c 208 STATE OF ILLINOIS WILLIAM G. STRATTON, Governor DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION VERA M. BINKS, Director ^EH^v ILLINOIS OIL SHALES by J. E. Lamar W. J. Armon J. A. Simon 1 DIVISION OF THE ILLINOIS STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY JOHN C. FRYE, Chief URBANA CIRCULAR 208 1956 i - APR 23 1956 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign http://archive.org/details/illinoisoilshale208lama ILLINOIS OIL SHALES by J. Eo Lamar, W. J. Armon, and J. A. Simon ABSTRACT Samples of Illinois shales and a limestone containing organic ma- terial were tested to determine their oil content and to evaluate their possibilities as sources of oil. Oil content of the Pennsylvanian shale samples ranged from to 40 gallons per ton, but only 3 samples contained more than 25 gallons per ton, whereas 88 percent contained less than 15 gallons. Of the shale formations for which 3 or more samples were tested, that above coal No. 2 in northern and western Illinois contained the highest av- erage oil content, almost 16 gallons per ton. Samples of the Mississippian and Devonian shales from southern and western Illinois all contained less than 5 gallons of oil per ton. The Decorah limestone in Calhoun and Jo Daviess counties con- tains considerable organic material. A sample from Calhoun County yielded 13 gallons of oil per ton; samples from Jo Daviess County yielded less than 3 gallons per ton. Two samples of a natural resid- ual concentrate of the organic material in the Decorah limestone in Jo Daviess County, known as oil-rock shale and found in association with zinc ore deposits, contained an average of 3 1 gallons per ton, but the available quantity of this shale is small. The investigation indicates that the oil shales are more likely to be of future significance than of immediate commercial importance. For many years attention has been directed to oil shales, especially those in Colorado, as potential sources of petroleum. The recent announce- ment that the Union Oil Company is erecting a retort near Rifle, Colo., for the processing of an oil shale averaging 30 gallons per ton of recoverable shale oil (Oil and Gas Jour., 1955) indicates the increasing significance of oil shales in areas affording a combination of suitable resources and favorable economic conditions. Certain Illinois shales have been known for some time to contain oil (Worthen, 1870, p. 105; Ashley, 1917, p. 314 and 319; Winchester, 1919, p. 51; Barrett, 1922; Cox, 1914, p. 26-30). However, only a relatively few shales were tested, and the resulting data were incomplete or not comparable with current analytical data. This investigation was undertaken to obtain up-to-date information on the oil content and other characteristics of representative shale strata ex- posed in various parts of Illinois. As far as can be judged from the results oi this study, the oil shales of Illinois probably must be considered of poten- tial future significance rather than of immediate commercial importance as [i] ILLINOIS STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Fig. 1.- Locations of samples. ILLINOIS OIL SHALES 3 a source of oil. It is impossible to anticipate the effect that future economic conditions and developments in the rapidly expanding field of mineral proces- sing may have on the recovery of oil and possible by-products from Illinois shales. However, the data in this report will provide a preliminary basis for evaluating the potential of the shales. In addition to the shales investigated, a number of samples of Decorah limestone and of the residuum resulting from the natural leaching of the lime- stone, have been included in this study because of their relatively high organic content. These rocks are discussed in a separate section because they are un- like the shales in character and details of occurrence. Most of the shale samples used in this investigation were collected by M. E. Hopkins, J. A. Simon, M. E. Ostrom, W. A. White, and J. C. Bradbury, of the Illinois State Geological Survey staff, and were the basis of a report on the uranium possibilities of Illinois shales (Ostrom et al., 1955). Tables 1 and 2 are modified from that report. SHALE