Shale characterization

Oil Shale Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography. Another important aspect of gas chromatography as applied to oil shale characterization is the ability to carry out separations directly on volatiles evolved as samples are heated under controlled conditions. The method for heating small samples of oil shale in the laboratory clearly diflFers considerably from actual larger scale retorting procedures. In the latter case, secondary reactions of organic pyrolysis product certainly occur and they are subject to contact with water and air prior to work-up and analysis. However, a... 

The parameters for the model were originally evaluated for oil shale, a material for which substantial fracture stress and fragment size data depending on strain rate were available (see Fig. 8.11). In the case of a less well-characterized brittle material, the parameters may be inferred from the shear-wave velocity and a dynamic fracture or spall stress at a known strain rate. In particular, is approximately one-third the shear-wave velocity, m has been shown to be about 6 for various brittle materials (Grady and Lipkin, 1980), and k can then be determined from a known dynamic fracture stress using an analytic solution of (8.65), (8.66) and (8.68) in one dimension for constant strain rate. 

The Onnagawa Formation conformably overlies the Nishikurosawa Formation and is composed of siliceous shale and shale. The rocks are characterized by organic-rich laminated diatomaceous deposits, siliceous microfossils, and fish bones, while foraminiferal fossil is poor in amounts. The total thickness is about 3(X) m. The age of base of the Onnagawa Formation is estimated to be 12.9 Ma based on diatoms (Koizumi and Matoba, 1989). The age of the top of the Formation is 5.8 Ma. 

Further stability models based on surface area, equilibrium water-content-pressure relationships, and electric double-layer theory can successfully characterize borehole stability problems [1842]. The application of surface area, swelling pressure, and water requirements of solids can be integrated into swelling models and mud process control approaches to improve the design of water-based mud in active or older shales. 

C. Aviles-Alcantara, C. C. Guzman, and M. A. Rodriguez. Characterization and synthesis of synthetic drilling fluid shale stabilizer. In Proceedings Volume. SPE Int Petrol Conf in Mex (Villahermosa, Mexico, 2/1-2/3), 2000. 

The Harvey Group consists of three units Harvey Mountain, Cherry Mountain, and York Mills Formations. The upper Harvey Mountain formation consists of felsic volcanic rocks, typically flow-banded massive rhyolitic lava accompanied by ash-fall tuff. Rocks of the middle Cherry Mountain formation are characterized by the predominance of ash-fall and ash-flow tuffs at the top and volcanogenic sedimentary rocks at the base. The lower York Mills formation is a sequence of interbedded clastic, volcanogenic and minor volcanic rocks, that latter consisting of felsic volcanic-clast conglomerate, volcanogenic sandstone, siltstone and shale, felsic crystal lithic lapilli tuff and flow-banded rhyolite. 

Scheppele, S.E. Grindstaff, Q.G. Grizzle, P.L. In Mass Spcctrometric Characterization of Shale Oils Aczel, T. Ed ASTM STP 902 ASTM Philadelphia, 1986 pp. 49-80. 

A. Zandona, 0. J. Busch, L. E. Hettinger, W. P., Jr. "Reduced Crude Conversion Symposium on Production, Characterization and Processing of Heavy Oils, Tar Sand Bitumens, Shale Oils and Coal-Derived Liquids", University of Utah, 1981. 

Petrographic Studies. Polished thin sections were examined by optical methods to determine original mineralogy and alteration phases. The sections were taken and oriented in such a manner to allow comparison of the microscopic mineralogy with the results of the autoradiography experiments The shale was too fine-grained to be characterized in detail. 

Offshore neritic formations in the Paleozoic rock sequence probably include, on faunal and lithologic grounds, the Lower Ordovician Beekmantown dolomites, Middle Ordovician limestones, and Devonian Marcellus and Burket black shales (Table III). The first two are characterized by 0.1-0.4% organic carbons, very low organic nitrogen, and about 20 p.p.m. hydrocarbons but no carbohydrate residues. The Devonian offshore neritic black shales by contrast... 

SHALE. A fine-grained sedimentary rock whose original constituents were clays or muds. It is characterized by thin laminae breaking with an irregular curving fracture, often splintery, and parallel to the often indistinguishable bedding planes. 

The synthetic crude was produced by hydrogenating the IBP-350°F naphtha, the 350°-550°F light oil, and the 550°-850°F heavy oil fractions obtained from in situ crude shale oil by distillation followed by coking of the 850°F-f- residuum. Characterization of the syncrude was accomplished by examining the following fractions CB-175°F light naphtha, 175°-350°F heavy naphtha, 350°-550°F light oil, and 550°-850°F heavy oil. 

Analytical separation and spectroscopic techniques normally used for petroleum crudes and residues were modified and used to characterize coal liquids, tar sands bitumens, and shale oils. These techniques include solvent extraction, adsorption, ion-exchange, and metal complexing chromatography to provide discrete fractions. The fractions are characterized by various physical and spectroscopic methods such as GLC, MS, NMR, etc. The methods are relatively fast, require only a few grams of sample, provide compound type fractions for detailed characterization, and provide comparative compositional profiles for natural and synthetic fuels. Additional analytical methods are needed in some areas. 

The shale oils are rich in olefins in our separation scheme free olefins are concentrated in the saturate fractions. The IR spectra of all three saturate fractions show the characteristic olefin bands at 6.1, 10.1, 10.35, and 11.0 p. However, no attempt has been made to characterize these olefins in detail, mainly because they are easily hydrogenated. 

Figure 4. Shale rock characterization using on-line SFE/GC (CO2 only).

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