GENERAL GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Abstract. The term kerogen will be used here to designate the organic constituent of the sedimentary rocks that is neither soluble in aqueous alkaline solvents nor in the common organic solvents.

Detailed explanation-2: -Kerogen is insoluble in normal organic solvents in part because of the high molecular weight of its component compounds. The soluble portion is known as bitumen.

Detailed explanation-3: -Kerogen is insoluble in water and in organic solvents such as benzene or alcohol. Upon heating under pressure, however, the large paraffin molecules break down into recoverable gaseous and liquid substances resembling petroleum.

Detailed explanation-4: -Kerogen is a waxy, insoluble organic substance that forms when organic shale is buried under several layers of sediment and is heated. If this kerogen is continually heated, it leads to the slow release of fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas, and also the non-fuel carbon compound graphite.

Detailed explanation-5: -The kerogen composition is characterized by high abundance of aliphatic compounds with many alkylated low molecular weight oxygen-bearing compounds, but only a minor aromatic contribution. Differences between organic matter-rich lamalginite facies A and Botryococcus-bearing, less organic matter-rich facies B occur.