Analysis of pyrobitumen generated during the artificial maturation of source rock and oil-saturated core samples using geochemical and petrological techniques demonstrates a wide variation in many of the properties of pyrobitumen as a function of both the precursor oil composition and thermal maturity. It is believed that many of the properties of pyrobitumens deviate from those of kerogens at equivalent levels of maturity. The use of bulk parameters such as the Rock-Eval S2 curve to characterize organic matter in gas shales can lead to the misidentification of pyrobitumen as autochthonous kerogen (; derived from sedimentary organic matter). This ongoing study aims to characterize some of these properties to provide tools to better identify pyrobitumen and its influence on shale gas reservoir properties.