Partitioning of major, minor, and trace elements during simulated in situ oil shale retorting in a controlled-state retort

Technical Report · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:6275732

Fox, J P; Mason, K K; Duvall, J J

The partitioning of 49 elements during 15 runs of the Laramie Energy Technology Center's controlled-state retort was investigated. Mass balances and mobility factors were determined for each element for each run. The average mass balance closure for 47 elements (Cd and Hg excluded) for the 15 runs was 101 +- 7%. Mobility was used to identify five groups of elements. Over 25% of the raw shale elemental mass of Group 1 elements (H, N, S, Cd, Hg, inorganic C, and organic C) is distributed primarily to the gas and oil. From 1% to less than 10% of the raw shale elemental mass of the Group 2 elements (Se, Ni, As, and Co) is partitioned primarily to the oil phase. The Group 3 to 5 elements, all of which have mobilities that are less than 1%, include Cr, Sb, Zn, Cu, Na, Mo, V, Ga, Fe, Mn, U, Ba, Dy, La, K, Mg, Sm, Cs, Eu, Hf, Rb, Ce, Sr, Al, Ca, Sc, Ti, Yb, and Th. The study indicates that elemental partitioning in the controlled-state retort is affected by mineralogical residence and retort operating conditions. Significant differences in the mobility and mass distribution patterns were observed for Green River, Antrim, and Moroccan oil shales. It is proposed that for a given mineralogy, elemental partitioning is controlled primarily by high-temperature chemical reactions within the reaction zone and secondarily by interactions between the products (oil, gas, and water) and the cool shale ahead of the reaction zone. Retorting temperature and atmosphere also affect partitioning trends. Temperature controls the degree of kerogen conversion and mineral decomposition; input gas composition determines the atmosphere, that is, reducing or oxidizing (although this latter factor did not significantly affect partitioning here).

• Research Organization: California Univ., Berkeley (USA). Lawrence Berkeley Lab.; Department of Energy, Laramie, WY (USA). Laramie Energy Technology Center
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6275732
• Report Number(s): LBL-9030; CONF-790440-4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040500* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Properties & Composition
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
ACTINIDES
ACTIVATION ANALYSIS
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
ALUMINIUM
ANTIMONY
ARSENIC
BARIUM
BARYON REACTIONS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CADMIUM
CALCIUM
CARBON
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CERIUM
CESIUM
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
CHROMIUM
COBALT
COPPER
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DATA
DATA FORMS
DYSPROSIUM
ELEMENTS
EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY
ENERGY SOURCES
EUROPIUM
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUIDS
FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GALLIUM
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
GASES
GERMANIUM
HADRON REACTIONS
HAFNIUM
HYDROGEN
IN-SITU PROCESSING
IN-SITU RETORTING
INFORMATION
IRON
ISOLATED VALUES
LANTHANUM
LEAD
LUTETIUM
MAGNESIUM
MANGANESE
MATERIAL BALANCE
MERCURY
METALS
METAMORPHIC ROCKS
MINERAL OILS
MOLYBDENUM
NEODYMIUM
NEUTRON REACTIONS
NICKEL
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEON REACTIONS
NUMERICAL DATA
OIL SHALES
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POTASSIUM
PROCESSING
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RARE EARTHS
REFRACTORY METALS
RETORTING
ROCKS
RUBIDIUM
SAMARIUM
SCANDIUM
SELENIUM
SEMIMETALS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SHALE GAS
SHALE OIL
SHALE TAR WATER
SHALES
SILICON
SODIUM
SPECTROSCOPY
SPENT SHALES
STRONTIUM
SYNTHETIC FUELS
SYNTHETIC PETROLEUM
TANTALUM
TERBIUM
THORIUM
TITANIUM
TRACE AMOUNTS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TUNGSTEN
URANIUM
VANADIUM
YTTERBIUM
YTTRIUM
ZINC