Organic geochemical and petrographic characteristics of the oil shales in the Lajjun area, Central Jordan: Origin of organic matter input and preservation conditions

• Jordanian oil shales have high TOC and TS contents, suggesting highly marine reducing conditions.
• The kerogen is characterized by predominantly Types I/II.
• Jordanian oil shales are considered to be generated commercial oil HCs.
• Jordanian oil shales are thermally immature and require artificial heating to generate oil HCs.

Oil shales, located in Lajjun area (Central Jordan), were analyzed based on organic geochemistry, coupled with microscopical study to define the origin, type of organic matter input, and the influencing factors that govern organic matter (OM) enrichment, including the OM preservation conditions. Oil shales are thermally immature petroleum-source rocks for oil that require artificial heating to generate oil of commercial value. The analyzed oil shales have high total sulfur content values in the range of 2.08–4.06 wt%, and the organic carbon contents are also consistently high (>10%). The high total sulfur content and its relation with organic carbon values indicate that the Jordanian oil shales were deposited in a marine environment under reducing conditions. The organic matter input and paleoenvironmental conditions have also been evidenced from their biomarker distributions and microscopic study. The microscopical investigation indicated that the oil shales contain an abundant liptinitic organic matter (i.e., alginite, structureless (amorphous) and planktonic foraminifera). The presence of these liptinitic materials and planktonic foraminifera assemblages in the oil shale samples, further suggests a marine origin. Their biomarkers also provide evidence for a high contribution of marine plankton/algal and microorganisms and persevered under highly hypersalinity reducing conditions. The good preservation under reducing conditions contributes to the high amounts of organic matter enrichment during deposition of these oil shale sediments. Consequently, the Jordanian oil shales have very good oil generative potential, owing to high content of hydrogen rich Type I/II oil-prone kerogen.