Stuart shale

The CO2 evolution from the Condor and Stuart shales shows sharp peaks at 500°C superimposed on a peak corresponding to the temperature at which the oil evolution occurs. These sharp... 

Carbon Monoxide. All shale samples showed a significant peak in the Co evolution rates in the temperature range over which oil evolution occurs. At these relatively low temperatures, it is unlikely that the reaction between CO2 and residual char could be a significant source of carbon monoxide (2), and it appears that for these shales and in contrast to the Green River shale (2), the decomposition of the kerogen results in the formation of CO. In the case of the Stuart shale, the processes leading to the formation of the CO in the low temperature range are characterised by a mean activation of n/ 174 kJ mo 1-1 and a distribution of 11 kJ mol-1 (Table 6). 

The first stage of the Stuart oil shale project near Gladstone, AustraUa, 6000 t/d (6600 short tons /d), is scheduled to be constmcted by Southern Pacific Petroleum. Einancial assistance from the AustraUan government, consisting of special depreciation incentives and exemption of gasoline taxes equivalent to about U.S. 1.91/m of cmde shale oil ( 12.00/bbl) has been assured (68). 

The highest surface activity of fraction A3 extracted from shale oil needs to be explored in detail in order to understand this very unique phenomena. The benchmark experiments performed by Lee et al. (22) in studies of dissociation phenomena of Stuart oil shale in an alkaline environment proved the formation of carboxylic acids as it was verified from GC results. In another study by Lee et al. (23), it was shown that the hydroxyl ions from an alkaline solution could decompose the silicate and aluminasilicate structures in oil shale samples, provided that ultrasonic radiation and electrolytic current were simultaneously applied. 

Queensland Government, Department of Infrastructure and Planning (QLD) (2007). Projects Stuart Oil Shale - Stage 2 www.dip.qld.gov.au/projects/energy/oil/ stuart-oil-shale-stage-2.htm... 

The shale oil average yield for the Rundle oil shales is 99 LTOW and 94 LTOW for those in the Stuart deposit. Average moisture in this formation is 20% by weight and in situ bulk density 1. 5 g/cc. The measured in situ resource in the graben is 5.16x10 barrels of shale oil. 

Over selected intervals, similar analyses have been made on fresh shale. These have not revealed any concentration of metals in anomalous amounts, even though the provenance for the different basins ranges from sedimentary through igneous and metamorphic sequences. Limited quantitative analyses on fresh shale from Condor (brown oil shale), and Stuart (Brick Kiln and Ramsay Crossing seams) confirm the earlier qualitative assessment of distribution. 

Evidence is accumulating that the oil shale deposits considered in this paper at least, are co-eval, now that the microfloral assemblages in Australia have been tied into the marine succession preserved around the southern margins of the continent. Foster (14 and pers. comm.), in studying additional material supplied from the current exploration activity, has been able to review earlier interpretations and it appears that most, if not all, of the Condor, Duaringa, Byfield, Rundle and Stuart oil shale sequences are confined to the middle and late Eocene. The unique conditions favouring formation of the oil shale deposits may have ended at this time. 

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