Oil shale has been defined by Klosky (1955, p. 1) as "a sedimentary rock containing solid organic matter that yields oil upon heating to destructive dis- tillation temperatures but is only slightly soluble in organic solvents." SAMPLES The 114 shale samples investigated (fig. I) came from 41 Illinois coun- ties, were principally of Pennsylvanian ("Coal Measures") age, and were large- ly the black "slaty" shales found above coals. Samples of black Devonian-Mis - sissippian shale also were included. The location, thickness, and geologic source of the shale samples are given in tables 1 and 2. The thicknesses given for the samples in table 2 generally are the same as the entire thickness of the stratum sampled. The analytical data are shown in table 3. METHOD OF TESTING The oil yield and other characteristics of the Illinois shales were deter- mined by the modified Fischer retort assay procedure as described in detail by Stanfield and Frost (1949). The only change made in the above method was in calculating the oil yield when insufficient oil was produced for accurate measurement of specific grav- ity. Instead of using a specific gravity of 0.950 at 60°/60° F. as recommended in the Stanfield and Frost report, a specific gravity of 0.920 at 60°/ 60° F. was used. The specific gravity of 0.920 was derived from a study of duplicate runs of 30 shale samples. AVAILABILITY AND AMOUNT It is probable that most of the shale beds sampled occur in nearly flat- lying deposits beneath an area of a square mile or more at some, or many, places in Illinois. Under suitable economic conditions, some deposits might be worked as a source of oil shale by strip or underground mining. As some of the shales are associated with coal, the concomitant mining of shale and coal is conceivable. 4 ILLINOIS STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY In view of the many imponderables in the present and future economic position of Illinois oil shales, it is impossible to make a realistic estimate of the quantity of commercially available oil in these shales. However, table 4 gives an idea of the amount of oil available from both an acre and a square mile of shale of different thicknesses and oil content. The data indicate that the potential shale oil resources of Illinois are indeed large. RESULTS OF TESTS Results of tests are given in table 3. Data regarding- oil content and thickness for those shale formations from which three or more samples were taken are shown graphically in figure 2 and are discussed briefly below. Pennsylvanian Shales Lateral and vertical variations . - There is considerable lateral varia- tion in oil content of the shale formations (fig. 2). For example, the shale ab the coal that outcrops near Divide in northeastern Jefferson County (samples D17 and D19) shows a wide variation; one sample from the county shows only a trace of oil and another sample contains 36 gallons of oil per ton. The sha above No. 5 coal exhibits a similar, though less wide, range in oil content. The vertical variation in oil content within some of the thicker shale fc- mations is illustrated by samples D6A and D6B, representing the bottom 9 ir ches and the upper 21 inches of the shale above No. 6 coal. These contain, r- spectively, 18 and 11.2 gallons of oil per ton. Another pair of samples from the shale over No. 5 coal, D37U and D37L, shows about the same variation, It pairs of samples from the shale above the Bogota coal and the Herrin limesln show little variation. Oil content . - Forty-four percent of the Pennsylvanian shales tested cit- tain less than 5 gallons of oil per ton, 27 percent between 5 and 10 gallons, 1 percent between 10 and 15 gallons, and 12 percent more than 15 gallons. Th>< samples contain more than 25 gallons per ton. Of the various black shale formations tested, the shale over No. 2 coa has the highest average oil content — almost 16 gallons per ton. Some samps from Schuyler, Greene, and LaSalle counties contain more than 15 gallons o oil per ton, but one LaSalle County sample contains only 5.6 gallons per ton, The shale above the coal near Divide averaged 12 gallons per ton, although most of the samples contained less than 10 gallons per ton. The shale