Biomarker distributions in different types of sedimentary organic matter isolated from the same sample: Implications for biomarker correlations

摘要

The observation of qualitatively and quantitatively distinct biomarker distributions in the pyrolysates of Type II and Type III organic matter isolated from the same sample is reported. This demonstrates the clear need for a greater understanding of the relationship between biomarker distributions present in the different components of sedimentary organic matter, and those observed in liquid products generated by maturation. The data imply that it is possible that the biomarker distributions observed in petroleums derived from inhomogeneous source rocks may be disproportionately derived from the various organic components of the sediment. This may result in spurious conclusions concerning oil/source relationships and other geochemical parameters, which suggests that further investigations of these phenomena is well merited.