Patent US4972029A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3945679A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3945679A
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US
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Subterranean oil shale pyrolysis with permeating and consolidating steps
Assignee: Shell USA Inc
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Filing: 1975-03-03
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Granted: 1976-03-23
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Expires: 1995-03-03
Abstract
Abstract In producing shale oil by circulating hot fluid into and out of a rubble-containing cavern within a subterranean oil shale, plugging is avoided by permeating a portion of oil shale, consolidating a permeated portion, inflowing fluid outside the consolidated portion, and outflowing fluid from within the consolidated portion so the fluid is filtered through the consolidated portion.
Inventors
- 👤 Philip J. Closmann
- 👤 Gary Drinkard
- 👤 Evan H. Street
- 👤 Charles C. Templeton
- 👤 Min Jack Tham
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 12:47
CPC Classifications
E; E21; E21B; E21B43/00; E21B43/28; E21B43/281; E21B43/16; E21B43/24; E21B43/2405; E21B43/25; E21B43/26; E21B43/261
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
In a process for producing shale oil by circulating hot fluid into and out of a rubble-containing cavern within a subterranean oil shale formation, the improvement comprising: forming a permeable mass of rubble in and around a portion of the cavern; consolidating a portion of said rubble into a substantially integral permeable structure by treating it with an intragranular cementforming sand consolidating fluid; flowing hot fluid into the cavern at a location outside said permeable structure; and flowing fluid out of the cavern from within said permeable structure so that the outflowing fluid is filtered through that structure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
98 words
In a process for producing shale oil by circulating hot fluid into and out of a rubble-containing cavern within a subterranean oil shale formation, the improvement comprising: forming a permeable mass of rubble in and around a portion of the cavern; consolidating a portion of said rubble into a substantially integral permeable structure by treating it with an intragranular cementforming sand consolidating fluid; flowing hot fluid into the cavern at a location outside said permeable structure; and flowing fluid out of the cavern from within said permeable structure so that the outflowing fluid is filtered through that structure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 1 in which at least a portion of the outflowing fluid is liquid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1 in which the oil shale formation is a water-soluble-mineral-containing formation and the circulated hot fluid is an aqueous fluid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process of claim 3 in which the permeable mass of rubble is formed by explosively fracturing a lower portion of the oil shale formation and leaching out portions of the water-soluble mineral.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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Cited
US3292701A
Cited
US3409079A
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US3513913A
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US3537528A
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US3565171A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-03-23 | 1979-09-22 | 1980-03-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-03-23 | 1983-09-22 | 1984-03-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-03-23 | 1987-09-22 | 1988-03-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |