Organic geochemistry

Organic geochemistry studies the origin, composition, distribution, and transformation of organic compounds in rocks, sediments, waters, and other Earth materials.

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Kerogen: Complex, insoluble organic matter in sedimentary rocks that can generate oil and gas during burial. Its thermal breakdown is a central pathway from preserved organic matter to petroleum.
Organic compound: A chemical compound built primarily from carbon, usually bonded to hydrogen and other elements. These are the molecules whose origins and transformations the field investigates.
Petroleum geology: The study of petroleum's origin, occurrence, movement, and accumulation in geological settings. Source-rock and maturity analyses help assess where petroleum formed and migrated.
Hopane: A pentacyclic triterpane found in geological samples, commonly derived from bacterial lipids. Its persistence makes it useful for recognizing bacterial inputs and comparing petroleum samples.
Inorganic geochemistry: The study of the distribution and transformation of inorganic elements and compounds in Earth materials. It focuses on inorganic constituents, complementing this field's focus on organic compounds.
Diagenesis: The physical, chemical, and biological changes sediments undergo after deposition and during early burial. It alters organic matter before deeper burial drives stronger thermal reactions.
Total organic carbon: The mass fraction of carbon in organic compounds within a sample. It quantifies organic matter abundance in rocks and sediments.
Source rock: A rock rich in organic matter that can generate and release petroleum under suitable conditions. Organic geochemistry identifies its organic richness, source, and generation potential.
Sterane: A saturated steroid-like hydrocarbon formed from sterols during geological alteration. Its structures can preserve information about biological sources and thermal alteration.
Biogeochemistry: The study of interactions between biological, geological, and chemical processes in Earth systems. It emphasizes coupled Earth-system cycles, while organic geochemistry centers on organic compounds and their records.