Geochemical Characterization and Mineralogy of Babouri-Figuil Oil Shale, North-Cameroon

Abstract

Organic geochemistry methods such as high temperature combustion, Rock-Eval pyrolysis and gas analysis were used to analyze oil shale from Babouri-Figuil Basin. Results show that the average content of organic matter is 36.25 %wt, while that of mineral matter is 63.75 %wt. The total organic carbon (TOC) is between 15.93 %wt and 26.82 %wt. The HI vs. Tmax diagram indicates an immature Type I kerogen. The average value of the oil potential (S2b) is 149.95 mg HC/g rock. The gases obtained by retort process are H2, CO2, CO and CnH2n, CnH2n+2. Finally, it emerges that, the organic matter of Babouri-Figuil shales was immature or has just reached the beginning of the oil window. The mineralogical study of Babouri-Figuil oil shale has been carried out by means of XRD (X-Ray Diffractometry) and XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence spectrometry). The results show that mineral matrix contains silica, carbonates, sulphates, oxides and clay minerals. Besides, compounds contain metals and metalloids like Fe, In, Ca. The main oxides are SiO2 (majority), CaO, Fe2O3, Al2O3, SO3, and K2O.