Oil Shale Potential of North East India

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Oil Shale Potential

of

North East India


Introduction

• Carbonaceous shales having the characteristics of oil shale occur interbedded with Coal in Assam & Arunachal Pradesh of north east India.

• The Presence of these coal and shale has been recorded in wells drilled for hydrocarbons by ONGC and OIL

• These formations outcrop on the surface towards the south of the oil fields in a region called the Belt of Schuppen.

• The favorable characteristics of Assam coal for conversion to oil has been known for a long time.

• Central Fuel Research Institute (FRI), India, has carried out a feasibility study in 1968.

• In the late 1980s, Oil India Limited and Robertson Research Inc (UK) analyzed large number of rock samples from wells. Outcrops and coal mines in connection with hydrocarbon exploration.

• The Rock-Eval yields for the above coal and oil shale indicated prolific hydrocarbon potential-up to 270 kgs and 80 kgs of oil per ton of rock respectively.


Upper Assam Shelf & Naga Schuppen Belt of Assam-Arakan Basin


Rock-Eval Pyrolysis Data for Assam Coals/Oil Shales

T.O.C (%)

Hydrocarbons

S 1 (Kg/t)

Barail Series Coals 64.22 8.54 259.95

Barail Series Oil Shales 26.70 5.35 75.47

Disang Series Oil Shales (Uncertain)

15.75 8.90 80.20


North East Coal/Oil Shale Reserves and Syncrude Potential

ReservesSyncrude Potential

Proved-Indicated (MMT)

Proved-Indicated

(MMT)

Barail Series Coals 2250 405

Barail Series Oil Shales 27000 2700

Total 29250 3104


Task Force on Oil Shale

• Following a published report on the oil Shale and Coal resources of the north east India, Government constituted a Task Force in 1991 for examining the oil shale potential of the region.


Observations of the Task Force

• The presence of carbonaceous shale having the characteristics of oil shale has been recorded in Upper Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

• Exact stratigraphic position, thickness and extent of these oil shale horizons are not known, as exploration specifically for the oil shales has not been carried out till now.

• Systematic exploration, sampling and analysis in potential areas is required.

• The potential areas are located in the northern part of the Belt of Schuppen.


Oil from Coal

• Current evaluation indicated that the Tertiary coals form the North East constitute the main raw material for syncrude generation in India.

• Oil has already taken up a study of the conversion of coal to oil through liquefaction process by setting up a pilot plant in Duliajan, Assam.


Conclusions

• Although presence of rocks with favorable characteristics of oil shale have been recorded (associated with coal) in the north eastern regions, the reserves are not known at present.

• More field work and laboratory studies are required for oil shales before a reliable estimate of the reserves can be worked out. This has to be followed up by techno-economic feasibility studies.

• For oil shale development in India, interaction with agencies in other countries which are actively engaged in oil shale development, is required.

• The extraction of shale oil entails certain environmental concerns which needs to be addressed while developing this non conventional energy resource.

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Oil Shale Potential of North East India