Vitrinite Reflectance Analysis Bibliography

Selected References— Revised March 2018

These bibliographic references have been compiled as a TSOP project, and

organic petrologists have found the references to be useful in their work. They
should be available at university or geological research center libraries. They
are not available from TSOP.

Standards:

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), 1994, Standard test method
for microscopical determination of the reflectance of vitrinite in a polished
specimen of coal: Annual book of ASTM standards: gaseous fuels; coal
and coke, sec. 5, v. 5.05, D 2798-91, p. 280-283.
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), 2014, Standard test method
for microscopical determination of the reflectance of vitrinite dispersed in
sedimentary rocks: West Conshohocken, PA, ASTM International, Annual
book of ASTM standards: Petroleum products, lubricants, and fossil fuels;
Gaseous fuels; coal and coke, sec. 5, v. 5.06, D7708-14, p. 823-830, doi:
10.1520/D7708-11, http://www.astm.org/Standards/D7708.htm
I.C.C.P. (International Committee for Coal and Organic Petrology), 1971,
Determination of rank by reflectance measurement of vitrinite: I.C.C.P.
International handbook of coal petrography, supplement to second
edition, 16 p.
Zeiss, Reflection microscope photometry: application -- measurements on coal
samples: Zeiss manual, A 41-825.8-e.

Technique:

Barker, C.E., and M.J. Pawlewicz, 1993, An empirical determination of the

minimum number of measurements needed to estimate the mean random
vitrinite reflectance of disseminated organic matter: Organic
Geochemistry, v. 20, no. 6, p. 643-651.
Bustin, R.M., A.R. Cameron, D.A. Grieve, and W.D. Kalkreuth, 1985, Coal
petrology -- its principles, methods and applications, second revised
edition: Geological Association of Canada Short Course Notes 3, 230 p.
(see p. 89-95)
Carr, A.D., and J.E. Williamson, 1990, The relationship between aromaticity,
vitrinite reflectance, and maceral composition of coals: implications for the
use of vitrinite reflectance as a maturation parameter: Organic
Geochemistry, v. 16, p. 313-323.
Carvajal-Ortiz, H., and T. Gentzis, 2015, Critical considerations when assessing
hydrocarbon plays using Rock-Eval pyrolysis and organic petrology data:
data quality revisited: International Journal of Coal Geology, v. 152, part
A, p. 113-122.
Cluff, R., 2015, Searching for the impossible; our two-year quest to build a
vitrinite reflectance microscope on a micro-budget: TSOP Newsletter, v.
32, no. 2, p. 21-36.
Davis, A., 1978, The reflectance of coal, in C. Karr, Jr., ed., Analytical methods
for coal and coal products, v. 1: New York, Academic Press, p. 27-81.
Davis, A., 1984, Coal petrology and petrographic analysis, in C.R. Ward, ed.,
Coal geology and coal technology: Palo Alto, Blackwell Scientific
Publications, p. 74-112.
Dewing, K., and H. Sanei, 2009, Analysis of large thermal maturity datasets:
Examples from the Canadian Arctic Islands: International Journal of Coal
Geology, v. 77, p. 436-448.
Fedor, F., and M. Hámor-Vidó, 2003, Statistical analysis of vitrinite reflectance
data—a new approach: International Journal of Coal Geology, v. 56, p.
277-294.
Kilby, W.E., 1991, Vitrinite reflectance measurement -- some technique
enhancements and relationships: International Journal of Coal Geology, v.
19, p. 201-218.
Kwiecinska, B., and H.I. Petersen, 2004, Graphite, semi-graphite,
natural coke, and natural char classification—ICCP system:
International Journal of Coal Geology, v. 57, p. 99-116.
Malinconico, M.L., 2000, Using reflectance crossplots and rotational polarization
for determining first-cycle vitrinite for maturation studies: International
Journal of Coal Geology, v. 43, p. 105-120.
McCartney, J.T., and M. Teichmüller, 1972, Classification of coals according to
degree of coalification by reflectance of the vitrinite component: Fuel, v.
51, p. 64-68.
Mukhopadhyay, P.K., 1992, Maturation of organic matter as revealed by
microscopic methods: applications and limitations of vitrinite reflectance,
and continuous spectral and pulsed laser fluorescence spectroscopy, in
K.H. Wolf and G.V. Chilingarian, eds., Diagenesis, III: New York, Elsevier,
Developments in Sedimentology 47, p. 435-510.
Mukhopadhyay, P.K., and W.G. Dow, eds., 1994, Vitrinite reflectance as a
maturity parameter: applications and limitations: American Chemical
Society Symposium Series 570, 294 p.
Mukhopadhyay, P.K., 1994, Vitrinite reflectance as maturity parameter:
petrographic and molecular characterization and its applications to basin
modeling, in P.K. Mukhopadhyay and W.G. Dow, eds., Vitrinite reflectance
as a maturity parameter: applications and limitations: American Chemical
Society Symposium Series 570, p. 1-24.
Neavel, R.C., 1981, Origin, petrography, and classification of coal, in M.A. Elliott,
ed., Chemistry of coal utilization, second supplementary volume: New
York, John Wiley & Sons, p. 91-158.
Robert, P., 1988, Organic metamorphism and geothermal history: microscopic
study of organic matter and thermal evolution of sedimentary basins:
Norwell, MA, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 311 p. (see p. 102-105).
Stach, E., M.-Th. Mackowsky, M. Teichmüller, G.H. Taylor, D. Chandra, and R.
Teichmüller, 1982, Stach's textbook of coal petrology, third revised and
enlarged edition: Berlin-Stuttgart, Gebrüder Borntraeger, 535 p. (see p.
319-329).
Taylor, G.H., M. Teichmüller, A. Davis, C.F.K. Diessel, R. Littke, and P. Robert,
1998, Organic Petrology: Berlin-Stuttgart, Gebrüder Borntraeger, 704 p.
Ting, F.T.C., 1978, Petrographic techniques in coal analysis, in C.
Karr, Jr., ed., Analytical methods for coal and coal products,
v. 1: New York, Academic Press, p. 3-26.
Tissot, B.P., and D.H. Welte, 1984, Petroleum formation and occurrence, second
revised and enlarged edition: New York, Springer-Verlag, 699 p. (see p.
241-245,495-507).

Application: shale:

Barker, C.E., 1996, A comparison of vitrinite reflectance measurements made in

whole-rock and dispersed organic matter concentrate mounts: Organic
Geochemistry, v. 24, p. 251-256.
Bostick, N.H., 1979, Microscopic measurement of the level of catagenesis of
solid organic matter in sedimentary rocks to aid exploration for petroleum
and to determine former burial temperatures -- a review, in P.A. Scholle,
and P.R. Schluger, eds., Aspects of Diagenesis: S.E.P.M. Special
Publication 26, p. 17-43.
Buiskool Toxopeus, J.M.A., 1983, Selection criteria for the use of vitrinite
reflectance as a maturity tool, in J. Brooks, ed., Petroleum geochemistry
and exploration of Europe: Oxford, Blackwell Scientific Publications, p.
295-307.
Cardott, B.J., and D.F. Bensley, 1989, Toward a standardization of random
vitrinite reflectance: The Society for Organic Petrology, Abstracts and
Program, v. 6, p. 36-38.
Castaño, J.R., and D.M. Sparks, 1974, Interpretation of vitrinite reflectance
measurements in sedimentary rocks and determination of burial history
using vitrinite reflectance and authigenic minerals, in R.R. Dutcher, P.A.
Hacquebard, J.M. Schopf, and J.A. Simon, eds., Carbonaceous materials
as indicators of metamorphism: Geological Society of America Special
Paper 153, p. 31-52.
Dembicki, H., Jr., 2009, Three common source rock evaluation errors made by
geologists during prospect or play appraisals: AAPG Bulletin, v. 93, p.
341-356.
Dow, W.G., 1977, Kerogen studies and geological interpretations: Journal of
Geochemical Exploration, v. 7, p. 79-99.
Dow, W.G., and D.I. O'Connor, 1982, Kerogen maturity and type by reflected
light microscopy applied to petroleum exploration, in F.L. Staplin, and
others, How to assess maturation and paleotemperatures: S.E.P.M. Short
Course 7, p. 133-157.
Fang, H., and C. Jianyu, 1992, The cause and mechanism of vitrinite reflectance
anomalies: Journal of Petroleum Geology, v. 15, p. 419-434.
Gentzis, T., F. Goodarzi, and L.R. Snowdon, 1993, Variation of maturity
indicators (optical and Rock-Eval) with respect to organic matter type and
matrix lithology: an example from Melville Island, Canadian Arctic
Archipelago: Marine and Petroleum Geology, v. 10, p. 507-513.
Jones, R.W., and T.A. Edison, 1978, Microscopic observations of kerogen
related to geochemical parameters with emphasis on thermal maturation,
in D.F. Oltz, ed., Low temperature metamorphism of kerogen and clay
minerals: Los Angeles, S.E.P.M. Pacific Section, p. 1-12.
Lo, H.-B., 1992, Identification of indigenous vitrinites for improved
thermal maturity evaluation: Organic Geochemistry, v. 18, p.
359-364.
Nzoussi-Mbassani, P., Y. Copard, and J.R. Disnar, 2005, Vitrinite recycling:
diagnostic criteria and reflectance changes during weathering and
reburial: International Journal of Coal Geology, v. 61, p. 223-239.
Potter, J., L.D. Stasiuk, and A.R. Cameron, eds., 1998, A petrographic atlas of
Canadian coal macerals and dispersed organic matter: Canadian Society
for Coal Science and Organic Petrology, 105 p.
http://www.cscop.org/atlas.php
Senftle, J.T., and C.R. Landis, 1991, Vitrinite reflectance as a tool to assess
thermal maturity, in R.K. Merrill, ed., Source and migration processes and
evaluation techniques: AAPG Treatise of Petroleum Geology, Handbook
of Petroleum Geology, p. 119-125.
Senftle, J.T., C.R. Landis, and R.L. McLaughlin, 1993, Organic petrographic
approach to kerogen characterization, in M.H. Engel, and S.A. Macho,
eds., Organic geochemistry: principles and applications: New York,
Plenum Press, p. 355-374.
Teichmüller, M., 1987, Organic material and very low-grade metamorphism, in M.
Frey, ed., Low temperature metamorphism: New York, Chapman and Hall,
p. 114-161.
Teichmüller, M., 1987, Recent advances in coalification studies and their
application to geology, in A.C. Scott, ed., Coal and coal-bearing strata:
recent advances: Boston, Blackwell Scientific Publications, Geological
Society Special Publication 32, p. 127-169.