Australasian asphaltite strandings: Their origin reviewed in light of the effects of weathering and biodegradation on their biomarker and isotopic profiles

• Published in: Marine and Petroleum Geology
• Main Authors: Hall, P., McKirdy, D., Grice, K., Edwards, D.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Emerald Group Publishing Limited 2014
• Subjects: New Zealand; Kangaroo Island; Macquarie Island
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2440/79169; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2014.06.013

Asphaltites, long known to strand along the coastline of southern Australia and as distantly as New Zealand and Macquarie Island, are widely regarded as artefacts of submarine oil seepage. Their remarkably uniform composition suggests a common source: marine shale containing sulphur-rich Type II ker...