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Annual review of energy, vol.1
Book Reviews (1) Oil Shale Editors: T. F. Yen and G. V. Chilingarian Developments in Petroleum Science, 5; Elsevier, Amsterdam and New York, 1976, 292 pp, Dfl. 90.00, US 834.75 (approx.) (2) Science and Technology of Oil Shale Editor: T. F. Yen Ann Arbor Science, Ann Arbor, 1976, US 831.35
These are the first two books devoted to oil shales which have been published for over 50 years; and they are important. It is said by many working in the energy field that there could be, in the not too distant future, a shortage of (today’s) ordinary sources of energy - coal, oil, gas etc. The world is, therefore, looking at, and for, other potential sources. Apart from nuclear sources, which are not considered here, oil shale has a tremendous potentiality amounting, we are told in the introductory chapter in Oil Shale (l), above, to over 700 x 1O9 barrels of economically recoverable synthetic crude spread over 17 000 square miles of three of the United States of America. Non-(at present)-commercial deposits could amount to 1.8 x 1012 barrels. The total world potential is estimated at 30 x 1012 barrels of shale oil (of which only about 2% is available for present-day commercial exploitation). What are oil shales? Any one who has had the opportunity (and luck) of working with them knows, or thinks he knows, what they are - in the same way as one working with coal knows what he means by ‘coal’. The authors of these two books - the books consist of chapters prepared by experts in the field, mainly from the USA and Australia - give variants of definitions of oil shales (very roughly, or crudely, ‘diverse fine-grained rocks which contain refractory organic material that can be refined into fuels’ as stated in the Introduction to Oil Shales). A classification of oil shales is given in the text. It appears to be expected that oil shales will contain at least 33% inorganic matter and that the organic matter comprises bitumen (soluble in fairly simple solvents used for petroleum) and, mainly, kerogen, insoluble in such solvents, but yielding fuel oils on distillation. The types of kerogen appear to differ from deposit to deposit; so some reasonable classification of kerogencontaining rocks should be developed. A simple classification of kerogen as such would be useful. The nearest is given in Chapter 6, by Saxby (l), above: ‘Kerogen (or kerabitumen) is the insoluble organic matter present in any rock’. But what is the difference between the organic matter of oil shales, carbonaceous shales and coals etc.? The classification shown on p 129 (Chapter 7, - (1) above) of organic sediments (petroleum, asphalts, coals; and hydrocarbons, bitumen, kerogen) appears to be oversimplified. It would have been helpful if the book had included a classification similar to (but not necessarily identical with) that of ‘Kerogen Rocks and Kerogen Coals’ showing their interrelations and their gradation into bituminous coals, as put forward by A. L. Down and G. W. Himus (J. Inst. Petroleum 1940, 26, 329-335, plus discussion; in addition to the detailed classification on pp 334-335 there is a simple primary classification on p 330). The confusion in the present books begins in the introduction to the first book (1) (above) following Gavin’s definition, made in 1924: ‘Oil shale is a compact, laminated rock of sedimentary origin, yielding over 33% ash and containing organic matter that yields oil when distilled, but not appreciably when extracted with the ordinary organic sol-
vents for petroleum . . . it seems that the material yielding less than 33% ash should be considered as coal’ (which it surely is not). The first book contains an excellent survey of work to about 1975 on oil shales (and quite a fair amount has been done around the world in the last 30 years and more, even though the Scottish and certain other oil-shale industries closed down about 25 years ago and, apparently, only in parts of Australia and the USA is any oil shale being produced today). Oil Shale has 12 very good chapters covering generalities, geology, origin and formation, mineralogy, chemical separation and characterization of kerogen from oil shale, structure of organic components in the shales, retorting technology, evaluation of deposits, winning, environmental considerations, and present state of research. The second book (2, above), as its title suggests, is more concerned with the technology of oil shales, with reference mainly to the oil shales of the USA and in particular to the Green River Oil Shales. There are some mini-literaturereviews in the various chapters, but this book is really made up of interim reports of studies of oil shales in the USA supported by certain U.S. agencies; interesting and important they are. The chapters include reference to bioleaching, n.m.r. examination, the TOSCO process, mild oxidation of bioleached shale, winning operations and environmental considerations (including in situ treatment), electrolytic oxidation and reduction of oil shale, retorting, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and carcinogens in oil shale ash from retorting, shale-gas oil denitrification, sulphur recovery by desulphovibrio