Migration and Trapping: The Birth of a Reservoir Once formed, the crude oil is not static. When these creatures died, their remains settled on the seabed, mixing with sediment and becoming part of a nutrient-rich muck.
Millions Years Crude Oil Formation Timeline: From Ocean Muck to Reservoir Trapping
This process, known as diagenesis, occurs at relatively low temperatures and is the geological "cooking" phase that begins to alter the original organic matter, marking a significant stage in how is crude oil formed. Being less dense than the surrounding rock, it begins to migrate upward through porous rock layers.
It travels until it encounters a non-porous barrier, such as salt or dense clay, which stops its ascent. Between 60°C and 120°C, a process called catagenesis takes place.
Millions Years Crude Oil Formation Timeline: From Ocean Muck to Reservoir Trap
The Role of Anoxic Conditions and Preservation For organic matter to contribute to oil formation, it needed to avoid complete decay. In environments lacking oxygen—known as anoxic conditions—bacteria were unable to break down the material entirely.
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