Paleozoic Black Shales of Ontario—Possible Oil Shales
1983; American Chemical Society; Linguagem: Inglês
10.1021/bk-1983-0230.ch007
ISSN1947-5918
AutoresJim Barker, R.D. Dickhout, D. J. Russell, M. D. Johnson, P R Gunther,
Tópico(s)Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics
ResumoThree black, organic-rich, Paleozoic-age shales occur in southern Ontario - the Ordovician Whitby (Billings) Formation and the Devonian Kettle Point and Marcellus Formations. In the Whitby Formation, the most organic-rich zone is the Lower or Collingwood member. It is 1.5 to 7 m thick, carbonate-rich with organic carbon content up to 13%. Organic richness is quite variable but the richest areas along the Whitby subcrop occur from Manitoulin Island to Collingwood. Fischer Assay oil yields range up to about 60 litres/tonne (14 U.S. gal/ton). The Whitby Formation appears to have reached a marginally mature thermal maturation level and so bitumen is a significant component of the organic matter. The bulk of the organic matter is kerogen, dominantly type I and type II, and of marine origin. The Kettle Point Formation subcrops in southwestern Ontario. It is up to 60 m thick, with organic carbon values usually in the range 5%-16% and Fischer Assay oil yields up to 70 1/t (17 gal/ton). The organic matter is dominantly kerogen of marine origin and has attained only an immature thermal maturation stage. A particularly rich upper zone is present over much of the subcrop area and its thickness seems to be controlled by post-Kettle Point erosion. Although studies are still preliminary, especially for the Devonian shales, the Kettle Point Formation appears to have the most potential for shale oil production in southern Ontario.
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