Kerogen oxidation

Burlingame A. L. and Simoneit B. R. (1969) High resolution mass spectrometry of Green River kerogen oxidations. Nature 222, 741-747. 

In the following sections, we will discuss several proposed mechanisms of water-organic (kerogen) interactions. They include the direct interactions (hydrolysis) of water-kerogen at elevated temperature by Siskin and Katritzky (1995) water-hydrocarbon radical interactions by Lewan (1997) and hydrolytic disproportionation and kerogen oxidation by Helgeson et al. (1993). We will use ab initio method to test the feasibility of these mechanisms and and to find out how likely they can proceed under geological conditions. 

Lille, U., Heinmaa, I., Muurisepp, M. Pehk, T. 2002. Investigation of kukersite structure using NMR and oxidative cleavage On the nature of phenolic precursors in the kerogen of Estonian kukersite. Oil Shale, 19, 101-116. 

In very few cases, for research purposes, certain chemical methods such as oxidation, hydrogenation, or application of some other reagents which could attack the sensitive sites of a kerogen subunit have been applied. However, research workers in this field are inclined to attack the kerogenic material by thermal degradation because retorting is the only common practice. 

The partial cracking of the kerogen into smaller and more soluble components while leaving the majority of the mineral matrix intact. Processes such as oxidation (8), pyrolysis (9), and hydrogenation (10), all belong to this category. 

The IR spectra of these kerogens show high concentrations of carbonyl and carboxyl groups indicating strong oxidation of the organic matter. This alteration... 

Pyrite sulfur, isolated by nitric acid oxidation of kerogens, was precipitated as BaSC>4 with a 10% BaCl2 solution, filtered and dried. 

Metal and metal oxide catalysts with this capability were reported in the 1980s. Several of these metals occur in widely distributed petroleum samples and are among the above listed as constituents of primordial Earth planetary orbit dust. In the metallic and compounded state some have the ability to catalyze hydrogenation of carbon to kerogen like high viscosity hydrocarbons. Kerogen, a heavier petroleumlike hydrocarbon mixture occurs in tar sands and porous shales (oil shale). Thus the question of conceivable prehistoric or more recent petroleum from methane generation must be considered. 

Oxidation of Kerogen, Sulfate Reduction and Onwards to Methanogenesis ... 

There is a limited body of evidence which suggests that microbial oxidation of bedrock kerogen occurs (Equation (6)). If this is the case, carbonation as a consequence of microbial respiration may occur in debris-rich environments, such as the distributed drainage system and the channel marginal zone ... 

Vitorovic D., Djuricic M. V., and Ihc B. (1974) New structural information obtained by stepwise oxidation of kerogen from the Aleksinac (Yugoslavia) shale. In Advances in Organic Geochemistry 1973, Editions Technip, Paris, pp. 180-189. 

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