• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.154-165
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• 2014

Development of unconventional natural resources such as shale gas, shale oil and coal bed methane, has been activated and improved the productivity due to the recent technology advance in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. However, the flowback water mixed with chemical additives, and the brine water containing oil, gas, high levels of salts and radioactive metals is produced during the gas production. Potential negative environmental impact due to large volumes of the produced wastewater is increasingly seen as the major obstacles to the unconventional natural resource development. In this study an integrated framework for the flowback and brine water treatment is proposed, and we reviewed the upcoming state of the art technology in water treatment. Basic separation processes which include not only membrane, evaporation, crystallization and desalination processes, but the potential water reuse and recycling techniques can be applied for the unconventional natural resource industry.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.62-67
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• 2008

Oil shale is a sedimentary rock that contains organic compounds called kerogen that are released as petroleum-like liquids by retorting. In order to evalute oil shale as alternative oil resources, the physical properties of oil shale samples from US and Russia were investigated and Fischer assays were carried out. Thermogravimetric analysis shows that thermal degradation of oil shale consisted of two stage processes, with hydrocarbon release from kerogen followed by $CO_2$ release by carbonate decomposition. Organic compounds in oil shale have an high hydrogen/carbon ratio, and therefore liquid hydrocarbons could be obtained easily. Shale oil yields from Russian and US oil shales by Fischer assay were 12.7% and 18.5%, respectively. The density and boiling point of shale oils are higher than that of Middle East crude oil, indicating that further upgrading processes are necessary for refinery. On the other hands, sulfur contents are relatively low, and the amounts of Vanadium and Nickel are extremely small in shale oil. It was found that paraffins were rich in US shale oil while main components of Russian shale oil were oxygenated hydrocarbons.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.576-581
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• 2023

In this study aims to provide operational guidelines based on risk assessment and safety evaluation in the operation of non-traditional oil production plants, serving as alternative resources in comparison to conventional oils within the construction sector. Presently, operational facilities within these plants are active. However, integrating comprehensive management through sectional and device-specific diagnostic and evaluation systems in similar platform-based operational management systems proves to be a challenging reality. Consequently, this research introduces an evaluation methodology tailored for an operation-centric management system using an integrated management approach, and evaluates its practical applicability within the construction field.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.62-66
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• 2009

Utilization and interest of unconventional fuel and process residue such as oil sand and its residue, oil sand coke, have been increased because of the continuous rise of fuel price and conventional fuel availability. In this study, the gasification of oil sand coke produced from coking process of oil sand was performed to utilize as an energy resource using lab-scale fixed bed gasification system. The combustion characteristics of oil sand bitumen and oil sand coke were investigated by using TGA and lab-scale gasification system was applied to reveal the characteristics of produced syngas composition with oxygen/fuel ratio, temperature and steam injection rate. Oil sand coke shows a high carbon content, heating value and sulfur content and low ash content and reactivity. In case of oil sand coke gasification, generally with increasing temperature, the amount of steam introduced and decreasing oxygen injection rate, $H_2$ content in product gas increased while the $CO_2$ content decreased. The calorific value of syngas shows about $2100kcal/Nm^3$ and this result indicates that the oil sand coke can be used as a resource of hydrogen and fuel.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.201-212
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• 2016

Due to growing problems securing stable mineral and energy resources with international political and economic changes, China has dedicated itself to strategies and policies to enhance its stable mineral and energy resources security. China has established a rare earth elements(REE) industry policy after the abolition of the REE exports quota system. China's six large REE companies have also been integrated into REE mining, smelting and refining companies. Efforts have been increased to enhance China's energy security through unconventional oil and gas exploration and development investment, as well as effort in R&D. The country will focus on technology development and exploration to promote commercial production of unconventional oil and gas based on countries with shale gas. China is making long-term contracts and joint ventures to ensure the acquisition of reliable mineral and energy resources from abroad. Government of China has proposed a range of initiatives, such as the integration of resources development strategies and environmental development strategies, internationalization of resource management, supply diversification and advancement, strengthening industry linking strategy, grouping and diversification strategy.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.592-599
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• 2008

Oil sands had not received enough attention due to high production cost. However, as oil price significantly increases, oil sands are receiving more and more interest as unconventional crude oil. The value and applicability of oil sands can be enhanced by upgrading oil sands bitumen to produce synthetic crude oil (SCO). This study analyzed 213 oil sands upgrading patents applied between 1969 and 2006 in US, Canada, Japan, Europe, and Korea. The upgrading technologies could be classified into 9 detailed technologies; hydrocracking, coking, thermal cracking, deasphalting, supercritical technology, bio-technology, hydrotreating, gasification, and others. The number of patents applied for oil sands upgrading increased after 1970, reached a maximum in the early 1980, and slowly increases again in recent years. Korea has a lack of technologies for oil sands. Therefore, the technologies for oil sands production and application, specially, upgrading technologies based on accumulated oil refinery technologies need to be developed to increase self-development ratio of energy resource.