Study of thermal maturation processes of sulfur-rich source rock using compound specific sulfur isotope analysis

The bulk organic sulfur phases (bitumen, oil, kerogen) were 34S enriched by < 1‰ despite large amounts of 34S-depleted H2S (53% of total S) that was released continuously (“open system”). Therefore, the preferential loss of H2S during thermal maturation may not be responsible to the 34S enrichment of oils as reported in some petroleum basins. The overall outcome of the maturation process yields OSCs with δ34S values that closely reflect the kerogen and can be used as a fingerprint for oil-oil and oil-source rock correlation over wide ranges of thermal maturity. The applicability of such correlation is demonstrated by the very good correlation of δ34S values of specific OSCs between artificial and natural oil samples.