K. E. Peters Brian G. Rohrback S. Brenner I.R. Kaplan Ronald J. Hill Joel Leventhal Zeev Aizenshtat Mary Jo Baedecker George Claypool Robert P. Eganhouse Martin B. Goldhaber Kenneth E. Peters Bernd R. T. Simoneit 2004 <p><span>Laboratory thermal alteration (pyrolysis) experiments were carried out on composited Cretaceous black shale samples from DSDP Hole 368. Dried rock samples (low water-rock ratio) were heated in an inert atmosphere in the range of 250–500°C and the resultant bitumen and kerogen concentrates were characterized. Pyrobitumen forms initially (250°C), then major hydrocarbon generation occurs from 300–360°C and oxygenated products (</span><i>e.g.</i><span>&nbsp;alkanoic acids) have a maximum yield at 330–360°C with minor generation to 500°C. Dealkylation of the aromatic hydrocarbons to the parent polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons occurs above 400°C. The kerogens become more aromatic with increasing pyrolysis temperature (atomic H/C decreases from 1.2 to 0.5 and vitrinite reflectance increases to 3%). The temperature ranges of pyrobitumen, bitumen, and PAH formation in dry pyrolysis experiments are of utility in correlating with field data on ore genesis.</span></p> application/pdf 10.1016/S1873-9881(04)80023-3 en Elsevier Thermal alteration of Cretaceous black shale from the Eastern Atlantic. III: Laboratory simulations chapter