Evolutive characteristics of aromatics under high pressure and temperature of deep lithosphere

Pyrolysis of lignite in closed systems was conducted at temperatures from 400 to 700°C and pressure from 1 to 3 GPa in order to investigate the evolutive characteristics of aromatics and the effects of pressure and temperature on the maturation of organic matter under the extreme conditions. The total yield of liquid hydrocarbons decreased with increasing pressure and the aromatics shows more mature with increasing temperature at a given pressure. The data indicate that high pressure significantly suppresses the thermal evolution of geological orgnaic matter especially at lower temperature, but favors the cyclization, polymerization and aromatization of pyrolysate. The pressure effect on maturation of organic matter is nonlinear. Therefore, it can be inferred that sediment organic-matters in the subducted slab could be retained in the deep lithosphere, and the results are also significant for understanding the accumulation and preservation of petroleum in deep reservoirs.