GEOCHEMISTRY AND GEOLOGY OF FOSSIL FUELS

46-310

Prerequisites: 19-100 and a 200 level geology course

                                             

Instructors: I.P. Martini (University of Guelph), W.A. Glooschenko (National Water Research Institute, Burlington), R.A. Bourbonnier (National Water Research Institute, Burlington).

 

Objectives: The objective of the course is to discuss the organic materials from which oil and coal are generated, and to analyze the various stages of transformation, migration, and accumulation of petroleum, peat, and coal.

 

Textbooks: Hobson, G.D. and Tiratsoo, E.N. (latest edition) Introduction to Petroleum Geology. Gulf Publishing Co., Houston, TX.

Beaumont, E.A. (Ed.), 1982. Energy Minerals. Amer. Assoc. Petr. Geol. Reprints No. 25.

 

Method of evaluation:  Two exams (80%) and a report on optional topic (20%)

 

List of lecture topics:

 

LECT.  TOPIC

1.         Organization of course. introduction, energy use, economics

2.         Production and accumulation of organic matter, global carbon cycle

3.         Classification of organic materials, composition of the biosphere, composition of petroleum

4.         Transformation of organic matter - Diagenesis

5.         Transformation of organic matter - Catagenesis and metagenesis

6.         Formation of gas, kerogen structure and classification

7.         Biochemical markers and maturation indicators - I

8.         Oil and gas source rocks, porosity

9.         Biochemical markers and maturation indicators - II

10.       Primary migration form mature source rocks

11.       Secondary migration into reservoirs

12.       FIRST EXAMINATION     

13.       Reservoirs and traps

14.       Structural and stratigraphic traps          

15.       Exploration and production techniques - I

16.       Exploration and production techniques - II

17.       Sedimentary basins; oil nad gas accumulations

18.       Heavy oil, shales and tar sands

19.       Introduction coal, coal petrography

20.       Peat, peatlands and peat energy

21.       Paralic environments

22.       Diagenesis in relation to coal formation

23.       Cyclic sedimentation case histories of coal formation

24.       Case histories of coal formation

25.       SECOND EXAMINATION