Evidence for pervasive petroleum generation and migration in 3.2 and 2.63 Ga shales
Abstract
Petroleum generation largely occurs through the thermal decomposition of organic matter. The presence of oil-bearing fluid inclusions and pyrobitumen in Archean rocks suggests that similar processes operated as early as ca. 3.25 Ga. However, direct evidence of petroleum generation from potential source rocks is lacking, and an abiogenic origin has been proposed for some Archean carbonaceous residues. Pilbara craton ca. 3.2 Ga and ca. 2.63 Ga black shales were found to contain abundant kerogenous streaks and laminae, as well as bitumen nodules (comprising a radioactive mineral core surrounded by a carbonaceous rim) and pyrobitumen (formerly petroleum) globules, films, and aggregates. The bitumen nodules formed around detrital radioactive grains via polymerization of fluid hydrocarbons generated within the shale and represent diagnostic indicators of oil generation in ancient shales. The bitumen globules, films, and masses are preserved within authigenic pyrite and demonstrate that a separate hydrocarbon phase had developed in the shale matrix during burial, providing compelling evidence for in situ petroleum generation and expulsion. The abundance of bitumen nodules and residual pyrobitumen in black shales across the Pilbara craton suggests that hydrocarbon generation from kerogenous shales was a common phenomenon during the Middle to Late Archean. The petroleum was generated from organic matter that accumulated in marine environments, most probably comprising the remains of photosynthetic and chemosynthetic organisms, pointing to a sizeable biomass as early as 3.2 Ga.
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Previous work suggests the Jeerinah Formation and other organic-rich Archean shales generated and expelled petroleum.
“Previous work suggests that the Jeerinah Formation and other organic-rich Archean shales generated and expelled petroleum (17)”
From Reappraisal of hydrocarbon biomarkers in Archean rocks (2015) · cites this paper as [17]
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- Authors
- Rasmussen, B.
- Affiliations
- The University of Western Australia (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Rasmussen, Birger
- ORCID
- Rasmussen, Birger
- Venue
- Geology
- Publisher
- Geological Society of America
- Published
- 2005
- Volume
- 33
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 497
- ISSN
- 0091-7613 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1971263356
- Cited by
- 49
- References
- 21
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 7 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 9.54
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Geology (publishedVersion)
- UWA Profiles and Research Repository (UWA) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Australian Research Council
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanics of Materials › Hydrocarbon exploration and reservoir analysis
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Geology › Geological Studies and Exploration
- Keywords
- hydrocarbon generation, hydrocarbon migration, pyrobitumen, authigenic pyrite, fluid inclusions, Pilbara Craton, chemosynthetic organisms, hydrocarbon expulsion
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