Strong proof of the  mineral origin of hydrocarbons: metallic porphyrins

Danilo Anton

The porphyrins are a class of heavy and flattened molecules which are found both in abiotic and biological systems.

Some molecules of porphyrins have special biological significance. It is the case of: vitamin B12, of chlorophyll (a porphyrine that is agent of photosynthesis in plants) and the heme molecule, which is component of hemoglobin (a substance that allows the transport of oxygen in the blood of mammals).

For the purposes of illustrating the high molecular weight and ccmplexity of porphyrin we transcribe the empirical chemical formula of hemoglobin: [C⁷³⁸H¹¹⁶⁶O²⁰⁸N²⁰³S²Fe] ^4.

However, neither vitamin B12, nor chlorophyll or hemoglobin, or any other biotic porphyrin have been observed as natural components of oil.

Porphyrins in natural oil have known differences with those found in (biological) chlorophyll or heme.

For example, the central metallic element in chlorophyll is always magnesium and in heme is iron. On the contrary in oil porphyrins the central metal elements are vanadium or níquel,whose origin deep inside the Earth (mantle or lower crust) is very likely.

According to Thomas Gold porphyrins are one of the many "molecular vehicles' existing for carbonaceous fluids that can transport metals and enable its concentration in deposits..

From “Unexhaustible? Petroleum and Natural Gas”, Danilo Anton, Piriguazu Ediciones

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