惰性组的特点 ,孢子体、藻类体、壳屑体和矿物沥青基质为该区主要生烃组分。利用镜质组反射率 Ro 和富氢组分显微荧光的变化 ,讨论了南堡凹陷下第三系烃源岩有机质热演化的特征 ,初步提出了有机质热演化阶段的划分方案。     

Hydrocarbon source potential and depositional environment of the Surma Group shales of Bengal basin,Bangladesh

Surma Group is the most important geological unit of Bengal basin, Bangladesh, because petroleum resources occur within this group. It is mainly composed of alternation of shale and sandstone and the shale fraction has long been considered as source rocks and the sandstone fraction as reservoir. These source and reservoir rocks have been studied by different authors by different approach but none of them adopted organic geochemistry and organic petrology as a means of study of source rock and their possible depositional environment. A total of thirty shale core samples have been collected from eight different gas fields to fulfill the short coming. The collected samples have been subjected to Source Rock Analysis (SRA) and/or Rock-Eval (RE) followed by pyrolysis gas chromatography (PyGC), gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS), elemental analysis (EA) and organic petrological study such as vitrinite reflectance measurement and maceral analysis. The analyzed organic matter extracted from the shales of Surma Group consists mainly of Type III along with some Type II kerogen. The studied shales are mostly organically lean (TOC ±1%) and the extracted organic matter is fair to moderate. Based on these results, the analyzed shales have been ranked as poor (mostly) to fair quality source rock. The organic matter of the analyzed shale samples is thermally immature to early mature for hydrocarbon generation considering their T_max and measured mean vitrinite reflectance values. The hopane 22S/(22S + 22R), moretane/hopane ratio and sterane parameters are also in good agreement with these thermal maturity assessments. The predominance of odd carbons over even carbons (most common) and/or even carbons over odd carbon numbered n-alkanes, moderate Pr/Ph ratio, low to high Tm/Ts ratio, comparative abundance of sterane C₂₉ (i.e., C₂₉ >C₂₇>C₂₈), Pr/nC₁₇ — Ph/nC₁₈ values, C/S ratio and dominance of vitrinite macerals group with the presence of liptinite macerals demonstrate that the organic matter has derived mainly from terrestrial inputs with an insignificant contribution from the marine sources. The condition of deposition alternates from oxic to anoxic.     

Lasers in organic petrology and organic geochemistry, II. In-situ laser micropyrolysis-GCMS of coal macerals

The development and preliminary results of a novel laser micropyrolysis-gas chromatography, mass spectrometry (LMPy-GCMS) system are described. Short exposures of near-infra red (IR) laser radiation focused through a microscope's optics onto a specific, targeted maceral within a polymaceralic organic-rich shale or coal are used to release the thermal evaporation and pyrolysis products from the maceral. The products from multiple exposures on a single maceral type are collectively analyzed online using GCMS. This technique is intended to provide a means of chemically characterizing individual, microscopic organic entities (> 25 μm) in coals and shales without the need to physically separate them from each other (e.g. density gradient centrifugation) or from their mineral matrix (e.g. bulk analysis of kerogen concentrates). Molecular characterization of individual macerals is important in predicting the technological properties of coal and the petroleum generation potential of petroleum source rocks.Different macerals respond differently when exposed to focused near-IR laser radiation due to differences in their heat capacity and heat conduction. The thermal products released during irradiation of macerals (ulminite, alginite, sporinite and fusinite) representing the huminite, liptinite and inertinite maceral groups are presented. Under the appropriate heating, collecting, and trapping conditions, the thermal products liberated are considered representative of the macromolecular structure of the macerals. Structural elucidation of macerals in coals and shales could significantly benefit from concerted efforts of this and other in-situ micro-analytical techniques.     

Notes on the origin of inertinite macerals in coals: Observations on the importance of fungi in the origin of macrinite

Macrinite is a, generally, rare inertinite maceral, often incorporating remnants and fragments of other macerals, including vitrinite, liptinite, and other inertinite. The associated inertinites include multiple forms of funginite. Funginite is also commonly found in association with vitrinite of slightly elevated reflectance and with degraded varieties of vitrinite. Together with the highly degraded macrinite, the latter two associations are here inferred to be part of a continuum of fungal and microbial degradation of peat. In any case, the origin of some macrinite is potentially distinct from that of inertinite generated by fire.     

