Talk:Catagenesis (geology)

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Catagenesis

Catagenesis is desribed as a cracking process, which produces hydrocarbons during the formation of petroleum from kerogen.

According to the article of kerogen we learn that it is an extremely high milecular weight substance, mainly waxy material, e.g. from the Green River Formation oil shale deposit of western USA has the chemical composition C₂₁₅H₃₃₀O₁₂N₅S.^[1]. Thermal cracking of heavy petroleum fractions petolcoke is also produced. So if during catagenesis lighter materials are produced from kerogen through cracking and the lighter stuff then migrates away then we finish with something even heavier. Therefore it is no sense in calling kerogen a petroleum precursor if most of it becomes irrecoverable. Is there a fuller explanation? LouisBB (talk) 07:11, 21 December 2007 (UTC)[reply]

References

^ Teh Fu Yen and George V. Chilingarian (1976) Oil Shale, Amsterdam, Elsevier

Are you sure that your definition of Catagenesis is correct?

Most Sedimentary Petrologists define Catagenesis as the formation of petroleum between an RO of 0.5 and an RO of 2.0 - it is where we find the bulk of our oil production (which peaks around 2.5km depth). Its important to note that Catagenesis is distinct from diagenesis (which occurs below an RO of 0.5) and also distinct from Metagenesis (which is where we form thermogenic gas - above an RO of 2.0)

I think it may be worthwile for the authors of this paper to consult Tissot and Welte (1978). Their paper was basically the pioneering article on Catagenisis. Note that the curve in this paper is missing the formation of biogenic gas at shallow depths.

Hope this helps!

P.C. P.Geo 136.159.53.67 (Talk) 15:15, 28 April 2009

Accessibility to non-scientist (general) readers

This article may be great for (specialty) scientists who are deeply rooted in the theory of this, but it is (as of 8/13/2023) pretty inaccessible to the general reader.

The "Theoretical reaction" section, which hopes to explain the process, is largely beyond a general reader (and probably a lot of non-geological scientists). It also has no links within it to a bunch of the "over-the-head" terms. It also has no references/citations at all.

The article as it is might be fine for a certain kind of degreed-geologist; but they would likely not even feel a need to read an article like this. The general public, in hoping to understand 1) HOW "fossil fuels" are actually made (other than the heat and pressure angles), and perhaps more-importantly, 2) HOW they got under oceans (as we do have ocean drills / ocean platforms that remove oil from beneath the seabed) in a way that actually makes sense to a general reader.

Accessibility is key here; and that section is way beyond being accessible to all but the more-highly trained workers or scientists in the field (the ones who maybe believe they don't even need to read an article like this).

Again, it may be great for some, but not for non-geologist readers. Although, I love the extra information found in other sections of the article, such as "Future Work" and "Important parameters"; although, some within those, too, may be over most of our collective heads.

Can those in the know fix this, and expand it, and help our general readership feel confident and fulfilled after reading this, instead of confused or disappointed?

Misty MH (talk) 12:51, 13 August 2023 (UTC)[reply]

[1] Teh Fu Yen and George V. Chilingarian (1976) Oil Shale, Amsterdam, Elsevier

[1]