Gas evolution during oil shale pyrolysis. 1. Nonisothermal rate measurements

Abstract

The rate of evolution of CH₄, CO, CO₂, H₂, C₂ hydrocarbons, and C₃ hydrocarbons during pyrolysis of Colorado oil shale between 25 and 900 °C is reported. All experiments were performed nonisothermally using linear heating rates varying from 0.5 to 4.0 °C min⁻¹. Hydrogen is the major noncondensable gas produced by kerogen pyrolysis. The amount of H₂ released is influenced, via the shift and Boudouard reactions, by the CO₂ evolved from mineral carbonates. Lesser amounts of C₁, C₂, and C₃ hydrocarbons are produced. On the basis of heat content, however, the combined C₁ to C₃ hydrocarbons contribute twice as much as H₂ to the heating value of the pyrolysis gas. The evolution of H₂ and CH₄ involves processes that are interpreted as a ‘primary’ pyrolysis of the kerogen to generate oil, and a higher temperature ‘secondary’ pyrolysis of the carbonaceous residue. The CO formed is a product of the Boudouard reaction; nearly complete conversion of the carbon residue to CO via this reaction is observed.