THERMAL MATURATION STUDY OF KEROGEN IN THE COAL SEAMS OF THE GUADUAS FORMATION, EASTERN CORDILLERA (COLOMBIA), USING VITRINITE REFLECTANCE, ROCK EVAL PIROLISIS, NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE AND PROXIMAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

Geochemical studies of thermal maturation on kerogen types II and III are presented. This research was carried out on coal seams of the Guaduas Formation (Maastrichtian to Paleocene) outcropping in the Checua-Lenguazaque syncline, Eastern Cordillera of Colombia. The thermal maturation analyses indicate the following maturation ranges: Vitrinite Reflectance between 0.63 and 1.04%; Tmax between 439 and 459ºC; and the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) between 0.69 and 0.83%; and Volatile matter VM between 31 and 40%. In this study the different maturation parameters were calibrated in reference to Ro obtaining correlation equations that allows to calculate the equivalence between these parameters. This method measures the correct thermal maturation of hydrocarbon source rocks and can be applied to other formations and basins. The results obtained in this study allow calculating the thermal maturation of the Upper Cretaceous- Paleogene Coal-bearing formations of Colombia where proximate analyses but no Ro analyses have been published.