Method for rubblizing an oil shale deposit for in situ retorting

Patent · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:862800

Lewis, Arthur E ^[1]

---

1. Los Altos, CA

A method for rubblizing an oil shale deposit that has been formed in alternate horizontal layers of rich and lean shale, including the steps of driving a horizontal tunnel along the lower edge of a rich shale layer of the deposit, sublevel caving by fan drilling and blasting of both rich and lean overlying shale layers at the distal end of the tunnel to rubblize the layers, removing a substantial amount of the accessible rubblized rich shale to permit the overlying rubblized lean shale to drop to tunnel floor level to form a column of lean shale, performing additional sublevel caving of rich and lean shale towards the proximate end of the tunnel, removal of a substantial amount of the additionally rubblized rich shale to allow the overlying rubblized lean shale to drop to tunnel floor level to form another column of rubblized lean shale, similarly performing additional steps of sublevel caving and removal of rich rubble to form additional columns of lean shale rubble in the rich shale rubble in the tunnel, and driving additional horizontal tunnels in the deposit and similarly rubblizing the overlying layers of rich and lean shale and forming columns of rubblized lean shale in the rich, thereby forming an in situ oil shale retort having zones of lean shale that remain permeable to hot retorting fluids in the presence of high rubble pile pressures and high retorting temperatures.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4017119
• OSTI ID: 862800
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

method
rubblizing
oil
shale
deposit
situ
retorting
formed
alternate
horizontal
layers
rich
lean
including
steps
driving
tunnel
edge
layer
sublevel
caving
fan
drilling
blasting
overlying
distal
rubblize
removing
substantial
amount
accessible
rubblized
permit
drop
floor
level
form
column
performing
additional
towards
proximate
removal
additionally
allow
similarly
rubble
columns
tunnels
forming
retort
zones
remain
permeable
hot
fluids
presence
pile
pressures
temperatures
shale deposit
situ oil
shale retort
oil shale
substantial amount
situ retorting
sublevel caving
form additional
additional steps
situ retort
horizontal layers
additional step
/299/