Mining or in situ disintegration of hard material – Tunnel recovery of fluid material
Patent
1981-10-29
1984-04-10
Suchfield, George A.
Mining or in situ disintegration of hard material
Tunnel recovery of fluid material
166259, 299 19, E21B 43247, E21C 4110
Patent
active
044417594
ABSTRACT:
In situ oil shale retorts are formed in spaced apart rows, with adjacent rows of such retorts being separated by load-bearing barrier pillars of unfragmented formation sufficiently strong for preventing substantial subsidence at the ground surface. Each retort contains a fragmented permeable mass of formation particles containing oil shale. Separate air level drifts are excavated on an upper level of the retorts within alternating barrier pillars, and separate production level drifts are excavated at a lower production level of the retorts within intervening barrier pillars between the barrier pillars having the air level drifts. Each air level drift extends between a pair of adjacent rows of retorts adjacent upper edges of the retorts in the adjacent rows, and each production level drift extends between a pair of adjacent rows of retorts adjacent lower edges of the retorts on sides of the retorts opposite the air level drifts. During retorting operations, air is introduced along the upper edge of each retort through lateral air inlet passages extending from the adjacent air level drift. Off gas and liquid products are withdrawn from each retort through one or more lateral production level passages extending from the lower edge of the retort to the adjacent production level drift. Withdrawal of off gas along the lower edge of each retort opposite the upper edge where air is introduced causes a generally diagonal flow pattern of combustion gas through the fragmented mass from one upper edge toward the opposite lower edge of the retort.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4043595 (1977-08-01), French
patent: 4106814 (1978-08-01), French
patent: 4140343 (1979-02-01), Mills
patent: 4176882 (1979-12-01), Studebaker et al.
patent: 4192554 (1980-03-01), Ricketts
patent: 4219237 (1980-08-01), Sisemore
patent: 4246965 (1981-01-01), Cha
patent: 4290649 (1981-09-01), Ricketts
"Geology, Hydrology, and Extraction Operations at the Occidental Petroleum Corporation Oil Shale Pilot Plant Near De Beque, Colorado", by Randall T. Chew, III; Guidebook to the Energy Resources of the Piceance Creek Basin, Colorado; Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (1974).
Hutchins Ned M.
Kvapil Rudolf
Ricketts Thomas E.
Studebaker Irving G.
Occidental Oil Shale Inc.
Suchfield George A.
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