Geothermal gradients and conductivity measurements taken by shallow penetration gravity cores and used in calculating heat flow values are not necessarily indicative of the temperature regime and heat flow below. Any attempt to associate generation and maturation of hydrocarbons to heat flow values is erroneous. Geothermal gradients measured in wells cannot be compared with or against proximal shallow penetration heat flow values. Because of many near-surface effects, heat flow values are superfluous calculations unless deep penetration data are used and compared.

Attempts at relating heat flow values to hydrocarbon generation fail because values within and without sandstone bodies are of low magnitude, and the differences that are calculated are within the error of temperature and conductivity measurements; therefore, any differences will not be detectable near the surface.

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