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Title: Withdrawal of gases and liquids from an in situ oil shale retort

Abstract

An in situ oil shale retort is formed within a subterranean formation containing oil shale. The retort contains a fragmented permeable mass of formation particles containing oil shale. A production level drift extends below the fragmented mass, leaving a lower sill pillar of unfragmented formation between the production level drift and the fragmented mass. During retorting operations, liquid and gaseous products are recovered from a lower portion of the fragmented mass. A liquid outlet line extends from a lower portion of the fragmented mass through the lower sill pillar for conducting liquid products to a sump in the production level drift. Gaseous products are withdrawn from the fragmented mass through a plurality of gas outlet lines distributed across a horizontal cross-section of a lower portion of the fragmented mass. The gas outlet lines extend from the fragmented mass through the lower sill pillar and into the production level drift. The gas outlet lines are connected to a gas withdrawal manifold in the production level drift, and gaseous products are withdrawn from the manifold separately from withdrawal of liquid products from the sump in the production level drift.

Inventors:
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Occidental Oil Shale, Inc., Grand Junction, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
864376
Patent Number(s):
4357051
Application Number:
06/155411
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
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 1980 Jun 02
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
withdrawal; gases; liquids; situ; oil; shale; retort; formed; subterranean; formation; containing; contains; fragmented; permeable; mass; particles; production; level; drift; extends; below; leaving; sill; pillar; unfragmented; retorting; operations; liquid; gaseous; products; recovered; portion; outlet; line; conducting; sump; withdrawn; plurality; gas; lines; distributed; horizontal; cross-section; extend; connected; manifold; separately; outlet line; conducting liquid; subterranean formation; permeable mass; formation particles; fragmented permeable; production level; particles containing; containing oil; gas outlet; fragmented mass; situ oil; shale retort; oil shale; gaseous product; liquid products; unfragmented formation; liquid product; gaseous products; formation containing; level drift; retorting operations; retort contains; retorting operation; particles contain; horizontal cross-section; /299/

Citation Formats

Siegel, Martin M. Withdrawal of gases and liquids from an in situ oil shale retort. United States: N. p., 1982. Web.
Siegel, Martin M. Withdrawal of gases and liquids from an in situ oil shale retort. United States.
Siegel, Martin M. Fri . "Withdrawal of gases and liquids from an in situ oil shale retort". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/864376.
@article{osti_864376,
title = {Withdrawal of gases and liquids from an in situ oil shale retort},
author = {Siegel, Martin M.},
abstractNote = {An in situ oil shale retort is formed within a subterranean formation containing oil shale. The retort contains a fragmented permeable mass of formation particles containing oil shale. A production level drift extends below the fragmented mass, leaving a lower sill pillar of unfragmented formation between the production level drift and the fragmented mass. During retorting operations, liquid and gaseous products are recovered from a lower portion of the fragmented mass. A liquid outlet line extends from a lower portion of the fragmented mass through the lower sill pillar for conducting liquid products to a sump in the production level drift. Gaseous products are withdrawn from the fragmented mass through a plurality of gas outlet lines distributed across a horizontal cross-section of a lower portion of the fragmented mass. The gas outlet lines extend from the fragmented mass through the lower sill pillar and into the production level drift. The gas outlet lines are connected to a gas withdrawal manifold in the production level drift, and gaseous products are withdrawn from the manifold separately from withdrawal of liquid products from the sump in the production level drift.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1982},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1982}
}