Spore/pollen fossil coloration and petroleum source rock quality

Abstract

The color of fossil spore/pollen exines is a useful measure of organic material maturity or carbonization. The colors relate directly to petroleum generation potential, thermal alteration index (TAI), and vitrinite reflectance (RO). Orange and brown tissues are in the liquid petroleum and wet gas range, whereas dark brown ones are in the dry gas and condensate range. Having this information allows predictions for the petroleum source rock quality in each formation or group in all of the studied inland and coastal shelf basins.