A Thermoplasticity Model for Oil Shale
Abstract
Several regions of the world have abundant oil shale resources, but accessing this energy supply poses a number of challenges. One particular difficulty is the thermomechanical behavior of the material. When heated to sufficient temperatures, thermal conversion of kerogen to oil, gas, and other products takes place. This alteration of microstructure leads to a complex geomechanical response. In this work, we develop a thermoplasticity model for oil shale. The model is based on critical state plasticity, a framework often used for modeling clays and soft rocks. The model described here allows for both hardening due to mechanical deformation and softening due to thermal processes. In particular, the preconsolidation pressure—defining the onset of plastic volumetric compaction—is controlled by a state variable representing the kerogen content of the material. As kerogen is converted to other phases, the material weakens and plastic compaction begins. We calibrate and compare the proposed model to a suite of high-temperature uniaxial and triaxial experiments on core samples from a pilot in situ processing operation in the Green River Formation. In conclusion, we also describe avenues for future work to improve understanding and prediction of the geomechanical behavior of oil shale operations.
- Authors:
-
[1];
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Stanford Univ., Stanford, CA (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1378546
- Report Number(s):
- LLNL-CONF-667671
Journal ID: ISSN 0723-2632; PII: 947
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC52-07NA27344
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 50; Journal Issue: 3; Conference: Presented at: Fifth International Conference on Coupled Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical-Chemical Processes in Geosystems, Salt Lake City, UT (United States), 25-27 Feb 2015; Journal ID: ISSN 0723-2632
- Publisher:
- Springer
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS; 58 GEOSCIENCES; Rock Mechanics; In Situ Processing; Oil Shale; Thermoplasticity
Citation Formats
White, Joshua A., Burnham, Alan K., and Camp, David W. A Thermoplasticity Model for Oil Shale. United States: N. p., 2016.
Web. doi:10.1007/s00603-016-0947-7.
White, Joshua A., Burnham, Alan K., & Camp, David W. A Thermoplasticity Model for Oil Shale. United States. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-016-0947-7
White, Joshua A., Burnham, Alan K., and Camp, David W. Thu .
"A Thermoplasticity Model for Oil Shale". United States. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-016-0947-7. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1378546.
@article{osti_1378546,
title = {A Thermoplasticity Model for Oil Shale},
author = {White, Joshua A. and Burnham, Alan K. and Camp, David W.},
abstractNote = {Several regions of the world have abundant oil shale resources, but accessing this energy supply poses a number of challenges. One particular difficulty is the thermomechanical behavior of the material. When heated to sufficient temperatures, thermal conversion of kerogen to oil, gas, and other products takes place. This alteration of microstructure leads to a complex geomechanical response. In this work, we develop a thermoplasticity model for oil shale. The model is based on critical state plasticity, a framework often used for modeling clays and soft rocks. The model described here allows for both hardening due to mechanical deformation and softening due to thermal processes. In particular, the preconsolidation pressure—defining the onset of plastic volumetric compaction—is controlled by a state variable representing the kerogen content of the material. As kerogen is converted to other phases, the material weakens and plastic compaction begins. We calibrate and compare the proposed model to a suite of high-temperature uniaxial and triaxial experiments on core samples from a pilot in situ processing operation in the Green River Formation. In conclusion, we also describe avenues for future work to improve understanding and prediction of the geomechanical behavior of oil shale operations.},
doi = {10.1007/s00603-016-0947-7},
journal = {Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering},
number = 3,
volume = 50,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Mar 31 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Thu Mar 31 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}
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Works referencing / citing this record:
Stress–Strain Modeling and Brittleness Variations of Low-Clay Shales with CO2/CO2-Water Imbibition
journal, December 2018
- Lyu, Qiao; Tan, Jingqiang; Dick, Jeffrey M.
- Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, Vol. 52, Issue 7