Hydrous pyrolysis of intact coal samples: A combined organic geochemical, petrographic and SEM investigation on artificial maturation

Abstract Coals are known to be source rocks for natural gas, but also for liquid petroleum. Laboratory experiments under controlled physical and chemical conditions can help to understand maturation and hydrocarbon generation in these rocks. Whole-rock cuboids of two bituminous coal samples (0.60% and 0.80% vitrinite reflectance) were subjected to semi-closed hydrous pyrolysis under isothermal conditions for 24 h at 300, 310, 320, 330, and 340 °C. This study aims to investigate the alterations o