Abstract: A method is defined for determining whether a rock is capable of functioning as an oil reservoir has had or presently contains oil. The method includes the steps of: -cleaning a sample of the rock in a manner such that at least some of any adsorbed oil on the rock will remain and any oil inclusions within the rock remain intact; -irradiating the cleaned sample with fluorescence inducing electromagnetic (typically UV) radiation and measuring emitted (typically UV and visible) radiation from the sample; and-comparing the emitted radiation measurement against a similarly determined measurement from a rock sample of a known oil-producing reservoir, to determine whether or not the rock has had or presently contains oil. In a variation of the above method, the sample of the rock is cleaned step-wise in a manner that removes other than adsorbed oil on the rock, with a final cleaning step including contacting the sample with a solvent into which some adsorbed oil may be extracted.

Abstract: A method is defined for determining whether a rock is capable of functioning as an oil reservoir has had or presently contains oil. The method includes the steps of:—cleaning a sample of the rock in a manner such that at least some of any adsorbed oil on the rock will remain and any oil inclusions within the rock remain intact;—irradiating the cleaned sample with fluorescence inducing electromagnetic (typically UV) radiation and measuring emitted (typically UV and visible) radiation from the sample; and—comparing the emitted radiation measurement against a similarly determined measurement from a rock sample of a known oil-producing reservoir, to determine whether or not the rock has had or presently contains oil. In a variation of the above method, the sample of the rock is cleaned step-wise in a manner that removes other than adsorbed oil on the rock, with a final cleaning step including contacting the sample with a solvent into which some adsorbed oil may be extracted.