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Activation energy distribution of maceral concentrate: Implications on the generation and compositions of oils

Conference ·
OSTI ID:126564
 [1];  [2]
  1. Chevron Petroleum Technology Co., La Habra, CA (United States)
  2. Kentucky Center for Energy Research, Lexington, KY (United States)

Kerogens are mostly composed of several macerals such as liptinite, bituminite (amorphous OM excluding liptinite), vitrinite, inertinite etc. Each of these macerals have different chemical compositions, and hence, should (1) yield different products upon pyrolysis and (2) have different activation energy distributions. To the study the relationship between maceral composition and pyrolysis product, individual macerals (i.e., liptinite, bituminite, vitrinite and inertinite) from Cleveland Member of the Ohio Shale of Lewis County, Wyoming, were separated using density gradient centrifugation techniques. Liptinites convert in a very narrow temperature window translating into a single activation energy, whereas bitumite and vitrinite show much a broader distributions. Pyrolysis GC of these macerals show that liptinite-rich samples mainly produce alkanes, whereas bitumite, vitrinite, and inertinite produce large amounts of aromatic compounds. Use of activation energy distributions in quantitative basin evaluation shows that the conversion of liptinnite into liquid products occurs over a very narrow interval, whereas conversion of vitrinite to oil (aromatics) and gas occurs over a broader time interval. Because of the differences in the shape and magnitude of the activation energy distribution, and the products of pyrolysis, the composition of the product generated depends on the extent of conversion of individual macerals.

OSTI ID:
126564
Report Number(s):
CONF-950402--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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