Locating the top of an in situ oil shale retort for ease of ignition

Patent · Tue Oct 14 00:00:00 EDT 1980

OSTI ID:6855019

Cha, C Y

A method is disclosed for recovering liquid and gaseous products from an in situ oil shale retort having a plurality of strata of formation extending through the retort site with at least one stratum of formation having a higher average kerogen content than the average kerogen content of the formation within the retort site. The method includes the steps of excavating at least one void within the retort site and explosively expanding unfragmented formation toward such a void for forming a fragmented permeable mass of formation particles containing oil shale. The fragmented mass has a lower portion and an upper layer containing fragmented particles substantially from the stratum of formation having a higher average kerogen content. The upper layer of the fragmented mass has a higher average kerogen content than the average kerogen content of the fragmented mass. The upper layer is ignited for establishing a combustion zone in the fragmented mass. A combustion zone feed is introduced to the top of the fragmented mass and an off gas is withdrawn from the bottom of the fragmented mass for maintaining and advancing the combustion zone and for forming a retorting zone on the advancing side of the combustion zone. Oil shale is retorted in the retorting zone producing liquid and gaseous products. The liquid and gaseous products produced are recovered from the fragmented mass.

• Assignee: Occidental Oil Shale Inc
• Patent Number(s): US 4227574
• OSTI ID: 6855019
• 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
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
IN-SITU PROCESSING
IN-SITU RETORTING
KEROGEN
MATERIALS
OIL SHALES
ORGANIC MATTER
PROCESSING
RETORTING