Modified in-situ oil shale plant 50,000 bbl/CD capacity. [Proposal for complete operation, from mining shale to refining shale oil and disposal of spent shale]

Technical Report · Thu Jun 27 04:00:00 EDT 1974

OSTI ID:7199428

Methods to be used in constructing and operating a modified in-situ oil shale processing plant producing approximately 50,000 barrels per calendar day of upgraded crude oil are described. Also provided are the projected economics of such a business enterprise, for 18 gal/ton and 25 gal/ton ore, for product prices of $8.35 and $12.35 per barrel. The modified in-situ method proposed consists of conventional room and pillar mining of a grid work of drifts and crosscuts at the upper and lower levels of a 450 ft thick shale deposit, removing sufficient material that subsequent explosive fracturing of the ore between upper and lower drifts will provide a rubble of 20 percent void fraction. Pillars are left standing to support 1300 ft of overburden to minimize compaction and reduction of permeability of the rubble during subsequent retorting. The mined-out material is retorted in surface retorts, and provides 27 percent of the plant output. The rubble remaining in the mine is fired at the top level with compressed air and natural gas. After the shale ignites, the natural gas is turned off, and the compressed air flow is maintained for one year, utilizing the carbon deposited on the retorted shale to maintain combustion. The hot gases from the burning zone pyrolize the kerogen in the shale below that zone producing gases and an oil mist, which are removed from trenches in the bottom drifts, and treated on the surface. It is emphasized that the operation described has never before been accomplished, in respect to the particular combination of the height of the in-situ retort (450 ft), the ore assay (18 gals/ton), and the depth of overburden (1300 ft). (auth, abstract modified)

• Research Organization: TRW Systems, Redondo Beach, Calif. (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7199428
• Report Number(s): NP-20778
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040300 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Drilling
Fracturing & Mining
040401* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- In Situ Methods
True & Modified
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
294000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Fossil Fuels
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CAPITAL
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTORS
COMMINUTION
COST
DIAGRAMS
ECONOMICS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTURING
FUELS
GAS COMBUSTION PROCESS
GEOLOGY
GREEN RIVER FORMATION
HYDROLOGY
IN-SITU PROCESSING
IN-SITU RETORTING
INFORMATION
MANAGEMENT
METAMORPHIC ROCKS
MINERAL OILS
MINING
MODIFIED IN-SITU PROCESSES
OIL SHALE PROCESSING PLANTS
OIL SHALES
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
REFINING
RETORTING
RETORTS
ROCKS
SHALE OIL
SHALES
SITE SELECTION
SPENT SHALES
SYNTHETIC FUELS
SYNTHETIC PETROLEUM
TABLES
TOSCO PROCESS
UINTA BASIN
UNDERGROUND MINING
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT