Gauging the Prospects of a U.S. Oil Shale Industry

Bartis, James T.; LaTourrette, Tom; Dixon, Lloyd; Peterson, D. J.; Cecchine, Gary

doi:10.7249/rb9143

Cited by 12 publications

(19 citation statements)

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“…The largest source of oil shale is in the Green River formation located in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming in the United States. The amount of world in-place oil shale reserves has been conservatively estimated at 2.9 trillion barrels of oil, , with other more recent estimates of 4.3 trillion barrels of oil in the Green River formation alone . Oil shale extracts and demineralized kerogen from oil shale were analyzed using 13 C NMR spectroscopy .…”

Section: Extension Of the Cpd Model To Additional Fuelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review of 30 Years of Research Using the Chemical Percolation Devolatilization Model

Fletcher

2019

Energy Fuels

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The chemical percolation devolatilization (CPD) model for coal pyrolysis was first published in 1989, and a completed version that included the vapor–liquid equilibrium model and cross-linking model was published in 1992. The CPD model was one of three pyrolysis models developed using a lattice model to account for the chemical structure of the coal and was directly based on solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements of the coal structure. A correlation of coal structure parameters measured by NMR spectroscopy was performed to permit use of the CPD model to determine pyrolysis rates and yields of tars and light gases for any coal type. A separate nitrogen release model was also developed on the basis of the chemical structure. In the past 30 years, the CPD model or the concepts in the CPD model have been used to describe pyrolysis in many situations for many fuels. The CPD model has been incorporated directly into simulations of large coal combustors as well as detailed simulations of single-pyrolyzing or burning coal particles, which was the original intent. Some investigators added a more rigorous treatment of light gas release. Other investigators have used the CPD model to determine rate coefficients for simpler models for a given range of heating conditions. In addition, the concepts in the CPD model have been used to develop models for other solid fuels, including biomass, black liquor, oil shale, rigid foams, propellants, heavy oil, asphalt, and scrap tires. The CPD model has also been extended to low heating rates for underground coal thermal treatment and hydropyrolysis. This paper is a review of the development, improvement, and uses of the CPD model, along with extended uses of the concepts in the CPD model.

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Section: Extension Of the Cpd Model To Additional Fuelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review of 30 Years of Research Using the Chemical Percolation Devolatilization Model

Fletcher

2019

Energy Fuels

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“…The production of petroleum from oil shale has long been undertaken by mining of near-surface deposits coupled to surface retorting. Methods of thermally maturing (“pyrolyzing”) oil shale in situ have been explored as a means of generating hydrocarbons from these resources at economic scales. − In situ processing could offer a practical means for the thermal conversion of deeply buried oil shale.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of Kerogen and Bitumen during Thermal Maturation via Semi-Open Pyrolysis Investigated by Infrared Spectroscopy

et al. 2015

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A series of artificial maturation (anhydrous, semi-open pyrolysis) experiments on Green River oil shale have been performed to simulate the thermal maturation of type I kerogen. The goals of this program were to develop a kinetic model of petroleum generation from oil shale and to characterize the yield and composition of petroleum as a function of artificial thermal maturity. The thermal maturity level (EASY%Ro = 0.48–1.28%) is based upon the kinetic model of kerogen degradation and is equivalent to vitrinite reflectance maturity. Here, we compare the structural characteristics of kerogen and bitumen during artificial maturation of oil shale using quantitative Fourier transform infrared (IR) spectroscopy. Quantitative comparison was enabled by a novel method for the preparation of bitumen for IR spectroscopy. Bitumen can be a reaction intermediate during maturation of kerogen, and the IR data indicate that bitumen has a structure intermediate between that of kerogen and generated petroleum. Moreover, the IR data reveal that the composition of bitumen changes with maturity, with trends that are similar in some aspects to those observed previously in kerogen, but different in others. Kerogen is characterized by the early depletion of oxygenated functional groups prior to petroleum generation (EASY%Ro < 0.9%) and then a late enrichment of oxygen at higher artificial maturity (EASY%Ro > 1.2%). In contrast, bitumen shows initial enrichment of oxygenated functional groups at low artificial maturity (EASY%Ro < 0.8%) and subsequent depletion at higher maturity. Kerogen evolution follows the previously observed trend with aliphatic carbon chains that became shorter and/or more branched as kerogen is consumed during all stages of artificial maturation. Bitumen, in contrast, appears to have aliphatic carbon chains that lengthen within the same artificial maturity range as bitumen is predominantly generated from kerogen. The aliphatic carbon content of bitumen is greater than that of kerogen at all levels of artificial maturity. Both kerogen and bitumen become more aromatic in character with increasing thermal maturity, especially above artificial levels EASY%Ro > 0.9%. This similarity likely results from loss of aliphatic chains from both organic fractions during petroleum generation, suggesting that both kerogen and bitumen can be direct sources for petroleum. The loss of aliphatic carbons from aromatic centers in both kerogen and bitumen leads to protonation of the residual aromatic rings. The IR spectra of kerogen and bitumen indicate very similar degrees of protonation of those aromatic rings.

