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Biological Markers in Paleozoic Sedimentary Rocks and Crude Oils from the Michigan Basin: Reassessment of Sources and Thermal History of Organic Matter

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Early Organic Evolution

Abstract

Paleozoic sedimentary rocks fill the Michigan Basin and provide the sources of the oils produced from this basin. The present geothermal gradient is not high in this shallow sequence, raising questions as to whether Devonian and younger strata are sufficiently thermally mature to have sourced petroleum. The thermal maturities of rock samples from Late Cambrian to Pennsylvanian strata have been determined using the kinetics of apparent transformations of biomarker molecules as an index, augmented by vitrinite reflectance measurements and Rock-Eval pyrolysis data. From the extents of sterane isomerization and the degrees of steroid aromatization in biomarkers extracted from these samples, the geothermal history of the Michigan Basin has been reconstructed. Organic matter in Devonian strata from the center of the basin is thermally mature; it is overmature in Ordovician rocks. The geological history of this basin has evidently been more complex than generally thought, suggesting higher temperatures or lower conduction rates in the past.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. Jürgen Rullkötter

    Present address: Institut für Chemie und Biologie des Meeres, Universität Oldenburg, Postfach 2503, W-2900, Oldenburg, Germany

  2. Roger Marzi

    Present address: Amoco Production Co., P.O. Box, Tuka, Oklahoma, 74102, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Erdöl und Organische Geochemie, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Postfach 1913, W-5170, Jülich, Germany

    Jürgen Rullkötter & Roger Marzi

  2. Department of Geological Sciences, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109-1063, USA

    Philip A. Meyers

Authors
  1. Jürgen Rullkötter
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  2. Roger Marzi
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  3. Philip A. Meyers
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. IGCP Project 157, Max-Planck-Institut für Chemie (Otto-Hahn-Institut), Saarstr. 23, W-6500, Mainz, Germany

    Manfred Schidlowski (Chairman) (Chairman)

  2. Biological Science Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA

    Stjepko Golubic

  3. Dept. of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695-8208, USA

    Michael M. Kimberley

  4. Department of Geology & Geophysics, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, S.A., 5001, Australia

    David M. McKirdy Sr. (Lecturer) (Lecturer)

  5. Division of Continental Geology, Bureau of Mineral Resources, GPO Box 378, Canberra, A.C.T., 2601, Australia

    Philip A. Trudinger

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© 1992 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Rullkötter, J., Marzi, R., Meyers, P.A. (1992). Biological Markers in Paleozoic Sedimentary Rocks and Crude Oils from the Michigan Basin: Reassessment of Sources and Thermal History of Organic Matter. In: Schidlowski, M., Golubic, S., Kimberley, M.M., McKirdy, D.M., Trudinger, P.A. (eds) Early Organic Evolution. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-76884-2_25

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-76884-2_25

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-76886-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-76884-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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