The IITRI RF process laboratory and field results on oil shale and tar sands

Conference · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982 · Energy Technol. (Wash., D.C.); (United States)

OSTI ID:5497570

Snow, R H; Kristansky, J J; Sresty, G C

The IITRI RF process for oil shale can be carried out at 350/sup 0/ to 375/sup 0/C instead of 500/sup 0/C, as normally used for other processes. This lower temperature makes the economics of the process even more favorable. Some investigations have measured low yields at 350/sup 0/C, which would not be cost effective. However, the authors have found that high yields are obtained if the shale is very slowly heated from 300/sup 0/ to 350/sup 0/ or 375/sup 0/C. This allows time for autogenously developed vapor to produce the liquid shale oil. In this way, the oil is not exposed for long periods to temperatures at which it can crack to light ends and char. Evidence for these effects was found in thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) experiments, which were two orders of magnitude faster than core pyrolysis experiments. This indicates that physical processes can limit the production rate for core experiments. The permeability as measured parallel to the bedding planes during pyrolysis of cores was 4400 millidarcies. The yield in core pyrolysis experiments ranged from 30 to over 100 percent of Fisher assay (depending on grade, temperature, and physical conditions) when the heating rate was 5/sup 0/C/min. When the core was heated from 300/sup 0/ to 350/sup 0/C at 10/sup 0/C/day the yield was 90 to 100 percent of Fisher assay. A field experiment on Utah tar sands heated a 60-ton volume of tar sand in situ to 200/sup 0/C. Eight barrels, or 24 percent of the bitumen in this volume was produced in 20 days. This extrapolates to 50 to 70 percent overall recovery in 6 months, which would allow production of upgraded oil below the world price.

• OSTI ID: 5497570
• Report Number(s): CONF-820217-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Energy Technol. (Wash., D.C.); (United States) Journal Volume: 9
• 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
040402* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Surface Methods
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTROL
DATA
DECOMPOSITION
ECONOMICS
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FEDERAL REGION VIII
FIELD TESTS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GRAVIMETRIC ANALYSIS
IN-SITU PROCESSING
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INFORMATION
MATERIALS
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
OIL SANDS
OIL SHALE PROCESSING PLANTS
OIL SHALES
OPERATION
PROCESS CONTROL
PROCESSING
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RETORTING
TEMPERATURE CONTROL
TESTING
THERMAL ANALYSIS
THERMAL GRAVIMETRIC ANALYSIS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
USA
UTAH