Claims
- 1. A method for recovering carbonaceous values from a subterranean oil shale deposit, comprising the steps of:
- forming a plurality of adjacent in situ oil shale retort containing fragmented permeable masses of oil shale separated by partitions of unfragmented oil shale, the retorts being arranged in rows and columns such that their top end boundaries lie approximately at the same level and their bottom end boundaries lie approximately at the same level;
- introducing into the top of the respective retorts from a first means of access a retorting fluid that serves to release the carbonaceous values from the oil shale and to transport the carbonaceous values to the bottom of the respective retorts;
- removing the carbonaceous values from the bottom of the respective retorts through a second means of access; and
- forming as one of the means of access a network of interconnecting tunnels at a level directly adjacent to one of the end boundaries of the retorts, the network comprising a plurality of rows of main tunnels connected to the one end boundary of the rows of retorts and a peripheral tunnel completely surrounding and joined to the ends of the main tunnel to provide access to both ends of each main tunnel.
- 2. The method of claim 1 in which the network of tunnels is the first means of access and is adjacent to the top end boundary of the retorts.
- 3. The method of claim 2 in which the removing step comprises forming as the second means of access a further network of interconnecting tunnels adjacent to the bottom boundary of the retorts, the further network of tunnels comprising a plurality of further rows of main tunnels connected to the bottom boundaries of the further rows of retorts, and a peripheral tunnel completely surrounding and joined to the ends of the main tunnels to provide access to both ends of each main tunnel.
- 4. The method of claim 1 in which the network of tunnels is the second means of access and is adjacent to the bottom end boundary of the retorts.
- 5. The method of claim 1 in which the network of tunnels lies at a level directly above to top end boundary of the retorts and the rows of main tunnels are equal in number to and aligned with the rows of retorts.
- 6. The method of claim 1 in which the network of tunnels lies directly below the bottom boundary of the retorts and the rows of main tunnels are fewer in number and disposed between the rows of retorts.
- 7. A method for recovering carbonaceous values from a subterranean oil shale deposit comprising the steps of:
- fragmenting the shale in an in situ oil shale retort to form a permeable mass of shale;
- forming a tunnel that extends directly above the retort in spaced relationship therefrom;
- forming a passage between the tunnel and the top of the retort;
- lowering an igniter through the passage from the tunnel to the top of the retort to ignite the fragmented shale;
- transporting atmospheric air from ground level to the tunnel;
- compressing the transported air in the tunnel;
- coupling the compressed air into the top of the retort for combustion of the ignited shale;
- removing carbonaceous values including off gas from the bottom of the retort;
- transporting a portion of the off gas from the bottom of the retort to the first tunnel;
- mixing a first portion of the transported off gas and the compressed air together in the tunnel prior to introduction into the retort;
- generating electrical power in the tunnel from a second portion of the transported off gas; and
- utilizing the generated electrical power to compress the transported air in the tunnel.
- 8. The method of claim 7, additionally comprising the steps of transporting the remainder of the off gas to ground level, and generating electrical power from the remainder of the off gas at ground level.
- 9. A method for recovering liquid and gaseous products from an in situ oil shale retort containing a fragmented permeable mass of particles containing oil shale in a subterranean oil shale deposit comprising the steps of:
- forming a tunnel at a level above the top of the retort leaving unfragmented deposit between the tunnel and the top of the fragmented mass in the retort;
- forming at least one sloping gas inlet passage from the tunnel to the top of the retort;
- introducing a gas into the top of the retort through such a sloping passage for retorting liquid and gaseous products from oil shale in the fragmented mass; and
- removing the liquid and gaseous products from the bottom of the retort.
- 10. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein a plurality of sloping gas inlet passages are formed from the tunnel to separate locations at the top of the retort.
- 11. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein the introducing step comprises introducing gas into the top of the retort through a plurality of passages to distributed locations at the top of the retort and adjusting the effective size of such passage for equalizing flow along various paths in the fragmented mass.
