Current status of the production of chemicals from oil shale

Conference · Fri Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980 · Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Pet. Chem., Prepr.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5034472

Yesavage, V F; Griswold, C F; Dickson, P F

An alternate use of shale oil is as a feedstock for chemical intermediates (ethylene, propylene, benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX)) production. The most extensively used method for production of petrochemical intermediates is by steam pyrolysis of a hydrocarbon feed. Steam pyrolysis is generally directed towards maximizing ethylene production while producing other olefins and aromatics as salable by-products. Crude shale oil has a high content of organic nitrogen (2% by weight), which acts as a catalyst poison, contains a large residuum fraction (20 to 50% by weight) and has a high pour point (generally > 40/sup 0/). Thus, it has generally been considered necessary to prerefine crude shale oil to produce a synthetic crude compatible with typical refineries. The prerefinery steps generally consist either of a delayed coking step on the crude shale oil or residuum fraction, followed by one or several hydrogenation steps, or of direct hydrogenation of crude shale oil at more severe conditions. These hydrogenation steps must generally be accomplished under severe operating conditions (750/sup 0/F, 2000 psia hydrogen partial pressure and up to 2000 Scf/bbl hydrogen uptake). Since such severe prerefining of crude shale oil may not be required for the utilization of shale oil as a steam pyrolysis feedstock, use of shale oil as a petrochemical feedstock offers a potential advantage over usage for a refinery feedstock. Studies made by the US Bureau of Mines, the Institute of Gas Technology, and the Colorado School of Mines on the conversion of shale oil to petrochemicals are summarized. A comparison is made between shale oil and petroleum oil pyrolysis. (DMC)

• Research Organization: Colorado School of Mines, Golden
• OSTI ID: 5034472
• Report Number(s): CONF-800814-P1
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Pet. Chem., Prepr.; (United States) Journal Volume: 25:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040600* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Products & By-Products
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
MINERAL OILS
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PYROLYSIS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SHALE OIL
SYNTHESIS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
USES