Flash pyrolysis of kerogens from algal rich oil shales from the Eocene Huadian Formation, NE China

The hydrocarbon composition of the kerogen fractions of two samples (HD-20 and HD-21) from oil shale layer 4 in the Eocene Huadian Formation, NE China were investigated by analytical flash pyrolysis (650 C/10 s) followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py–GC–MS). Organic petrography showed...

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Main Authors: Zhang, Z., Volkman, J., Greenwood, Paul, Hu, W., Qin, J., Borjigin, T., Zhai, C., Liu, W.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Pergamon 2014
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/47540
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author Zhang, Z.
Volkman, J.
Greenwood, Paul
Hu, W.
Qin, J.
Borjigin, T.
Zhai, C.
Liu, W.
author_facet Zhang, Z.
Volkman, J.
Greenwood, Paul
Hu, W.
Qin, J.
Borjigin, T.
Zhai, C.
Liu, W.
author_sort Zhang, Z.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description The hydrocarbon composition of the kerogen fractions of two samples (HD-20 and HD-21) from oil shale layer 4 in the Eocene Huadian Formation, NE China were investigated by analytical flash pyrolysis (650 C/10 s) followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py–GC–MS). Organic petrography showed that the two kerogens were almost entirely derived from algal remains but contained very different algal maceral compositions, with 40% of the macerals in HD-20 being of macroalgal origin that were not present in HD-21. Py–GC–MS yielded high concentrations of n-alkanes from both kerogens, but with different molecular weight profiles due to the different algal contributors to the two kerogen samples. The hydrocarbon pyrolysates generated at 650 C from HD-21 in which the green microalga Botryococcus braunii was identified showed a higher proportion of longer chain alkanes and alkenes presumably from cracking of the botryococcus algaenan. We also identified a C40 monoaromatic lycopane derivative, which was absent in the HD-20. The high hydrocarbon potential of both kerogens can be attributed to common microalgal sources, whereas the macroalgae, which is abundant in HD-20, makes only a minor contribution to the hydrocarbon products.
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publishDate 2014
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-475402017-09-13T14:09:29Z Flash pyrolysis of kerogens from algal rich oil shales from the Eocene Huadian Formation, NE China Zhang, Z. Volkman, J. Greenwood, Paul Hu, W. Qin, J. Borjigin, T. Zhai, C. Liu, W. Botryococcus braunii Huadian oil shale Pyroprobe Kerogen Flash pyrolysis–GC–MS Aromatic lycopane derivative The hydrocarbon composition of the kerogen fractions of two samples (HD-20 and HD-21) from oil shale layer 4 in the Eocene Huadian Formation, NE China were investigated by analytical flash pyrolysis (650 C/10 s) followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py–GC–MS). Organic petrography showed that the two kerogens were almost entirely derived from algal remains but contained very different algal maceral compositions, with 40% of the macerals in HD-20 being of macroalgal origin that were not present in HD-21. Py–GC–MS yielded high concentrations of n-alkanes from both kerogens, but with different molecular weight profiles due to the different algal contributors to the two kerogen samples. The hydrocarbon pyrolysates generated at 650 C from HD-21 in which the green microalga Botryococcus braunii was identified showed a higher proportion of longer chain alkanes and alkenes presumably from cracking of the botryococcus algaenan. We also identified a C40 monoaromatic lycopane derivative, which was absent in the HD-20. The high hydrocarbon potential of both kerogens can be attributed to common microalgal sources, whereas the macroalgae, which is abundant in HD-20, makes only a minor contribution to the hydrocarbon products. 2014 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/47540 10.1016/j.orggeochem.2014.08.004 Pergamon restricted
spellingShingle Botryococcus braunii
Huadian oil shale
Pyroprobe
Kerogen
Flash pyrolysis–GC–MS
Aromatic lycopane derivative
Zhang, Z.
Volkman, J.
Greenwood, Paul
Hu, W.
Qin, J.
Borjigin, T.
Zhai, C.
Liu, W.
Flash pyrolysis of kerogens from algal rich oil shales from the Eocene Huadian Formation, NE China
title Flash pyrolysis of kerogens from algal rich oil shales from the Eocene Huadian Formation, NE China
title_full Flash pyrolysis of kerogens from algal rich oil shales from the Eocene Huadian Formation, NE China
title_fullStr Flash pyrolysis of kerogens from algal rich oil shales from the Eocene Huadian Formation, NE China
title_full_unstemmed Flash pyrolysis of kerogens from algal rich oil shales from the Eocene Huadian Formation, NE China
title_short Flash pyrolysis of kerogens from algal rich oil shales from the Eocene Huadian Formation, NE China
title_sort flash pyrolysis of kerogens from algal rich oil shales from the eocene huadian formation, ne china
topic Botryococcus braunii
Huadian oil shale
Pyroprobe
Kerogen
Flash pyrolysis–GC–MS
Aromatic lycopane derivative
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/47540