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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Process for in situ retorting of oil shale

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6525185

A process for recovering shale oil from oil shale deposits utilizes in-situ retorting and combustion procedures. In the process, successive combustion fronts moving in the same direction from a central location (first by inverse drive and then by one or more direct drives) are used to heat a portion of a deposit of shale oil to temperatures suitable for retorting the oil shale. The last of the directly driven combustion fronts is continued outward from the heated portion into the next adjacent unburned portion of the deposit. The front- produced gases, preheated in the burned portion of the deposit, retort shale oil from the unburned portion of the deposit in advance of this front. The retorted shale oil escapes consumption in such a front and is recovered. The advancing front is sustained principally upon the residue remaining after retorting of the oil shale. (10 claims) w w w w w w w w w w

Assignee:
Mobil Oil Corp.
Patent Number(s):
US 3292699
OSTI ID:
6525185
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English