US3848672A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sonic retorting technique for in situ minining of carbonaceous material
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-05-21
•
Granted: 1974-11-19
•
Expires: 1993-05-21
Abstract
Abstract Conduit means which may be in the form of a plurality of pipes, or which may be in the form of a caisson, are driven into the ground to the region of a carbonaceous deposit such as oil shale or coal, the driving action being achieved by means of high level sonic energy which preferably causes resonant vibration of the conduit means. With the conduit means in the desired position, embedded in the carbonaceous material, such carbonaceous material is heated or combusted to convert it to a fluid state (liquid or gaseous, as the case may be). While such retorting is being accomplished, high level sonic energy is simultaneously applied through the conduit member to the region of the carbonaceous material, this sonic energy being concentrated in the heated region by utilizing the differing impedances presented to the sonic energy by the heated and non-heated regions. The sonic energy acts to break up the carbonaceous material and separate it from the surrounding earthen material so that the localized retorting action can be efficiently accomplished. Further, in the case of the retorting of coal, the vibratory action tends to cause the filling of voids as the retorting proceeds, which improves the quality of the end product.
Inventors
- 👤 A Bodine
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 22:34
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/003; E21B43/16; E21B43/24; E21B43/25; E21B43/26; E21B7/00; E21B7/20; E21B7/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
THE METHOD OF EXTRACTING OIL FROM AN OIL SHALE BODY IN THE EARTH HAVING KEROGEN THEREIN, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF; COUPLING A SONIC GENERATOR TO SAID OIL SHALE BODY BY MEANS OF A SOLID MEMBER INTERCONNECTING SAID GENERATOR AND SAID BODY, TRANSMITTING SONIC ENERGY FROM SAID GENERATOR THROUGH SAID SOLID MEMBER TO SAID OIL SHALE BODY, EXPENDING SAID SONIC ENERGY IN SAID OIL SHALE BODY AS AN ENERGY SINK UNTIL CONVERSION TEMPERATURE OF THE KEROGEN IS REACHED SO THAT SHALE OIL IS PRODUCED, AND EXTRACTING THE SHALE OIL FROM THE EARTH.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
91 words
THE METHOD OF EXTRACTING OIL FROM AN OIL SHALE BODY IN THE EARTH HAVING KEROGEN THEREIN, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF; COUPLING A SONIC GENERATOR TO SAID OIL SHALE BODY BY MEANS OF A SOLID MEMBER INTERCONNECTING SAID GENERATOR AND SAID BODY, TRANSMITTING SONIC ENERGY FROM SAID GENERATOR THROUGH SAID SOLID MEMBER TO SAID OIL SHALE BODY, EXPENDING SAID SONIC ENERGY IN SAID OIL SHALE BODY AS AN ENERGY SINK UNTIL CONVERSION TEMPERATURE OF THE KEROGEN IS REACHED SO THAT SHALE OIL IS PRODUCED, AND EXTRACTING THE SHALE OIL FROM THE EARTH.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said conduit means comprises a pair of casings, said casings being installed in the carbonaceous formation in spaced relationship from each other, the retorting material being fed to the carbonaceous material through one of said casings, the effluent being drawn from the carbonaceous material through the other of said casings.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said conduit means is resonantly vibrated by means of an orbiting mass oscillator attached thereto at the surface exposed portions thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the sonic energy is used to treat the carbonaceous material as a resistive energy sink to cause heating thereof, the agent being a solvent extraction material which operates with the sonic energy to effect extraction of effluent.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said conduit means comprises a wide diameter caisson, the retorting agent being passed through a pipe driven into the carbonaceous formation within the caisson.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the effluent is drawn from the carbonaceous material by means of a pipe installed within the caisson.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 5 wherein after the retorting has been completed, a liquid filler material is fed from the surface through said pipe to fill the void areas of the carbonaceous formation.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
102 words
A method for converting solid carbonaceous material to fluid carbonaceous material in situ in the earth comprising the steps of: installing column means in the earth so a portion thereof penetrates into the carbonaceous material, feeding a gaseous material to said carbonaceous material to cause retorting thereof, generating vibratory energy, conducting said vibratory energy through the column means to said heated carbonaceous material at an energy level sufficient to vibrate the carbonaceous material so as to thoroughly expose it to the heat energy of the retorting, and conducting the fluid material developed by the retorting action to the surface of the earth.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
102 words
A method for converting solid carbonaceous material to fluid carbonaceous material in situ in the earth comprising the steps of: installing column means in the earth so a portion thereof penetrates into the carbonaceous material, feeding a gaseous material to said carbonaceous material to cause retorting thereof, generating vibratory energy, conducting said vibratory energy through the column means to said heated carbonaceous material at an energy level sufficient to vibrate the carbonaceous material so as to thoroughly expose it to the heat energy of the retorting, and conducting the fluid material developed by the retorting action to the surface of the earth.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the vibratory energy is applied to the carbonaceous material after fracture thereof to cause heating of said material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the sonic energy is transferred to the carbonaceous material by sonically driving said conduit means into the carbonaceous material and continuing the vibration of said conduit means during the retorting process.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said conduit means is vibrated resonantly.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said vibration is a longitudinal mode in said conduit means and which includes the step wherein said conduit means is acoustically coupled to said carbonaceous material so that said method includes causing a flexural component in said carbonaceous material while said carbonaceous material is in a solid state during said retorting.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
91 words
The method of extracting oil from an oil shale body in the earth having kerogen therein, comprising the steps of: coupling a sonic generator to said oil shale body by means of a solid member interconnecting said generator and said body, transmitting sonic energy from said generator through said solid member to said oil shale body, expending said sonic energy in said oil shale body as an energy sink until conversion temperature of the kerogen is reached so that shale oil is produced, and extracting the shale oil from the earth.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
91 words
The method of extracting oil from an oil shale body in the earth having kerogen therein, comprising the steps of: coupling a sonic generator to said oil shale body by means of a solid member interconnecting said generator and said body, transmitting sonic energy from said generator through said solid member to said oil shale body, expending said sonic energy in said oil shale body as an energy sink until conversion temperature of the kerogen is reached so that shale oil is produced, and extracting the shale oil from the earth.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2700422A
Cited
US3133591A
Cited
US2799641A
Cited
US3189536A
Cited
US3497005A
Cited
US3422894A
Cited
US3578081A
Cited
US3718186A
Cited
US3754598A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-11-18 | 1978-05-20 | 1978-11-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-11-18 | 1982-05-20 | 1982-11-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-11-18 | 1986-05-20 | 1986-11-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |