Method for forming an in situ oil shale retort with controlled seismic vibration

Patent · Tue Sep 06 00:00:00 EDT 1983

OSTI ID:5647922

Ricketts, T E

An array of explosive charges is formed in a retort site in a subterranean formation containing oil shale. The explosive charges that are located around the perimeter of the retort site are smaller than the explosive charges located more remote from the perimeter. Formation within the retort site is explosively expanded toward a void formed in the site by detonating the explosive charges. This explosive expansion of formation results in a fragmented permeable mass of formation particles in the retort. Damage to objects near the retort site, which is caused by seismic shock from the detonations, is minimized by using smaller explosive charges around the perimeter than in the center of the retort site.

• Assignee: Occidental Oil Shale, Inc.
• Patent Number(s): US 4402550
• OSTI ID: 5647922
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 1 Feb 1982; Other Information: PAT-APPL-344532
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
OIL SHALES
EXPLOSIVE FRACTURING
IN-SITU RETORTING
CONTROL
FRAGMENTATION
MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS
SEISMIC WAVES
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMMINUTION
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTURING
FUELS
IN-SITU PROCESSING
MATERIALS
PROCESSING
RETORTING
040401* - Oil Shales & Tar Sands- In Situ Methods
True & Modified