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Geochemistry and Petrography of Organic Matter in Northwest African Continental Margin Sediments: Quantity, Provenance, Depositional Environment and Temperature History

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Geology of the Northwest African Continental Margin

Abstract

This report synthesises the results of organic geochemical and organic petrographic analyses of sediments fron deep sea drilling sites on the Northwest African continental nargin. The investigation of the quantity, type, and composition of the organic matter and of the depositional environment leads to the recognition of a number of organofacies. Based on the organofacies, the sediments can be classified according to their differing hydrocarbon potentials, although the organic matter in all the sediments encountered has been determined to be iirmature, the onset of thermal hydrocarbon generation having not been reached at present burial depths.

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Rullkötter, J., Cornford, C., Welte, D.H. (1982). Geochemistry and Petrography of Organic Matter in Northwest African Continental Margin Sediments: Quantity, Provenance, Depositional Environment and Temperature History. In: von Rad, U., Hinz, K., Sarnthein, M., Seibold, E. (eds) Geology of the Northwest African Continental Margin. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68409-8_28

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68409-8_28

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