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The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database

Journal of Petroleum Geology

Abstract

Journal of Petroleum Geology, Vol.4, No.2, pp. 187-190, 1981

©Copyright 2000 Scientific Press, Ltd.

EXPERIMENTALLY-BASED ARGUMENTS SUPPORTING LARGE CRUSTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF NON-BIOGENIC PETROLEUM

A. A. Giardini* and Charles E. Melton**

*Dept of Geology and **Dept of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.

Abstract

The evolution of the Earth’s atmosphere has been explained by a diffusion model that obeys first order kinetics. By assuming that the same rate law governs the diffusion of petroleum compounds that are known to exist in the upper mantle, we find that 1.5 x 1015 tons have diffused out during the past 3.1 billion years. If 0.1% of this primordial petroleum has undergone crustal migration and entrapment, deposits totalling 1.5 x 1014 tons are now present in the Earth’s crust. Assigning, a 0.3 recovery factor, this is equivalent to about 3 trillion barrels.

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