Lower Eocene Black Shale Beds Of Rus Formation In North Of Oman-Possible Oil Shales

Abstract

A suite of samples from some black shale beds of lower Eocene Rus Formation from north of Oman have been investigated through detailed geochemical analyses. The obtained results indicate that these shale beds contain a significant amount of either soluble or insoluble organic matter. The total extractable dissolved organic matter content ranges from 3.5% to 5.8%, and Fischer Assay yields up to 20 U.S. gal/ton of oil. The average value of the total organic carbon content for these rocks is about 17.12% and that of kerogen content equals 27.21 %. The elemental analysis, vitrinite reflectances, IR-spectra, and TGA and DTG curves of kerogen isolates indicate that studied shales contain Types I and II kerogen which attained only an immature thermal maturation stage. The study reveals that Rus Formation black shale beds appear to have a good potential for shale oil production in north of Sultanate of Oman.