In situ retorting of oil shale

Patent · Tue Dec 14 04:00:00 EST 1965

OSTI ID:6665191

Baker, C O

A process is provided for in-situ retorting and recovering of hydrocarbons from massive underground formations of oil shale. In this process, the lower portions of the borehole extensions are drilled so as to deviate from the vertical toward the horizontal with one such extension having its lower portion located in a horizon in the oil shaft from which the shale oil is to be recovered. The lower portions of such borehole extensions are spaced at a distance permitting the oil shale adjacent to and intermediate to the borehole extensions to be extensively fractured by conventional fracturing means. The oil shale is fractured to provide an area of oil shale rubble which is highly permeable to fluids. A heat-creating gas is injected into this rubble area from one borehole extension, to heat the shale rubble progressively outward to a temperature producing and driving shale oil to the remaining borehole extensions, and then recovering the shale oil from them.

• Assignee: Socony Mobil Oil Co.
• Patent Number(s): US 3223158
• OSTI ID: 6665191
• 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
BOREHOLES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CAVITIES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
COMMINUTION
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTURING
FUELS
IN-SITU COMBUSTION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
IN-SITU RETORTING
MATERIALS
OIL SHALES
OXIDATION
PROCESSING
RETORTING
STIMULATION
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
WELL STIMULATION