Occidental Oil Shale, Inc.

Other

Carlon C Chambers

Robert S Burton, Iii

Robert F Hughes

The relative aromatic activity of hydrocarbon compositions is determined by measuring and comparing the ability of the hydrocarbon compositions to be sorbed by a polymeric rubber matrix. The aromatic activity is useful in determining chemical, physical and/or biological activity of a hydrocarbon composition.

Measuring the aromatic reactivity of a hydrocarbon composition

The locus of a processing zone advancing through a fragmented permeable mass of formation particles in an in situ oil shale retort in a subterranean formation containing oil shale and which generates an effluent fluid is determined by placing a halogen source in the permeable mass for providing an identifiable halogen and monitoring effluent fluid from the processing zone for presence of such halocarbon. The halogen source provides halogen at a predetermined temperature.

Method of doping retort with a halogen source to determine the locus of

A method and apparatus for conducting such method are disclosed for igniting a fragmented permeable mass of formation particles in an in situ oil shale retort. The method is conducted by forming a hole through unfragmented formation to the fragmented mass. An oxygen-containing gas is introduced into the hole. A fuel is introduced into a portion of the hole spaced apart from the fragmented mass. The fuel and oxygen-containing gas mix forming a combustible mixture which is ignited for establishing a combustion zone in a portion of the hole spaced apart from the fragmented mass. The hot gas generated in the combustion zone is conducted from the hole into the fragmented mass for heating a portion of the fragmented mass above an ignition temperature of oil shale.

Apparatus and method for igniting an in situ oil shale retort

An in situ oil shale retort is formed in a subterranean formation containing oil shale. The retort contains a fragmented permeable mass of particles containing oil shale. An open base of operation is excavated in the formation above the retort site, and an access drift is excavated to the bottom of the retort site. Formation is explosively expanded to form the fragmented mass between the access drift and an elevation spaced below the bottom of the base of operation, leaving a horizontal sill pillar of unfragmented formation between the top of the fragmented mass and the bottom of the base of operation. The sill pillar provides a safe base of operation above the fragmented mass after it is formed. The fragmented mass is formed by, among other steps, drilling blasting holes from the base of operation down through the sill pillar and detonating explosive in the holes to form the fragmented mass of particles in the retort below the sill pillar. The fragmented mass is ignited through at least a first one of such blasting holes to establish a combustion zone in the top of the fragmented mass. The combustion zone is then advanced across the top of the fragmented mass by generating a gas pressure differential between the first blasting hole and at least a second blasting hole to draw gas down through the first blasting hole, across a top portion of the fragmented mass, and up through a second blasting hole so that gas flow across an upper portion of the fragmented mass spreads the combustion zone across the fragmented mass.

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Grand Junction, CO, United States of America

Carlon C Chambers