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A Solid State 13c Nmr Study Of Kerogen Degradation During Black Shale Weathering, Steven T. Petsch, R. J. Smernik, T. I. Eglinton, J. M. Oades

Steven T. Petsch

Solid state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is used to examine kerogen composition in weathering profiles of the Monterey, Green River, Woodford, and New Albany formations. Techniques include cross polarization (CP) and Bloch decay (BD) spectral acquisition, dipolar dephasing (DD), spin counting, experiments to provide estimates of relaxation times (T1ρH and T1H), and proton spin relaxation editing (PSRE). It is demonstrated that CP/MAS (cross polarization/magic angle spinning) spectra obtained on isolated kerogens provide reliable characterization of kerogen composition (compared with BD spectra and whole-rock samples). Highly aliphatic (polymethylenic) kerogens are not appreciably altered during weathering. Aromatic and/or branched aliphatic …