Of the modern theory

In the 50's and 60's. XX century. in the USSR (NA Kudryavtsev, VB porphyry, N. Dolenko etc.) and abroad (the British scientist F. Hoyle and others) revived the various hypotheses of the inorganic (cosmic, volcanic, magmatic) origin of oil . However, in the 6th (1963), 7th (1967) and 8th (1971) International Oil Congress inorganic hypotheses were not supported.

Important for understanding the genesis of oil was to establish in the late XIX - early XX centuries. optical activity of oil, as well as close ties with oil sapropelic organic matter in sedimentary rocks. Sapropelic conjecture first German botanist G. Potonié in 1904-05, further developed by Russian and Soviet scientists - N. Andrusov, Vernadsky, IM Gubkin, ND Zelinsky and others. Sapropelic hypothesis assimilated by the modern theory of the migration of sedimentary origin of oil. Development of ideas about the nature of oil and the conditions of formation of its deposits also contributed works of the German scientist K. Engler, American geologist J. Newberry, E. Orton, D. White, Russian and Soviet scientists - GP Michael, DV Golubyatnikova, MV Abramovich, KI Bogdanovich and others.

This period is characterized by the study of oil have broad geological and geochemical studies aimed at addressing the problem of oil generation and organically related issues oil source sediments. In the USSR, such work performed by AD Archangel in 1925-26. In the U.S., a similar study started in 1926 P. Trask. In 1932 he published a classic work Gubkin "Studies on oil," which played a huge role in the development of ideas about the genesis and formation of its oil deposits. In 1934, in the oil, asphalt and coal deposits were found porphyrins belonging to a molecule of chlorophyll and other natural pigments.

But entirely inorganic theory of the origin of oil is not rejected. There are attempts to combine the organic and non-organic theory of the origin of oil: on the one hand, the radioactive decay in the core hydrogen is formed, which reacts with carbon to form oil-like substance, on the other hand, there are oil biomarkers - compounds definitely organic, with encountered by the "inorganic" oil.

Vitaly Rafailovich Flid, head of the Physical Chemistry of the Moscow Academy of Fine Chemical Technology. Moscow State University, Doctor of Sciences in 2011 [3] stated: "In a few countries - the U.S., Japan, we Troitsk - built systems for simulation of hydrocarbon generation of carbonate and water in the presence of ferrous iron. If you mix calcium carbonate or magnesium salt solution of iron and heated at high pressure, then, as shown in our study, is reliably produced hydrocarbons. At least methane. The gas from the depths of the earth through the channels in the rocks come to the surface facing undergoing different reactions to form heavier hydrocarbons. That is oil. This is the way of formation of mineral oil. Geologists say that there are oil fields, which were completely exhausted, and then the oil they appeared again. Perhaps, this is the oil from the depths of the Earth, which is unlikely to ever end.

Background on the modern theory

Milestones in the long process of scientific solution of the question of the origin of oil identified by Russian scientists. For the first time in 1763 Lomonosov suggested origin of oil from plant residues undergoing carbonization and pressure in the Earth's layers. These ideas are far ahead of University scientific thought of the time, look for the source of oil of inanimate nature.

In 1866, French chemist M. Berthelot suggested that oil is formed in the bowels of the earth under the influence of carbon dioxide on alkali metals. In 1871, French chemist H. Biasson proposed the idea of the origin of oil, by the interaction of water, CO2, H2S with a hot iron.

In 1892, Vladimir Sokolov stated hypothesis of cosmic origin of oil. Under this hypothesis, the raw material for the emergence of petroleum hydrocarbons were contained in the gaseous envelope of the Earth even during her star status. As the cooling of the Earth absorb hydrocarbons molten magma. Then, with the formation of the earth's crust, the hydrocarbons penetrated the sedimentary rocks in the gas phase, condensed and formed oil. [1]

Mendeleev, who shared the first idea of organic origin, was inclined to believe its origins as a result of reactions occurring in deep water at high temperatures and pressures between the metal carbide and water seeping from the ground. [1] The hypothesis of Mendeleev on the origin of oil from inorganic matter is now only of historical interest.

Soviet scientists Vernadsky been proven exceptional ability of organisms that inhabit our planet, to concentrate in the lithosphere huge carbon stores and the enormous role of the latter in the geological processes. Soviet scientist ND Zelinsky showed that some carbon compounds that make up plants and animals at low temperature and under appropriate conditions can form products, it is similar to the oil on the chemical composition and physical properties. A new stage in the development of the origin of oil was discovered by Soviet scientist T. Ginzburg-Karagicheva in waters Bibi Eybat and Surakhani (Baku) at a depth of 2000 m of living bacteria promoting sulfate reduction. This led to the idea of the great role of microorganisms in the fate of the buried organic matter and oil formed from it. Later, these microorganisms were found in the oil fields of the United States.

Laboratory studies have shown that under the action of the organic matter of gamma radiation produced hydrocarbons with the release of free hydrogen. Thus, the presence of radioactive decay in rocks may lead to the formation of free hydrogen for hydrogenation processes in nature. However, the role of ionizing radiation in the origin of oil still not clear. Soviet geologist IM Gubkin, summarizing the results of studies of the nature of oil, came to the conclusion that the process of its formation is continuous and can not be separated from the processes of formation of deposits in the earth of mineral matter on the scale of clusters. Most favorable for the formation of oil are unstable in the last parts of the earth's crust at the boundary of subsidence and uplift. Strong erosion of land in these areas contributed to the rapid accumulation of rainfall, and hence burial of organic material and lowering it into all the deeper zones of the crust. This is accompanied by a lowering of the growth temperature and increasing pressure, facilitate the process of oil and gas formation, aided and activity of anaerobic bacteria buried. In the areas of the Earth's crust dives under certain conditions, could be deposited layers containing large amounts of organic material, which then became part of the oil-producing and oil source rock. In advanced ridges and troughs in geosynclines all geological ages to create favorable conditions for the formation of oil pools where plant and animal remains, mostly plankton, mixed with inorganic substances, marked the beginning of the formation of rocks, then gave oil. High content of organic material characterized by clay and silt sediments that fill the cavities of the seabed, where the water does not mix any waves or ocean currents and where, consequently, the conditions reducing environment favorable to the preservation of organic material and its subsequent changes and the gradual transformation of the oil.