Organic Geochemical and Petrographic Characteristics of the Coal Measure Source Rocks of Pinghu Formation in the Xihu Sag of the East China Sea Shelf Basin: Implications for Coal Measure Gas Potential

Coal measure source rocks, located in the Xihu Sag of the East China Sea Shelf Basin, were analyzed to define the hydrocarbon generation potential, organic geochemistry/petrology characteristics, and coal preservation conditions. The Pinghu source rocks in the Xihu Sag are mainly gas-prone accompany with condensate oil generation. The coals and shales of the Pinghu Formation are classified from "fair" to "excellent" source rocks with total organic carbon(TOC) contents ranging from 25.2% to 77.2% and 1.29% to 20.9%, respectively. The coals are richer in TOC and S1+S2 than the shales, indicating that the coals have more generation potential per unit mass. Moreover, the kerogen type of the organic matter consists of types Ⅱ-Ⅲ and Ⅲ, which the maturity Ro ranges from 0.59% to 0.83%. Petrographically, the coals and shales are dominated by vitrinite macerals(69.1%–96.8%) with minor proportions of liptinite(2.5%–17.55%) and inertinite(0.2%–6.2%). The correlation between maceral composition and S1+S2 indicates that the main contributor to the generation potential is vitrinite. Therefore, the coals and shales of the Pinghu Formation has good hydrocarbon generation potential, which provided a good foundation for coal measure gas accumulation. Furthermore, coal facies models indicates that the Pinghu coal was deposited in limno-telmatic environment under high water levels, with low tree density(mainly herbaceous) and with low-moderate nutrient supply. Fluctuating water levels and intermittent flooding during the deposition of peat resulted in the inter-layering of coal, shale and sandstone, which potentially providing favorable preservation conditions for coal measure gas.     

Petro-chemical investigation of some perhydrous Indian coals

An attempt has been made to study the petro-chemical characteristics of some high sulphur sub-bituminous coal samples from Makum coalfield, Assam, India. The proximate and ultimate analyes were carried out and forms of sulphur were determined and their relationships with the Maceral constituents (vitrinite, liptinite, and inertinite) were investigated. The macerals (vitrinite+liptinite+inertinite) have significant relationships (R²>0.500) with volatile matter and carbon, whereas weak correlations were seen with rest of the physico-chemical characteristics of the coals. The study reveals that these coals are rich in vitrinites and sulphur and are aromatic in nature. These coals have good hydrocarbon potential.     

中国西北侏罗纪煤系显微组分热解油生物标志物特征及其意义

从西北地区侏罗纪煤中分离出来的不同显微组分热解油生物标志物总体上比较相似,但在一些特殊生物标志物的分布上存在明显差异。藻类体、孢子体、角质体热解油Pr/Ph比值一般在1.5～2.0之间,镜质体和基质镜质体热解油Pr/Ph比值在3～4之间,但均只有相应原煤抽提物Pr/Ph比值的一半。在常规生物标志物甾烷和萜烷组成中,藻类体和孢子体含有相对丰富的C27甾烷,角质体其次,镜质体和基质镜质体C27甾烷含量很低或者基本不含C27甾烷;藻类体和角质体含有较高的伽马蜡烷,而与藻类体来自相同原煤的孢子体伽马蜡烷含量很低;镜质体和基质镜质体基本上不含伽马蜡烷;分离显微组分的原煤伽马蜡烷含量均很低。由此可见,伽马蜡烷的含量不仅与有机质沉积水体的盐度有关,与母源的成分也有关系。显微组分热解油与煤系原油生物标志物组成特征对比表明,煤系原油是藻类体、孢子体、角质体等富氢组分和相对贫氢的镜质组生成产物的混合物。不同油气藏中的原油,每一类显微组分的贡献可能不尽相同,有些原油可能主要来源于藻类体和孢子体等富氢显微组分,而有些原油除了富氢显微组分有贡献外,镜质组对其也有一定的贡献,但富氢显微组分应该是煤系含油气盆地中主要的生油显微组分。     

Organic petrology and source rock potential of sediments in the Eromanga Basin, South Australia

Cuttings and cores from the Poolowanna 1 well, Eromanga Basin, South Australia (in which oil was discovered in Lower Jurassic reservoirs) and the Macumba 1 well (no oil) have been analyzed petrographically to assess the nature of the coals and dispersed organic matter present. The Jurassic and Cretaceous coals have medium to high vitrinite contents, low to relatively high exinite, and medium to low inertinite contents. The dispersed organic matter has comparatively less vitrinite, more exinite and/or more inertinite than the associated coals. The microlithotype compositions of the coals indicate that the original vegetation was largely woody in character and was buried before much oxidation had occurred.The Jurassic sediments contain up to 2% dispersed organic matter by volume, 0–75% of which is exinite, including alginite. Vitrinite reflectances range from 0.5 to 0.7%. Where sufficiently mature, the Jurassic sediments are good potential source rocks for hydrocarbons.Statistical testing of the analytical results for the Jurassic Poolowanna Formation using Kendall's τ as a measure of dependence shows that there is a significant association between the macerals in coal and dispersed organic matter. The ratio of exinite to inertinite in dispersed organic matter is reasonably well predicted by the corresponding ratio in the associated coal.     

