Method of rubbling oil shale
This invention relates to a method of recovering shale oil from a subterranean formation containing oil shale. Unfragmented formation is explosively expanded in a single round of explosions for moving formation located at about the center of a zone of unfragmented formation a greater distance in a given time interval after the beginning of the round than formation located in the unfragmented formation outward from about the center of the unfragmented formation. The explosive expansion forms a fragmented mass of formation particles containing oil shale in the subterranean formation forming an in situ oil shale retort. Gas is introduced into the fragmented permeable mass in the in situ oil shale retort for establishing a retorting zone in the fragmented permeable mass wherein oil shale is retorted to produce gaseous and liquid products, and for advancing the retorting zone through the fragmented mass. Gaseous and liquid products are withdrawn from the bottom of the retort.
- Assignee:
- Occidental Oil Shale Inc
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4372615
- OSTI ID:
- 6407345
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
040401* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- In Situ Methods
True & Modified
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMMINUTION
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPLOSIVE FRACTURING
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTURING
FUELS
IN-SITU PROCESSING
IN-SITU RETORTING
KEROGEN
MATERIALS
MINERAL OILS
OIL SHALES
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MATTER
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
RECOVERY
RETORTING
SHALE OIL