Incorporation of vanadyl porphyrins into kerogen structures during catagenesis

Natural vanadyl (VO2+)–deoxophylloerythroetioporphyrins (DPEP) are shown to be capable of reacting and quantitatively incorporating into the immature kerogen model materials (torbanite, lignites, subbituminous coal and an immature lacustrine kerogen) at 200°C for 72 h in the absence/presence of air oxygen. Electron spin resonance is used to monitor the incorporation of VO2+–DPEP into the kerogen models. The products of the incorporation resemble natural kerogen enriched with VO2+–DPEP. The simulation experiments described in this paper clearly show that the kerogen VO2+–P may originate from VO2+–DPEP incorporation into the kerogen macromolecular structures during catagenesis.