Journal of Petroleum Geology, Vol.3, No.2, pp. 237-240, 1980

©Copyright 2000 Scientific Press, Ltd.

MUSING ON MIGRATION

G. D. Hobson

Abstract

The phenomenon of oil migration and accumulation poses a fascinating unsolved problem. Numerous hypotheses have been considered: movement as free oil, dependent on relative permeability concepts; movement in true or colloidal solution; and transfer by wick-type action, presumably involving adsorption. The last three hypotheses require pick-up, transfer and release. For migration in solution, drop in temperature, dilution and salting out are among the suggested causes of release, depending on the details of the migration mechanism (Baker, 1967; Cordell, 1973; Dickey, 1975; Erdman, 1965; Hobson, 1954; Hunt, 1975; Magara, 1977; Price, 1976). In the case of wick action, no discussion of the mode of release can be recalled, yet release is needed to allow continued flow and hence accumulation. It might also be inherent in the mechanism that there could be a fairly constant ratio between adsorbed "oil" and solid organic matter (the wick) until destruction of "oil" set in. With "oil" being generated from the organic matter it would seem logical for it to be formed on or in the organic matter.