Method for fully retorting an in situ oil shale retort
A method is described for operating an in situ oil shale retort in a subterranean formation containing oil shale, the retort containing a fragmented permeable mass of formation particles containing oil shale within top, bottom and side boundaries of unfragmented formation and having a drift in communication with a lower region of the fragmented mass for withdrawal of liquid products of retorting and an off-gas comprising gaseous products of retorting. The method consists of: introducing a retort inlet mixture into an upper region of the fragmented mass in the retort for advancing a retorting zone downwardly through the retort for producing liquid and gaseous products of retorting; withdrawing retort off-gas comprising gaseous products of retorting through the product withdrawal drift; monitoring the temperature of the off-gas in the product withdrawal drift; and when the temperature of the off-gas exceeds a first selected temperature, spraying a sufficient amount of water into the off-gas stream in the withdrawal drift for contacting formation surrounding the drift with cooling water and for maintaining the temperature of the off-gas at no more than a second selected temperature.
- Assignee:
- Occidental Oil Shale, Inc., Grand Junction, CO
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4595056
- OSTI ID:
- 5473545
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Withdrawal of gases and liquids from an in situ oil shale retort
Withdrawal of gases and liquids from an in situ oil shale retort
Related Subjects
040401* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- In Situ Methods
True & Modified
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMICAL REACTORS
CONTROL
COOLING
DECOMPOSITION
DISPERSIONS
DISTILLATION EQUIPMENT
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUIPMENT
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IN-SITU PROCESSING
IN-SITU RETORTING
MATERIALS
MIXTURES
OFF-GAS SYSTEMS
OIL SHALES
OPERATION
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
PERMEABILITY
PROCESSING
RETORTING
RETORTS
TEMPERATURE CONTROL
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
WATER