Method of forming an in situ oil shale retort with void volume a

Details Method of forming an in situ oil shale retort with void volume a Method of forming an in situ oil shale retort with void volume a

1977-12-29

1979-09-11

Purser, Ernest R.

Mining or in situ disintegration of hard material

Tunnel recovery of fluid material

E21B 4110

Patent

active

041672917

ABSTRACT:
An in situ oil shale retort is formed in a subterranean formation containing oil shale. The formation comprises at least one stratum of relatively higher average kerogen content which is included in formation of relatively lower average kerogen content. A void is excavated in a retort site in the formation, leaving a remaining portion of unfragmented formation within the retort site adjacent the void. The portion of unfragmented formation within the retort site is explosively expanded toward the void to form a fragmented permeable mass of formation particles containing oil shale in an in situ retort in which fragmented formation particles from the stratum of higher kerogen content have a larger void fraction than the averge void fraction of the fragmented mass. This can be accomplished by enlarging the void in the vicinity of the stratum having the higher kerogen content prior to explosive expansion. When the fragmented mass is retorted, there is no substantial increase in resistance to flow of gas through the fragmented mass due to the relatively higher thermal expansion of fragmented formation particles having the higher kerogen content.

REFERENCES:
patent: 3980339 (1976-09-01), Heald et al.
patent: 4017119 (1977-04-01), Lewis
patent: 4043598 (1977-08-01), French et al.

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