四川盆地五峰—龙马溪组黑色页岩有机岩石学特征研究

目前五峰—龙马溪组黑色页岩中显微组分缺乏统一的分类方案,命名也较为混乱,给页岩气勘探与评价造成了困难。为此,采用全岩光片和有机地球化学(TOC、δ¹³C_org)分析等方法,对四川盆地五峰—龙马溪组黑色页岩中显微组分进行有效识别与特征总结,探讨其可能成因,并判断其有机质类型。研究结果表明:五峰—龙马溪组页岩中显微组分主要由海相镜质组、腐泥组、动物有机碎屑组和次生组组成。其中,海相镜质组由无结构镜质体组成,呈浑圆状或长条状,具有强的光反射能力,但分布并不广泛;腐泥组主要由无结构腐泥体组成,为藻类遭受热降解过程而形成的无结构且无固定形态的显微组分,在富有机质页岩中广泛分布;动物有机碎屑组主要包括笔石表皮体、几丁虫和放射虫有机碎屑体;次生组由次生沥青体组成,广泛分布在页岩基质孔隙中,呈无固定形状。五峰—龙马溪组页岩中主要发育腐泥组和次生组,其次为动物有机碎屑组和海相镜质组,其有机质类型以Ⅰ-Ⅱ₁型干酪根为主,且腐泥组和次生组含量越高,有机质类型越好,其生烃潜力越大。     

中国西北侏罗纪煤系显微组分生烃潜力、产物地球化学特征及其意义

从吐哈盆地侏罗纪煤中分离富集了藻类体、孢子体、角质体、镜质体、基质镜质体和丝质体6种主要显微组分,进行了热解及热模拟实验,并对各显微组分热模拟生成的产物热解油进行了碳同位素组成等分析。各显微组分热解生烃潜力及其热解产物热解油的碳同位素组成表明,煤系有机质中藻类体的生油潜力最高,生成的液态烃类的碳同位素组成最轻;孢子体、角质体等陆源富氢组分生烃潜力低于藻类体,生成的液态烃类的碳同位素组成重于藻类体生成的液态烃类,与煤系含油气盆地中原油的碳同位素组成基本一致。这些富氢显微组分应该是煤系有机质中主要的生油显微组分。镜质体和基质镜质体的生油潜力相对较低,其生成的液态烃类的碳同位素组成比一般煤系原油重得多,而且这些组分本身对液态烃具有较强的吸附力,尽管其在煤系有机质中所占的比例很大,仍然难以成为生成液态石油的主要显微组分,只能在高成熟演化阶段成为良好的生气显微组分。丝质体等惰性组分生烃潜力极低,不可能成为生油组分。此外,结合原煤的显微组分组成、生烃潜力和元素分析,提出仅仅以壳质组的含量高低来评价煤的生烃潜力不完全可靠,热解是经济、快速、有效的评价方法。     

Using reflectance crossplots and rotational polarization for determining first-cycle vitrinite for maturation studies

Vitrinite reflectance on dispersed sedimentary organic matter is traditionally determined from histograms of vitrinite and inertinite reflectance measured on either whole rock samples or kerogen concentrates, or from particles usually in whole rock preparations chosen by morphology and relative reflectance to be first-cycle vitrinite. This paper discusses an alternative method: discrimination of first-cycle vitrinite using apparent maximum and minimum reflectance data plotted on reflectance crossplots. The use of crossplots increases the confidence that the macerals identified as first-cycle vitrinite are optically similar. The maximum–minimum data, in this study, were collected on a quantitative reflectance microscope outfitted with rotational polarization, a technique that eliminates the usual difficulty in collecting such data on very small macerals by stage rotation.     

Liptinite in coal and oil source rocks in northern Thailand

Palynological study of northern Thailand coal and oil deposits indicates a similar palynological association to that of the Borneo region. Coal petrographic studies of these deposits show variations in the liptinite macerals, especially alginite types. The oldest of these coal and oil deposits, which are of Late Oligocene to Early Miocene age, are dominated by Botryococcus sp. or Botryococcus-related algae. Thick-walled lamaginites and spores and pollen of temperate affinity, are found in some areas. By contrast, thin-walled lamaginite is dominant in late Middle Miocene time. Resinite, suberinite, and cutinite are dominant in forest swamp coal deposits whereas alginite, cutinite and lycopodium spores are dominant in lacustrine environments. Exsudatinite is common even at early levels of maturation. These liptinite macerals can be major sources of oil and gas.     

Study of petrological characteristics of coal deposits from Marki-Jhari-Jamni area,Wardha valley coalfield,Maharashtra

A detailed study of maceral composition and vitrinite reflectance of the coal deposits from Marki-Jhari-Jamni area, situated in the northwestern extremity of Wardha valley coalfield, Yeotmal district, Maharashtra has been carried out with special reference to their depositional set up. These coals have two distinct types of maceral organization, one having significantly high distribution of the vitrinite group of macerals (35–41%) and the other containing the dominance of inertinite (26–49%). Liptinite maceral group is recorded between 14 and 24%, barring a few coal bands having liptinite maceral group as high as 33–37%. The vitrinite reflectivity ranges from 0.38–0.43%. Thus, they have attained sub-bituminous C rank. Mineral matter in these coals varies between 15 and 22%. The present study suggests that the basin primarily experienced cold climate having intermittent brackish water influx with alternating dry oxidizing spells.