be^ the Shoal Creek limestone averaged 11 gallons per ton, and the shale above No. 4 coal averaged 10 gallons per ton. The shale above No. 6 coal average less than 10 gallons per ton, but 5 of the 8 samples contained more than 10 gallons of oil per ton. Thickness . - Pennsylvanian shales sampled range from a few inches 1 10 feet thick, but the most common range is between 18 and 36 inches. Occurrence . - Most of the shales investigated occur above coals. Sor of these coals are being mined by open-pit methods, especially No. 2 coal i| LaSalle, Grundy, and Will counties in northern Illinois; No. 5 coal in William- son, Saline, and Gallatin counties in southern Illinois and in Fulton, Peoria, and Knox counties in western Illinois; and No. 6 coal in Saline, Williamson, Randolph, Perry, Jackson, and St. Clair counties in southern Illinois and in ILLINOIS OIL SHALES ulton, Peoria, and Knox counties in western Illinois. Presumably these shales )uld be recovered during coal stripping if economic conditions justified. The mcomitant mining of other coals and associated shales may be similarly pos- ble. Mississippian and Devonian Shales Samples from the New Albany shale in extreme southern Illinois contained ss than 5 gallons of oil per ton (fig. 2). Two samples of Grassy Creek shale Ld a sample of Hannibal shale, both from western Illinois, yielded less than 5 ilons per ton, as did a sample of Clore shale from southern Illinois. Most of e Mississippian and Devonian shales are about 50 feet or more thick, sugges- ig the possibility of large tonnages of these shales. General Results Specific gravity of oil . - Those shale formations for which determinations specific gravity of recovered oil were made on three or more samples are Jted below, together with the average specific gravity of their oils. Specific gravity Formation f Q n Shale above coal near Divide .961 Shale below Shoal Creek limestone .958 Shale above No. 6 coal .947 Shale above No. 5 coal .943 Shale above No. 4 coal .952 Shale above No. 2 coal .942 New Albany shale .921 Gas and loss. - The gas and loss, which is the difference between the ght lost by the sample during distillation and the weight of the oil and water covered, was less than 3 percent for more than 60 percent of the samples contained more than 5 gallons of oil per ton. Most of the remaining sam- s had a gas-and-loss figure of between 3 and 5 percent, but 4 samples iged between 5 and 10 percent and 4 others had figures above 10 percent. > Of these latter samples, D49U and D49L, came from the same exposure Etichland County and together represent 6 feet of the shale above the Bogota il. The other two samples are D91, representing 31 inches of the shale >ve the Macoupin coal in Clark County, and D94, from about 12 inches of the tie above the coal that crops out near Divide. Ignitionjoss. - Ignition loss is the weight loss that results when a sample 'hale from which the oil has been distilled is heated to 1000°C. Seventy- i percent of the samples containing more than 5 gallons of oil per ton had ignition loss of less than 20 percent, 23 percent varied between 20 and 30 * loss, and 4 percent had a loss of more than 30 percent. Of the samples wing more than 20 percent loss, two samples (D19 and D45), with ignition I 44 and 51 percent, respectively, had relatively high oil content, but her samples showed no generally consistent relationship between ignition j and oil content, suggesting the possible presence of coaly material or car- 3.16 S . Above upper Bogota coal McLEANSBORO SHALES Above coal near Divide t 36.4, Below Shoal Creek limestone A-A — *- Above Macoupin coal 8 Above No. 7 coal BtT Above No. 6 coal 4B- CARBONDALE SHALES t -l Above No. 5 coal ttt 10 15 GALLONS OF OIL PER TON OF SHALE • Sample containing more than a trace of oil X Sample containing a trace of oil or less ▲ Average oil content D Sample from mine dump or float block Fig. L. Thickness and oil content of shale formations from which three or more samples were tested. Above No. 4 coal CARBONDALE SHALES (continued) _ 1 i Above No. 2 coal T 1 ) 1 ?5 fl ± ibove Davis coal - TRADEWATER SHALES M * -4- ibove Stonefort limestone MISSISSIPPIAN- DEVONIAN SHALES ;ew Albany (Mountain