- 12. A method for recovering liquid and gaseous products from a subterranean oil shale deposit, comprising the steps of:
- forming a plurality of adjacent in situ oil shale retorts in the deposit, each retort containing a fragmented permeable mass of particles of deposit containing oil shale having top end, bottom end and side boundaries of oil shale deposit, the retorts being arranged in rows and columns with the top end boundaries of the retorts at approximately the same upper level and the bottom end boundaries of the retorts at approximately the same lower level;
- introducing into the top of the retorts from a first access means, a gas for retorting liquid and gaseous products from oil shale in the fragmented mass;
- removing the liquid and gaseous products from the bottom of the retorts through a second access means; and
- forming as one of the access means a network of interconnecting tunnels at a level adjacent to one of the end boundaries of the retorts, the network comprising a plurality of rows of main tunnels connected to the one end boundary of the retorts and a peripheral tunnel completely surrounding and joined to the ends of the main tunnels to provide access to both ends of each main tunnel.
- 13. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the main tunnels are connected to a double entry peripheral tunnel system.
- 14. The method of claim 12 wherein at least one passage is formed from a main tunnel to the top of each retort and gas is introduced into the retorts through the respective passages.
- 15. The method of claim 12 wherein a plurality of sloping passages are formed from a main tunnel to distributed locations at the top of each retort and gas is introduced into the retorts through the respective passages.
- 16. The method of claim 12 in which the network of interconnecting tunnels is the first access means and is adjacent to the top end boundary of the retorts.
- 17. The method of claim 16 comprising forming as the second access means a second network of interconnecting tunnels at a level adjacent to the bottom end boundary of the retorts, the second network of tunnels comprising a plurality of rows of lower level main tunnels connected to the bottom end boundary of the retorts, and a lower level peripheral tunnel completely surrounding and joined to the ends of the lower level main tunnel to provide access to both ends of each lower level main tunnel.
- 18. The method of claim 12 in which network of tunnels is the second access means and is adjacent to the bottom end boundary of the retorts.
- 19. The method of claim 12 in which the network of tunnels lies at a level above the top end boundary of the retorts and the rows of main tunnels are equal in number to and aligned with the rows of retorts.
- 20. The method of claim 12 in which the network of tunnels lies below the bottom end boundary of the retorts and the rows of main tunnels are fewer in number and disposed between the rows of retorts.
- 21. A method of forming, in a subterranean deposit containing oil shale, a plurality of in situ oil shale retorts having top end boundaries, bottom end boundaries and side boundaries of the deposit and containing fragmented deposit containing oil shale therein, said retorts being arranged in rows and columns comprising the steps of:
- excavating first portions of the subterranean deposit to form an access and peripheral tunnel system for access to individual retort sites comprising a plurality of access tunnels at a level adjacent to the top end boundaries of said retorts being formed, and connecting passages leading from the access tunnel to such top end boundaries of the individual retorts and a peripheral tunnel completely surrounding the access tunnels and connecting the access tunnels;
- excavating a second portion of the deposit from within the boundaries of such a retort site to form at least one void and leaving a third portion of said deposit, which is to be fragmented by expansion towards said void, within said boundaries; and
- explosively expanding said third portion of deposit toward said void.
- 22. A method as recited in claim 21 wherein the access tunnels are connected to a double entry peripheral tunnel system.
- 23. A method as recited in claim 21 wherein a plurality of sloping passages are formed from an access tunnel to distributed locatons at the top of each retort.
- 24. A method of forming, in a subterranean deposit containing oil shale, a plurality of in situ oil shale retorts having top end boundaries, bottom end boundaries and side boundaries of the deposit and containing fragmented deposit containing oil shale therein, said retorts being arranged in rows and columns comprising the steps of:
- excavating first portions of the subterranean deposit to form an access and peripheral tunnel system for access to individual retort sites comprising a plurality of access tunnels at a level adjacent to the bottom end boundaries of said retorts being formed, and connecting drifts leading from the access tunnel to such bottom end boundaries of the individual retorts and a peripheral tunnel completely surrounding the access tunnels and connecting the access tunnels;
- excavating a second portion of the deposit from within the boundaries of such a retort site to form at least one void and leaving a third portion of said deposit, which is to be fragmented by expansion towards said void, within said boundaries; and
- explosively expanding said third portion of deposit toward said void.
- 25. A method of forming, in a subterranean deposit containing oil shale, a plurality of in situ oil shale retorts having top end boundaries, bottom end boundaries and side boundaries of the deposit and containing fragmented deposit containing oil shale therein, said retorts being arranged in rows and columns comprising the steps of:
- excavating first portions of the subterranean deposit to form an access and peripheral tunnel system for access to individual retort sites comprising a plurality of access tunnels at a level intermediate between the top end boundaries and bottom end boundaries of said retorts being formed, and connecting drifts leading from the access tunnel to the individual retort sites and a peripheral tunnel completely surrounding the access tunnels and connecting the access tunnels;
- excavating a second portion of the deposit from within the boundaries of such a retort site to form at least one void and leaving a third portion of said deposit, which is to be fragmented by expansion towards said void, within said boundaries; and
- explosively expanding said third portion of deposit toward said void.
