Cyclic Subcritical Water Injection into Bazhenov Oil Shale: Geochemical and Petrophysical Properties Evolution Due to Hydrothermal Exposure

Aman Turakhanov, Albina Tsyshkova, Elena Mukhina, Evgeny Popov, Darya Kalacheva, Ekaterina Dvoretskaya, Anton Kasyanenko, Konstantin Prochukhan and Alexey Cheremisin
Additional contact information
Aman Turakhanov: Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, 121205 Moscow, Russia
Albina Tsyshkova: Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, 121205 Moscow, Russia
Elena Mukhina: Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, 121205 Moscow, Russia
Evgeny Popov: Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, 121205 Moscow, Russia
Darya Kalacheva: Gazpromneft STC (Science & Technology Centre), 190000 Saint Petersburg, Russia
Ekaterina Dvoretskaya: Gazpromneft STC (Science & Technology Centre), 190000 Saint Petersburg, Russia
Anton Kasyanenko: Bazhen TC (Technology Centre), 190000 Saint Petersburg, Russia
Konstantin Prochukhan: Bazhen TC (Technology Centre), 190000 Saint Petersburg, Russia
Alexey Cheremisin: Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, 121205 Moscow, Russia

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 15, 1-16

Abstract: In situ shale or kerogen oil production is a promising approach to developing vast oil shale resources and increasing world energy demand. In this study, cyclic subcritical water injection in oil shale was investigated in laboratory conditions as a method for in situ oil shale retorting. Fifteen non-extracted oil shale samples from Bazhenov Formation in Russia (98 °C and 23.5 MPa reservoir conditions) were hydrothermally treated at 350 °C and in a 25 MPa semi-open system during 50 h in the cyclic regime. The influence of the artificial maturation on geochemical parameters, elastic and microstructural properties was studied. Rock-Eval pyrolysis of non-extracted and extracted oil shale samples before and after hydrothermal exposure and SARA analysis were employed to analyze bitumen and kerogen transformation to mobile hydrocarbons and immobile char. X-ray computed microtomography (XMT) was performed to characterize the microstructural properties of pore space. The results demonstrated significant porosity, specific pore surface area increase, and the appearance of microfractures in organic-rich layers. Acoustic measurements were carried out to estimate the alteration of elastic properties due to hydrothermal treatment. Both Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio decreased due to kerogen transformation to heavy oil and bitumen, which remain trapped before further oil and gas generation, and expulsion occurs. Ultimately, a developed kinetic model was applied to match kerogen and bitumen transformation with liquid and gas hydrocarbons production. The nonlinear least-squares optimization problem was solved during the integration of the system of differential equations to match produced hydrocarbons with pyrolysis derived kerogen and bitumen decomposition.

Keywords: unconventional reservoirs; oil shale; in situ hydrocarbon generation; subcritical water; hydrous pyrolysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/15/4570/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/15/4570/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:15:p:4570-:d:603376

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().