Determining the locus of a processing zone in an oil shale retort by off gas composition

Patent · Tue Sep 04 04:00:00 EDT 1979

OSTI ID:5602733

Cha, C Y

A processing zone advances through a fragmented permeable mass of particles containing oil shale in an in situ oil shale retort in a subterranean formation containing oil shale. The retort has an effluent gas passing therefrom. The effluent gas contains a constituent which is formed, by advancement of the processing zone through the fragmented mass, from a precursor contained in the formation. To determine the locus of the processing zone, formation is assayed at selected locations in the retort for content of the precursor before processing the selected locations, and effluent gas from the retort is monitored for concentration of the selected constituent. For example, kerogen can be the precursor and effluent gas from the retort can be monitored for the concentration of methane produced by retorting of kerogen in the oil shale.

• Assignee: Occidental Oil Shale Inc.
• Patent Number(s): US 4166721
• OSTI ID: 5602733
• 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
ALKANES
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTORS
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASEOUS WASTES
HYDROCARBONS
IN-SITU PROCESSING
IN-SITU RETORTING
KEROGEN
METHANE
OIL SHALES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PRECURSOR
PROCESSING
RETORTING
RETORTS
WASTES