Determining the locus of a processing zone in an oil shale retort by monitoring pressure drop across the retort

Patent · Tue Jul 31 04:00:00 EDT 1979

OSTI ID:6038778

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 The retort has an inlet gas introduced thereto and an effluent gas withdrawn therefrom. To determine the locus of the processing zone, kerogen content of formation at selected locations in the retort is determined before processing the selected locations. Because the difference in pressure between the inlet gas and the effluent gas increases as the kerogen content of formation being processed increases, changes in pressure drop across the fragmented mass can be predicted. By comparing actual changes in pressure drop with predicted change in pressure drop, the locus of the processing zone can be determined.

• Assignee: Occidental Oil Shale, Inc.
• Patent Number(s): US 4162706
• OSTI ID: 6038778
• 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 REACTORS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
IN-SITU PROCESSING
IN-SITU RETORTING
KEROGEN
MONITORING
OIL SHALES
PRESSURE DROP
PROCESSING
RETORTING
RETORTS