Determining the locus of a retorting zone in an oil shale retort by rate of shale oil production

Patent · Tue Apr 24 04:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:5792974

Bartel, W J; Cha, C Y

A retorting 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 fragmented mass consists of layers of formation particles of differing kerogen content corresponding to strata of differing kerogen content in the subterranean formation. The retorting zone advances in a direction substantially perpendicular to such layers in the fragmented mass. Kerogen in oil shale in the retorting zone is decomposed to produce gaseous and liquid products including shale oil, and shale oil is withdrawn from the fragmented mass. The rate of shale oil production in the retort depends upon the kerogen content of such a layer in such a fragmented mass through which the retorting zone advances. To determine the locus of the retorting zone with respect to such layers in the fragmented mass, the formation is assayed for kerogen content for defining the locus of at least one such layer in the fragmented mass before retorting, and the rate of shale oil production from the retort is monitored. The locus of the combustion zone can be estimated from the locus of the retorting zone so determined. This determination allows for optimization of costs, and yield of oil and gas products. 20 claims.

• Assignee: Occidental Oil Shale Inc.
• Patent Number(s): US 4150722
• OSTI ID: 5792974
• 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
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMICAL REACTORS
COMBUSTION
DECOMPOSITION
DISTILLATION EQUIPMENT
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
EQUIPMENT
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
IN-SITU COMBUSTION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
KEROGEN
MATERIALS
MINERAL OILS
OIL SHALES
OILS
OPERATION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MATTER
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
PROCESSING
PRODUCTION
PYROLYSIS
RECOVERY
RETORTING
RETORTS
SHALE OIL
THERMAL RECOVERY
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES