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Geological Society, London, Special Publications; 1983; v. 12; p. 229;
DOI: 10.1144/GSL.SP.1983.012.01.22
© 1983 Geological Society of London

Petroleum Exploration of Europe

Isotope Geochemistry of Natural Gases in Central Europe

M. Schoell & M. J. Whiticar

Federal Institute for Geosciences, D 3000 Hannover, Federal Republic of Germany

Three parameters of natural gases, i.e. the 13C/12C and D/H ratio of methane and the C2+ content have been arranged in new diagrams for the genetic characterisation of natural gases. The principal gas provinces of Central Europe are discussed with regard to the various processes of gas formation. Three gas producing geological ‘Stockwerke’ can be distinguished:

(1) Palaeozoic: Producing mostly gases from coal measures (southern North Sea, the Netherlands, NW Germany)
(2) Mesozoic: Predominantly gases associated with oils (northern North Sea, NW Germany, S Germany, Italy)
(3) Tertiary: Bacterial gases reservoired in Tertiary basins and thermogenic or mixed gases accumulated in Tertiary and pre-Tertiary basins (S Germany, Austria, Italy).

Isotopic and molecular changes found in all gases investigated can be explained by processes during formation of the gases (‘primary gases’) and simple process of mixing of primary gases. Specifically, isotope patterns in young sedimentary basins argue against diffusion as a dominant process that controls compositional variations in natural gases.