PROJECT DETAILS ONLY - NO DATA. The aim is to demonstrate the potential of hydropyrolysis (pyrolysis assisted by high hydrogen gas pressure) as a novel means to provide reliable molecular fingerprints for biodegraded oils and contaminated cores where conventional biomarker approaches fail. This will then facilitate accurate and rapid oil-source and oil-oil correlations to be determined for the first time in these situations. New experimental protocols for conducting hydropyrolysis on asphaltenes will be developed. The study will establish a firm base to exploit the commercial potential of hydropyrolysis, both in oil exploration and for characterising sedimentary organic matter as a far superior technique to pyrolysis-GC-MS through a larger industrial partner.