The paper is devoted to kinetic studies of thermal decomposition of organic matter in organic-rich rocks. Kinetic studies are the consisting part of geochemical investigations of source rocks and petroleum systems. The results are required for petroleum generation prediction and assessment of reservoir hydrocarbons quantity and quality using basin modelling. Kinetic data is also applied for simulation of in-situ kerogen conversion and hydrocarbons generation, which are the main processes of thermal methods of enhanced oil recovery (thermal EOR).The paper summarizes fundamental concepts and experimental approaches for kinetic studies of organic matter thermal transformation, it provides an overview of modern methods, equipment and experimental procedures for obtaining bulk and compositional activation energy distributions (spectra) in open and closed systems, and discusses the benefits, limitations, and possible applications of the different methods.The paper presents the scope of experimental procedures, which have been elaborated at Skoltech, and the obtained results: (i) bulk kinetic spectra, which are aimed at express prediction of the total yield of mobile hydrocarbons during kerogen transformation; (ii) compositional kinetic spectra, which considers the amount and composition of hydrocarbon products; (iii) kinetic model of organic matter transformation in a closed system, which considers primary kerogen decomposition and secondary reactions of the hydrocarbons. The kinetic spectra were obtained for various organic-rich rocks collected within the Russian Federation.

Comprehensive lithological and geochemical studies were conducted on the core samples from three wells located in the southern periphery of the West Siberian Petroleum Basin (northern part of the Omsk region). These studies enabled the identification and detailed characterization of the main source rocks in the area, as well as the assessment of potential hydrocarbon generation volumes within the study area. The organic-rich siliceous mudstones of the Bazhenov Formation, along with coals and carbonaceous shales of the Vasyugan and Tyumen Formations, were identified as the main source rocks. A detailed analysis of the well sections revealed that the generation potential of the Bazhenov Formation is associated with the Type II/IIS kerogen, which is characterized by early generation and a higher initial hydrogen index. The coals and carbonaceous shales of the Vasyugan and Tyumen Formations were determined to possess oil-generating potential due to the anomalously high content of liptinite macerals in the organic matter (OM) composition. The studies of the molecular and isotopic compositions of rock extracts from both source rock and reservoir rock intervals, as well as the gas sample from the field, confirm that the fluids across the area are derived from marine OM of the Bazhenov Formation and the carbonaceous matter of the Vasyugan and Tyumen Formations, as well as their mixtures. The obtained results demonstrate the presence of an early generation petroleum kitchen in the area studied. These findings contribute to a new understanding of the hydrocarbon prospectivity of the region. The study also highlights the necessity for 3D basin modeling to reassess the hydrocarbon resources and their localization within the southern periphery of the West Siberian Petroleum Basin.