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“…In Sweden, oil from shale was produced on a commercial scale by in situ retorting in the middle decades of the 20th century. , Significant theoretical modeling and laboratory experiments were performed in the 1960s through the 1980s at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, − IIT Research Institute, , and the U.S. Bureau of Mines, − among others . Field tests were performed by Unocal, using Raytheon technology, in the 1980s, and by Shell from 1981 to 2013. − These methods have proved superior to the mining and surface retort method with respect to oil quality and environmental impact. New in situ field tests are being planned by American Shale Oil LLC (AMSO) − and by ExxonMobil. , …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Green River Oil Shale Pyrolysis: Semi-Open Conditions

Doan

Bostrom

Burnham³

et al. 2013

Energy Fuels

103

107

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Oil shale is a petroleum source rock that has not undergone the natural processes required to convert its organic matter to oil and gas. However, oil shale kerogen can be converted artificially to liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons by pyrolysis. Heating oil shale in place (in situ) has a number of operational, economic, and environmental advantages over surface retorts, particularly when the shale is too deep to mine. This work describes experiments conducted at temperatures and pressures appropriate to commercially viable in situ pyrolysis. The data are needed to construct models to plan, interpret, and optimize field experiments and commercial operations. The experiments also provide insights into the chemical compositions of the native state shale and all the products of pyrolysishydrocarbon and nonhydrocarbon gases, oil, bitumen, remaining pyrolyzable kerogen, residual organic matter, and inorganic matteras functions of thermal maturation. Numerous studies of Green River oil shale pyrolysis have been published over the years. Most of these have focused on the richest interval, the Mahogany (R-7) zone and have been performed in either open (atmospheric pressure) or closed (bomb) apparatus. The new elements of this work are as follows: (1) samples were taken from the deepest of the kerogen-rich layers of the Green River Formation, the mineralogically distinct R-1 zone; (2) experiments were performed under semi-open (controlled pressure) conditions. The data generated are therefore appropriate input to models used in conjunction with in situ controlled-pressure production tests of R-1 shale. In agreement with previous work, this investigation finds that processing shale at relatively low temperatures, for longer times, and at moderately elevated pressures, reduces yields but improves product quality relative to surface retort methods. The composition of the produced oil is generally uniform over the course of artificial maturation. It has a high H/C ratio and is predominantly composed of saturates and light aromatics, which are desirable for refinery operations. The oil has little sulfur, which is mostly in thiophene-containing moieties. Extracted bitumen has a high polar content, and its H/C ratio decreases as a result of oil and gas generation during maturation. Produced gas is rich in natural gas liquids.

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Gauging the Prospects of a U.S. Oil Shale Industry

Cited by 12 publications

References 0 publications

Review of 30 Years of Research Using the Chemical Percolation Devolatilization Model

Review of 30 Years of Research Using the Chemical Percolation Devolatilization Model

Evolution of Kerogen and Bitumen during Thermal Maturation via Semi-Open Pyrolysis Investigated by Infrared Spectroscopy

Green River Oil Shale Pyrolysis: Semi-Open Conditions

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