Origin of Hydrocarbons

Presented by:
Waqas Javaid

Table of Contents:
Introduction to Hydrocarbons
Theories about Origin of Hydrocarbons
Postulates about in-organic origin of
Hydrocarbons
Failure of in-organic theory
Organic origin of hydrocarbons

Introduction to Hydrocarbons:
Hydrocarbons are the simplest organic compounds.
It contains hydrogen and carbon as main constituents.
Petroleum is formed by hydrocarbons, in addition with
some other substances.
Carbon (93-94%) and hydrogen (10-14%) are the major
constituents of petroleum hydrocarbons having some
other constituents in minor amount.

Theories about hydrocarbon origin:

Two school of thoughts exist about origin of hydrocarbons:

Western school suggests that it is of biogenic origin

Russian school propose that it is a-biogenic with an
inorganic origin
First suggestion implies an finite resource
Whereas second implies an almost unlimited one.

Postulates for in-organic origin:

Deep Seated origin
Dimitri Mendeleev proposed this theory.
It said that at depth and high temperature.
Metallic carbides react with water to produce acetylene.
More heavier hydrocarbons are then derived from this
acetylene.

Postulates for in-organic origin:

Postulates for in-organic origin:

Extra terrestrial origin
Another Russian scientist, Sokoloff presented the theory of
extra terrestrial origin in 1890.
It stated that hydrocarbons were present in outer space
long before the creation of our solar system.
After creation of our solar system and Earth it was
precipitated as rain and got deposited deep in Earth.
Now it is subsequently ejected from Earths interior into
surface rocks.

Postulates for in-organic origin:

Extra terrestrial origin
It is supported due to two main discoveries.
Firstly, the atmosphere of some celestial bodies are
known to contain methane.
Second discovery was of carbonaceous chondrites.
Orgueil meteorite is one of the best example.
It contains more than 6% organic matter.
Simplest explanation for this is irradiation of light
elements in a primeval dust cloud.

Postulates for in-organic origin:

Evidences for in-organic origin:

Hydrocarbon origin due to radioactive decay
of heavier elements deep in Earth
Extra-terrestrial or primordial origin of
hydrocarbons
Presence of hydrocarbons in basement/
crystalline rocks
Reservoir replenishments

Radioactive Origin:
Petroleum contains large concentrations of
helium gas
Helium gas is chemically unconnected to
biology i.e. no biological material can attract
or produce it.
Its origin could be primordial radioactive
decay or nuclear reactions

Extra-terrestrial Origin:
Astronomers have observed that
hydrocarbons occur on many planetary
bodies.
Such as meteorites, comets, particularly on
Titan, a moon of Saturn.
They are also found in gas clouds (nebulas)
which are origin of our solar system.
So it is reasonable to think that Earth has its
hydrocarbons since its creation.

Extra-terrestrial Origin:

Deep Seated Origin:

In order to extend their search for
hydrocarbons, different countries have
drilled very deep boreholes.
These boreholes were drilled down to
basement/crystalline rocks.
Finding hydrocarbons at such depth, in
metamorphic and igneous rocks supports
the inorganic origin of hydrocarbons.

Deep Seated Origin:

Some examples are:

Kola SG-3; worlds deepest petroleum well in Russia.

White Tiger Vietnam Field
Siljan deep well drill
Syria Plateau basalt

Deep Seated Origin:

Kola Deep Borehole:

Deep Seated Origin:

The Vietnamese white tiger deep petroleum field is reported to
have produced high quality crude petroleum from basalt rock
more than 17,000 ft. below the Earths surface, at 6000 barrels
per day per well :

Reservoir Replenishment:
Some petroleum reservoir engineers were puzzled
Noticing that their estimated existing reservoir in old wells
were increasing rather than decreasing.
It could be that their original estimates ere under estimated.
Later it was hypothesized that as petroleum is drawn out of
reservoirs its pressure decreases
This decreased pressure allow more deep petroleum to
diffuse up from the mantle and recharge reservoir from
below.

Reservoir Replenishment:
Example is Eugene Island Oil Field Block 330

Drawbacks of In-organic theory:

Lack of evidence that the organic compound in chondritic
meteorites is the result of a truly inorganic origin or was in
an original parent material which was organically created.
Yet there is mounting evidence for an organic nature but
not field evidence to prove that inorganic processes have
occurred in nature.

Drawbacks of In-organic theory:

If an inorganic origin is the primary method for
hydrocarbons origin then there should be large amounts of
hydrocarbons emitted from volcanoes, magma, and other
igneous rocks.
Petroleum accumulations are only restricted to
sedimentary rocks mostly. Petroleum seeps are generally
absent in igneous and metamorphic rock.

Theory for Organic Origin:

Organic origin theory of hydrocarbons is the most widely
accepted.
According to organic theory, the oil and gas are formed
from remains of prehistoric plants and animals.
Remains of plants have been transformed to coal and
animals' to oil and gas.
These remains were settled in to seas and lands along
with sands and slits , mud and other minerals.
As the rocks and slit settled, layer upon layer piled into
rivers, along coastlines and on the sea bottom.

Theory for Organic Origin:

Geological shifts resulted in some of these layers being
buried deep in the earth.
Over the time, the layers of the organic material were
compressed under the weight of the sediment above
them.
The increase in pressure and temperature changed the
mud, sand, slit in to rock and organic matter into
petroleum.
The rock containing the organic matter that turned into
petroleum is referred as SOURCE rock.

Evidences for Organic Origin:

Analogy with Living Organisms:
Composition of petroleum allies it with the material
(known as biomarkers) found in living organisms i.e.
proteins, fats, fatty acids.

Analogy With Aquatic Life:

The association of oil and gas with unaltered
sedimentary rocks containing marine fossils proved the
analogy with aquatic life.

Evidences of Organic Origin:

Analogy With Coal:
The presence of bitumen in both deep coal seams
and oil seepages proved the analogy with coal. It can be
expressed that oil and coal both have the same origin but
conditions under which they formed may vary.

Conclusion:
These analogies support that hydrocarbons have organic
origin.
Hydrocarbons originate from microorganisms
(planktons), when microorganisms died and buried in the
sediments.
Due to overburden these dead organism get buried at
depth, and at certain temperature/pressure conditions
they convert into hydrocarbons.
This organic origin theory is the most widely accepted by
scientists.

References:
Pg. 37-48, Petroleum Geology by F.K North, Allen &
Unwin 1985.
Ragheb, M. "BIOGENIC AND ABIOGENIC
PETROLEUM.
Origin Of Petroleum by Petroleum Blog,
thepetroleumblog.blogspot.com
Pg. 65-84. ENCICLOPEDIA OF HYDROCARBONS
Volume 1.