Abstract:

The Tarfayas oil shale deposit is of considerable importance and ranks among the marine deposits. The organic matter (kerogen) of this type of shale is quantitatively variable according to the layers ranging from Z0 to Z4 (deep layer) A certain migration of organic matter occurred during burial in the deep layers Z3 and Z4 of the Tarfaya deposit, the light organic matter was concentrated (by rising) in the Z3 layer, conversely the high molecular weight matter descended in the Z4 layer. Dynamic thermogravimetry was used to quantify the overall organic matter and UV spectroscopy was used to monitor the amount of high molecular weight organic matter (heavy organic matter).The sedimentation of organic matter in the Tarfaya deposit, generally formed by algal and zooplankton debris as well as other marine life, depended on the climate of the geological eras. The geological eras in question are the secondary and tertiary eras, and organic matter is logically abundant when the climate is warm.This work allowed us to adapt the geological stages to the variability of the kerogen quantities in the layers. Useful tests in this work are thermogravimetric results in microanalysis by the Red Croft (micro flail thermobalance), UV spectroscopy and dispersive X-ray.

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