etc., microbial degradation, structure of Green River Formation Shales. The first book, as mentioned above, is a very good summary of the present-day knowledge of oil shales - of importance to coal scientists and technologists as well as to those directly concerned with the oil industry and to those interested in ‘new’ sources of energy. The second is concerned mainly with application of knowledge of oil shales and the present-day state of the subject. The two are complementary and well worth acquiring to anyone sufficiently interested in fossil fuels, energy sources, and organic rocks. New editions, at least of the first book, could be improved by the inclusion of a glossary, as they are likely to be read by - and mainly by, at present - people who have not worked intimately with shales and/or coals and who may not appreciate the differences between asphalts, asphaltenes, asphaltites, asphaltoids etc., or between macerals and minerals. These two books are welcome additions to the literature not just of oil shales, but also of potential resources of energy. They are well written, well produced and well bound. Stacey G. Ward
Annual Editor: Annual $17.50
Review of Energy, Vol.1 J. A.4 Ho/lander Reviews Inc., Palo Alto, California, 1976, 793 pp., (817.00 in USA) This is the first Annual Review of Energy in an established
series that began in 1932. Annual Reviews Inc. is a nonprofit Corporation established to promote the advancement of the sciences. It is administered by a wide-ranging Board of Directors numbering about ten people. The Editor (Jack M. Hollander) and his Associate are staff of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, California. The first volume
FUEL, 1977, Vol 56, October
461
Book Reviews of Annual Reviews of Energy will follow the established tradition in aiming to present selective and scholarly reviews and analyses of the literature. It will also be novel, in commenting on new interdisciplinary areas for which a robust literature remains to develop. In Volume 1 are emphasized issues that play a central role in the development of the energy system of the USA. It opens with a historical discussion of the growth of energy use by man. Detailed Sections then follow on Energy Supply and Distribution; Energy and the Economy; Energy Conservation; Impact of Energy on the Environment, Health and Safety; Energy Policy and Politics; and International Aspects of Energy. This last Section forms a bridge to Volume 2, in which the broader global energy system will be discussed. Needless to say, in 793 pages quite a lot can be said about the 1976 situation of all these topics. The authors and topics throughout seem to be well selected and the contents are treated responsibly. At the end of the first chapter, some attempt is made at estimating the world total basic energy demand, on various assumptions. These estimates range from 30 to 180 X 1O3 million tons of coal equivalent for a stabilized population of 1 O4 million [now thought likely to occur around 2020 A.D. through natural growth’ 1. But the author remarks, ‘An ultraradical futurist might well say that human beings could not possibly achieve their full potential unless they were each allocated the equivalent of 100 tons of coal each year’. This could mean lo6 m.t.c.e. a year even on the unlikely above assumption of a stabihzed population. In ener y terms it amounts to 3 x lOlo TJ or 3 x lo4 EJ (E = 10 IB ), i.e. an annual consumption on the level of some 10% of the likely maxima of all fossil fuel reserves today’. At first sight therefore it seems that the author of the chapter has not thought through the implications of his calculations; but on page 8 he treats this same year 2020 more realistically and admits that ‘consequences of the actual occurrence of such developments are awesome to contemplate’. But this is only 43 years from now! The chapter concludes that success with the problems of energy lies in diversification rather than specialization. Undoubtedly a sound sentiment. The book is well printed on good paper and the near 800 pages form an excellent commentary on the U.S. energy scene. It is very good value for money, doubtless owing to the grant from the National Science Foundation.
’ *
The Efficient ibid., p 591
Use of Energy (1975),
p 590
Ian G. C. Dryden
Fuels, Furnaces and Refractories 1. D. Gilchrist International Series on Materials Science and Technology, Vol.21, Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1977, ix + 353 pp. 88.00 This book consists of the combined second editions of Fuels and Refractories and of Furnaces, and in the main it is based on brief considerations of the many aspects of these topics. Inevitably the aim of comprehensiveness produces a degree of superficiality in parts of the treatment and consequently unevenness of standard. Thus the author’s review of fuels within the scope of 100 pages is a commendable attempt at the impossible. The section on furnaces contains the essential fundamentals and a brief review (34 pages) of industrial furnaces. In Part III the composition and properties of the main types of refractories are given. The final section, Part IV, on pyrometry and control is too short (30 pages) to give any but the briefest outline of this subject.
