Geochemistry of Oil Gas and Petroleum

Geochemistry is the study of the chemistry of natural earth materials as well as the chemical processes that occur both now and in the past within and upon the Earth. Geochemistry is crucial to our understanding of the processes that result in economic mineral concentrations, whether they are caused by hydrothermal, magmatic, metamorphic, hydraulic (both surface and underground), weathering, or a combination of these. Geochemistry plays a significant role in exploration as well. Many of the variables that control the volumes of crude oil and natural gas available for entrapment, such as richness and quality, thermal maturity, source-rock distribution, and the timing of generation-migration-accumulation relative to trap formation, are accounted for by petroleum geochemistry, which improves exploration efficiency.

• Geochemical Characteristics
• Surface Geochemistry
• Geochemical Studies