Behaviour of model substrates in catalytic hydropyrolysis to investigate preservation of biomarkers released from kerogens and asphaltenes

Will Meredith, Colin E. Snape*, Gordon D. Love, Allan McGinn, Okan Sirkecioglu

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articlepeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

To study the extent of cracking and isomerization undergone by n-alkanes and steranes upon formation from specific functionalities, a series of hydropyrolysis tests were conducted on stearic acid, oleic acid, and 5-β cholanic acid, together with cholesterol bound to a phenolic group via an ether link. Selectivities for hydrogenating aliphatic carboxylic acids to the corresponding alkanes were extremely high with > 90% being achieved for stearic acid 5-β cholanic acid. Hydrocracking and isomerization were negligible for single functionalized steranes. However, complex formation with surface oxygen functional groups for both the carboxylic acids and asphaltenes was a contributory factor to not achieving higher conversions until temperatures in excess of 500°C. Ether bonds did not start to cleave until 350°C indicating that biomarkers released at lower temperatures from S-rich kerogens arise from cleaving sulfides only.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)571-573
Number of pages3
JournalACS Division of Fuel Chemistry, Preprints
Volume48
Issue number2
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2003

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