Ignition procedure and process for in situ retorting of oil shale
An in situ process and ignition procedure are provided to retort oil shale which increases product yield and enhances uniformity of the flame front in an underground retort. In the process, a portion of the rubblized mass of oil shale is preheated with steam, nitrogen or some other inert gas, to at least the minimum oil shale ignition temperature and preferably retorted. Thereafter, the preheated oil shale is ignited with hot excess air or some other oxygen-containing gas above the maximum desired retorting temperature to establish a generally uniform flame front across the retort. In the preferred form, the preheating gas and oxygen-containing gas are introduced into the retort at different times from the same specially configured downhole burner.
- Assignee:
- Standard Oil Co.
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4425967
- OSTI ID:
- 6800548
- 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
CHEMICAL REACTORS
COMBUSTION CONTROL
COMBUSTION WAVES
CONTROL
DECOMPOSITION
DESIGN
DISTILLATION EQUIPMENT
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
EQUIPMENT
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL SYSTEMS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GAS INJECTION
HEATING
IGNITION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
IN-SITU RETORTING
MATERIALS
NONMETALS
OIL SHALES
OPERATION
OXYGEN
PROCESSING
RECOVERY
RETORTING
RETORTS
STEAM INJECTION
THERMAL RECOVERY