Method of extracting oil and by-products from oil shale

Abstract

Abstract Oil and by-products are extracted from oil shale by drilling a hole into the shale bed and heating the shale in its bed. Steam and oxygen or air mixtures provide self-sustaining heating that draws oil from the shale in the form of vapor and mist. As the oil is removed, the heat and subsequent water gas reaction changes the hard shale into a whitish, weak structured, friable material. This material falls, of its own weight, to the bottom of the hole, thus exposing new shale for processing. Action of steam with residual carbon in the shale generates hydrogen nd adds to the gas flow that carries the oil vapor and mist to the surface, together with the friable material in the form of ash particles. The oil, and any other valuable materials, are separated from the ash before it is either converted to a building block material or dumped into a used shale bed cavity.

Inventors

• 👤 Harold M Busey

Bibliographic Details