Selenium and tellurium enrichment in palaeo-oil reservoirs

John Parnell; David Bellis; Joerg Feldmann; Timothy Bata

doi:10.1016/j.gexplo.2014.09.006

Selenium and tellurium enrichment in palaeo-oil reservoirs

John Parnell^*, David Bellis, Joerg Feldmann, Timothy Bata

^*Corresponding author for this work

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20 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The exploration for selenium (Se) and tellurium (Te) will become intensified as the technological demand for these elements grows. It is known that they are enriched in organic-rich sedimentary rocks over crustal mean values. LA-ICP-MS measurement of pyrite in two biodegraded palaeo-oil reservoirs in central England shows that Se and Te are enriched in them, but not in other sulfide samples from the region and elsewhere. The Carboniferous source rock shales in the region are Se-rich, implying that this enrichment was conferred to the oil generated from them. The Se and Te are located in pyrite precipitated in the palaeo-reservoirs by microbial activity. Exhumed oil reservoirs merit further investigation for concentrations of these elements.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	169-173
Number of pages	5
Journal	Journal of Geochemical Exploration
Volume	148
Early online date	28 Sep 2014
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gexplo.2014.09.006
Publication status	Published - Jan 2015

Keywords

Biodegradation
Microbial sulfate reduction
Oil reservoirs
Selenium
Tellurium

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title = "Selenium and tellurium enrichment in palaeo-oil reservoirs",

abstract = "The exploration for selenium (Se) and tellurium (Te) will become intensified as the technological demand for these elements grows. It is known that they are enriched in organic-rich sedimentary rocks over crustal mean values. LA-ICP-MS measurement of pyrite in two biodegraded palaeo-oil reservoirs in central England shows that Se and Te are enriched in them, but not in other sulfide samples from the region and elsewhere. The Carboniferous source rock shales in the region are Se-rich, implying that this enrichment was conferred to the oil generated from them. The Se and Te are located in pyrite precipitated in the palaeo-reservoirs by microbial activity. Exhumed oil reservoirs merit further investigation for concentrations of these elements.",

keywords = "Biodegradation, Microbial sulfate reduction, Oil reservoirs, Selenium, Tellurium",

author = "John Parnell and David Bellis and Joerg Feldmann and Timothy Bata",

note = "cknowledgements We are grateful to A. Sandison, C. Taylor and J. Still for skilled technical support. S. Bowden is thanked for advice on the interpretation of the gas chromatographic data. JP and JF thank the NERC Security of Supply programme for funding (grant NE/L001764/1). The Natural History Museum kindly provided samples from Huglith, Hawkstone Park and Alderley Edge.",

year = "2015",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1016/j.gexplo.2014.09.006",

language = "English",

volume = "148",

pages = "169--173",

journal = "Journal of Geochemical Exploration",

issn = "0375-6742",

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T1 - Selenium and tellurium enrichment in palaeo-oil reservoirs

AU - Parnell, John

AU - Bellis, David

AU - Feldmann, Joerg

AU - Bata, Timothy

N1 - cknowledgements We are grateful to A. Sandison, C. Taylor and J. Still for skilled technical support. S. Bowden is thanked for advice on the interpretation of the gas chromatographic data. JP and JF thank the NERC Security of Supply programme for funding (grant NE/L001764/1). The Natural History Museum kindly provided samples from Huglith, Hawkstone Park and Alderley Edge.

PY - 2015/1

Y1 - 2015/1

N2 - The exploration for selenium (Se) and tellurium (Te) will become intensified as the technological demand for these elements grows. It is known that they are enriched in organic-rich sedimentary rocks over crustal mean values. LA-ICP-MS measurement of pyrite in two biodegraded palaeo-oil reservoirs in central England shows that Se and Te are enriched in them, but not in other sulfide samples from the region and elsewhere. The Carboniferous source rock shales in the region are Se-rich, implying that this enrichment was conferred to the oil generated from them. The Se and Te are located in pyrite precipitated in the palaeo-reservoirs by microbial activity. Exhumed oil reservoirs merit further investigation for concentrations of these elements.

AB - The exploration for selenium (Se) and tellurium (Te) will become intensified as the technological demand for these elements grows. It is known that they are enriched in organic-rich sedimentary rocks over crustal mean values. LA-ICP-MS measurement of pyrite in two biodegraded palaeo-oil reservoirs in central England shows that Se and Te are enriched in them, but not in other sulfide samples from the region and elsewhere. The Carboniferous source rock shales in the region are Se-rich, implying that this enrichment was conferred to the oil generated from them. The Se and Te are located in pyrite precipitated in the palaeo-reservoirs by microbial activity. Exhumed oil reservoirs merit further investigation for concentrations of these elements.

KW - Biodegradation

KW - Microbial sulfate reduction

KW - Oil reservoirs

KW - Selenium

KW - Tellurium

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84919676003&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.gexplo.2014.09.006

DO - 10.1016/j.gexplo.2014.09.006

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84919676003

VL - 148

SP - 169

EP - 173

JO - Journal of Geochemical Exploration

JF - Journal of Geochemical Exploration

SN - 0375-6742

ER -

Selenium and tellurium enrichment in palaeo-oil reservoirs

Abstract

Keywords

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