Pyrolysis Laboratory

Simulation of natural processes in the laboratory under controlled experimental conditions; time, temperature, pressure and reaction system.
Contact

Johansen, Ingar

Principal Engineer

 

For several years IFE has performed:

Hydrous pyrolysis in autoclaves:

  • closed system with excess water
  • pressure equals water pressure
  • permit the study of water soluble components and water-rock interactions

Confined pyrolysis in sealed gold tubes in autoclaves:

  • closed system
  • pressure control (confinement pressure 0.2 to 100 MPa)
  • several samples heated at the same time
  • no catalytic effects

Instrumentation
Heating equipment:

  • high temperature (600° C), high pressure (100MPa) stainless steel autoclaves
  • back-pressure regulator to ensure constant pressure during heating (confined pyrolysis)
  • heating ovens that permit isothermal heating (300-600° C) or heating with a temperature gradient (o. 2-100° C/ hour)
  • computerised temperature control and recording by PT 100 temperature sensors inside the autoclaves, permit long term heating experiments
  • vacuum line and Lincoln Norweld TIG 131 N equipment for fi lling and welding of gold tubes

Analytical equipment:

  • separation line for quantitative recovery of methane (C1), wet gas components (C26 ) , gasoline range hydrocarbons (C714 ), oil components (C15 ), residual carbon (coke)
  • GC-FID/ TCD
  • HRGC-FID
  • LC-weight determination
  • IATROSCAN TLC-FID
  • GC-C-IRMS

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Separation line for quantitative determination of cracking products

 

Pyrolysis is a useful tool for the study of:

  • generation of hydrocarbons
  • cracking of oil to gas in reservoirs
  • generation of carbon dioxide and organic acids


The experimental data can be used for basin modelling purposes:

  • kinetics for hydrocarbon generation and oil to gas cracking
  • vitrinite reflectance evolution
  • prediction of porosity and permeability
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