Abiogenic petroleum origin
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The '''abiogenic petroleum origin''' hypothesis proposes that most of Earth's [[petroleum]] and [[natural gas]] deposits were formed inorganically, commonly known as '''abiotic oil'''.[https://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/on-energy/2011/09/14/abiotic-oil-a-theory-worth-exploring Abiotic Oil a Theory Worth Exploring: Oil may not be formed the way we think it is.] U.S. News & World Report, Sept. 14, 2011 [[Scientific evidence]] overwhelmingly supports a biogenic origin for most of the world's petroleum deposits. Mainstream theories about the formation of hydrocarbons on Earth point to an origin from the decomposition of long-dead organisms, though the existence of [[hydrocarbon]]s on extraterrestrial bodies like Saturn's moon [[Titan (moon)|Titan]] indicates that hydrocarbons are sometimes naturally produced by inorganic means. A historical overview of theories of the abiogenic origins of hydrocarbons has been published.{{cite journal |last=Glasby |first=Geoffrey P. |date=2006 |title=Abiogenic origin of hydrocarbons: a historical overview |url= |journal=Resource Geology |volume=56 |pages=85–98 |doi=10.1111/j.1751-3928.2006.tb00271.x |number=1 |s2cid=17968123|doi-access=free |bibcode=2006ReGeo..56...83G }} |
The '''abiogenic petroleum origin''' hypothesis proposes that most of Earth's [[petroleum]] and [[natural gas]] deposits were formed inorganically, commonly known as '''abiotic oil'''.[https://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/on-energy/2011/09/14/abiotic-oil-a-theory-worth-exploring Abiotic Oil a Theory Worth Exploring: Oil may not be formed the way we think it is.] U.S. News & World Report, Sept. 14, 2011 [[Scientific evidence]] overwhelmingly supports a biogenic origin for most of the world's petroleum deposits. Mainstream theories about the formation of hydrocarbons on Earth point to an origin from the decomposition of long-dead organisms, though the existence of [[hydrocarbon]]s on extraterrestrial bodies like Saturn's moon [[Titan (moon)|Titan]] indicates that hydrocarbons are sometimes naturally produced by inorganic means. A historical overview of theories of the abiogenic origins of hydrocarbons has been published.{{cite journal |last=Glasby |first=Geoffrey P. |date=2006 |title=Abiogenic origin of hydrocarbons: a historical overview |url= |journal=Resource Geology |volume=56 |pages=85–98 |doi=10.1111/j.1751-3928.2006.tb00271.x |number=1 |s2cid=17968123|doi-access=free |bibcode=2006ReGeo..56...83G }} |
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[[Thomas Gold]]'s "deep gas hypothesis" proposes that some natural gas deposits were formed out of [[hydrocarbons]] deep in the Earth's [[mantle (geology)|mantle]]. Earlier studies of mantle-derived rocks from many places have shown that hydrocarbons from the mantle region can be found widely around the globe. However, the |
[[Thomas Gold]]'s "deep gas hypothesis" proposes that some natural gas deposits were formed out of [[hydrocarbons]] deep in the Earth's [[mantle (geology)|mantle]]. Earlier studies of mantle-derived rocks from many places have shown that hydrocarbons from the mantle region can be found widely around the globe. However, the concentration of such hydrocarbons is low.{{cite journal |last1=Sugisuki |first1=R. |last2=Mimura |first2=K. |title=Mantle hydrocarbons: abiotic or biotic? |journal=Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta |year=1994 |volume=58 |issue=11 |pages=2527–2542 |doi=10.1016/0016-7037(94)90029-9 |pmid=11541663 |bibcode=1994GeCoA..58.2527S}} While there may be large deposits of abiotic hydrocarbons, globally significant amounts of abiotic hydrocarbons are deemed unlikely.{{cite journal |last1=Sherwood Lollar |first1=B. |last2=Westgate |first2=T.D. |last3=Ward |first3=J.D. |last4=Slater |first4=G.F. |last5=Lacrampe-Couloume |first5=G. |title=Abiogenic formation of alkanes in the Earth's crust as a minor source for global hydrocarbon reservoirs |journal=Nature |year=2002 |volume=446 |issue=6880 |pages=522–524 |doi=10.1038/416522a |pmid=11932741 |bibcode=2002Natur.416..522S|s2cid=4407158 }} |
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==Overview hypotheses== |
==Overview hypotheses== |
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