Oil Extraction from Australian Condor Oil Shale with Water—Effects of Adding Toluene, CO and NaOH

Abstract

Australian Condor oil shale was subjected to oil extraction at 673 K with water and toluene and/or CO with or without NaOH. It was found that the addition of NaOH and/or toluene to water was effective in increasing oil yield. A high oil yield of 54 wt% of d.a.f. oil shale was obtained with water + toluene +NaOH + CO when heated at 8.5 K/min from room temperature to 673 K and maintained at this temperature for one hour. The oil extracted was found to have a high H/C atomic ratio.