Process for recovering carbonaceous values from post in situ oil shale retorting

Patent · Tue Aug 08 00:00:00 EDT 1978

OSTI ID:6793117

Cha, C Y

In a process for recovering liquid and gaseous products from an in situ oil shale retort containing a fragmented permeable mass of particles containing oil shale, a heated zone is established in an upper portion of the fragmented mass. For a period of normal retorting operation, an oxygen containing gas is introduced to the fragmented mass on the trailing side of the heated zone at a sufficient rate for advancing the heated zone downwardly through the fragmented mass and liquid products and a relatively lean off gas containing gaseous products are withdrawn from the bottom of the retort. Thereafter, for a period of post-retorting operation, the introduction of gas to the fragmented mass is reduced to a rate such that a relatively rich off gas is withdrawn from the retort. The rich withdrawn off gas preferably has a heating value of at least about 75 Btu/scf. The reduced rate of introduction includes substantial closing of an end of the retort or introduction of gas at a rate less than about 10% of the rate of introduction of gas to the retort during normal retorting operation. Relatively rich off gas from post-retorting operation is preferably withdrawn from the top of the retort and can be used for igniting another retort or for sustaining a secondary combustion zone in a second retort.

• Assignee: Occidental Oil Shale
• Patent Number(s): US 4105072
• OSTI ID: 6793117
• 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
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FRAGMENTATION
FUELS
GASES
IN-SITU PROCESSING
IN-SITU RETORTING
MINERAL OILS
OIL SHALES
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
PRODUCTION
RETORTING
SHALE GAS
SHALE OIL
SYNTHETIC FUELS
SYNTHETIC PETROLEUM