Organic Petrology Laboratory

Natural Resources Canada, Calgary, Alberta
What the facility does

Research on organic matter in rock record, recent sediments and sedimentary rocks diagenesis

Areas of expertise

The Organic Petrology Laboratory covers a broad range of reflected, transmitted light, RAMAN and cathodoluminescence (CL) microscopy. State-of-the-art organic petrography microscopes cover a wide range of studies in the sedimentary rock record, used in petroleum geoscience and recent sediment organic matter characterization in environmental studies. Transmitted light and CL microscopy have a broad range of applications in sedimentary rock petrography and diagenesis studies. The fluid inclusion micro-thermometry system has a wide range of applications in geofluid studies in sedimentary basins and ore deposit studies. The RAMAN spectroscopy system has a broad range of applications in mineralogy, fluid inclusion studies as well as organic matter.

Research services

Specialized analysis and method development. 

Collaborative projects are treated on a case-by-case basis and selected through a proposal system.  Criteria for collaborative projects include that the project is aligned and contributes to advancing laboratory strategic goal and that it is closely aligned with current Geological Survey of Canada program. Collaborative projects are undertaken on a cost-recovery basis.

Sectors of application
  • Agriculture, animal science and food
  • Clean technology
  • Energy
  • Environmental technologies and related services
  • Mining, minerals and metals

Equipment

Function

ZEISS Axio Imager.M2m equipped with FOSSIL reflectance measurement and DISKUS imaging system

Organic matter characterization, reflectance measurements, white and fluorescence light spectroscopy

ZEISS AxioScope A1 equipped with Linkam THMSG 600

Transmitted light petrography, fluid inclusion petrography and micro-thermometry

ZEISS Axioplan 2 equipped with CITL Analytical Instruments Mk5-1 cold cathodoluminescence (CL) detector

Cathodoluminescence (CL) petrography

Renishaw inVia Raman microscope equipped with 532nm and 785nm laser sources and automated stage for mapping

Raman spectroscopy of solid rock, organic matter, fluid inclusion solid, liquid and gas phases