ORIGIN, GENERATION

AND
MIGRATION
Muhammad Adil 22F-PG-11 (G.L)
Imran Ali 22F-PG-10
Ali Hamza 22F-PG-18
INTRODUCTION TO THE ORIGIN OF

PETROLEUM
• Petroleum, a fossil fuel, originates from ancient
marine microorganisms and plants that accumulated
on the ocean floor millions of years ago. Over time,
these organic materials transformed under high
pressure and heat, forming hydrocarbons.
Geological processes, like diagenesis and
catagenesis, played a key role in converting organic
matter into petroleum in sedimentary basins. The
migration and accumulation of these hydrocarbons
in porous rocks create the vast reservoirs.
 THEORIES OF ORIGIN
• Biogenic Theory
• Abiogenic Theory
Biogenic Theory
• The biogenic theory proposes that
petroleum originates from the
decomposition of ancient marine
microorganisms and plants that
accumulated on the ocean floor
over millions of years. Through
burial and transformation under
high pressure and heat, these
organic materials give rise to
hydrocarbons.
Biogenic Theory
• The accumulation of organic material in sedimentary
basins is a crucial step in the formation of petroleum. Over
millions of years, remnants of marine microorganisms and
plants settle on the ocean floor. These organic deposits
gradually build up, forming layers within sedimentary
basins. As more organic material accumulates, it
undergoes burial and becomes subject to geological
processes. Under high pressure and heat, this
accumulated organic matter transforms into
hydrocarbons, ultimately contributing to the creation of
vast reservoirs that serve as sources for oil and gas
extraction.
Abiogenic Theory
• The abiogenic theory suggests an
alternative origin for petroleum, proposing
that hydrocarbons form from inorganic
sources deep within the Earth. In this
theory, mantle carbon undergoes
processes, such as high-pressure and high-
temperature reactions, leading to the
creation of hydrocarbons.
 Abiogenic Theory
• The abiogenic theory posits that
hydrocarbons, the building blocks of
petroleum, originate from inorganic sources
deep within the Earth. Unlike the
conventional biogenic theory, which
attributes hydrocarbons to the
decomposition of organic matter, the
abiogenic theory suggests that these
compounds can form independently through
inorganic processes.
Abiogenic Theory
• This perspective challenges traditional views on
petroleum origin and opens up exploration into the
possibility of hydrocarbon generation from non-
biological sources, such as reactions involving
mantle carbon, occurring in the Earth's subsurface.
The abiogenic theory remains a subject of scientific
debate, with ongoing research seeking to better
understand the processes and conditions under
which inorganic hydrocarbon formation might
occur.
Problems with Abiogenic Theory
• No field evidence that inorganic processes have
occurred in nature

• The abiogenic theory proposes the migration of

hydrocarbons from the Earth's mantle to
reservoirs in the crust. However, the specific
mechanisms and pathways for such migration
remain speculative and are not well-established.
GENERATION OF PETROLEUM
• Organic material, buried in sediment under
various anerobic conditions, will undergo
three processes:
Diagenesis
Catagenesis
Metagenesis
DIAGENESIS
Diagenesis is a geological process that
refers to the physical and chemical changes
that sediments undergo after their initial
deposition and during their conversion into
sedimentary rocks. This process occurs at
relatively low temperatures and pressures
within the Earth's crust
Key aspects of diagenesis include:
• Cementation
• Compaction
• Pressure and Temperature
Effects
 Cementation
• Mineral cements, such as calcite
or silica, can precipitate and fill
the spaces between sediment
grains, binding them together.
This cementation helps solidify
the sediment and turn it into
rock.
 Compaction
• As sediments accumulate over
time, the weight of the
overlying layers causes the
lower layers to compact. This
reduction in pore space
between sediment grains
contributes to the hardening of
the sediment into rock.
Pressure and Temperature Effects
• While diagenesis occurs at lower temperatures
and pressures than metamorphism, it involves
changes in these conditions. Pressure and
temperature variations contribute to mineral
changes and the overall transformation of
sediments into sedimentary rocks.
 Catagenesis
• Catagenesis is a stage in the geological
process of hydrocarbon formation,
specifically in the transformation of organic
matter into hydrocarbons like oil and gas. It
occurs during the burial and heating of
organic-rich sediments over geological time
scales.
Key aspects of catagenesis include:

• Temperature and Pressure

Increase
• Conversion of Organic Matter
• Formation of Hydrocarbons
Temperature and Pressure Increase
• Catagenesis occurs at higher temperatures
and pressures compared to diagenesis. As
the organic-rich sediments are buried deeper
in the Earth's crust, the temperature and
pressure conditions rise.
Conversion of Organic Matter
• During catagenesis, the remaining organic
matter undergoes further thermal
maturation. High temperatures cause the
breakdown of complex organic molecules,
releasing hydrocarbons such as oil and
gas.
 Formation of Hydrocarbons
• The thermal cracking of organic matter
leads to the generation of hydrocarbons.
Initially, this process may result in the
production of liquid hydrocarbons, such
as oil. Further catagenetic processes can
lead to the generation of gaseous
hydrocarbons, like natural gas.
 • Migration is a crucial stage in the
Migration geological process of petroleum
formation. After the generation of
hydrocarbons through processes
like catagenesis, the next step
involves the movement or
migration of these hydrocarbons
from their source rocks to
reservoir rocks where they can
accumulate.
Overview of the Migration of Petroleum:
• Generation of Hydrocarbons
• Migration Pathways
• Factors Influencing
Migration
• Accumulation in Reservoirs
• Seal Rocks
Generation of Hydrocarbons
• Hydrocarbons, including oil and gas,
are generated through the thermal
maturation of organic matter in source
rocks during processes like
catagenesis. These source rocks are
typically rich in organic material, such
as shale.
Migration Pathways
• Once hydrocarbons are formed,
they seek migration pathways to
move from the source rocks to
reservoir rocks. Migration can occur
through permeable pathways, such
as faults, fractures, and porous rock
layers.
Factors Influencing Migration
• Several factors influence the migration
of petroleum, including the pressure
gradient, temperature, rock
permeability, and the buoyancy of the
hydrocarbons. Generally, hydrocarbons
migrate from areas of high pressure in
the source rocks to areas of lower
pressure in the reservoir rocks.
Accumulation in Reservoirs
• Migration is not a uniform process;
hydrocarbons may accumulate in traps
along the migration pathway. Traps are
geological structures that prevent the
further movement of hydrocarbons,
such as anticlines, fault traps, and
stratigraphic traps. Reservoir rocks,
often porous sandstone or limestone,
are essential for the accumulation of
significant amounts of petroleum.
Seal Rocks
• Above the reservoir rocks, there is
often a layer of impermeable rock,
known as a seal or cap rock. This
layer prevents the upward
migration of hydrocarbons and
traps them in the reservoir,
forming a petroleum reservoir.