Hani Alnawafleh, AHU 1

Hani Alnawafleh1; Khalid Al-Tarawneh1; Ali Ghannam2; and Lutfi Abu-Sa’ad2

1Department of Mining and Mineral Engineering, Al-Hussein Bin Talal University, P.O. Box 20, Ma’an, Jordan, Hanialnawafleh@ahu.edu.jo

2Geological Survey, The Natural Resource Authority, Amman, Jordan

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Aim, Philosophy & Methods •  Aim:

–  Understand the geologic characteristics and the genesis of this new oil shale deposit

•  Philosophy: –  Oil shale (OS) research in Jordan has focused on north and central Jordan.

This investigation, conducted by the NRA in cooperation with AHU, shows that southern Jordan contains huge potential OS reserves and offers a suitable research environment for OS exploration and mining

–  The value of this topic will encourage international research and OS mining companies to consider southern Jordan for future OS research and investment

•  Methods: –  Megascopic Inspection of borehole core samples –  Petrography and Mineralogy –  Chemical Analyses (TOC, XRD, XRF) –  Fischer assay and density determination

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Background, Reserve & Distribution

•  Resource is widespread •  Reserve: Up to 50 billon tons in central

Jordan; North & south not yet determined •  OS deposits with greatest economic

potential located in central Jordan •  Near surface OS locations & limited

exposures

0

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El-Lajjun Sultani Attarat UmGudran

Jurf Ed-Darawiesh

Wadi Al-Maghar

Strip

ping

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OS

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knes

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Stripping Ratio OS Thickness

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Formational Framework

–  Several Scenarios: •  Combination of paleoclimatic,

paleogeographic and paleotectonic factors

– In central Jordan: Oil Shale deposited in synclinal basins

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The Study Area •  Isfir Al Mahatta – South of Ma’an •  Borehole Isfir-1 •  Location: 244145o E & 960975o N •  Elevation: 914 m a.s.l •  4 boreholes

http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Maan

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Geologic History •  Bituminous calcareous rocks

•  Muwaqqar Chalk Marl Formation (Maastrichtian-Paleocene?)

•  Deposited during the tectonic evolution of Syrian Arc System

•  Shallow continental shelf of Tethys Ocean

•  Latitude ~ 30o N

•  Shallow coastal regions to the south, Nubian-Arabian Shield

Source: Rosenthal et al., 2000 with minor modification

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Source: Geological map of Isfir Al Mahatta # 3150 II, The NRA, Jordan

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Isfir-1 Borehole Lithological Description

Level NO Depth (m) Lithological Description 1 0 - 3 Wadi sediments (sand, gravel, chert) with fragments of limestone. 2 3 - 56 Marl (top and bottom), chalky marl in the middle marl with limestone at the bottom. 3 56 - 71 Bituminous chalk marl (Oil Shale), greenish grey, medium hardness, with bivalve fossils. Vertical fractures filled by

calcite. 4 71 - 99 Bituminous chalk marl, greenish to grey, medium hardness, with bivalve fossil. 5 99 - 101 Bituminous chalk marl, greenish grey to brownish grey, medium hardness, fractured. 6 101 - 110 Upper part is bituminous limestone, dark grey, hard, with fragments of silicified limestone. Middle and bottom parts are

bituminous chalk marl, grayish brown, medium hardness, fractured at the bottom. 7 110- 112 Bituminous chalk marl, grey, medium hardness, from111.5 m to 111.75m, bituminous marl, black, grassy, from 111.75 to

112, bituminous dolomatic limestone, light grey, hard. 8 112 - 120 Bituminous chalk marl, brownish grey, medium hardness, fractured. 9 120 - 129 Bituminous chalk marl, greyish brown, medium hardness, 120-120.80m fractured. Vertical fracture filled by calcite

(124-125m). From 125-125.50m, bituminous marl, black, soft. 10 140 - 161 Bituminous chalk marl, dark greenish grey, medium hardness, fossiliferous. 11 161 - 171 Bituminous chalk marl, greenish grey, medium hardness. Soft at the bottom (170-171), dotted of white calcite. 12 171 - 173 Phosphate, bituminous, light greenish, with si1ty clay, greenish, medium hardness. 13 173 - 175 Phosphate, slightly bituminous, greenish to light green, with limestone, creamy, off-white, medium hardness. 14 175 - 184 Limestone at the top, marl, fragments of limestone, silty clay at the middle, chert with fragments of limestone and

fragments of calcareous dolomatic limestone at the bottom. The End of Borehole

Oil

Sha

le (1

15 m

thic

k)

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Internal Texture •  Foraminiferal wackestone changes to

grainstone in the lowermost part of OS section

•  Planktonic forams (common), Benthic forams (rare)

•  Organic Matter: Amorphous OM fills foram’s cavities and dispersed within the mineral matrix

•  Authigenic carbonate: Secondary calcite filling foram’s cavities

•  Phosphatic bodies

•  Mineral Matrix: consists mainly of calcite shell fragments, OM, with minor amounts of quartz, clay and apatite

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Oil Shale Composition

Organic Matter Mineral Matter

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Oil Shale Geochemistry

Bulk & Major Elements Composition

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Oil Shale Geochemistry

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Depth Variations of Sedimentary Parameters

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K2O (100 wt %)

Al2O3 (100 wt %)

CaO + Na2O(100 wt %)

Degree of Weathering?

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Oil Shale Quality

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Oil Yield vs. Density

y = 0.0053x + 1.4106 R² = 0.01505

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Genesis

•  Relatively high terrestrial input contribution is expected as the area is close to the paleoshoreline of Tethys ocean

•  Stagnant formational conditions indicated from minor variations in the element profiles especially in the upper section

•  Transition from shallow environment during the deposition of phosphate to quite deeper marine during the formation of OS (i.e., oxic to reducing)

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Future Work

•  SEM analysis to examine details of internal texture and diagenetic features

•  Extractable OM determination and organic geochemical study

•  Isotopic study (δ13C )

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Conclusion

•  Study of Isfir-1 borehole provides insights to guide OS exploration in southern Jordan and may have value for future planning related to effective OS extraction

•  Intermediate oil yield and high ash yields characterize this deposit. The oil yield could be tremendous. OM content and thermal maturity are important factors

•  The major element chemistry is found to be relatively consistent (the upper OS section)

•  Reducing conditions at the sediment-water interface prevailed during OS formation (low Mn and Mn/Al)

•  Studies related to OS exploration are in progress