Geothermal in situ mining and retorting system

Claim 1

A system for producing a material selected from oil, gas, chemicals, minerals, metals and the like from a geological formation including a subsurface stratum containing at least one of said materials overlying a dry, subsurface geothermal zone having an abundant supply of naturally occurring heat and having a naturally occurring temperature substantially greater than said stratum, comprising in combination: means for injecting heated fluid into said material containing stratum comprising a first well bore extending from said surface and through said stratum into said lower zone, a metal casing lining said bore containing a cap at a first end above said surface and a sealing plug received in the lower end of the casing within said zone and containing a first series of perforations above said plug and within said zone and a second series of perforations within the portion of the casing traversing the stratum; a fluid injection pipe disposed within said casing and having a first upper end extending through said cap and a second lower end extending sealingly through said plug and into said zone below said plug; a source of liquid; pump means for pumping said liquid from said source into the first end of said pipe and through said second end and into said zone to form a body of pressurized, heated fluid within said zone for entering said casing through said first series of perforations and for injecting said pressurized, heated fluid into said stratum through said second series of perforations to form a fluidized body of said liquid and material; and a producing well spaced laterally from said first well bore having a lower, open end disposed within said stratum and an upper end communicating with the surface for transferring said fluidized body to the surface for recovery of said material.

Claim 2

A system for producing a material selected from oil, gas, chemicals, minerals, metals and the like from a geological formation including a subsurface stratum containing at least one of said materials overlying a dry, subsurface geothermal zone having an abundant supply of naturally occurring heat and having a naturally occurring temperature substantially greater than said stratum, comprising in combination: means for injecting heated fluid into said material containing stratum comprising a first well bore extending from said surface and through said stratum into said lower zone, a metal casing lining said bore containing a cap at a first end above said surface and a sealing plug received in the lower end of the casing within said zone and containing a first series of perforations above said plug and within said zone and a second series of perforations within the portion of the casing traversing the stratum; a fluid injection pipe disposed within said casing and having a first upper end extending through said cap and a second lower end extending sealingly through said plug and into said zone below said plug; a source of liquid; pump means for pumping said liquid from said source into the first end of said pipe and through said second end and into said zone to form a body of pressurized, heated fluid within said zone for entering said casing through said first series of perforations and for injecting said pressurized, heated fluid into said stratum through said second series of perforations to form a fluidized body of said liquid and material; and a producing well spaced laterally from said first well bore having a lower, open end disposed within said stratum and an upper end communicating with the surface for transferring said fluidized body to the surface for recovery of said material.

Claim 5

A method for recovering a material selected from oil, gas, minerals, chemicals, metals and the like from a geological formation including a subsurface stratum containing at least one of said materials and a lower, dry, geothermal zone having an abundant reservoir of heat and a natural temperature substantially above the temperature of the stratum comprising the steps of: drilling a well bore through said formation having an upper end communicating with the surface of the earth and a lower end terminating within said zone; lining said bore with a metal casing having a first series of perforations within said zone above the lower end of the casing and a second series of perforations within the portion of the casing traversing the stratum; capping the upper end of the casing; plugging the lower end of the casing within said zone and below said second perforations; disposing a pipe within said casing having an upper end penetrating said cap and a lower end penetrating said plug and extending into said zone; injecting liquid under pressure through said pipe into said zone to form a body of heated liquid; transferring said heated liquid through said first perforations into said casing and from said casing through said second perforations into said stratum in sufficient volume to form a fluidized body of said heated liquid and said material within said stratum; drilling at least one second well, laterally spaced from said first well and extending from the surface into said stratum and in communication with said fluidized body; and recovering said fluidized body of material from said second well.

Claim 6

A method for recovering a material selected from oil, gas, minerals, chemicals, metals and the like from a geological formation including a subsurface stratum containing at least one of said materials and a lower, dry, geothermal zone having an abundant reservoir of heat and a natural temperature substantially above the temperature of the stratum comprising the steps of: drilling a well bore through said formation having an upper end communicating with the surface of the earth and a lower end terminating within said zone; lining said bore with a metal casing having a first series of perforations within said zone above the lower end of the casing and a second series of perforations within the portion of the casing traversing the stratum; capping the upper end of the casing; plugging the lower end of the casing within said zone and below said second perforations; disposing a pipe within said casing having an upper end penetrating said cap and a lower end penetrating said plug and extending into said zone; injecting liquid under pressure through said pipe into said zone to form a body of heated liquid; transferring said heated liquid through said first perforations into said casing and from said casing through said second perforations into said stratum in sufficient volume to form a fluidized body of said heated liquid and said material within said stratum; drilling at least one second well, laterally spaced from said first well and extending from the surface into said stratum and in communication with said fluidized body; and recovering said fluidized body of material from said second well.