Shale oil: an energy option

Journal Article · Fri Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1978 · Pace; (United States)

OSTI ID:7070837

Kerr, D

Shale oil so far extracted has proved to be amenable to normal oil refining processing, apart from some difficulties due to high nitrogen and sulfur content. However, in oil shales, the organic material is chemically bound to clay-like minerals and therefore something beyond simple physical processing is required. There are 2 possible methods of attack - on the organic material, known as kerogen or on the mineral material. The first process is similar to thermal cracking, long used in the petroleum industry, since the shale oil contains a range of unsaturated, olefinic compounds. In common with the cracking process, oil shale retorting gives rise to copious production of gases - methane and saturated and unsaturated higher hydrocarbons. These gases are frequently used to fuel the retorting process to some extent as may be the residual carbon on the spent shale. Even though the original kerogen in the shale may be more or less paraffinic, it can be seen that the retorting process, by producing light gases, will rob the remainder of the oil of hydrogen and hence this oil will tend to be unsaturated and/or aromatic. A further result of this process is that olefins will tend to polymerize at the later stages of retorting and hence eventually leave carbon on the mineral matter, which can be burned to provide further heat.

• OSTI ID: 7070837
• Journal Information: Pace; (United States), Journal Name: Pace; (United States) Vol. 31:12; ISSN PAMGB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040402* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Surface Methods
040600 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Products & By-Products
ALKANES
ALKENES
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBON
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
CRACKING
DECOMPOSITION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASES
HYDROCARBONS
KEROGEN
MATERIALS
METHANE
MINERAL OILS
MINERALS
NONMETALS
OIL SHALES
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MATTER
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
POLYMERIZATION
PRODUCTION
PYROLYSIS
RETORTING
SHALE GAS
SHALE OIL
SOLID WASTES
TAILINGS
THERMAL CRACKING
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION
WASTES