Recovery system for oil shale deposits

Claim 2

A process for the in-situ recovery of hydrocarbon values and associated minerals from subsurface oil shale deposits in which a gas-tight retort chamber can be produced comprising the steps of: A. drilling into said oil shale deposits; B. injecting heated water into said shale deposits to dissolve and extract said associated minerals which are water soluble thereby forming a substantially gas-tight chamber; C. injecting hot, pressurized gas into said shale deposit in said chamber whereby said associated minerals are decomposed and hydrocarbon fluids extracted; D. injecting a solvent-surfactant into said deposit and extracting said decomposed minerals and hydrocarbon fluids; E. removing said solvent-surfactant from said deposit; F. instituting a flame front to combust hydrocarbon and carbonaceous residue; and G. filling said chamber with a fluid selected from the group consisting of water, aqueous solutions, and aqueous slurries.

Claim 3

A process according to claim 1 wherein said shale deposit is beneath a layered salt deposit.

Claim 4

A process according to claim 1 wherein said associated minerals are selected from the group consisting of nahcolite, dawsonite, nordstrandite, shortite, trona, and halite.

Claim 5

A process according to claim 1 wherein said heated water is steam.

Claim 6

A process according to claim 1 wherein said water soluble mineral is selected from the group consisting of halite, trona, and nahcolite.

Claim 7

A process according to claim 1 wherein said hot, pressurized gas is selected from the group consisting of low molecular weight hydrocarbon gas, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, nitrogen, steam, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 8

A process according to claim 1 wherein said solvent-surfactant is an aqueous solution of a compound selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate and a nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of alkanol amines and alkanol amides.

Claim 9

A process according to claim 1 wherein said decomposed minerals produce chi-alumina.

Claim 10

A process for the in-situ recovery of hydrocarbon values and associated minerals from subsurface oil shale deposits in which a gas-tight retort chamber can be produced comprising the steps of: A. drilling at least one hole into the bottom of said shale deposit; B. inserting piping to the bottom of said hole; C. pumping heated water down an injection pipe into said shale formation and extracting water soluble associated minerals from a producer pipe thereby forming a substantially gas-tight chamber; D. injecting hot, pressurized gas down said injection pipe into said shale deposit whereby said associated minerals are decomposed by heat and hydrocarbon fluids are extracted from said producer pipe; E. injecting a mixture comprising a surfactant and a portion of said water soluble mineral values previously obtained down said injection pipe and extracting said decomposed minerals and hydrocarbon fluids from said producing well; F. clearing said chamber; G. instituting a flame front to combust hydrocarbon and carbonaceous residue and extracting hydrocarbon values from said producer pipe for process heating; H. filling said chamber with aqueous solution or slurry; and I. raising the termination of said injector pipe and said producer pipe a predetermined distance to begin the formation of the next gas-tight chamber in said shale deposit.

Claim 11

A process for the in-situ recovery of hydrocarbon values and associated minerals from subsurface oil shale deposits in which a gas-tight retort chamber can be produced comprising the steps of: A. drilling at least one hole into the bottom of said shale deposit; B. inserting piping to the bottom of said hole; C. pumping heated water down an injection pipe into said shale formation and extracting water soluble associated minerals from a producer pipe thereby forming a substantially gas-tight chamber; D. injecting hot, pressurized gas down said injection pipe into said shale deposit whereby said associated minerals are decomposed by heat and hydrocarbon fluids are extracted from said producer pipe; E. injecting a mixture comprising a surfactant and a portion of said water soluble mineral values previously obtained down said injection pipe and extracting said decomposed minerals and hydrocarbon fluids from said producing well; F. clearing said chamber; G. instituting a flame front to combust hydrocarbon and carbonaceous residue and extracting hydrocarbon values from said producer pipe for process heating; H. filling said chamber with aqueous solution or slurry; and I. raising the termination of said injector pipe and said producer pipe a predetermined distance to begin the formation of the next gas-tight chamber in said shale deposit.

Claim 12

A process according to claim 9 wherein said shale deposit is beneath a layered salt deposit.

Claim 13

A process according to claim 9 wherein said associated minerals are selected from the group consisting of nahcolite, dawsonite, nordstrandite, shortite, trona, and halite.

Claim 14

A process according to claim 9 wherein said heated water is steam.

Claim 15

A process according to claim 9 wherein said water soluble mineral is selected from the group consisting of halite, trona, and nahcolite.

Claim 16

A process according to claim 9 wherein said hot, pressurized gas is selected from the group consisting of low molecular weight hydrocarbon gas, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, nitrogen, steam, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 17

A process according to claim 9 wherein said mixture is an aqueous solution of a compound selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate and a nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of alkanol amines and alkanol amides.

Claim 18

A process according to claim 9 wherein said decomposed minerals form chi-alumina.