Glen) shale 10 GALLONS OF OIL PER TON OF SHALE Fig. 2 (continued) 15 H A , 40 20 40 20 40 20 40 20 !elow Seville and c urlew limestones - '■ 1 / _ 1 I 1 a- | — 4 k — k , 40 ii- Ul 60 z .J- 40 x 20 60 40 20 ( i 1 ew Albany s hal e 60 40 i — zu w — i k 20 8 ILLINOIS STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY DECORAH LIMESTONE AND SHALE The Decorah formation includes several rock units, one of which is a brown or gray limestone or dolomite containing organic material. Partings of brown shale containing organic material are present in varying abundance! in the limestone (table 5). The organic material as seen under the microsco is a clear yellow substance, possibly a resin or wax, of algal origin (Trow- bridge et al., 1916, p. 47). Outcrops are restricted to Calhoun and Jo Davies, counties. CALHOUN COUNTY A 7-foot outcrop of brown thin-bedded Decorah limestone with thin par. ings of brown shale occurs in the NE 1/4 SE 1/4 NE 1/4 sec. 6, T, 12 S., R.2J Previous tests (Ruby, 1952, p. 18) of a sample from the outcrop indicated a crude-oil content of 15 to 25 gallons per ton. Another sample, NF403 (table |] tested during the present investigation contained 12.6 gallons of oil per ton. jl chemical analysis of sample NF403, as given by Lamar (1938, p. 228), follow Si0 2 9.80 AI2O3 1.83 Fe203 0.41 MgO 1.67 CaO 45.24 co 2 36.63 Loss on ignition 41.04 Combus tible carbon 3.45 CaC03 80.75 MgC03 2.16 The area wherein the Decorah limestone occurs and may be expected 3 crop out is a narrow north- south tract about 4 1/2 miles long and roughly o- quarter to one -half mile wide along the western side of the uplands of Calhu County. The outcropping limestone ranges from 5 to about 10 feet thick (R\) 1952, p. 18). Very limited well data suggest that underground it may be thijo than this in some places. It dips to the east or northeast. The formation ij overlain by the Kimmswick limestone and probably could be mined undergri JO DAVIESS COUNTY The Decorah limestone is encountered in the zinc mines of extreme iji western Illinois, where it is known to the miners as the oil rock. Locally, p most of the carbonates have been leached from the limestone by groundwat; produce a residual shale -like material known as the oil-rock shale. In pro' reports this shale also is referred to in some cases as "oil rock" (Barrett I The oil-rock shale is usually brown, and some of it will burn when ignited The oil rock is limestone in roughly the western half of Jo Daviess < However, east of this it is dolomite (Herbert, 1949, pis. 8 and 18). The oil limestone is about 5 x'eet thick in the eastern part of the county, 10 feet thi the central part, and 15 feet thick in the western portion (Herbert, 1949, pi and 18). ILLINOIS OIL SHALES The thickness of the oil-rock shale varies greatly. It is best known from inc mines and generally is thickest in the vicinity of ore deposits. Its maximum lickness in a single bed is about 3 feet. Its distribution is irregular, and the uantity available from any one mine is undetermined but probably is small in srms of large-scale oil shale production. The Decorah oil-rock limestone crops out in Jo Daviess County at several laces in sec. 34, T. 29 N., R. 1 E., and in S 1/2 sec. 3, T. 28 N., R. 1 E., south f Millbrig (Willman and Reynolds, 1947, pis. 1 and 2). However, because the atcr ops are weathered, mdst of the samples tested were taken from fresh ex- osures of the oil-rock limestone and shale in zinc mines in the Galena area cable 5). The rock strata in Jo Daviess County, although in general almost flat, are i detail considerably warped into upfolds or downfolds of small to moderate am- litude. Therefore, if Decorah limestone or dolomite were mined, the mine 'orkings probably would not be level except in limited areas. Results of tests on two samples of oil-rock shale and three of oil-rock me stone are given in table 6. The limestone samples contained less than 5 allons of oil per ton. Much of this may have come from brown shale partings etween the layers of the limestone. The shale samples contained between 25 ■_nd 30 gallons of oil per ton. ILLINOIS OIL SHALES Table 1. - Sequence of Shale Beds and Geologic Units Sampled 11 Beds sampled Geologic