Method for fully retorting an in situ oil shale retort
A method is described for operating an in situ oil shale retort in a subterranean formation containing oil shale, the retort containing a fragmented permeable mass of formation particles containing oil shale within top, bottom and side boundaries of unfragmented formation and having a drift in communication with a lower region of the fragmented mass for withdrawal of liquid products of retorting and an off-gas comprising gaseous products of retorting. The method consists of: introducing a retort inlet mixture into an upper region of the fragmented mass in the retort for advancing a retorting zone downwardly through the retort for producing liquid and gaseous products of retorting; withdrawing retort off-gas comprising gaseous products of retorting through the product withdrawal drift; monitoring the temperature of the off-gas in the product withdrawal drift; and when the temperature of the off-gas exceeds a first selected temperature, spraying a sufficient amount of water into the off-gas stream in the withdrawal drift for contacting formation surrounding the drift with cooling water and for maintaining the temperature of the off-gas at no more than a second selected temperature.
- Assignee:
- Occidental Oil Shale, Inc., Grand Junction, CO
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4595056
- OSTI ID:
- 5473545
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: Filed date 26 Mar 1984
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
OIL SHALES
IN-SITU RETORTING
RETORTS
OPERATION
COOLING
MIXTURES
OFF-GAS SYSTEMS
PARTICLES
PERMEABILITY
TEMPERATURE CONTROL
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
WATER
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMICAL REACTORS
CONTROL
DECOMPOSITION
DISPERSIONS
DISTILLATION EQUIPMENT
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUIPMENT
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IN-SITU PROCESSING
MATERIALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
RETORTING
040401* - Oil Shales & Tar Sands- In Situ Methods
True & Modified