462
FUEL, 1977, Vol 56, October
The book will be of interest to a wide variety of readers. It could be read out of general interest at the pre-university stage; it would undoubtedly be used by first year students of university fuel, combustion and engineering courses, although some of the material is not of this academic level. Those at the early stages of courses in fuel technology will also find the book of value. It is of interest to note that the series to which this book belongs is said by the publisher to be for purposes of education, industrial training and enjoyment of leisure. The treatment is not trivial and the book is very readable. The author has supplied some references to the original literature, a bibliography for further reading and a useful subject index. The appendix on units and conversion factors will be useful to the practitioner and the introduction of worked examples could with benefit be extended in future editions. The book is well-produced and is illustrated with some 70 diagrams, but it is a paperback and the price may deter many potential purchasers. D. H. Napier
Energy Futures: Industry and the New Technologies S. W. Herman and J. S. Cannon, with A. J. Malefatto Inform Inc.; Ballinger Publishing Company, Cambridge, Mass., 1977, xvi + 661 pp. 849.50 (f30.15) Here is a stimulating book consisting of seventeen chapters each of which deals with a NEW technology area of significance to the U.S. energy programme. The problems facing the United States affect us all. They are the largest consumers of energy in the world currently importing one-fifth of their energy needs and we must be concerned that some of the developing technologies are fruitful enough to enable President Carter’s Energy Plan to succeed. It is aimed to reduce the alarming annual growth in U.S. energy demand to under 2% by 1985. The crux is - which technologies are going to be the front runners’? Energy Futures examines the more important contenders. It deals more with programmes, intentions, views on barriers to commercial use, lead times, and corporate involvement than with the detailed technology although there is sufficient to provide a base. It therefore fills a gap which has been neglected previously and deserves attention. It should be particularly useful, I would almost say compulsory, reading for those in senior school, university, government and business who are interested in or concerned with the great energy debate. They will all find it very readable, basically technically sound, stoutly bound and well printed with some excellent illustrations. It is commendable and it comes as a surprise to read that the book is printed on recycled paper because both are of such high standard. The book is in three parts: I Inexhaustible Resources, I1 Man-made Renewable Resources, and III Depletable Resources. They cover in all 200 R & D projects by 141 Corporations whose company status and frank views on the potential of these topics are reviewed and comprise a wealth of fact and informed opinion. It is hard to find mistakes but some are surprising, e.g. of solar cells it is stated, ‘Excess electricity could be stored in utility lines’ and the otherwise excellent glossary defines caking coal as ‘a type of coal whose ash forms a cohesive mass when the coal is liquefied or gasified’. The cost seems somewhat high but well-informed opinion is priceless. It is the kind of book I would want to possess. J. Gibson
These are the first two books devoted to oil shales which have been published for over 50 years; and they are important. It is said by many working in the energy field that there could be, in the not too distant future, a shortage of (today’s) ordinary sources of energy - coal, oil, gas etc. The world is, therefore, looking at, and for, other potential sources. Apart from nuclear sources, which are not considered here, oil shale has a tremendous potentiality amounting, we are told in the introductory chapter in Oil Shale (l), above, to over 700 x 1O9 barrels of economically recoverable synthetic crude spread over 17 000 square miles of three of the United States of America. Non-(at present)-commercial deposits could amount to 1.8 x 1012 barrels. The total world potential is estimated at 30 x 1012 barrels of shale oil (of which only about 2% is available for present-day commercial exploitation). What are oil shales? Any one who has had the opportunity (and luck) of working with them knows, or thinks he knows, what they are - in the same way as one working with coal knows what he means by ‘coal’. The authors of these two books - the books consist of chapters prepared by experts in the field, mainly from the USA and Australia - give variants of definitions of oil shales (very roughly, or crudely, ‘diverse fine-grained rocks which contain refractory organic material that can be refined into fuels’ as stated in the Introduction to Oil Shales). A classification of oil shales is given in the text. It appears to be expected that oil shales will contain at least 33% inorganic matter and that the organic matter comprises bitumen (soluble in fairly simple solvents used for petroleum) and, mainly, kerogen, insoluble in such solvents, but yielding fuel oils on distillation. The types of kerogen appear to differ from deposit to deposit; so some reasonable classification of kerogencontaining rocks should be developed. A simple classification of kerogen as such would be useful. The nearest is given in Chapter 6, by Saxby (l), above: ‘Kerogen (or kerabitumen) is the insoluble organic matter present in any rock’. But what is the difference between the organic matter of oil shales, carbonaceous shales and coals etc.? The classification shown on p 129 (Chapter 7, - (1) above) of organic sediments (petroleum, asphalts, coals; and hydrocarbons, bitumen, kerogen) appears to be oversimplified. It would have been helpful if the book had included a classification similar to (but not necessarily identical with) that of ‘Kerogen Rocks and Kerogen Coals’ showing their interrelations and their gradation into bituminous coals, as put forward by A. L. Down and G. W. Himus (J. Inst. Petroleum 1940, 26, 329-335, plus discussion; in addition to the detailed classification on pp 334-335 there is a simple primary classification on p 330). The confusion in the present books begins in the introduction to the first book (1) (above) following Gavin’s definition, made in 1924: ‘Oil shale is a compact, laminated rock of sedimentary origin, yielding over 33% ash and containing organic matter that yields oil when distilled, but not appreciably when extracted with the ordinary organic sol-
vents for petroleum . . . it seems that the material yielding less than 33% ash should be considered as coal’ (which it surely is not). The first book contains an excellent survey of work to about 1975 on oil shales (and quite a fair amount has been done around the world in the last 30 years and more, even though the Scottish and certain other oil-shale industries closed down about 25 years ago and, apparently, only in parts of Australia and the USA is any oil shale being produced today). Oil Shale has 12 very good chapters covering generalities, geology, origin and formation, mineralogy, chemical separation and characterization of kerogen from oil shale, structure of organic components in the shales, retorting technology, evaluation of deposits, winning, environmental considerations, and present state of research. The second book (2, above), as its title suggests, is more concerned with the technology of oil shales, with reference mainly to the oil shales of the USA and in particular to the Green River Oil Shales. There are some mini-literaturereviews in the various chapters, but this book is really made up of interim reports of studies of oil shales in the USA supported by certain U.S. agencies; interesting and important they are. The chapters include reference to bioleaching, n.m.r. examination, the TOSCO process, mild oxidation of bioleached shale, winning operations and environmental considerations (including in situ treatment), electrolytic oxidation and reduction of oil shale, retorting, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and carcinogens in oil shale ash from retorting, shale-gas oil denitrification, sulphur recovery by desulphovibrio etc., microbial degradation, structure of Green River Formation Shales. The first book, as mentioned above, is a very good summary of the present-day knowledge of oil shales - of importance to coal scientists and technologists as well as to those directly concerned with the oil industry and to those interested in ‘new’ sources of energy. The second is concerned mainly with application of knowledge of oil shales and the present-day state of the subject. The two are complementary and well worth acquiring to anyone sufficiently interested in fossil fuels, energy sources, and organic rocks. New editions, at least of the first book, could be improved by the inclusion of a glossary, as they are likely to be read by - and mainly by, at present - people who have not worked intimately with shales and/or coals and who may not appreciate the differences between asphalts, asphaltenes, asphaltites, asphaltoids etc., or between macerals and minerals. These two books are welcome additions to the literature not just of oil shales, but also of potential resources of energy. They are well written, well produced and well bound. Stacey G. Ward
Annual Editor: Annual $17.50
Review of Energy, Vol.1 J. A.4 Ho/lander Reviews Inc., Palo Alto, California, 1976, 793 pp., (817.00 in USA) This is the first Annual Review of Energy in an established
series that began in 1932. Annual Reviews Inc. is a nonprofit Corporation established to promote the advancement of the sciences. It is administered by a wide-ranging Board of Directors numbering about ten people. The Editor (Jack M. Hollander) and his Associate are staff of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, California. The first volume
FUEL, 1977, Vol 56, October
461
Book Reviews of Annual Reviews of Energy will follow the established tradition in aiming to present selective and scholarly reviews and analyses of the literature. It will also be novel, in commenting on new interdisciplinary areas for which a robust literature remains to develop. In Volume 1 are emphasized issues that play a central role in the development of the energy system of the USA. It opens with a historical discussion of the growth of energy use by man. Detailed Sections then follow on Energy Supply and Distribution; Energy and the Economy; Energy Conservation; Impact of Energy on the Environment, Health and Safety; Energy Policy and Politics; and International Aspects of Energy. This last Section forms a bridge to Volume 2, in which the broader global energy system will be discussed. Needless to say, in 793 pages quite a lot can be said about the 1976 situation of all these topics. The authors and topics throughout seem to be well selected and the contents are treated responsibly. At the end of the first chapter, some attempt is made at estimating the world total basic energy demand, on various assumptions. These estimates range from 30 to 180 X 1O3 million tons of coal equivalent for a stabilized population of 1 O4 million [now thought likely to occur around 2020 A.D. through natural growth’ 1. But the author remarks, ‘An ultraradical futurist might well say that human beings could not possibly achieve their full potential unless they were each allocated the equivalent of 100 tons of coal each year’. This could mean lo6 m.t.c.e. a year even on the unlikely above assumption of a stabihzed population. In ener y terms it amounts to 3 x lOlo TJ or 3 x lo4 EJ (E = 10 IB ), i.e. an annual consumption on the level of some 10% of the likely maxima of all fossil fuel reserves today’. At first sight therefore it seems that the author of the chapter has not thought through the implications of his calculations; but on page 8 he treats this same year 2020 more realistically and admits that ‘consequences of the actual occurrence of such developments are awesome to contemplate’. But this is only 43 years from now! The chapter concludes that success with the problems of energy lies in diversification rather than specialization. Undoubtedly a sound sentiment. The book is well printed on good paper and the near 800 pages form an excellent commentary on the U.S. energy scene. It is very good value for money, doubtless owing to the grant from the National Science Foundation.
