terms:kerogen
Organic matter found in rock in the form of a mineraloid which is of indefinite composition, insoluble in petroleum solvents. Kerogen is a pyrobitumen, and oil is formed from kerogen by heating. It consists chiefly of low forms of plant life such as algae, of pollen, spores, spore coats, enzyme shells, coal, and protein material. Chemically it is a complex mixture of hydrocarbon compounds of large molecules, containing hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur. Kerogen is the chief source of oil in oil shales.
terms/kerogen.txt · Last modified: 2023/11/22 08:41 by 127.0.0.1