While the topic remains controversial, Lewan GeoConsulting asserts that hydrous pyrolysis kinetics, which rely on the generation of actual oil in the presence of water at lower temperatures, offer greater validity compared to Rock Eval kinetics. Rock Eval kinetics are based on electronic signals that include both bitumen and oil, occurring under unnatural subsurface conditions at higher temperatures. This preference for hydrous pyrolysis kinetics has been substantiated through various comparative studies conducted in regions such as the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, the Menilite Shales of the Polish Carpathians, Jurassic source rocks in the Zagros Basin of Iraq, and Green River source rocks in the Uinta Basin. Moreover, hydrous pyrolysis kinetics adhere to established scientific methods in chemical kinetics, while Rock Eval kinetics rely on an engineering curve-fitting approach.
