Method for producing shale oil from an oil shale formation

Patent · Tue Jul 20 00:00:00 EDT 1971

OSTI ID:5466580

Prats, M

A method is described for producing shale oil from a subterranean oil-shale formation by controlled in situ combustion by exploding a relatively high energy device within an oil shale formation, thereby forming a fragmented vertically extensive zone of rubble having a void space at the top. The zone is filled with a layer of granular material for permeability adjustment and a controlled combustion front is initiated by injecting a fluid consisting of a mixture of oxygen-containing gas and aqueous liquid near the top of the granular-filled fragmented zone, so as to advance a combustion front down the zone and produce oil-shale pyrolysis products. (11 claims)

• Assignee: Shell Oil Co.
• Patent Number(s): US 3593789
• OSTI ID: 5466580
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040401* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- In Situ Methods
True & Modified
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENGINEERING
ENHANCED RECOVERY
EXCAVATION
EXPLOSIONS
FISSION PRODUCTS
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASES
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GRANULAR MATERIALS
IN-SITU COMBUSTION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
ISOTOPES
MATERIALS
MIXTURES
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
OIL SHALES
OXIDATION
OXYGEN
PERMEABILITY
PETROLEUM
PROCESSING
PRODUCTION
PYROLYSIS PRODUCTS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RECOVERY
RESERVOIR ENGINEERING
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SOLUTIONS
THERMAL RECOVERY
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
UNDERGROUND EXPLOSIONS
VOIDS