Characterization of Shale and Kerogen from a Green River Oil Shale Core

摘要

A number of analyses, including solid state 13C NMR, small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and atomic pairwise distribution function (PDF) measurements, have been completed on shale and kerogen samples from three sections of a well-defined, well-controlled, fresh oil shale core taken from the Green River Formation in the Uinta Basin in order to characterize the chemical nature of both the shale and the kerogen isolated from the shale. The geological nature of these three shale samples was also studied by other techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). Each of the experimental techniques provides distinct information as to the composition and/or structure of the sample. The data obtained is analyzed to study the variation and similarities in both the shale and the organic matter between the segments.