Only

sedimentary
rocks made at
a certain time contain petroleum. Scientist look for tiny fossils and pollen that are trapped in
the rock millions of years ago to determine a rock's age. Petroleum was greatly produced 23
million years ago.
What are fossils?
Preserved remains or traces of plants and animals are fossils. We would not know what
prehistoric plants and animals looked like or when they lived without fossils.

Where are organic sediments most likely to accumulate and be preserved?

Quiet areas of continental shelves that do not receive much oxygen and are low enough to
allow some organic matter to be buried without being decomposed by bacteria are good
places for organic sediments to accumulate and be preserved.

Why are petroleum geologists interested in sediments?

Petroleum found in sedimentary rock takes millions of years to form. As rock particles
accumulate into layers, they pile up microscopic plant and animal remains, trapping them in
the sediment. It then undergoes tremendous heat and pressure. This process generates
petroleum.

How do you make rock from rock?

The earth's crust is constantly worn down by rain and wind. Eroded rocks are transported
and settled in low areas and offshore. Over time, strata forms where the sediments are
deposited into layers. The sedimentary rock is formed when the strata is compacted and
cemented.

Where do sediments accumulate?

Rock layers of sedimentary basins hold petroleum. Most are located along coastal areas and
continental shelves where marine life and sediment supplies from rivers are plentiful. Most
sedimentary basins are only about 25 million years old. The oldest sedimentary basin is
about 40 million years old.

Why are some offshore rich in petroleum?

At one time sea levels were lower than today. Continental lakes and shallow seas collect the
organically rich sediments, which later formed petroleum.

Why are sedimentary rocks so important to petroleum formation?

The organic material trapped in it was converted into petroleum, which contain the resource
of petroleum.

You have to know how to "read" the rocks to find petroleum

Over time, rocks that appear hard and solid changed. Everyday rocks are broken down by
wind, water and temperature. In a process called the rock cycle, these fragments formed
new rocks over millions of years ago. Geologist can tell how and where a rock was formed
by studying it. The best clue to identify a rock is the texture. The texture helps the geologist
to describe the rocks. The texture of a rock is determined by the size and arrangement of the
particles.
Metamorphic rocks - a crystal-like texture
Garnet Schist - metamorphic rock look layered
Hornfels - metamorphic rocks appear homogenous
Igneous rocks - crystaline and non porous
Brown Granite - solidified slowly underground and cooled igneous rocks, have large grain
size, classified as plutonic
Basalt - quickly cooled igneous rocks, have small grain size, classified as rockanic
Shale - made of pro-existing rock cemented together, called clastic
Limestone - formed from shells and fossil fragments, called carbonates
Energy rich rocks
Off the coast 1200 meters beneath the ocean floor, sandstone is found in petroleum basins.
25 million years ago, when fragments of quartz and other minerals were eroded from large
rock masses and carried into lakes and rivers which eventually transported some sediments
into the sea, sandstone was formed. The oil trapped in this rock was formed in another rock
located even deeper. The remains of plants and animals in this source rock were deposited
together with rock particles and became trapped with the newly formed rock. The buried
organic materials are then converted into petroleum through heat and pressure. The oil in
this 'kitchen' migrated upwards into the sandstone reservoir through time. Shells of ancient
marine organism form limestone. Off the coast located 2000 meters beneath the ocean floor,
limestone comes from a reservoir of natural gas. Layers of ancient seashells that were
compressed formed the limestone about 20 million years ago.
The energy cycle
Petroleum is solar energy captured by plants. There would be no petroleum if plants could
not capture and process the sun's energy. Solar energy is used by green plants to convert
carbon, oxygen and hydrogen into organic molecules also known as carbohydrates in the
process called photosynthesis. This converted energy is passed onto animals when the
plants are eaten. Eventually petroleum is generated by the plants and animals which
becomes organic matter.

There are 3 types of kerogen that produce oil and natural gas.

Type 1 kerogen
It is made from organic matter that is deposited in fresh water enviroment. This includes
lakes, beaches and areas covered over by rising sea levels. It produces large amounts of oil
as it is rare.

Type 2 kerogen
It originates from marine enviroment. Mixture of microscopic plants, animals and bacteria
deposited in a low-oxygen enviroment produces this type of kerogen. In this type of kerogen,
there is a medium to high concentration of sulphur. This type of kerogen forms most of the
world's oil and gas fields.

Type 3 kerogen