’ *
The Efficient ibid., p 591
Use of Energy (1975),
p 590
Ian G. C. Dryden
Fuels, Furnaces and Refractories 1. D. Gilchrist International Series on Materials Science and Technology, Vol.21, Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1977, ix + 353 pp. 88.00 This book consists of the combined second editions of Fuels and Refractories and of Furnaces, and in the main it is based on brief considerations of the many aspects of these topics. Inevitably the aim of comprehensiveness produces a degree of superficiality in parts of the treatment and consequently unevenness of standard. Thus the author’s review of fuels within the scope of 100 pages is a commendable attempt at the impossible. The section on furnaces contains the essential fundamentals and a brief review (34 pages) of industrial furnaces. In Part III the composition and properties of the main types of refractories are given. The final section, Part IV, on pyrometry and control is too short (30 pages) to give any but the briefest outline of this subject.
462
FUEL, 1977, Vol 56, October
The book will be of interest to a wide variety of readers. It could be read out of general interest at the pre-university stage; it would undoubtedly be used by first year students of university fuel, combustion and engineering courses, although some of the material is not of this academic level. Those at the early stages of courses in fuel technology will also find the book of value. It is of interest to note that the series to which this book belongs is said by the publisher to be for purposes of education, industrial training and enjoyment of leisure. The treatment is not trivial and the book is very readable. The author has supplied some references to the original literature, a bibliography for further reading and a useful subject index. The appendix on units and conversion factors will be useful to the practitioner and the introduction of worked examples could with benefit be extended in future editions. The book is well-produced and is illustrated with some 70 diagrams, but it is a paperback and the price may deter many potential purchasers. D. H. Napier
Energy Futures: Industry and the New Technologies S. W. Herman and J. S. Cannon, with A. J. Malefatto Inform Inc.; Ballinger Publishing Company, Cambridge, Mass., 1977, xvi + 661 pp. 849.50 (f30.15) Here is a stimulating book consisting of seventeen chapters each of which deals with a NEW technology area of significance to the U.S. energy programme. The problems facing the United States affect us all. They are the largest consumers of energy in the world currently importing one-fifth of their energy needs and we must be concerned that some of the developing technologies are fruitful enough to enable President Carter’s Energy Plan to succeed. It is aimed to reduce the alarming annual growth in U.S. energy demand to under 2% by 1985. The crux is - which technologies are going to be the front runners’? Energy Futures examines the more important contenders. It deals more with programmes, intentions, views on barriers to commercial use, lead times, and corporate involvement than with the detailed technology although there is sufficient to provide a base. It therefore fills a gap which has been neglected previously and deserves attention. It should be particularly useful, I would almost say compulsory, reading for those in senior school, university, government and business who are interested in or concerned with the great energy debate. They will all find it very readable, basically technically sound, stoutly bound and well printed with some excellent illustrations. It is commendable and it comes as a surprise to read that the book is printed on recycled paper because both are of such high standard. The book is in three parts: I Inexhaustible Resources, I1 Man-made Renewable Resources, and III Depletable Resources. They cover in all 200 R & D projects by 141 Corporations whose company status and frank views on the potential of these topics are reviewed and comprise a wealth of fact and informed opinion. It is hard to find mistakes but some are surprising, e.g. of solar cells it is stated, ‘Excess electricity could be stored in utility lines’ and the otherwise excellent glossary defines caking coal as ‘a type of coal whose ash forms a cohesive mass when the coal is liquefied or gasified’. The cost seems somewhat high but well-informed opinion is priceless. It is the kind of book I would want to possess. J. Gibson