A large number of unconventional reservoirs are developed in the source rock intervals. Considering the geological and laboratory conditions, how to better quantify the characteristics of hydrocarbon expulsion in different source-reservoir-seal assemblage？
The estimation of TOC (total organic content) in the source rock can give an indication of its hydrocarbon potential but it will not help in finding out whether some hydrocarbon is already expelled out of it in the past or not. The present assemblage does not guarantee the past linkage as the movement of hydrocarbon from one reservoir to other is a common phenomenon. If the reservoir containing the hydrocarbon is small and is locked by the source rock from all the sides then only the TOC characterisation will be realistic and can be applied and attributed to the source rock.
Here is a technical article that discusses expulsion efficiency factors. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs13202-017-0337-z.pdf
You can read this paper by Andre Pepper:
Source Rock Organofacies, Development and Preservation: The Basis for a Quantitative Description of Source Rock Expulsion Potential, Expelled Fluid Composition, and Properties - in Time and Space
You can find it online.
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