unit Pennsylvanian ("Coal Measures" )* McLeansboro group Shales above Upper McLeansboro coals Shale above Shumway coal Shale about 10 ft. below Trow- bridge coal Shale about 25 ft. above Omega limestone Shale above Upper Bogota coal Shale above Cohn coal Shale above coal that crops out near town of Divide Shale below limestone Shale about 50 ft. above Shoal Creek limestone Shale about 30 ft. below Livingston limestone Shale below Shoal Creek limestone S.iale above Macoupin coal Shale above Brouillett coal Shale above Exline limestone Shale above lower Scottville coal Shale above Cutler Rider II coal Shale above No. 7 coal Shale above Jamestown limestone Shale above Herrin limestone Shale above No. 6 coal Shale above No. 5 coal Shale above No. 4 coal Shale above No. 2 coal Position uncertain Shumway Shelby Unnamed Bogota Cohn Unnamed Sample numbers D15, DIG, D20 D14, D96 D12 D97 D47, D49U, D49L, D50 D9 D17, D19, D90, D94, D95 LaSalle and Livingston D57, D86 Unnamed Unnamed Shoal Creek Macoupin Brouillett Gimlet Gimlet Unnamed Spar land Carbondale group Jamestown Brereton Brereton St. David Summum Liverpool D78 D2, D93 D10, Dll, D21, D70, D72, D92, D99 D44, D71, D73, D77, D88, D89, D91, D98 D85 D63 D74 D30 D59, D60, D65, D69, D100 D81 D80U, D80L D4, D6a, D6b, D31, D46, D51, D79, D82 Dl, D37U, D37L, D53, D54, D55, D64, D66, D67 D3, D33, D38, D52 D22L, D42, D56, D58, D68, D75, D101 Most of the units in the Pennsylvanian system are called cyclothems .12 ILLINOIS STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Table 1. (continued) Beds sampled Shale above Dekoven coal Shale above Davis coal Shale above Campbell Hill coal Shale below Seahorne limestone Shale above Stonefort limestone Shale below limestone Shale above Murphysboro coal Shale at position of Reynolds burs coal Shale Shale near top of formation Shale, A45 above A44 Shale, 35 ft. above creek Shale, at base of formation Geologic unit Tradewater group Dekoven Davis Unnamed Seahorne Stonefort Seville and Curlew Unnamed Caseyville group Pounds Missis sippian Chester series Clore formation Kinderhook series Hannibal formation Devonian-Missis sippian Grassy Creek forma- tion! New Albany (Mountain Glen) formation! New Albany (Mountain Glen) formation! Sample numbers D34 D24, D25, D32 D83 D43 D23, D27, D35 D29, D45, D48 D7, D39U D36 A24 A34 Shale, 10 to 30 ft. above base of formation; samples in ascending order Upper 25 ft. of formation; samples in descending order Shale, position in formation not known; samples in descending order Shale, position in formation not known, M6 above M7 Shale, position in formation not known A44, A45 A9 A10 All- -A14 A15 -A19 New Albany (Mountain Glen) formation! New Albany (Mountain Glen) formation! New Albany formation! M2-M5 New Albany formation! M6, M7 New Albany formation! M8 jThese formations are roughly the same geologic age. ILLINOIS OIL SHALES Table 2. - Location and Thickness of Shale SampL 13 County Lo cation Thickness Sample 1/4 1/4 1/4 sec T. R. inches Sample sou] D78 SW NE SE 19 6N 4W 10 Stream cut D46 sw NE NE 29 16N 6E Strip-mine dump D57 NE SW NW 33 16N HE 7 Stream cut A34 NW NE 35 9S 3W 60 Weathered bluff D101 SW SW NE 11 18N 11W 26 Bluff D90 SE SW NW 4 9N 12W 22 Stream cut D91 SE NE SE 3 9N 12W 31 Stream cut D92 SE NW SE 3 9N 12W 10 Stream cut D93 SW NW SE 3 9N 12W 32 Stream cut D89 NE NW NW 20 UN 10W 33 Road cut D94 SE NE SE 30 12N 12W 12 Road cut D50 SW SE SW 32 3N 8E Stream cut D97 SW SW SW 10 4N 5E 72 Valley wall D99 SW SE SE Z2 2N 5W 26 Stream cut D98 NE SW NE 13 3N 1W 12 Stream cut D95 SW SW SE 3 12N 10E 10 Stream cut D47 SE SW NW 14 5N 11W 32 Stream cut D88 SW NE SW 29 14N 10W 16 Stream cut D86 SE SE SE 10 14N 11W 24 Stream cut D85 NW SE NW 32 15N 10W 14 Road cut D96 SE NE NW 28 6N 6E 31 Stream cut D14 SE SE SW 26 9N 5E 34 Stream cut D67 N NE 3 3N 2E 15 Strip mine D42 NE NW NW 17 5N 4E 24 Stream cut D66 NW SW SW 28 6N 3E 20 Strip mine D43 SW SE NW 14 7N IE 15 Stream cut D44 SE NE NW 16 9S 10E 30 Stream cut Dl C NW 16 10S 8E 36 Strip mine D75 SW SW SW 24 12N 11W 30 Strip mine D54 NW SE NE 1 32N 7E 18 Stream cut D53 SE NW NW 20 33N 7E 22 Stream cut M2 SW NW SE 25 IIS 7E 60 Stream cut M3 SW NW SE 25 US 7E 60 Stream cut M4 SW NW SE 25 IIS 7E 60 Stream cut M5 SW NW SE 25 US 7E 60 Stream cut M8 SW SE SE 30 US 8E 48 Road cut M6 SE NE NE 31 IIS 8E 60 Road cut M7 SE NE NE 31 US 8E 60 Road cut D48 SE NW SE 11 14N IE Mine dump D45 NE NE NE 33 14N IE Mine dump Strip mine Dl NW NE SW 22 7S 3W 30 D83 NW SE NE 4 7S 4W 30 Stream cut 14 ILLINOIS STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Table 2. (continued) County Jackson Jefferson Johnson Knox LaSalle Macoupin Menard Montgomery I! Peoria ii Pike ii Pope Randolph ii Richland ti St. Clair Saline Sangamon Schuyler Sample D3S D39U D15 D16 D17 D19 D20 D36 D64 D51 D56 D52 D58 D55 D77 D73 D72 D74 D100 Dll D71 D59 D63 D69 D65 A45 A44 A24 D81 D80U D80L D82 D49U D49L, D79 D21 D31 D25 D27 D24 D23 D22L D70 D68 Location 1/4 1/4 1/4 sec. SE NW NE SW SE SW NW SW NW SW SE SE NE NE SE NE SE NE SW SW SE SW NW C SW NE NE NW NE NE NE NW SW SW SE NE SW NW NE NE C NW cen SE SE SW NE SE NE SE SW SW NW SW SE c c NE NE NE NE SW SW SW SW SW SW SW SE NE NE NE NE SE SE SW NE . sec NW NE SE SW SW SE SE SE S SE SW SE NE NE NE SW SE NW NW SE NW SE NE SW SW SW SW SE NE NE NE NE SE SE NW SW SW NW NE NE NE NW SW 35 36 7 22 7 13 35 33 8 9 8 32 3 21 12 35 35 16 36 21 28 23 3 11 28 17 17 19 36 36 36 36 15 15 31 33 29 21 30 30 30 5 3 36 8S 9S IS IS IS 3S 4S IIS 9N 31N 32N 32N 33N 33N 7N ION ION 12N 18N 7N ION 7N 8N 8N 9N 6S 6S 12S 5S 5S 5S 5S 3N 3N IN 7S 9S 10S 10S 10S 10S 10S 13N 2N R. 1W 1W 3E 3E 4E 3E 4E 4E 4E 3E 2E 3E IE 5E 7W 7W 7W 9W 7W 4W 3W 7E 5E 7E 6E 5W 5W 5E 5W 5W 5W 5W 10E 10E 8W 6E 5E 5E 5E 6E 6E 7E 5W 1W Thickness inches 36 30 18 15 15 12 40 27 22 24 22 29 14 14 24 24 36 18 12 18 26 7 4 14 10 60 60 42 33 60 60 34 36 36 31 10 23 22 35 10 17 18 17 38 Sample sour Mine entry Strip mine Stream cut Road cut Road cut Stream cut | Stream cut | Stream cut Strip mine Road cut Stream cut Stream cut Stream cut Stream cut Stream cut Stream cut Stream cut Stream cut Stream cut Stream cut: Stream cut Road cut Stream cut Road cut Road cut Stream cuti Stream cut Railroad d Strip mine Strip mine Strip mine Strip mine Stream cut Stream cut Strip mine Stream cut Strip mine Strip mine Railroad c Stream cut Stream cu Stream cut Stream cut Stream cu1 ILLINOIS OIL SHALES Table 2. (continued) 15 Loc :ation Thickness Sample 1/4 1/4 1/4 sec. T. R. inches Sample source D12 NW NE SW 22 ION 6E 30 Road ditch D60 NE NE NW 18 25N 4W 5 Stream cut A14 C NE 34 IIS 2W 60 Stream cut A13 C NE 34 IIS 2W 60 Stream cut A12 c NE 34 US 2W 60 Stream cut All c NE 34 US 2W 60 Stream cut A9 SE NE NE 34 US 2W 60 Stream cut A10 SE NE NE 34 US 2W 24 Cut bank A15 SW NW SE 14 12S 2W 60 Valley wall A16 SW NW SE 14 12S 2W 60 Valley wall A17 SW NW SE 14 12S 2W 60 Valley wall A18 SW NW SE 14 12S 2W 60 Valley wall A19 SW NW SE 14 12S 2W 60 Valley wall D3 SW NW NW 13 18N 11W 14 Stream cut D4 SE SE SE 6 19N 11W 23 Stream cut DZ NW NW SW 31 19N 13W Float Stream cut D9 SW SW 21 3S 14W 12 Stream cut D10 SE SW SE 17 7S 10E 12 Stream cut D37U NE SW 4 9S 2E 36 Strip mine D37L NE SW 4 9S 2E 36 Strip mine D30 SE SW NW 10 9S 4E 41 Stream cut D6a NE NE 28 9S 4E 9 Strip mine, bot torn 9 in. D6b NE NE 28 9S 4E 21 Strip mine, upper 21 in. D33 NW SE NW 4 10S 4E 36 Stream cut D34 NW SW NW 16 10S 4E 24 Valley wall D32 NE SE NE 16 10S 4E 33 Stream cut D35 SW SW NW 22 10S 4E Slump Road cut D29 NW NE SW 30 10S 4E 18 Road cut 16 ILLINOIS STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY u o ^ ft a PJ — s s en O nj ^ o PJ H o o ^ CO ^ N CO O^ f\J .—I v£> Tf "sF CO CO CO CO CO (\J O CO rO N Tf lo in m s ^ m m m l 1 s s C> s o eg — • rg r\] eg ^J N ^ ^ O CO O eg rg -h rg — < •t-H • i—l O -^ vO ^ en o > O ,— t rg 1 — 1 ^ 1 — 1 'u nj -^. o o o o a> CD U <-H o ft OJO o vO o o o o o en PI H nj r- f\J o (NJ o CO 1— 1 ■7-t CO in* vO ^* in ^* <+H CD m O ft O 0) fn 3 4-> cu r-H 5 ^H o ^ OO rg CO (h nj • • • • • i-l ^ r— 1 o 1 — 1 1— 1 ■ — i o CO U CO CD ft CO M . nj nj nj bO CuO CuO m m m o ^ h CO CD ft CO ^ i— i r-4 nj co l O o o CD CD ft ft CO CO o o o o o o nj nj nj c£> W) OJO cd CD ft ft CO CO o o r— I i—l .-H i— I nj nj &0 00 S Pi O O ^ CD CD ft ft CO 5 in nj nj CO CO nj nj ao co nj nj nj nj CO CIO inLnmininLninininmininm nj nj CD U ^o m eg* h CD CD PJ ti nj nj CO CO CD CD nj nj fl PJ CO nj nj • - ^ ^ 2 4j +j +j s CO CO CO CO CD CD CD 0) CD CD eg CD CD u PJ CJ u ■ Pi d crt ctj nj ■ ' Jh Pi u Jh Pi PS co co co co >_* w uo eg co o ft s pj • s ft H O nj Ph u o^cMro-^mor-- <<<<;<:<:<<;<;<<: Oh Ph -^ m cj p) pj a pi C! 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CO o r-? rsj CU O CO cj • • nj ^° -~L CO CM CM CM OOOO LO r-H -H CM CO cu cu &0 ^ W) r^ ^ d 5 A ^ ,C rC O '-)r/)r/)COc/)C/)c73 ^^c5^^^^^^^ co co g S nj nj o —h <\j thh l^ ^o r>- rJ^OH^]rr)rJ^Lf)^^J^OH(^J(VlTj^Ln^O^^• ^(^Nr-Hr^r-Hr-Hr-Hr^r^^pgpgpgpj^p^pgfvj^^^pp) QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ p: o i-H r-H CtJ bo LO PI • nj rC CU CO rH _ o o m O TJ >> CU crj U 2 9 Ph "J r-H W) o .2 nj UH S CU co nj U CU rO cu rG CT" CO r- ° nj m P! O '5jd >n cu ^ •h > a) Rj nj r— 1 pd PI U a Cfl CjO E V+H 1} u Pi CD CO Rj •H m u u CO Pi 4-> CO X O 0) CO 00 CO rH CU Rj OX) a hi fti T3 u ^H CI 0) cu 4-> £ CO c B 00 3 CO CO 1 0) PL, CO < rH M Q -;;- 4— ^5- 18 ILLINOIS STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY u Q a, c ° j-i +3 co cd Pu CO CO o O ^ CO ^o < 5: 1 cd co CO 3 ° a G .-H -i U vO CM m \0 vO co N o h r^-oocx)r*- r^ CO N irt N N 00 C> h-' (\J vO f— 1 »-Hr—»CO'— •■—•■— IfM-Hr-H d d 5 r-" oo o +3 oo 3 ^ "l O m m o rpco'NFfNaoininooiN.ooo CO §°. cd 00 m g CO On r— t u u CO (U H &. CI d Jh Jh sO o o o . r-t H i— I f\1 H r-H H )_J cd cd cd oo oo oo oor^-mi>t^vOinoor* h- o cm cm cm co o m m in m f4 f4 S cd cd cd voooo— t^vominooin 43+3+3r-ooooNoooooooooooco co t\j m d- oo o o oo -^ m CO CO CO CO CO CO co co co d d. Ct o vO O 00 o o t>- o fM — * ro nO o O ^ CO o o o +-> ** tn fM* r- # ** d u U vO t^ 00 U n0 CO 0) C cc CtJ ^s d vO fd j +■> +3 o o o +3 0C< ^ s ^ - CD 0) I'^ooNinifiOHO d-C^ ^ m fNifNjrOoO'xF'xF'NFcOrO"^ ^-» fM fM OOCOvOrOONififONNN HHHfVJvOcOfOmONN vO N H a, oo o ^o m o vONOt v »t^-t > *r > -t v -vOvOvOsO I Qv s s s Qn s s s s On s d d d d d d d d d d d vO vO h- 0\< co -nF m vCr on on on i o> d d d c: M T— 1 . o cd m^ cuon^h cu co cumNOcooNr^rgoNinooinNO r—i -— >• 00 nO . 00 CO Cfi f4 rd ^ 1 . . • H ^! 2^ rg i— • fM cm O CO '-HcOOOOOOt^^O rocvl— • (\J N rO N co N CO nO f\J CO on on 00 h fM C^ O U h 3 O 2 h D ? ^ cj h cd cd co 2 u Pi rJ coco^^coco^co.cu ^OO rdtO^J 3 ^COCO M CO O N co.rt.^rHcdcd^^cdrd^cd coed OffiPQOKririO^JOOJ^pQHlpHHPH coo^oOHfvjto^in^iNCO^Oro^in^ ^3 co^^^^^^^T^^LnininLninLnininininNONOvONOvOvi^ on rg co "vt 1 m so t^ i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i • QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQC; ILLINOIS OIL SHALES 19 O C\J rg — i o^ co oo s ^ r^ o vO o oo m rg *-h ■— I oo oo -• CO 00 rg n ^ in o n in O co HT d ti rt d d d d d d s o m o o CO o o o o I s - vD o O CO o I s - CO o o CO *—l CO o CO 00 o 4-> • -M • • • • +■> 4-> H-> • • +-> H-> • • • • • 4-> • • • +-> H-> • • r» O rg' , I s - 00 I s - CO o r-H vO CO vJD co in o r-H m -tf o o s0 CD I s - H sO CD a vO r- I s - >H CD r*- u CD CD sO r- I s - vO i- J-l CD P- MD I s - I s - u CD t^ r- sO ■ CO CO CO CO co co CO CO CO CO "J g- "*. §°. o r- <> d PI O d r- ■* d o d o O^ in "*. ^ "* d r-H CO CO d d o m o rg n in CO £h ^ a} 00 m ^' <—i r— t r— 1 r-H OJO m r-n t— < CTJ 00 in r-H f— 1 CTJ 00 in .— i CO t— i 'a! 00 m rH r— 1 00 m fN] r-H —t i— i r-j l—l 00 in CNJ r— t I— < CTJ 00 m r- 1 r— t nj 00 in rj fNJ ^* o d ^ (NJ CJ -• <* o eg « d d CO o d d o o m -H •—I d • — 1 o m d d CO o xh rd ^ +3 00 a aJ nj nj nj nj nj Clj nj co CO 2 ° ■+3 oo I s - r— 1 i— t 5 6 5 o I s - rd •5 r- —I Cs] CO ■ — i 5 o CO o ■s H-> CO — H X^ 00 co CO O o o 00 CO o a- r- o I s - CO o CO s CO CO CO to CO co CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CO (1) CD 0) (1) a) CD - ^h m CO CO CO m o "tf • ^ «tf ■^ r- CO rg o sO ^h CO vO ^ Tf xh ^ m O s . o* o o o o o o o o o t^-aOcOOcOvOOCsJ ^COCvJOcOOOOOsO vO °. s — « .0 rg -^ d I s - o o o c\j o m m oo so m rf vO so s s O^ s CT^ o o o o o r-H r^ [^ r^ so co s s o o o o O CO I s - so in ^ O^ CT^ O^ o o o r^r-n (UrHQs Ln o r r ) oOc>0^^iOi < 00'tN inoo ^cocor^vooooo*^vO<>oococoooh-o r-H ^ r-. r-H d i& rd ^ u d d d d •rH •rH B DO r3 1 DJD d 53 53 CD P. d d u O CJ 0) CD o u tTJ nj nj !