Carbon isotopic balance of kerogen pyrolysis effluents in a closed system

Validation of mass and atomic carbon balances plus δ13C measurements was checked carefully in order to obtain accurate isotopic mass balances. Mass balances on pyrolysis products were higher than 97.7% of the initial kerogen amount. The δ13C fractionation observed between different pyrolysis products reached 18‰, but only 2‰ between different C14+ fractions within the range of pyrolysis conditions.