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f The Coalification Process and Use of Biomarker Data in the Determination of Paleoenvironmental Characteristics; Karapınar Coals (Konya, Turkey)
- Publisher: European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers
- Source: Conference Proceedings, 18th International Petroleum and Natural Gas Congress and Exhibition of Turkey, May 2011, cp-377-00050
Abstract
The coalification process and depositional environment of the Pliocene Karapınar Coal Deposit (Konya) in Central Anatolian (Turkey) were investigated by organic geochemical methods. The coal samples are characterized by the occurrence of C29 steranes in the saturated hydrocarbon fractions, while the C27 and C28 homologues are present in low quantities (C29>C27>C28). The dominant hopane in samples are moretane and normoretane. Based on the C28/C29 sterane ratios, these coals are Tertiary in age, and this conclusion is in full agreement with the geological age. Differences in diasterane/sterane ratios exist within the coal samples, and these high ratios show both acidic and oxic-suboxic environments. Relatively high concentrations of C23 tricyclic terpane in investigated sample extracts indicates terrigenous input. The dominant sterane in all samples is C29, indicating a terrigenous contribution consistent with the predominant origin for the organic matter having been from land plants. Also, richness in C27 indicates a lagoonal environment and algal organic material in that environment; the C28 levels are quite low and typical of limnic environments. βα-Moretane / αβ-hopane ratios indicate the immature early mature stage and gammaceranes are related to organic matter deposited in high-salinity depositional environment.