KEROGEN

Kerogen

Kerogen is a mixture of organic chemical compounds that make up a portion of the organic matter in sedimentary rocks. It is insoluble in normal organic solvents because of the high molecular weight of its component compounds. The soluble portion is known as bitumen. When heated to the right temperatures in the Earth's crust, some types of kerogen release crude oil or natural gas, collectively known as hydrocarbons . When such kerogens are present in high concentration in rocks such as shale they form possible source rocks. Shales rich in kerogens that have not been heated to a warmer temperature to release their hydrocarbons may form oil shale deposits.

The above text is a snippet from Wikipedia: Kerogen
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

kerogen

Noun

  1. any organic matter present in a sedimentary rock that is insoluble in organic solvents; the precursor of oil and natural gas


The above text is a snippet from Wiktionary: kerogen
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

Need help with a clue?
Try your search in the crossword dictionary!