Technology Highlights
Theory of Abyssal Abiotic Petroleum Origin: Challenge for Petroleum Industry
Geochemical Evidences
Rapid progress in the method of mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-MS) has made it possible to study the trace element composition of not only rocks, but also of complex organic compounds, for instance oil and its derivatives. The results of the analyses of the trace element composition of crude oil from West Siberia by the ICP-MS method have been recently published (Fedorov et al. 2007).
Figure 2. Chondrite-normalized REE distribution patterns for oils of the Shaim and Srednii Ob (Western Siberia) oil–gas fields. The number of the pattern corresponds to the different oil samples. Figure is taken from (Fedorov et al. 2007) For the West-Siberian oils a PGE (platinoid) presence in substantial quantities, especially of palladium, were detected. While normalizing on contents in primitive mantle (Taylor, McLennan 1985) in oils are established positive anomalies on U, Sr, Ti, Y, Zr, and negative anomalies on Sm, Hf, Th, Nb, Nd. The rare-earth elements in the West Siberian oils demonstrate a particular type of trend characterized by enrichment of the light lanthanides (La/Yb=16- 19) and a sharply positive Eu anomaly (fig. 2). The distribution of elements in the oil samples investigated, and particularly of the Group VIII platinum series, is the same as in the mantle of the Earth. Furthermore, there has never been observed elevated abundances of palladium, europium, or the light lanthanides in any biological material.
Summary
The experimental results presented place the theory of abyssal, non-biotic petroleum origin in the mainstream of modern physics and chemistry. The geological and geochemical evidences discussed above do not correspond to the key parts of the hypothesis of biotic petroleum origin. Only the theory of abyssal, non-biotic petroleum origin gives convincing explanation for all above-mentioned data.
Therefore, aren’t the previously mentioned experimental results and conclusions good enough to start a wide discussion on the theory of abyssal abiotic petroleum origin? Is now the right time to begin this discussion? In my opinion the answer is yes to both of these questions!