Method of in-situ retorting of carbonaceous material for recovery of organic liquids and gases
US4384613A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 24, 1980 |
| Grant date | May 24, 1983 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 24, 2000 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
- CPC primaryE21B43/305
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
The method of the present invention involves a two-phase process for in-situ retorting and recovery of carbonaceous material contained within typical subterranean tar sand formations, and includes formation of conventional arrays of in-seam ducts, and positioning heating devices to heat a section of the formation over a large extent thereof. The operation of the heating devices in the first phase is controlled to provide heat into the formation without burning of the carbonaceous material therein, resulting in development of a quasi-stable zone of pyrolysis about the heating duct, to thermally crack the carbonaceous material producing various organic liquid oil fractions and derived condensible vapors and non-condensible gases. The products produced thereby are then withdrawn through a suitable array of collection wells. In the second phase of the process a residual coke layer that will have formed as a result of the pyrolysis of the carbonaceous material is burned by introducing a combustion-supporting gas, such as air or oxygen, into the hot sand-coke blanket preferrably via the line source heating ducts spontaneously igniting the coke to produce a temperature elevation in the zo…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.