Correlation of zooclast reflectance with Rock-Eval Tmax values within Upper Ordovician Cape Phillips Formation, a potential petroleum source rock from the Canadian Arctic Islands

The correlation between zooclast reflectance and Rock-Eval Tmax improves in samples that have undergone solvent extraction, indicating that hydrocarbons affect Tmax. Sample that has asymmetrical S2 peak on Rock-Eval pyrolysis also has very high total extract yield with resins and asphaltenes as the dominant extracted fractions. Rock-Eval analysis of samples before and after solvent extraction demonstrates that some portion of the soluble hydrocarbon is pyrolysed in the temperature range that overlaps the S2 peak. In extracted samples S2 peaks become more symmetrical and the Tmax value shifts compared to the unextracted samples.