Patent US3668459A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3759574A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3759574A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of producing hydrocarbons from an oil shale formation
Assignee: Shell USA Inc
•
Filing: 1970-09-24
•
Granted: 1973-09-18
•
Expires: 1990-09-24
Abstract
Abstract A method of producing hydrocarbons and optionally water-soluble minerals from a subterranean oil shale formation containing zone(s) of water-soluble minerals, by penetrating said formation with at least one borehole and leaching or dissolving the watersoluble minerals from the formation with a solvent fluid so as to form a cavern(s) and/or interconnected cavities, followed by fracturization and/or rubblization of the oil shale surrounding the caverns or cavities, and thereafter injecting into fracturized and/or rubblized zones, a pyrolyzing fluid to effect in-situ hydrocarbon recovery therefrom.
Inventors
- 👤 T Beard
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 11:51
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/16; E21B43/24; E21B43/241; E21B43/2405; E21B43/28; E21B43/281
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the leaching solution (b) is hot water, and the pyrolyzing fluid is steam.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
100 words
A method of producing oil from a subterranean oil shale formation containing a zone of water-soluble minerals comprising the steps of: creating a cavity in the oil shale formation by circulating aqueous a non-acidic solution-mining fluid into the water-soluble mineral zone through a first well, and out of the water-soluble mineral zone through a second well; recovering the water-soluble mineral from aqueous fluid circulating out of the second well; fracturing and rubbling the oil shale formation surrounding the cavity; flowing a kerogen-pyrolyzing fluid into the fractured and rubblized formation; and recovering oil from the pyrolyzed treated fracturized and rubblized formation.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
166 words
A method for producing oil from a subterranean oil shale formation having at least one zone which contains water soluble minerals comprising the steps of: extending at least one well borehole into said formation and into said zone; establishing fluid communication between said well borehole and said zone at at least two spaced locations within said well; circulating aqueous liquid from one of said spaced locations to another in contact with said zone to dissolve water-soluble minerals and leave a fluid-filled cavern within the oil shale formation while maintaining fluid pressures within said cavern below overburden pressure within other regions in said oil shale formation; generating fluid pressures within said oil shale formation sufficient to create fractures and displace solid oil shale material toward and into said cavern; flowing a kerogen-pyrolyzing fluid from one of said locations to another through the fractures and cavern within the oil shale formation; outflowing kerogen-pyrolyzing fluid from said well; and recovering shale oil from outflowing portions of said kerogen-pyrolyzing fluid.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
151 words
A method for producing oil from a subterranean oil shale formation having at least one zone which contains water soluble minerals, comprising the steps of: extending at least one well borehole into said formation and into said zone; establishing fluid communication between at least one well borehole and said zone at at least two spaced locations within said well; circulating aqueous liquid from one of said spaced locations to another in contact with said zone to dissolve water-soluble minerals and leave a fluid-filled cavern within the oil shale formation while generating fluid pressure within said oil shale formation sufficient to create fractures and displace solid oil shale material toward and into said cavern; flowing a kerogen-pyrolyzing fluid from one of said locations, to another through the fractures and cavern within the oil shale formation; outflowing kerogen-pyrolyzing fluid from said well; and recovering shale oil from outflowing portions of said kerogen-pyrolyzing fluid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 5 including the step of establishing fluid communication between said borehole locations through said zone water-soluble mineral by hydraulically fracturing at least a portion of said oil shale formation containing said zone.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method of claim 5 including the step of establishing fluid communication between said borehole locations through said zone water-soluble mineral by explosively fracturing at least a portion of said oil shale formation containing said zone.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 5 including the step of establishing fluid communication between said borehole locations through said zone water-soluble mineral by electrically fracturing at least the portion of said oil shale formation communicating with said well boreholes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the step of circulating aqueous fluid includes the step of imparting acidic properties to said aqueous fluid and circulating said fluid liquid at pressures above the overburden pressure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the step of circulating aqueous liquid includes the step of imparting acidic properties to said aqueous fluid and ciculating said aqueous fluid at pressures below the overburden pressure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the step of generating fluid pressures sufficient to create fractures is carried out by the step of circulating fluid through said cavern at a temperature sufficient to pyrolyze the kerogen within the oil shale adjacent to the walls forming said cavern and to spall-off portions of said walls into said cavern.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the step of generating fluid pressures sufficient to create fractures is carried out by the step of pumping fluid explosives into said cavern; and detonating said explosives so as to produce an initial pulse of high pressure within the cavern followed by a pressure that becomes lower than that within the adjacent oil shale formation thereby displacing said solid material towards said cavern.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 1 including the step of establishing fluid communication between at least a pair of well boreholes within said mineral containing zone, said communication being accomplished by jetting aqueous liquid from each of said well boreholes to a point intermediate said boreholes.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of producing oil from a subterranean oil shale formation containing rich water-soluble mineral zones comprising the steps of: a. subjecting the formation to leaching of the water-soluble minerals by injecting into the formation a non-acidic leaching solution to leach out the minerals and thereby effecting a zone of communicating cavities in the formation; b. injecting a kerogen-pyrolyzing fluid into cavities zone (a) of the formation so as to effect spalling and rubblization of the oil shale; c. continuing injection of the kerogen-pyrolyzing fluid to effect oil extraction; and d. recovering the oil.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the solvent is an aqueous liquid and the kerogen-pyrolyzing fluid is steam.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the water-soluble mineral is water-soluble carbonate, the water-soluble leaching solution is hot water and the kerogen-pyrolyzing fluid is steAm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the water-soluble mineral is nahcolite.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the water-soluble minerals are recovered from the formation prior to injection of the kerogen-pyrolyzing fluid.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 3 wherein the dissolved water-soluble mineral by-products are recovered prior to flowing kerogen-pyrolyzing fluid into the formation.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the aqueous liquid is hot water and the kerogen-pyrolyzing fluid is steam.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 20 wherein the water-soluble mineral is water-soluble carbonate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 20 wherein the water-soluble mineral is nahcolite.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2561639A
Cited
US3018095A
Cited
US2969226A
Cited
US3050290A
Cited
US3322194A
Cited
US3352355A
Cited
US3393013A
Cited
US3481398A
Cited
US3455383A
Cited
US3502372A
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 |