FUEL POTENTIAL OF THE GREEN RIVER SHALE OIL

Oil shale deposits constitute a large reserve of oil. The immense Green River Shale deposit is an example of a large potential source of diesel and jet fuels. These fuels require a large n-alkane fraction to meet the freezing point and flash point requirements. The extracts used in our study were prepared using conditions that simulate the refining process called delayed coking, and the extracts were analyzed using a combined capillary column and GC/MS. The extracts gave n-alkane yields much higher than found in fuel derived from petroleum or coal based sources, but less than the 37% typically required for jet fuel.