ABSTRACT
The precise details regarding the twin problems of origin, and migration and accumulation of petroleum have yet to be fully answered. Recent advances in analytical chemistry and geochemistry have advanced the knowledge and understanding, but issues remain to be resolved. Therefore, in any text dealing with the science of petroleum, there must, of necessity, be a section dealing with kerogen. This will help the reader to understand kerogen and its place as a naturally occurring organic material. It is not the intent of this chapter to replace the excellent texts already available on the nature of kerogen (Tissot and Welte, 1978; Durand, 1980; Pelet and Durand, 1984; Vandenbroucke, 2003). It is hoped that this chapter will assist the reader in understanding the nature of kerogen as well as the role that kerogen might play in petroleum science. It is anticipated that this chapter will also serve as an introduction to the more complex constituents of petroleum and aid in an understanding of the nature of the high molecular weight polar constituents (i.e., the asphaltene and the resin constituents) of petroleum (Chapters 9, 10, and 12).
