Method for establishing a combustion zone in an in situ oil shale retort having a pocket at the top

Patent · Tue Mar 11 04:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:5720455

Cha, C Y

An in situ oil shale retort having a top boundary of unfragmented formation and containing a fragmented permeable mass has a pocket at the top, that is, an open space between a portion of the top of the fragmented mass and the top boundary of unfragmented formation. To establish a combustion zone across the fragmented mass, a combustion zone is established in a portion of the fragmented mass which is proximate to the top boundary. A retort inlet mixture comprising oxygen is introduced to the fragmented mass to propagate the combustion zone across an upper portion of the fragmented mass. Simultaneously, cool fluid is introduced to the pocket to prevent overheating and thermal sloughing of formation from the top boundary into the pocket.

• Assignee: IFI; EDB-82-069572
• Patent Number(s): US 4192552
• OSTI ID: 5720455
• 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
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COOLING
DECOMPOSITION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
IN-SITU PROCESSING
IN-SITU RETORTING
MATERIALS
MINERAL OILS
NONMETALS
OIL SHALES
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN
PROCESSING
RETORTING
SHALE OIL