24-norcholestanes as age-sensitive molecular fossils

Research Article| September 01, 1998 24-norcholestanes as age-sensitive molecular fossils A. G. Holba; A. G. Holba 1ARCO Exploration and Production Technology, 2300 West Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75075 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar E. W. Tegelaar; E. W. Tegelaar 1ARCO Exploration and Production Technology, 2300 West Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75075 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar B. J. Huizinga; B. J. Huizinga 2ARCO International Oil & Gas Company, 2300 West Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75075 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar J. M. Moldowan; J. M. Moldowan 3Department of Geological & Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar M. S. Singletary; M. S. Singletary 1ARCO Exploration and Production Technology, 2300 West Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75075 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar M. A. McCaffrey; M. A. McCaffrey 1ARCO Exploration and Production Technology, 2300 West Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75075 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar L. I. P. Dzou L. I. P. Dzou 1ARCO Exploration and Production Technology, 2300 West Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75075 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information A. G. Holba 1ARCO Exploration and Production Technology, 2300 West Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75075 E. W. Tegelaar 1ARCO Exploration and Production Technology, 2300 West Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75075 B. J. Huizinga 2ARCO International Oil & Gas Company, 2300 West Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75075 J. M. Moldowan 3Department of Geological & Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305 M. S. Singletary 1ARCO Exploration and Production Technology, 2300 West Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75075 M. A. McCaffrey 1ARCO Exploration and Production Technology, 2300 West Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75075 L. I. P. Dzou 1ARCO Exploration and Production Technology, 2300 West Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75075 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1998) 26 (9): 783–786. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1998)026<0783:NAASMF>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation A. G. Holba, E. W. Tegelaar, B. J. Huizinga, J. M. Moldowan, M. S. Singletary, M. A. McCaffrey, L. I. P. Dzou; 24-norcholestanes as age-sensitive molecular fossils. Geology 1998;; 26 (9): 783–786. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1998)026<0783:NAASMF>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Biomarkers, molecular fossils, are organic compounds in Holocene to Precambrian sedimentary deposits that can be related to specific chemical compounds produced in the biosphere. We demonstrate here that 24-norcholestane biomarkers, i.e., C26 steranes (saturated hydrocarbons having a steroid skeleton), can be useful to constrain the age and paleolatitude of geologic samples. The biological precursors of 24-norcholestanes remain unclear, but samples from more than 100 basins provide evidence that 24-norcholestanes may be derived directly or indirectly from diatoms. Ratios of 24-norcholestanes to 27-norcholestanes show an initial increase above background in Jurassic oils, but they increase dramatically in Cretaceous oils, coincident with diatom evolution. The highest ratios are found in oils and rock extracts from Oligocene or younger marine siliceous source rocks in which the sources were deposited at paleolatitudes >30°N. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.