Study of Carbonate Source Rocks (1)

Characteristics of Organic Matter in Carbonate Sediments

Abstract

In spite of the fact that 40% of "reservoir oils" in major oil fields of the world, or 50% of total oil of the "giant oil fields" (Moody, 1975) is in carbonate reservoirs, little worthwhile study has been published on organic matter in carbonates as effective petroleum and gas source rocks for a long time. Lately, however, its study is beginning to attract the attention of many petroleum geochemists.
In this paper, the organic characteristics of carbonates as source rocks are reviewed on the basis of recent informations such as kerogen properties and its content. "hydrocarbon ratio", even predominance of n-alkane and pristane to phytane ratio in carbonates.