Role of minerals in the thermal alteration and hydrocarbon generating potential of black shale and humic coals

Thesis/Dissertation · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:5594302

Lu, S

Pyrolysis of type III Rocky Mountain coal and type II Cretaceous black shale kerogen, with and without illite and montmorillonite, as well as bitumen free coal (shale) were conducted at 200/sup 0/C and 300/sup 0/C for 2 to 1000 hours. Montmorillonite has a pronounced catalytic effect on the pyrolysis of black shale kerogen in the generation of hydrocarbons in the range of C/sub 3/-C/sub 6/. In contrast, montmorillonite appears to have a slightly inhibitory effect on the total yield of C/sub 1/-C/sub 6/ hydrocarbons during the pyrolysis of Rocky mountain coal kerogen. Both montmorillonite and illite increase the yield of C/sub 12+/ saturated hydrocarbons at 200/sup 0/C pyrolysis, as a result of the catalytic effect on the degradation of kerogen, but they both enhance the destruction of C/sub 12+/ saturated hydrocarbons during pyrolysis at 300/sup 0/C. In addition to the above studies, in an attempt to evaluate the gas and oil generating potential of various humic coals, two different immature sub-bituminous coals (Australia, Gippsland Eocene (AGEC), an oil prone coal, and Rocky Mountain Upper Cretaceous, a gas prone coal), as well as the exinite poor, vitrinite dominant Wilcox lignite, were pyrolyzed. The results indicate that Australia Gippsland Eocene coal (AGEC) generated four times as much liquid hydrocarbons as Rocky Mountain coal, whereas both coals have the same potential in the generation of gaseous hydrocarbons. The Texas Wilcox lignite generated as much liquid hydrocarbon as AGEC. The three coals exhibit similar H/C ratios and a similar content of exinite macerals. The data suggest that the relative abundance of various macerals is not critical for the hydrocarbon generating potential. Probably, the amount of dispersed algal and bacterial material in the coal is more significant. The depositional environment of the source organic material is also important.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Los Angeles (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5594302
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010404 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Gasification
010405 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Hydrogenation & Liquefaction
010409* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Pyrolysis & Carbonization-- (1987-)
04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040402 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Surface Methods
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
BLACK SHALES
BROWN COAL
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
CHATTANOOGA FORMATION
CHEMICAL REACTION YIELD
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CLAYS
COAL
COAL GAS
COAL GASIFICATION
COAL LIQUEFACTION
COAL LIQUIDS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
EXINITE
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASES
GASIFICATION
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
HYDROCARBONS
ILLITE
INORGANIC ION EXCHANGERS
ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS
KEROGEN
LIGNITE
LIQUEFACTION
LIQUIDS
MACERALS
MATERIALS
MOLECULAR WEIGHT
MONTMORILLONITE
OIL SHALES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MATTER
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PYROLYSIS
SUBBITUMINOUS COAL
TESTING
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
YIELDS