Method for in situ heating of hydrocarbonaceous formations

Patent · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:866412

Little, William E ^[1]; McLendon, Thomas R ^[2]

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1. Morgantown, WV
2. Laramie, WY

A method for extracting valuable constituents from underground hydrocarbonaceous deposits such as heavy crude tar sands and oil shale is disclosed. Initially, a stratum containing a rich deposit is hydraulically fractured to form a horizontally extending fracture plane. A conducting liquid and proppant is then injected into the fracture plane to form a conducting plane. Electrical excitations are then introduced into the stratum adjacent the conducting plate to retort the rich stratum along the conducting plane. The valuable constituents from the stratum adjacent the conducting plate are then recovered. Subsequently, the remainder of the deposit is also combustion retorted to further recover valuable constituents from the deposit. Various R.F. heating systems are also disclosed for use in the present invention.

• Research Organization: National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, Morgantown, WV (United States)
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4705108
• OSTI ID: 866412
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

method
situ
heating
hydrocarbonaceous
formations
extracting
valuable
constituents
underground
deposits
heavy
crude
tar
sands
oil
shale
disclosed
initially
stratum
containing
rich
deposit
hydraulically
fractured
form
horizontally
extending
fracture
plane
conducting
liquid
proppant
injected
electrical
excitations
introduced
adjacent
plate
retort
recovered
subsequently
remainder
combustion
retorted
recover
various
systems
electrical excitation
heavy crude
conducting liquid
oil shale
tar sands
situ heating
horizontally extending
conducting plate
tar sand
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