View
10
Download
0
Category
Preview:
Citation preview
Hani Alnawafleh, AHU 1
Hani Alnawafleh1; Khalid Al-Tarawneh1; Ali Ghannam2; and Lutfi Abu-Sa’ad2
1Department of Mining and Mineral Engineering, Al-Hussein Bin Talal University, P.O. Box 20, Ma’an, Jordan, Hanialnawafleh@ahu.edu.jo
2Geological Survey, The Natural Resource Authority, Amman, Jordan
Hani Alnawafleh, AHU 2
Aim, Philosophy & Methods • Aim:
– Understand the geologic characteristics and the genesis of this new oil shale deposit
• Philosophy: – Oil shale (OS) research in Jordan has focused on north and central Jordan.
This investigation, conducted by the NRA in cooperation with AHU, shows that southern Jordan contains huge potential OS reserves and offers a suitable research environment for OS exploration and mining
– The value of this topic will encourage international research and OS mining companies to consider southern Jordan for future OS research and investment
• Methods: – Megascopic Inspection of borehole core samples – Petrography and Mineralogy – Chemical Analyses (TOC, XRD, XRF) – Fischer assay and density determination
Hani Alnawafleh, AHU 3
Background, Reserve & Distribution
• Resource is widespread • Reserve: Up to 50 billon tons in central
Jordan; North & south not yet determined • OS deposits with greatest economic
potential located in central Jordan • Near surface OS locations & limited
exposures
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
El-Lajjun Sultani Attarat UmGudran
Jurf Ed-Darawiesh
Wadi Al-Maghar
Strip
ping
Rat
io
0
20
40
60
80
100
OS
Thic
knes
s (m
)
Stripping Ratio OS Thickness
Hani Alnawafleh, AHU 4
Formational Framework
– Several Scenarios: • Combination of paleoclimatic,
paleogeographic and paleotectonic factors
– In central Jordan: Oil Shale deposited in synclinal basins
Hani Alnawafleh, AHU 5
The Study Area • Isfir Al Mahatta – South of Ma’an • Borehole Isfir-1 • Location: 244145o E & 960975o N • Elevation: 914 m a.s.l • 4 boreholes
http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Maan
Hani Alnawafleh, AHU 6
Geologic History • Bituminous calcareous rocks
• Muwaqqar Chalk Marl Formation (Maastrichtian-Paleocene?)
• Deposited during the tectonic evolution of Syrian Arc System
• Shallow continental shelf of Tethys Ocean
• Latitude ~ 30o N
• Shallow coastal regions to the south, Nubian-Arabian Shield
Source: Rosenthal et al., 2000 with minor modification
Hani Alnawafleh, AHU 7
Source: Geological map of Isfir Al Mahatta # 3150 II, The NRA, Jordan
Hani Alnawafleh, AHU 8
Isfir-1 Borehole Lithological Description
Level NO Depth (m) Lithological Description 1 0 - 3 Wadi sediments (sand, gravel, chert) with fragments of limestone. 2 3 - 56 Marl (top and bottom), chalky marl in the middle marl with limestone at the bottom. 3 56 - 71 Bituminous chalk marl (Oil Shale), greenish grey, medium hardness, with bivalve fossils. Vertical fractures filled by
calcite. 4 71 - 99 Bituminous chalk marl, greenish to grey, medium hardness, with bivalve fossil. 5 99 - 101 Bituminous chalk marl, greenish grey to brownish grey, medium hardness, fractured. 6 101 - 110 Upper part is bituminous limestone, dark grey, hard, with fragments of silicified limestone. Middle and bottom parts are
bituminous chalk marl, grayish brown, medium hardness, fractured at the bottom. 7 110- 112 Bituminous chalk marl, grey, medium hardness, from111.5 m to 111.75m, bituminous marl, black, grassy, from 111.75 to
112, bituminous dolomatic limestone, light grey, hard. 8 112 - 120 Bituminous chalk marl, brownish grey, medium hardness, fractured. 9 120 - 129 Bituminous chalk marl, greyish brown, medium hardness, 120-120.80m fractured. Vertical fracture filled by calcite
(124-125m). From 125-125.50m, bituminous marl, black, soft. 10 140 - 161 Bituminous chalk marl, dark greenish grey, medium hardness, fossiliferous. 11 161 - 171 Bituminous chalk marl, greenish grey, medium hardness. Soft at the bottom (170-171), dotted of white calcite. 12 171 - 173 Phosphate, bituminous, light greenish, with si1ty clay, greenish, medium hardness. 13 173 - 175 Phosphate, slightly bituminous, greenish to light green, with limestone, creamy, off-white, medium hardness. 14 175 - 184 Limestone at the top, marl, fragments of limestone, silty clay at the middle, chert with fragments of limestone and
fragments of calcareous dolomatic limestone at the bottom. The End of Borehole
Oil
Sha
le (1
15 m
thic
k)
Hani Alnawafleh, AHU 9
Internal Texture • Foraminiferal wackestone changes to
grainstone in the lowermost part of OS section
• Planktonic forams (common), Benthic forams (rare)
• Organic Matter: Amorphous OM fills foram’s cavities and dispersed within the mineral matrix
• Authigenic carbonate: Secondary calcite filling foram’s cavities
• Phosphatic bodies
• Mineral Matrix: consists mainly of calcite shell fragments, OM, with minor amounts of quartz, clay and apatite
Hani Alnawafleh, AHU 10
Oil Shale Composition
Organic Matter Mineral Matter
Hani Alnawafleh, AHU 11
Oil Shale Geochemistry
Bulk & Major Elements Composition
Hani Alnawafleh, AHU 12
Oil Shale Geochemistry
Hani Alnawafleh, AHU 13
Depth Variations of Sedimentary Parameters
Hani Alnawafleh, AHU 14
Hani Alnawafleh, AHU 15
K2O (100 wt %)
Al2O3 (100 wt %)
CaO + Na2O(100 wt %)
Degree of Weathering?
Hani Alnawafleh, AHU 16
Oil Shale Quality
Hani Alnawafleh, AHU 17
Oil Yield vs. Density
y = 0.0053x + 1.4106 R² = 0.01505
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Den
sity
(g/c
m3 )
Oil Yield (wt %)
Hani Alnawafleh, AHU 18
Genesis
• Relatively high terrestrial input contribution is expected as the area is close to the paleoshoreline of Tethys ocean
• Stagnant formational conditions indicated from minor variations in the element profiles especially in the upper section
• Transition from shallow environment during the deposition of phosphate to quite deeper marine during the formation of OS (i.e., oxic to reducing)
Hani Alnawafleh, AHU 19
Future Work
• SEM analysis to examine details of internal texture and diagenetic features
• Extractable OM determination and organic geochemical study
• Isotopic study (δ13C )
Hani Alnawafleh, AHU 20
Conclusion
• Study of Isfir-1 borehole provides insights to guide OS exploration in southern Jordan and may have value for future planning related to effective OS extraction
• Intermediate oil yield and high ash yields characterize this deposit. The oil yield could be tremendous. OM content and thermal maturity are important factors
• The major element chemistry is found to be relatively consistent (the upper OS section)
• Reducing conditions at the sediment-water interface prevailed during OS formation (low Mn and Mn/Al)
• Studies related to OS exploration are in progress
Recommended