UPGRADING OF ESTONIAN SHALE OIL .1. EFFECT OF HYDROGENATION ON THE CHEMICAL-COMPOSITION OF KUKERSITE RETORT OIL

Upgrading of Estonian shale oil - changing the chemical composition an d correcting the boiling range - was effected by hydrogenation in an a utoclave at 370 degrees C using a Co-Mo catalyst. Refined oil which yi eld reached 93 % is rich in different aliphatic, alicyclic and aromati c hydrocarbons and contains considerably less high-polar heterocompoun ds and alkanones as compared with unupgraded oil. Nevertheless, compou nd groups similar to those present in initial oil and, mainly, same in dividual components were identified in the composition of upgraded oil , the content of the groups as well as of single components in groups being strongly different. As a result of moderate hydrogenation, the c hemical composition of Estonian shale oil becomes closer to that of na tural crude oil, enabling to widen essentially the possible fields of use of shale oil.