ker·o·gen

[ker-uh-juhn, -jen]
noun
the bituminous matter in oil shale, from which shale oil is obtained by heating and distillation.

Origin:
1905–10; < Greek kēró(s) wax + -gen

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
kerogen (ˈkɛrədʒən) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
the solid organic material found in some rocks, such as oil shales, that produces hydrocarbons similar to petroleum when heated
 
[C20: from Greek kēro(s) wax + -gen]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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00:10
Kerogen is always a great word to know.
So is lollapalooza. Does it mean:
an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
American Heritage
Science Dictionary
kerogen   (kěr'ə-jən)  Pronunciation Key 
A fossilized mixture of insoluble organic material that, when heated, breaks down into petroleum and natural gas. Kerogen consists of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur and forms from compacted organic material, including algae, pollen, spores and spore coats, and insects. It is usually found in sedimentary rocks, such as shale.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Example sentences
There are technologies available that will convert the kerogen directly into
  super-low sulfur fuels.
Kerogen within source rocks is under pressure from overlying sediments.
The environment that transformed the kerogen into gas did not favor oil at all.
The organic matter preserved in the shale is kerogen, which when heated can
  produce crude oil and natural gas.
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