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Encyclopedia of Marine Geosciences pp 1–2Cite as

Source Rocks, Reservoirs

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Definition

A source rock is any type of rock that may generate hydrocarbons in the future, depending on the amount of organic matter present and adequate temperature and pressure conditions at a specific burial depth as well as sufficient time to reach the needed maturity. A good source rock should have a total organic carbon (TOC) content of larger than 1 %. Most prominent source rocks are sapropels and black shales but also TOC-rich carbonate rocks.

Reservoir rocks are rocks that have sufficient porosity and permeability to store and transmit fluids and gas. Typical reservoir rocks are sandstones and carbonate rocks.

“Source rocks” and “reservoirs” are major components of the Petroleum System, consisting of a mature source rock, migration pathway, reservoir rock, trap, and seal (e.g., Tissot and Welte, 1984). For the accumulation and preservation of hydrocarbons, the appropriate relative timing of the formation of these elements is of major relevance.

Source rocks (or organic...

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Bibliography

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geosciences Department, Alfred-Wegener-Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), Am Alten Hafen 26, D-27568, Bremerhaven, Germany

    Rüdiger Stein

Authors
  1. Rüdiger Stein
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Correspondence to Rüdiger Stein .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland

    Jan Harff

  2. Institute of Geography and Geology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany

    Martin Meschede

  3. Leibiniz Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany

    Sven Petersen

  4. Academy of Sciences, Humanities, and Lit c/o Helmholtz-Center for Ocean Research, Kiel, Germany

    Jörn Thiede

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© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Stein, R. (2014). Source Rocks, Reservoirs. In: Harff, J., Meschede, M., Petersen, S., Thiede, J. (eds) Encyclopedia of Marine Geosciences. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6644-0_151-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6644-0_151-3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-007-6644-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Earth and Environm. ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences

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