Petroleum geochemistry of the Canning Basin: thermal history

Summary

Sediment and crude oil samples from the Canning Basin and from other locations have been subjected to detailed chemical analysis for compounds which are potentially useful for reconstructing the thermal history of the sediments.

Two compound classes, namely the alkyl biphenyls and the steranes, have been studied in detail to establish the extent to which sedimentary reactions have recurred.

Together with the burial history of the samples this has been used to calculate the effective temperature history of the sediments.

Keywords: Canning Basin, geochemistry, thermal history, biphenyls, steranes