Method of detonating explosives for fragmenting oil shale formation toward a vertical free face

Patent · Tue Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980

OSTI ID:6069291

Hutchins, N M; Ridley, R D

An oil shale formation is explosively expanded toward a limited void volume for forming an in situ oil shale retort in a subterranean formation. A void in the form of a narrow vertical slot is excavated within a retort site, leaving at least one portion of unfragmented formation within the retort site adjacent a vertical free face of the slot. Explosive is placed in a row of vertical blasting holes in the remaining portion of unfragmented formation adjacent the vertical free face. The blasting holes are mutually spaced apart along the length of the slot, and the row of blasting holes extends parallel to the vertical free face. Explosive in the blasting holes is detonated in a time delay sequence starting near one end of the slot and progressing along the length of the slot for explosively expanding the formation in the vertical free face. A fragmented permeable mass of formation particles containing oil shale is formed in an in situ oil shale retort. 34 claims.

• Assignee: Occidental Oil Shale Inc.
• Patent Number(s): US 4210366
• OSTI ID: 6069291
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040300* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Drilling
Fracturing & Mining
040401 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- In Situ Methods
True & Modified
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CAVITIES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMMINUTION
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPLOSIVE FRACTURING
EXPLOSIVES
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTURING
FUELS
IN-SITU PROCESSING
IN-SITU RETORTING
MATERIALS
OIL SHALES
POSITIONING
PROCESSING
RETORTING