Free Radicals in Organic Matter for Thermal History Reconstruction of Carbonate Succession

Geothermometer is one of the most useful methods to reconstruct the thermal history of sedimentary basins. This paper introduces the application of free radicals concentration of organic matter as a thermal indicator in the thermal history reconstruction of carbonate succession, based on anhydrous thermal simulation results of type Ⅰ and Ⅱ1 kerogen. A series of free radicals data are obtained under thermal simulation of different heating temperatures and times, and quantitative models between free radical concentration (Ng) of organic matter and time-temperature index (TTI) for types Ⅰ and type Ⅱ1 kerogen are also obtained. This Ng- TTI relation was used to model the Ordovician thermal gradients of Well TZ12 in the Tarim Basin. The modeling result is corresponding to the results obtained by apatite fission track data and published data. This new method of thermal history reconstruction will be benefit to the hydrocarbon generation and accumulation study and resource assessment of carbonate succession.