Explosive expansion to a limited void with uniform scaled depth of burial

Patent · Tue Jan 20 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6157577

Ricketts, T E

A method is provided for recovering shale oil from a subterranean formation containing oil shale. Unfragmented formation is prepared for explosive expansion to form an oil shale retort by excavating at least one limited void in the subterranean formation and forming an array of spaced apart blastholes in the formation. A substantially horizontal array of explosive charges is formed by placing explosive into each blasthole wherein the scaled point charge depth of burial of the explosive charge in each blasthole is substantially equal to the equivalent scaled point charge depth of burial of the array of the explosive charges. Explosive charges are detonated in a single round for explosively expanding the unfragmented formation to form the in situ oil shale retort. Retorting is commenced and liquid and gaseous products of retorting are withdrawn from the retort.

• Assignee: Occidental Oil Shale Inc
• Patent Number(s): US 4245865
• OSTI ID: 6157577
• 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
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450100 -- Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense-- Chemical Explosions & Explosives
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIVES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
EXCAVATION
EXPLOSIONS
EXPLOSIVES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
IN-SITU PROCESSING
IN-SITU RETORTING
MATERIALS
MINERAL OILS
OIL SHALES
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
RETORTING
SHALE OIL
UNDERGROUND EXPLOSIONS
VOIDS