Process for production of pipeline quality gas from oil shale

Abstract

Abstract A process for producing a high methane content, synthetic pipeline gas from oil shale. Oil shale is processed so as to provide a shale oil fraction, and solids including shale fines and spent shale. The shale oil and a hydrogen rich gas are introduced into a hydrogasifier chamber which is maintained at a temperature of about 1,100*-1,600* F., and at a pressure of about 500-2,000 psig, so as to convert the shale oil by hydrogasification into a high methane content, synthetic pipeline gas, normally liquid aromatic hydrocarbons, and a carbonaceous solid residue. Pulverized solids are passed through the hydrogasifier and into a gasifier chamber, maintained at a pressure of about 500-2,000 psig. and at a temperature of about 1,500*-2,100* F., to remove the carbonaceous residue or coke formed in the hydrogasifier. Shale fines and spent shale are also introduced into the gasifier wherein a gaseous mixture is formed by reaction with steam and oxygen or with steam and air. The gaseous mixture is then converted to a hydrogen rich gas either directly, by a carbon monoxide shift reaction (when steam and oxygen are used in the gasifier) or indirectly, by the steam-iron process (when steam and air are used in the gasifier). In the steam-iron process, the gaseous mixture is the reducing agent for iron oxides formed when added steam is converted to hydrogen over the reduced iron oxides. The hydrogen rich gas is purified and primarily includes hydrogen alone, in the case of the steam-iron process, or a combination of hydrogen and methane, in the case of the carbon monoxide shift process. This hydrogen rich gas is thereafter introduced to the hydrogasifier chamber to form the high methane content gas. All or a portion of the solids leaving the gasifier are recirculated back to the hydrogasifier.

Inventors

• 👤 Henry R Linden

Bibliographic Details