Biomarkers, brines, and oil in the Mesoproterozoic, Roper Superbasin, Australia

Research Article| November 01, 2003 Biomarkers, brines, and oil in the Mesoproterozoic, Roper Superbasin, Australia Adriana Dutkiewicz; Adriana Dutkiewicz 1School of Geosciences and Institute of Marine Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Herbert Volk; Herbert Volk 2Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Petroleum, P.O. Box 136, North Ryde, NSW 1670, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar John Ridley; John Ridley 3Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Simon George Simon George 4Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Petroleum, P.O. Box 136, North Ryde, NSW 1670, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Adriana Dutkiewicz 1School of Geosciences and Institute of Marine Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia Herbert Volk 2Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Petroleum, P.O. Box 136, North Ryde, NSW 1670, Australia John Ridley 3Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia Simon George 4Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Petroleum, P.O. Box 136, North Ryde, NSW 1670, Australia Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 27 Apr 2003 Revision Received: 27 Jul 2003 Accepted: 29 Jul 2003 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2003) 31 (11): 981–984. https://doi.org/10.1130/G19754.1 Article history Received: 27 Apr 2003 Revision Received: 27 Jul 2003 Accepted: 29 Jul 2003 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Adriana Dutkiewicz, Herbert Volk, John Ridley, Simon George; Biomarkers, brines, and oil in the Mesoproterozoic, Roper Superbasin, Australia. Geology 2003;; 31 (11): 981–984. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G19754.1 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 Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry of oil inclusions from the ca. 1430 Ma marine Roper Group in the Roper Superbasin, Australia, provides a new source of information about the early biosphere and Proterozoic petroleum systems. Oil most likely derived from an overlying shale was trapped at ∼60 °C as abundant oil inclusions within transgranular microfractures in detrital quartz during Mesoproterozoic basin inversion. The oil is very mature and has a wide range of biomarkers, derived mainly from cyanobacteria, but lacks eukaryote biomarkers. Unlike associated solid bitumens, the inclusion oil is nonbiodegraded. Evidently, the inclusions remained closed systems, sheltered from postentrapment alteration and contamination. Because fluid inclusions have preserved biomarkers for >1000 m.y., they constrain the diversity of primordial ecosystems, whereas other forms of early Precambrian organic matter are usually absent or metamorphosed. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.