A detailed kinetic and thermodynamic model of petroleum formation, destruction, and expulsion

Conference · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989

OSTI ID:5567126

Burnham, A. K.; Braun, R. L. ^[1]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)

A variety of laboratory experiments, including programmed micropyrolysis, isothermal fluidized-bed pyrolysis, oil evolution from a self-purging reactor, pyrolysis-mass spectrometry, and hydrous pyrolysis are analyzed to derive chemical kinetic expressions for pyrolysis of lacustrine and marine kerogens. These kinetic parameters are incorporated into an improved, detailed chemical-kinetic model which includes oil and gas generation from kerogen, oil degradation by coking and cracking, gas generation from residual kerogen, and hydrogen consumption reactions. Oil is described by eleven boiling-point fractions. The model includes equation-of-state calculations of vapor/liquid equilibria and PVT behavior. The model can be run for closed, open, and leaky systems, and the open system can include an inert-gas purge. The porosity is calculated for both unconstrained conditions as well as conditions simulating natural compaction and fracturing during sedimentary burial. Model calculations are compared to results from a variety of laboratory experiments, including hydrous pyrolysis. Oil expulsion efficiencies and properties are also calculated for a variety of geological conditions. The relative amounts of water and hydrocarbon phase(s) expelled are governed by saturation-dependent relative permeabilities. Gas-oil ratios in the expelled petroleum are related to organic content and geological heating rate. 49 refs., 10 figs., 4 tabs.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/FE
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5567126
• Report Number(s): UCRL-99776; CONF-890920--1; ON: DE90000830
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040402* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Surface Methods
ACTIVATION ENERGY
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
BOILING POINTS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CARBONIZATION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COKING
COMPUTER CODES
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUATIONS
EQUATIONS OF STATE
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
KEROGEN
KINETICS
MATERIALS
OIL SHALES
ORGANIC MATTER
P CODES
PETROLEUM
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POROSITY
PYROLYSIS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE