Patent US3759328A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3759328A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Laterally expanding oil shale permeabilization
Assignee: Shell USA Inc
•
Filing: 1972-05-11
•
Granted: 1973-09-18
•
Expires: 1992-05-11
Abstract
Abstract An improved process of permeabilizing and recovering water soluble and/or heat sensitive minerals and hydrocarbons from an oil shale formation containing said minerals by forming a cavern and vertically expanding it by contacting the cavern roof with a hot aqueous fluid while also causing horizontal expansion of the cavern by contacting the oil shale therein with the same or different hot aqueous fluid at a relatively shallow depth and flowing down along a vertical section while dissolving said minerals and rubbling the oil shale and producing from a relatively deep location in the cavern an aqueous liquid containing dissolved minerals therein and subsequently or simultaneously injecting a pyrolyzing fluid into the rubbled oil shale cavern to effect pyrolysis of the oil shale and recovery of hydrocarbons therefrom.
Inventors
- 👤 J Brew
- 👤 R Ueber
- 👤 Meurs P Van
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 13:49
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B36/00; E21B43/00; E21B43/16; E21B43/24; E21B43/28; E21B43/281
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
In a process for expanding a zone of permeability within a subterranean oil shale by forming a cavern within a portion that contains heat sensitive carbonate mineral and circulating hot aqueous fluid within the cavern, the improvement which comprises: inflowing hot aqueous fluid into contact with a subterranean portion of oil shale that contains heat sensitive carbonate mineral at a relatively shallow depth, the temperature of said inflowing fluid being high enough to pyrolyze oil shale; flowing hot aqueous fluid downward along a vertically extensive portion of oil shale that contains heat sensitive carbonate mineral, from said relatively shallow depth to a deeper depth; outflowing an aqueous solution of mineral material from a relatively deep depth, in order to cause a horizontal expansion of a rubble-containing cavernous zone within said oil shale; outflowing a substantially gaseous fluid from the rubble-containing cavern at an intermediate depth between the depth of said inflow of hot aqueous fluid and said outflow of aqueous liquid solution; and recovering shale oil with said outflowing fluid.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
149 words
In a process for expanding a zone of permeability within a subterranean oil shale by forming a cavern within a portion that contains heat sensitive carbonate mineral and circulating hot aqueous fluid within the cavern, the improvement which comprises: inflowing hot aqueous fluid into contact with a subterranean portion of oil shale that contains heat sensitive carbonate mineral at a relatively shallow depth, the temperature of said inflowing fluid being high enough to pyrolyze oil shale; flowing a mixture of a hot aqueous fluid, gaseous carbon dioxide and hydrocarbon downward along a vertically extensive portion of oil shale that contains heat sensitive carbonate mineral, from said relatively shallow depth to a deeper depth; outflowing an aqueous solution of mineral material from a relatively deep depth, in order to cause a horizontal expansion of a rubble-containing cavernous zone within said oil shale; and recovering shale oil with said outflowing fluid.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
169 words
A process of expanding a fluid permeable opening within a subterranean oil shale formation, comprising: establishing separate paths of fluid communication between a surface location and upper and lower portions of a relatively solids-free opening within a subterranean oil shale formation that contains heat sensitive carbonate material; inflowing relatively hot and relatively low density aqueous fluid into contact with the oil shale around the upper portion of said opening at a temperature sufficient to cause a localized removal of solid material from the oil shale; removing cooler and heavier fluid from the lower portion of the opening within said oil shale formation at a rate correlated with the rate of fluid inflow to maintain a layer of relatively hot and low density aqueous fluid above a layer of relatively cooler and higher density aqueous solution of mineral material; and continuing said fluid circulation to cause a generally horizontal expansion of the opening within said oil shale formation due to a decomposition dissolution of solid components of the oil shale.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 4 in which said subterranean oil shale formation contains at least about 5 percent by weight of heat sensitive carbonate material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
The process of claim 4 in which: said solids-free opening and at least one of said paths of fluid communication is extended into an areally extensive opening within an adjacent underlying zone that is rich in water soluble mineral; and said fluid circulation is adjusted to cause a generally vertical expansion of said underlying opening concurrent with said generally horizontal expansion.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2969226A
Cited
US2979317A
Cited
US3050290A
Cited
US3309140A
Cited
US3405974A
Cited
US3516495A
Cited
US3455383A
Cited
US3501201A
Cited
US3572838A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-09-17 | 1977-03-19 | 1977-09-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-09-17 | 1981-03-19 | 1981-09-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-09-17 | 1985-03-19 | 1985-09-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |