Sulfur Speciation in Different Kerogens by XANES Spectroscopy

X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) methodology has been employed to quantify the different sulfur structures present in three Type I and three Type II kerogens. Kerogens from the Green River (3), Bakken (1), Woodford (1), and Indiana limestone (1) formations were studied. Both aliphatic (sulfide) and aromatic (thiophene) forms of sulfur exist in all these kerogen samples. Except for Woodford, all of the kerogens contain oxidized functional groups. Sulfur in Types I and II kerogens mimics the carbon chemistry in that the sulfur structures are more aromatic in Type II than in Type I. It was impossible to differentiate elemental sulfur from pyrite in these samples by using K-edge XANES.