In situ process for recovery of carbonaceous materials from subterranean deposits

Claim 2

A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the pillars are explosively removed.

Claim 3

A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the overlaying carbonaceous deposit is explosively expanded.

Claim 4

A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the carbonaceous deposit is selected from the group consisting of oil shale, oil tars, oil sands, tar sands, gilsonite, lignite, low rank coal, and bituminous coal.

Claim 5

A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the undercutting is below the base of the carbonaceous deposit to provide a thin intermediate overlayer and an intermediate layer is perforated to allow the drainage of free carbonaceous values from said deposit and the deposit expanded to provide a particulate mass of uniform size, porosity and permeability for introduction of a high temperature gaseous media through a communicating conduit.

Claim 6

A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the deposit provides gaseous, carbonaceous values which are collected by an upward flow to the conduit communicating with the upper level of the expanded deposit.

Claim 7

A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the high temperature gaseous media is selected from the group consisting of hot gases and steam.

Claim 8

A process as claimed in claim 8 in which the hot gases are generated by steps of igniting the upper level of the expanded deposit and maintaining a uniform zone of combustion across the expanded deposit said combustion zone propagating downward through said deposit by maintaining a positive pressure supply of at least a source of oxygen.

Claim 9

A process as claimed in claim 9 in which the source of oxygen is air.

Claim 10

A process as claimed in claim 9 in which the residual deposit is subsequently leached with a leachant selected from the group consisting of water, acids, and bases and the enriched solution withdrawn at the base for recovery of mineral content.

Claim 11

A process as claimed in claim 9 in which the residual carbonaceous materials resulting from the combustion of a portion of the deposit are utilized for the production of carbonaceous gaseous values.

Claim 12

A process as claimed in claim 1 in combination with the additional steps of: a. accumulating the removed carbonaceous deposit in an underground mined-out chamber until full; b. continuously inTroducing to the filled mined-out area a high temperature gaseous media to liquify and vaporize the contained carbonaceous values; c. collecting the liquified carbonaceous values at the base of the mined-out chamber for recovery.

Claim 13

A process as claimed in claim 13 in which the exhausted mined-out chamber is then emptied.

Claim 14

A process for the production of oil shale which comprises steps of: a. establishing communication with the base of a subterranean shale deposit; b. undercutting at the base of the shale deposit to remove 5 to about 25 percent of the volume of said deposit to provide an overlaying deposit supported by a plurality of pillars; c. removing said pillars; d. expanding the overlaying shale deposit to a particulate mass of uniform size, porosity and permeability, said particulate mass having a void volume approximately equal to the amount of shale deposit removed; e. providing at least one connecting conduit through the upper level of said expanded deposit; f. igniting the upper level of said shale deposit and maintaining a flow of a source of oxygen and deposited pressure to cause a flow of flue gas downwardly through said expanded mass of particles to release the oil contained therein for downward flow to the base of said deposit; g. collecting the shale oil at the base of said deposit for recovery.

Claim 15

A process as claimed in claim 15 in which from about 5 to about 15 percent of the volume of the shale deposit is removed.

Claim 16

A process as claimed in claim 15 in which the deposit is subsequently leached with a leachant selected from the group consisting of water, acids and bases to form an enriched solution which is withdrawn at the base for recovery of mineral content.

Claim 17

A process for the recovery of carbonaceous values from subterranean deposits which comprises the steps of: a. establishing communication with the base of the portion of a subterranean carbonaceous deposit to be retorted; b. undercutting at least at said base of said carbonaceous deposit to remove from about 5 to about 25 percent of the volume of said deposit, to provide an overlaying deposit supported by a plurality of pillars; c. removing said pillars; d. explosively expanding at least a portion of said overlaying carbonaceous deposit to a height predetermined by placement of explosive charges to provide a mass of packed carbonaceous solids filling the undercut volume and extending to the predetermined height so as to provide a mass of carbonaceous solids of desired permeability and having a void volume approximately equal to the volume of the deposit removed; e. providing at least one communicating conduit to the upper level of said expanded deposit; f. heating said expanded deposit to liquefy and vaporize said carbonaceous values by introducing and maintaining a downward positive pressure of a high temperature gaseous media therethrough; g. collecting liquefied carbonaceous values at said base of said deposit for recovery; h. accumulating the removed carbonaceous deposit in an earthen depression as an expanded particulate mass; i. covering said expanded deposit with a mantle; j. continuously introducing to the mantled deposit a high temperature gaseous media to liquefy and vaporize the contained carbonaceous values; and k. collecting the liquefied carbonaceous values at the base of the depression for recovery.

Claim 18

A process for the recovery of carbonaceous values from subterranean deposits which comprises the steps of: a. establishing communication with the base of the portion of a subterranean carbonaceous deposit to be retorted; b. undercutting at least at said base of said carbonaceous deposit to remove from about 5 to about 25 percent of the volume of said deposit, to provide an overlaying deposit supported by a plurality of pillars; c. removing said pillars; d. explosively expanding at least a Portion of said overlaying carbonaceous deposit to a height predetermined by placement of explosive charges to provide a mass of packed carbonaceous solids filling the undercut volume and extending to the predetermined height so as to provide a mass of carbonaceous solids of desired permeability and having a void volume approximately equal to the volume of the deposit removed; e. providing at least one communicating conduit to the upper level of said expanded deposit; f. heating said expanded deposit to liquefy and vaporize said carbonaceous values by introducing and maintaining a downward positive pressure of a high temperature gaseous media therethrough; g. collecting liquified carbonaceous values at the base of said deposit for recovery.

Claim 19

A process as claimed in claim 19 in which from about 5 to 15 percent of the volume of said deposit is removed.

Claim 20

A process as claimed in claim 20 in which the pillars are explosively removed.

Claim 21

A process as claimed in claim 19 in which the overlaying carbonaceous deposit is explosively expanded.

Claim 22

A process as claimed in claim 19 in which the carbonaceous deposit is selected from the group consisting of oil shale, oil tars, oil sands, tar sands, gilsonite, lignite, low rank coal, and bituminous coal.

Claim 23

A process as claimed in claim 19 in which the high temperature gaseous media is selected from the group consisting of hot gases and steam.

Claim 24

A process as claimed in claim 24 in which the hot gases are generated by steps of igniting the upper level of the expanded deposit and maintaining a uniform zone of combustion across the expanded deposit said combustion zone propagating downward through said deposit by maintaining a positive pressure supply of at least a source of oxygen.

Claim 25

A process as claimed in claim 25 in which the source of oxygen is air.

Claim 26

A process as claimed in claim 19 in which the undercutting is below the base of the carbonaceous deposit to provide a thin intermediate overlayer and an intermediate layer is perforated to allow the drainage of free carbonaceous values from said expanded deposit by introduction of a high temperature gaseous media through a communicating conduit.

Claim 27

A process as claimed in claim 19 in which the deposit provides gaseous media through a communicating conduit.

Claim 28

A process as claimed in claim 19 in which the deposit provides gaseous, carbonaceous values which are collected by an upward flow to the conduit communicating with the upper level of the expanded deposit.