Chemistry and Technology of Fuels and Oils, Vol.45, No.3, 189-192, 2009
Carbon and sulfur isotopes as geochemical keys to the origin of petroleum
A possible abiogenic origin for oil structures is indicated by the carbon and sulfur isotope ratios in crude oil, oil components, and other natural systems. Oils are enriched in the S-34 isotope as the sulfur content decreases, which provides indirect evidence for an increase in the contribution of biomaterial to oil as the sizes of oil pools decrease.