CHEMISTRY AND GEOCHEMISTRY OF TURKISH OIL-SHALE KEROGENS

Goynuk and Seyitomer oil shales were pyrolyzed using a Heinze retort at 520 and 900°C, producing high and medium oil yields, respectively. The oils derived from the kerogen were characterized using elemental analysis IR and NMR spectroscopy, size exclusion capillary column chromatography and simulated distillation. The kerogen was classified as type I by plotting H/C and O/C atomic ratios on a van K revelen diagram. Further confirmation was provided by the chromatographic, spectroscopic and geochemical analyses. Both oil shales are at their early stages of maturity. In the minimally altered oil shales, the liquid product distribution showed significant differences compared with similarly processed asphaltites from Turkey.