Oxygen-poor, or anoxic, basins on the sea floor prevent bacteria from fully breaking down the matter. This process, spanning millions of years, involves specific conditions of heat, pressure, and time that turn microscopic organisms into the thick, energy-rich liquid we know as crude oil.
Deep Earth Processes Behind Oil Formation
This combination acts as a catalyst for chemical transformation. Accumulation Oil pools in a reservoir rock.
Migration Oil moves through rock pores. It moves through tiny pores in sandstone or limestone until it encounters an impermeable layer, such as shale or salt.
Deep Earth Processes: From Microscopic Organisms to Crude Oil Formation
This geological barrier, known as a trap, acts like a lid, preventing the oil from rising further and collecting it in a reservoir rock where it can accumulate over millions of years. Anoxic environment, high sedimentation rate.
More About How oil is formed in the earth
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