Under specific conditions of temperature and pressure, the complex organic molecules broke down and recombined, forming a waxy substance called kerogen. This constant rain of organic matter created a nutrient-rich sludge that accumulated over time.
Understanding Source Rocks and Their Role in Oil Formation
Tiny creatures like algae and zooplankton, along with larger marine animals, absorbed energy from the sun and formed the base of the food chain. The specific geological history of a region determines whether these conditions aligned perfectly to create a discoverable oil field.
Migration and Trapping: Finding a Home Once generated, the oil is not static. This immense pressure and the natural geothermal heat from the Earth's core began to transform the buried organic material.
How Source Rocks Create Oil Through Geological Transformation
The Transformation: From Kerogen to Crude Burial and Heat Over millennia, layers of sediment accumulated on top of the organic-rich ooze, burying it deeper and deeper. Within a range typically between 60°C and 120°C (140°F and 250°F), a critical process called catagenesis occurred.
More About How was oil formed
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