Change in reactivity of kerogen-containing rock samples in air at temperatures of 450–650 K

Experiments on studying chemical interaction of kerogen-containing rock samples with an atmospheric air flow are described. The crushed rock was placed into a flow reactor with a controlled heating temperature. The fact of rock interaction with oxygen contained in air was detected by a gas analyzer, based on changes in the relative concentrations of O$_2$ and CO$_2$ molecules in the gas flow at the reactor exit. The measurements are performed in the temperature range from 450 to 650 K. The lower limit of temperatures is found (480 K), at which the change in the gas composition is still observed. The change in the chemical activity of the rock bed is estimated under the assumption of a first-order reaction in terms of the oxidizer concentration; the activation energy of the process is found to be 12 kcal/mole.