Organic geochemistry of the 9.6 km Bertha Rogers No. 1. well, Oklahoma

Leigh C. Price; Jerry L. Clayton; L.L. Rumen

doi:10.1016/0146-6380(81)90001-2

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USGS · 70011973

Organic geochemistry of the 9.6 km Bertha Rogers No. 1. well, Oklahoma

Leigh C. Price·Jerry L. Clayton·L.L. Rumen

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Abstract

Organic geochemical analyses of fine-grained rocks from the 9.590 km Bertha Rogers No. 1 well have been carried out: total organic carbon, Soxhlet extraction and silica gel chromatography, C 15+ saturated and aromatic hydrocarbon gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, pyrolysis, kerogen analysis, X-ray diffraction and visual kerogen analysis. Rocks ranged in age from Permian to Ordovician; the well has an estimated bottom hole temperature of 225°C. Some data from this study are inconsistent with conventional theories concerning the generation and thermal destruction of hydrocarbons. For example, appreciable amounts of C 15+ gas-condensate-like hydrocarbons are present in very old rocks currently at temperatures where current theory predicts that only methane and graphite should remain. Also, substantial amounts of pyrolyzable C 15+ hydrocarbons remain on the kerogen in these deeply buried Paleozoic rocks. This suggests, at least in somes cases, that temperatures much higher than those predicted by current theory are required for generation and thermal destruction of hydrocarbons. The data from this well also suggest that original composition of organic matter and environment of deposition may have a much stronger influence on the organic geochemical characteristics of fine-grained sediments than has previously been ascribed to them. The results from this well, from other deep hot wells in which temperatures exceed 200°C, and from laboratory experiments, suggest that some of the basic concepts of the generation and maturation of petroleum hydrocarbons may be in error and perhaps should be reexamined.

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Organic Geochemistry Article

Source-reported bounding extent: 35.26657419464843° to 35.363709326165775° latitude; -99.23666356135436° to -99.09112301460759° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

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Leigh C. Price, Jerry L. Clayton, L.L. Rumen. 1981. Organic geochemistry of the 9.6 km Bertha Rogers No. 1. well, Oklahoma. https://doi.org/10.1016/0146-6380(81)90001-2

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