Generation of oil in rocks by shearing pressures. I. The problems: methods of determining the soluble organic content of oil shales

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1929 · Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol. Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7213359

Hawley, J E

The theory of Cunningham-Craig for the formation of oil shale was questioned. Oxidation of the insoluble kerogen present in Colorado oil shale produced new soluble matter and showed that all the kerogen was not simply adsorbed by the mineral matter. Neutralization of the charges on the adsorbed material should increase the solubility of the adsorbed organic material; however, this did not happen. Formation of soluble fatty acid by the oxidation of kerogen suggested that the soluble material in oil shale may have been formed by oxidation and that oxidation may have been a factor in the formation of kerogen. Oil shale from DeBeque (Colo.) contains two kinds of organic matter; one part (about 2 percent) is readily soluble in common organic solvents and another part is insoluble in organic solvents. Grinding oil shale at room temperatures produced no effect on the shale. Any heat of friction developed was not enough to solubilize a measurable amount of organic matter. Drying oil shale in vacuum, nitrogen, or air to free it from its natural moisture content caused a loss of soluble organic matter. Of the solvents used, chloroform was the most satisfactory, as it was volatilized without excessive loss of extract. Extraction curves of several oil shales showed that the organic matter was insoluble in common organic solvents. Of the soluble matter derived from oil shales by extraction, 60 to 70 percent consisted of complex fatty acids. Oil shale, when treated with reagents such as H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/, HCl, NaOH, and NaCl solutions, yielded essentially the same amount of soluble extract as before treatment. Acetic acid caused a slight increase in the solubility of the organic matter; anhydrous aluminum chloride caused a considerable increase. Adsorbents like fuller's earth mixed with oil shale or bitumen derived from oil shale by extraction decreased the solubility of the extractable matter.

• OSTI ID: 7213359
• Journal Information: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol. Bull.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol. Bull.; (United States) Vol. 13; ISSN AAPGB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040201* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Site Geology-- (-1989)
040500 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Properties & Composition
ALUMINIUM CHLORIDES
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
COLORADO
DRYING
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GRINDING
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
KEROGEN
MACHINING
NORTH AMERICA
OIL SHALES
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORIGIN
OXIDATION
SOLVENT PROPERTIES
USA