Shale oil extraction process. [900/sup 0/F]
A process is described for producing shale oil from a subterranean oil-shale formation. First, a permeable fragmented zone is created within the formation and one or more wells are drilled into the fragmented zone. Communication is then established between the fragmented zone and at least one opening into a well. A fluid, heated to at least the critical temperature of a preselected normally liquid, hydrocarbon solvent, is circulated through the permeable fragmented zone. A normally liquid, hydrocarbon solvent is circulated as the hot fluid, along with the hot fluid, or after the hot fluid, and is maintained at a temperature of from approx. its critical temperature to about 900$F under a pressure at least approx. as high as its critical pressure. This causes liquid hydrocarbons to be released from the oil shale formation and entrained in the circulating hot solvent. The liquid hydrocarbons can be recovered from the solvent by procedures, such as distillation, or the like. (6 claims)
- Assignee:
- EDB-83-014536
- Patent Number(s):
- US 3474863
- OSTI ID:
- 6983270
- 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
COMMINUTION
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
EXTRACTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTURING
FUELS
HEAT TRANSFER FLUIDS
HIGH TEMPERATURE
HYDROCARBONS
IN-SITU PROCESSING
IN-SITU RETORTING
MATERIALS
MINERAL OILS
OIL SHALES
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
RETORTING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SHALE OIL
SOLVENTS