Application of solvent hydrogen donor process for the conversion of eastern oil shales. Final progress report, October 1, 1982-December 31, 1984

The overall objective of this project was to develop an understanding of the fundamentals of a solvent hydrogen donor process to convert kerogen in eastern US shales to useful products. The goals were to determine the effect of donor content on conversion, changes in kerogen and products with conversion conditions, and the fate of the donor solvent including material balances with losses through isomerization, adduction reaction, and physical retention in the rock matrix. In particular, the project was divided into: (1) characterizing the kerogen of two samples of eastern US shale, (2) hydrogen donor conversion of these shales using model solvents of varying donor content, and (3) characterizing the unreacted kerogen and liquid products. Progress is reported in each of the above tasks. The results of reduced alkylation concentration reveal that this kerogen is more like coal than Green River oil shale kerogen. Hydrogen donor solvents play a significant role in converting both Hilpat and Indiana shales to liquid products. A sizable level of solvent dimerization and adduction (combination reactions with shale-derived species) reactions also occur. The distribution of yields in the donor solvent conversion of shale was studied using a cascade reactor system with shale injection into a preheatedmore » reactor. Analytical techniques were used to characterize the products. 51 figs., 33 tabs.« less