Fingerprinting and characterization of carboxylic acids in in-situ oil shale retort and process waters by capillary column gas chromatography-mass spectrometry☆

Abstract

Six important in situ oil shale retort and process waters were analyzed for carboxylic acids by capillary column gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A fingerprint or profile was obtained for Occidental's boiler blowdown process water, retort water and heater-treater process water; Geokinetics' retort water,Laramie Energy Technology Center's Omega-9 and 150 Ton retort waters. The results clearly show significant differences in that each retort or process water contains various mono-, diand keto-aliphatic carboxylic acids. The Occidental retort and process waters contained normal monocarboxylic acids from C2-C13 and C2-C14, while the Geokinetics' retort water contained C2-C1o 150 Ton retort water C2-C10 and Omega-9 retort water C2-C14• Variations among the retort waters and process waters were more important for the normal dicarboxylic acids.