Biomarker characteristics of Montney source rock, British Columbia, Canada

Montney Formation (MF) source rock located in northeastern British Columbia (BC), Canada, was analyzed to determine its depositional conditions and organic matter source input other than to determine their level of thermal maturity. The high total sulfur (TS) (2.23–20.86 wt.%) and good to very good total organic carbon (TOC) content (0.3–5.87 wt.%) in the analyzed samples give good evidence that the deposition of MF source rock was in a marine environment under reducing conditions. A mixed marine-terrestrial derived organic matter (OM) for the Montney source rock that was deposited in a marine dysoxic environment is deduced from the composition and distribution of different biomarker traces. Thus, the previous result is supported by the high short-chain n-alkanes ratio, accompanied by carbon preference index (CPI) around unity, high concentration of tricyclic terpanes, high C24 tricyclic/C24 tetracyclic, hopane/sterane ratios ranging from low to moderate, as well as the relationship between regular sterane compositions. During deposition of the MF source rock, it can be noticed that more land organic materials this was deduced according to the high waxiness index. From maturity ratios of Ts/(Ts + Tm), C32 22S/(22S + 22R) homohopane, moretane/hopane and 20S/(20S + 20R) and ββ/(ββ + αα) C29 it can give a conclusion that the source rock is mature to postmature of hydrocarbon generation. •Geochemical analyses of biomarker traces, elemental analysis, and pyrolysis provide a continuous profile of source rock.•The OM source input, preservation conditions, and thermal maturation level were provided based on biomarker analysis.•The ​results ​of ​the ​elemental ​analysis ​show ​that ​the ​Montney ​formation ​source ​rock ​was deposited ​in ​a ​marine ​environment.•Biomarkers are considered an effective method for detailed and insightful information that helps evaluate any source rock. Montney Formation, Biomarkers, Pyrolysis, Source rock, depositional environment, preservation conditions