Research on Source and Evolution of Sedimentary Materials in Oil and Gas Exploration

Dear Colleagues,

Sedimentary rocks are integral to hydrocarbon generation and accumulation, given their ubiquitous presence as source, reservoir, and cap rocks. The accumulation, deposition, and preservation of organic matter within these rocks are affected by a multitude of factors including paleoproductivity, sedimentation rate, redox environment, and many others. These factors determine the type and abundance of kerogen, which is closely related to hydrocarbon generation. Additionally, inorganic minerals undergo multifaceted diagenetic processes that can either enhance or compromise the reservoir quality. The intricate interplay between the transport, deposition, and transformation of organic matter and inorganic minerals has become a central focus and challenge in research. In addition, studies on basin analysis, Milankovitch climate cycles, and paleoclimate have contributed to a deeper understanding of the provenance and evolution processes of sedimentary materials pertaining to hydrocarbon generation and accumulation.

This Special Issue aims to present recent progress in comprehending the sources and evolution of sedimentary materials pertinent to oil and gas accumulation. We encourage critical reviews of previous work, the development of new approaches, and the presentation of recent research studies analyzing provenance, sedimentation processes, and diagenesis in petroliferous basins. We are also keen to receive contributions that predict and assess the sustainability of hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation in the context of the aforementioned processes. Additionally, we invite submissions on sample analysis, data processing, and exploration and evaluation techniques.

In this Special Issue, both original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but not limited to) the following:

(1) Sediment source/provenance analysis of petroliferous basins;

(2) Coupling mechanisms between organic matter accumulation process and depositional environment;

(3) Sedimentary and geochemical characteristics of depositional systems;

(4) Characteristics of reservoir evolution;

(5) Testing and analysis techniques for source rock evaluation;

(6) Original formation and tectonic reconstruction;

(7) Sustainable development of oil and gas resources;

(8) Orbital-scale climate forcing in controlling fine-grained material accumulation;

(9) Stratigraphic analysis of source-reservoir rock configuration;

(10) Petroleum system analysis and basin modeling.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Hexin Huang
Dr. Youwei Wang
Dr. Lei Chen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• provenance analysis
• depositional environments
• basin analysis
• organic matter
• paleoproductivity
• reservoir characterization and diagenesis
• hydrocarbon generation, migration, and accumulation
• oil and gas exploration