- 26. A method of utilizing retort off gas produced in an in situ oil shale retort in an oil shale deposit, comprising the steps of:
- withdrawing off gas from the in situ oil shale retort;
- generating electrical power in a tunnel extending through the oil shale deposit utilizing at least a portion of the withdrawn off gas; and
- pumping gas in the tunnel utilizing at least a portion of the generated electrical power.
- 27. A method as recited in claim 26 wherein the gas comprises air transported from ground level into the tunnel.
- 28. A method of recovering carbonaceous values from a subterranean oil shale deposit comprising the steps of:
- fragmenting oil shale in the oil shale deposit to form an in situ oil shale retort containing a fragmented permeable mass of oil shale particles;
- forming a tunnel extending through the oil shale deposit adjacent to and on a level above the retort;
- forming a passage between the tunnel and the top of the retort;
- passing gas through the passage between the tunnel and the top of the retort for retorting oil shale and producing carbonaceous values from the fragmented oil shale;
- removing liquid and gaseous carbonaceous products from the retort;
- generating electrical power in a tunnel extending through the oil shale deposit utilizing at least a portion of the the carbonaceous products recovered from the in situ oil shale retore; and
- pumping gas in the tunnel utilizing at least a portion of the generated electrical power.
- 29. A method as recited in claim 28 comprising forming a plurality of sloping passages between the tunnel and the top of the retort and passing gas through each of the passages for retorting oil shale.
- 30. A method of utilizing carbonaceous product recovered from an in situ oil shale retort in a subterranean oil shale deposit containing a fragmented permeable mass of particles containing oil shale, comprising the steps of:
- introducing a gas into the top of the retort for retorting carbonaceous products from oil shale in the fragmented mass;
- removing the carbonaceous products from the retort; and
- generating electrical power in a tunnel extending through the oil shale deposit utilizing a portion of the carbonaceous products removed from the retort.
- 31. A method as recited in claim 30 further comprising pumping at least a portion of the gas utilizing at least a portion of the generated electrical power.
- 32. A method for retorting oil shale in an in situ oil shale retort containing a fragmented permeable mass of particles containing oil shale in a subterranean oil shale deposit, comprising the steps of:
- forming a tunnel at a level above the top of the retort leaving unfragmented deposit between the tunnel and the top of the fragmented mass in the retort;
- forming a plurality of gas inlet passages from the tunnel to the top of the retort;
- extending an igniter through such a passage to the top of the retort;
- utilizing the igniter for establishing a combustion zone at the top of the retort in which carbonaceous material in oil shale is burned;
- withdrawing the igniter through the passage when carbonaceous material in oil shale in the fragmented mass is at an ignition temperature;
- testing flow resistance of the fragmented mass for uniformity;
- introducing oxygen-supplying gas through such a plurality of gas inlet passages for sustaining the combustion zone and advancing the combustion zone through the fragmented mass; and
- adjusting the effective size of such a gas inlet passage in response to such testing for equalizing flow along various paths in the fragmented mass.
- 33. A method for retorting oil shale in an in situ oil shale retort containing a fragmented permeable mass of particles containing oil shale in a subterranean oil shale deposit, comprising the steps of:
- forming a tunnel at a level above the top of the retort leaving unfragmented formation between the tunnal and the top of the fragmented mass in the retort;
- forming a plurality of gas inlet passages from the tunnel to distributed locations at the top of the retort;
- introducing oxygen-supplying gas through such a plurality of gas inlet passages for sustaining the combustion zone and advancing the combustion zone through the fragmented mass; and
- selectively adjusting the rate of introduction of oxygen-supplying gas through such gas inlet passages to such distributed locations for equalizing flow along various paths in the fragmented mass in the retort.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 716,583, filed Aug. 23, 1976, now abandoned; and which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 505,363, filed Sept. 12, 1974, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (12)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
614415 |
Dec 1948 |
GB |
392243 |
Oct 1973 |
SU |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
716583 |
Aug 1976 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
505363 |
Sep 1974 |
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