EXTRACTION OF OIL FROM JORDANIAN ATTARAT OIL SHALE

A short overview of the previous works concerning oil extraction from Jordanian oil shale is presented. The results of the systematic experimental study obtained in this work on the effects of temperature (320- 420 degree C) and exposure time (0-10 h) at nominal temperature on the yield of pyrolysis products from Attarat oil shale generated in autoclaves without any solvent and in the presence of benzene, water and tetralin are described. The yields of solid residue, gas, pyrolytic water and subsequent extracts with benzene (thermobitumen and oil (TBO) including asphaltenes and hexane solubles) and tetrahydrofurane (asphaltols) were estimated. The compound groups of TBO were assessed. The highest yield of TBO, 59.4% of organic matter (OM), was obtained at a temperature of 420 degree C and duration 0.25 h. The 20% lower yield of TBO from Jordanian oil shale OM in comparison with that from Estonian Kukersite OM is explained by close values of the apparent kinetic constants estimated for the overall decomposition of the Attarat oil shale OM, and for the secondary decomposition of TBO.