Comparison of organic geochemical and palynofacies methods: Example from the Upper Triassic Gassum Formation in Denmark

Copenhagen, February 19th, 1991. Disseminated organic matter from the · Upper Triassic to Lower Jurassic Gassum Formation in the Gassum-1 deep well has been analyzed by palynological and organic geochemical methods. Tue paper compares the effects of the different preparation methods on the organic matter. The kerogen isolation process (demineralisation by HF) is found to cause major changes in the Rock-Eva! parameters, but not in carbon isotope composition of organic matter. Tm.,- and HI-values determined from kerogen concentrates are more consistent with the palynofacies data than those determined from whole rock samples. The differences are ascribed to analytical problems when dealing with low-TOC whole rock samples. Palynofa­cies data obtained from unfiltered and filtered kerogen concentrates demonstrate a variable loss of amorphous organic matter during filtration ( up to 1()()%). Other palynomorph distributions are not seriously affected by filtration. The loss in amorphous organic matter has no influence on the Rock-Eva! data and carbon isotope composition. Comparison of polynofacies and carbon isotope data identifies three organic matter sources with characteristic isotopic composition.