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Maria Romero-Sarmiento
         Maria Romero-Sarmiento

Analytical Methodologies for Organic Matter Characterization:

Application to the characterization of complex source-reservoir rocks, microplastics and solid deposits in geothermal installations
(HDR 2021)

 

The scope of my HDR (accreditation to direct research) covers ten years of research at IFPEN, initially focusing on topics related to hydrocarbons:
- Characterization of the nanostructure of sedimentary organic matter as a function of thermal maturity;
- Development of the Rock-Eval® Shale PlayTM method to enhance the characterization of liquid-rich source rocks;
- Development of an analytical methodology to better estimate the free hydrocarbons among those adsorbed within a source rock containing liquid hydrocarbons

Subsequently, my research shifted other issues, particularly those related to new energy sources and the environment. This led to the development of experimental procedures to characterize: solid deposits present in geothermal power stations [1], corrosion inhibitors, lubricants and, more recently, polymers (issues related to microplastic pollution) [2] and textile microfibers [3].

These contributions have supported various IFPEN developments, including:
-    the TemisFlowTM basin modeling software solution, marketed by BeicipFranlab, commercialized by BeicipFranlab, by integrating new models involving organic geochemical concepts (e.g., modules for calculating organic porosity and methane adsorption potential;
-    Rock-Eval® technology (figure 1), commercialized by Vinci Technologies, via the development of new analytical methods to improve the characterization of various types of samples.
My research trajectory reflects the shift undertaken by IFPEN in recent years to address the challenges of the energy and ecological transition.

 

Figure 1 : Rock-Eval® application examples covering new themes in the fields of Earth Sciences and environment technologies.


References :

  1. Romero-Sarmiento, M.-F., Ravelojaona, H., Maubec, N. (2022). Corrosion inhibitors and lubricants characterization using the Rock-Eval® Shale PlayTM method: case studies to determine the origin of geothermal scales. Geothermics 101, 102357.
    >> https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geothermics.2022.102357
       
  2. Romero-Sarmiento M.-F., Ravelojaona, H., Pillot, D., Rohais, S. (2022). Polymer quantification using the Rock-Eval® device for identification of plastics in sediments. Science of the Total Environment 807, 151068. 
    >> https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151068
          
  3. Romero-Sarmiento M.-F., Rohais, S. Dreillard, M. (2024). Quantification of textile microfibers from laundry wastewater using the Rock-Eval® device: Difference between natural and synthetic microfiber origin. Science of the Total Environment 956, 177335.
    >> https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177335
        
     

To contact : Maria Romero-Sarmiento

>> ISSUE 57 OF SCIENCE@IFPEN