Effects of thermal intrusion on biomarker distributions in the Alum Shale from south-central Sweden

Abstract

The middle (Miaolingian) to upper (Furongian) Cambrian Alum Shale Formation in the DBH15/73 core from south-central Sweden was exposed to local heat from a diabase intrusion, providing an opportunity to investigate the molecular geochemical response to thermal stress. Organic petrological observations and biomarker analyses were conducted to study changes in maturity-indicating parameters and the distribution of high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during the maturation process. The DBH15/73 samples exhibit a maturity gradient, ranging from immature at the base to mature in the upper part of the Alum Shale Formation. Multiple maturity-based biomarker parameters were analyzed, and Ts/(Ts + Tm), M₃₀/(M₃₀ + H₃₀), and Hopane H₃₂: 22S/(22S + 22R) of saturated hydrocarbon parameters are found to be more reliable. Ratios of alkylnaphthalenes, alkylphenanthrenes, and alkyldibenzothiophenes (MNR, DNR, TMNr, TeMNr, MPI-1, MPR, MDR, and DMDR) also showed consistent correlations with thermal maturity. Thermal maturation impacted the macromolecular structure, resulting in the aromatization and demethylation, leading to MPy/Py, MChy/Chy, and the sum of unsubstituted 5-ring/4-ring PAH ratios changes with maturity. The influence of thermal maturation outweighs that of uranium radiation in this study, and maturity varies mainly with depth.