_■ nj 222262 jo „. Cs} CO ^ m r- r- I s - l> t>- r^- r^ : to QQQ Q i Q i Q u in rC a r-H O d nj Ph O co rg co a d r2 w S a ™ nj ^ — I -H ^ O rg co rg rg rg ^H rH nj nj 00 00 73 73 W W 73 r-H w u rD A ooooo-^rgcomvooo I s - yt< oo rg co rg ^} M X X X n u u u u *$ nj nj nj nj 73 r-H i— I ,-H r-H w u o u u nj rd oo d >> s cO vO CO CO CO d d w u u o OO-h rgrOTfinvOl^OOOOO t^-r^oooooooooooooooocoo^oo. oooa s o s o s o s '^'-' 5 Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q Q i i i i i i i i i i i i i i QQQQQQQQQQQQQQ nj vm d o oo >> o % d *h o oo CD d CO !tn nj u ,£5 CD 00 nj T3 d * CD S O nj 73 CD CD CD nj •-• rd £ ^ o o u 53 oo CD CO Pi < co o O 6 o d r-H -X- 20 ILLINOIS STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Table 4. - Oil Content of Shale per Acre and per Square Mile Thickness of shale Oil content of shale Oil content per acre Oil content per sq. mi. (inches) 12 24 36 (gals, per ton) 5 10 15 20 5 10 15 20 5 10 15 20 (barrels)*! (barrels) 375 239,000 750 479,000 1125 719,000 1500 959,000 750 479,000 1500 959,000 2245 1,438,000 2995 1,917,000 1125 719,000 2245 1,438,000 3370 2,157,000 4495 2,876,000 * Shale weight of 3900 lbs. per cu. yd. used in calculations, t 1 barrel = 42 gals. Table 5. - Source and Thickness of Decorah Samples R. Location 1/4 1/4 1/4 sec. T. Sample Kind of rock NF 540 Shale NE SE SW 10 27N IE NF 539 Mostly limestone NE SE SW 10 27N IE NF 538 Mostly limestone NE SW 34 29N IE NF 537 Mostly limestone SE SE 25 29N 1W 647 Shale SE 25 29N 1W Thickness (feet) Source 1 1/4 Bautsch mine 5 Bautsch mine 15 Outcrop 13 Graham-Snyder mi * Graham -Snyder mi * Hand specimen, ILLINOIS OIL SHALES 21 u CD 1— 1 u fti ^ c CO CD J-i U< o CO 3 Ti u -"•» ix PS fl 0) o u Sh *J CD cti a CO co O <—4 c -^ xO nO -^ LO r~ ^ .2 ^ CO 00 © vO r- ^ +-> «^^ CM ro «tf ro i— < ro 'S bC t-H rEj -^ r- LO <> <> rv] r-^ 00 LO LO LO vO v£> LO 'd £ r« CO LO ro fM (M r-4 r^ co O r\J ro nj — « a r— 1 Cti -M -rH fl h ro i— t ro LO O i— i CD CD ro co" <> CO* "tf ro t/) 55 CO o O o CO O s u CD 00 LO -H ~: r- CO 5 ro r— 1 — i o ^° CO Mh > *-< r— 1 o o r-i O ro OJ r\J CD H O CD o o fVJ ^ f\] ro ro "HH o o o o O O O 0, W) o o o o O O O* CD CO i— < +-» a 3 a CO CO CD CO i-H o 00 rg O ^o vO h rf r— 1 u CD ^° f\J • fNJ r-* (M o 1 a ro fM ^^ X u • SO V ?h CD u r-H — 1 Cti 3 (0 5 rN co co CO CO CO x) +-> CD CD CD CD CD C! CD a •H •rH CO 3 > > > > '> 3 a) o aJ a rti a cti .Q U Q Q Q 41 i— i CD OjO o o o o nJ »-3 *-* >-> >-> •-> U CD rH CD o O o CO r- r>- ro a "* ro ro ro ^ O u s cti LO LO LO LO sO Tf" CD to fc b h Ut a, tfl z £ z z z -x- REFERENCES Ashley, G. H., 1917, Oil resources of black shales of the Eastern United States: in U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 641. [Barrett, N. O., 1922, Notes on Illinois bituminous shales, including results of their experimental distillation: in Illinois Geol. Survey Bull 38 n 441-460. ' ' P ° Cox, G. H., 1914, Lead and zinc deposits of northwestern Illinois: Illinois Geol. Survey Bull. 21. Herbert, Paul, Jr., 1949, Stratigraphy of the Decorah formation in western Illinois: Ph.D. dissertation, University of Chicago. JKlosky, Simon, 1955, Oil shale, a chapter from Mineral Facts and Problems preprint from U. S. Bur. Mines Bull. 556. ;Lamar, J. E., 1938, Unexploited or little known industrial minerals of Illi- nois: in Illinois Geol. Survey Circ. 23. Oil and Gas Journal, 1955, Shale-oil future bright: v. 54, no. 8, p. 72. Ostrom, M. E., et al., 1955, Uranium in Illinois black shales: Illinois Geol. Survey Circ. 203. ;Ruby, W. W., 1952, Geology and mineral resources of the Hardin and Brus- sels quadrangles (in Illinois): U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 2l8. Stanfield, K. E., and Frost, I. C, 1949, Method of assaying oil shale by a modified Fischer retort: U. S. Bur. Mines Rept. Inv. 4477. Trowbridge, A. C, et al., 1916, Geology and geography of the Galena and Elizabeth quadrangles: Illinois Geol. Survey Bull. 26 Tillman, H. B., and Reynolds, R. R., 1 9 47, Geological structure of the zinc- lead district of northwestern Illinois: Illinois Geol. Survey Rept. Inv. Winchester, D. E., 1919, Results of dry distillation of miscellaneous shale samples: in U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 691. |Vorthen, A. H., 1870, Fulton County: in Geological Survey of Illinois, v. IV. nncnni CIRCULAR 208 ILLINOIS STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY URBANA