Abstract
The maturation of sedimentary organic matter along the evolutionary pathway which eventually gives rise to petroleum is of fundamental importance in petroleum geochemistry. The use of aromatic hydrocarbons as indicators of maturity of associated organic matter is now attracting increasing attention1–7. We have examined the distributions of the 10 isomeric dimethyl-naphthalenes (DMNs) in organic extracts of sediments and in a range of crude oils; the relative abundance of the 1,8-isomer (1,8-DMN) was found to change markedly and in a systematic manner both with depth of sediment burial (and temperature) and with values of other maturity parameters. We also report a correspondence between the 1,8-DMN ratio and two established molecular maturity parameters in crude oils selected to span a wide range of geographical location, geological age, and organic matter source type. The variation in the 1,8-DMN ratio is such that the maturation of samples ranging from immature oils to mature condensates can be determined.
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Alexander, R., Kagi, R. & Sheppard, P. 1,8-Dimethylnaphthalene as an indicator of petroleum maturity. Nature 308, 442–443 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/308442a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/308442a0
