Method for attenuating seismic shock from detonating explosive in an in situ oil shale retort
Abstract
In situ oil shale retorts are formed in formation containing oil shale by excavating at least one void in each retort site. Explosive is placed in a remaining portion of unfragmented formation within each retort site adjacent such a void, and such explosive is detonated in a single round for explosively expanding formation within the retort site toward such a void for forming a fragmented permeable mass of formation particles containing oil shale in each retort. This produces a large explosion which generates seismic shock waves traveling outwardly from the blast site through the underground formation. Sensitive equipment which could be damaged by seismic shock traveling to it straight through unfragmented formation is shielded from such an explosion by placing such equipment in the shadow of a fragmented mass in an in situ retort formed prior to the explosion. The fragmented mass attenuates the velocity and magnitude of seismic shock waves traveling toward such sensitive equipment prior to the shock wave reaching the vicinity of such equipment.
- Inventors:
-
- Grand Junction, CO
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Occidental Oil Shale, Inc. (Grand Junction, CO)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 863522
- Patent Number(s):
- 4192553
- Assignee:
- Occidental Oil Shale, Inc. (Grand Junction, CO)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
E - FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS E21 - EARTH DRILLING E21B - EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING
E - FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS E21 - EARTH DRILLING E21C - MINING OR QUARRYING
- DOE Contract Number:
- FC20-78LC10036
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- method; attenuating; seismic; shock; detonating; explosive; situ; oil; shale; retort; retorts; formed; formation; containing; excavating; void; site; placed; remaining; portion; unfragmented; adjacent; detonated; single; explosively; expanding; forming; fragmented; permeable; mass; particles; produces; explosion; generates; waves; traveling; outwardly; blast; underground; sensitive; equipment; damaged; straight; shielded; placing; shadow; prior; attenuates; velocity; magnitude; wave; reaching; vicinity; explosively expanding; seismic shock; shock waves; shale retorts; expanding formation; permeable mass; formation particles; fragmented permeable; particles containing; containing oil; retort site; fragmented mass; shock wave; situ oil; shale retort; oil shale; unfragmented formation; remaining portion; formation containing; sensitive equipment; underground formation; formed prior; situ retort; particles contain; /299/102/181/
Citation Formats
Studebaker, Irving G, and Hefelfinger, Richard. Method for attenuating seismic shock from detonating explosive in an in situ oil shale retort. United States: N. p., 1980.
Web.
Studebaker, Irving G, & Hefelfinger, Richard. Method for attenuating seismic shock from detonating explosive in an in situ oil shale retort. United States.
Studebaker, Irving G, and Hefelfinger, Richard. Tue .
"Method for attenuating seismic shock from detonating explosive in an in situ oil shale retort". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/863522.
@article{osti_863522,
title = {Method for attenuating seismic shock from detonating explosive in an in situ oil shale retort},
author = {Studebaker, Irving G and Hefelfinger, Richard},
abstractNote = {In situ oil shale retorts are formed in formation containing oil shale by excavating at least one void in each retort site. Explosive is placed in a remaining portion of unfragmented formation within each retort site adjacent such a void, and such explosive is detonated in a single round for explosively expanding formation within the retort site toward such a void for forming a fragmented permeable mass of formation particles containing oil shale in each retort. This produces a large explosion which generates seismic shock waves traveling outwardly from the blast site through the underground formation. Sensitive equipment which could be damaged by seismic shock traveling to it straight through unfragmented formation is shielded from such an explosion by placing such equipment in the shadow of a fragmented mass in an in situ retort formed prior to the explosion. The fragmented mass attenuates the velocity and magnitude of seismic shock waves traveling toward such sensitive equipment prior to the shock wave reaching the vicinity of such equipment.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1980},
month = {1}
}