Pyrolysis of model compounds on spent oil shales, minerals and charcoal: Implications for shale oil composition

Aliphatic compounds (alkanes, alkenes, alkanoic acids, ketones, alcohols and amines) were passed through beds of spent oil shales (Condor brown, Condor carbonaceous, Julia Creek), minerals (quartz, calcite, K-feldspar, pyrite, kaolinite) and charcoal at temperatures of 300–600 °C and the products were analysed by g.c.m.s. All the materials catalysed isomerization, aromatization and cracking to varying degrees: non-clay minerals < kaolinite ≈ spent oil shales < charcoal. Products included branched alkanes, isomeric alkenes, nitriles, ketones and alkyl-substituted benzenes, naphthalenes, pyridines, phenols, thiophenes and pyrroles. These compounds occur in shale oils and may be derived from secondary reactions of aliphatic products arising from kerogen cracking.