Patent GB-1461518-A (GB)
Title: Method and apparatus for testing mineral samples for evaluating their hydrocarbon production capacity
IPC: G01N33/24
Filed: 1974-04-23
Abstract: 1461518 Evaluating mineral samples for hydrocarbon production capacity INSTITUT  FRANCAIS DU PETROLE 23 April 1974 [27 April 1973] 17762/74 Heading G1B A method of testing a mineral sample for evaluating its capacity to constitute good source rock for hydrocarbons comprises heating a powdered mineral sample which does not contain native hydrocarbons to a temperature of at least 450‹C in a stream of inert gas or hydrogen, to cause pyrolitic production and release of hydrocarbon(s) and oxygen-containing compound(s) derived from organic substances (which are not hydrocarbons) present in the sample before the heating, the temperature and duration of the heating being sufficient for production and release of substantially all of the hydrocarbon(s) and oxygen containing compound(s) able to be produced by pyrolysis, passing at least a portion of the hydrocarbon(s) so released to a quantitative measuring detector able to detect at least one of the hydrocarbon(s), thereby to obtain from the detector a quantitative signal S 1  having a value representative of the amount of the hydrocarbon; and passing at least a portion of the oxygen-containing compound(s) which have been released during heating the sample from 150‹C to a temperature in the range 400‹-450‹C to a quantitative measuring detector able to detect at least one of the oxygen-containing compound(s) thereby to obtain from the detector a quantitative signal S 2  having a value representative of the  amount of the oxygen-containing compound so released. The mineral sample before heating may also contain native hydrocarbons, and the hydrocarbons which are passed to the hydrocarbon detector to obtain signal S 1  consist of at least a portion of those produced and released at temperatures above a temperature which is sufficient for the release of substantially all of the native hydrocarbons from the sample, but not sufficient for production and release of hydrocarbons by pyrolysis. The mineral sample may also contain native hydrocarbons before it is treated, and before the above heating may be treated by extraction with a solvent for the native hydrocarbons, to remove substantially all the native hydrocarbons from the sample. The detector for the oxygencontaining compound may be a carbon dioxide or water detector. Apparatus for testing a mineral sample for evaluating its capacity to constitute good source rock for hydrocarbons comprises means for heating a powdered mineral a sample to a temperature of at least 450‹C in a stream of inert gas or hydrogen; a quantitative measuring detector able to detect at least one hydrocarbon and to give a quantitative signal S 1  having a value representative of the amount of the hydrocarbon; a quantitative measuring detector able to detect at least one oxygen-containing compound and to give a quantitative signal S 2  having a value representative of the amount of the oxygen-containing compound, and means for passing to the respective detector at least a portion of the hydrocarbons and oxygen-containing compounds released by a mineral sample when heated by the heating means.