The Transformation: Heat, Pressure, and Time Once the organic matter was buried under sediment, the transformation into oil began. The Global Distribution: Uneven Reserves.
Millions of Years of Formation: From Ancient Plankton to Crude Oil
Over time, more layers accumulated, creating immense pressure on the deeper deposits. The lipids in the cell walls of these ancient plankton are molecularly similar to the components of crude oil.
Because oil is less dense than the surrounding rock and water, it is buoyant and began to migrate upward through porous rock layers. Migration and Trapping: Finding the Reservoir After the oil formed, it did not remain in the source rock.
Millions of Years of Heat, Pressure, and Transformation
This process, known as diagenesis and catagenesis, essentially cooked the dead plankton. The key to finding usable oil is the trap.
More About Where does oil come from
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