Gulf Research & Development Company

Hans H Huygen

Willard P Acheson

Robert P Trump

A method for recovering shale oil and gas from subsurface oil shale deposits in which free space is formed in the shale deposit and relieved blasting toward the free space from first shot holes drilled into the shale from the ground surface fills the free space with rubble. In-situ combustion of the rubblized shale decomposes organic material in the shale to form shale oil and gas, which are conveyed by combustion products through the shot holes to the surface, and leave a weak, easily compressible spent shale. After the in-situ combustion, shale surrounding the spent shale is rubblized by explosives detonated in second shot holes blasting toward the previously retorted zone. The second shot holes, which also are drilled from the surface into the shale, are spaced laterally from the first shot holes. The rubblized shale is then retorted by in-situ combustion. The successive rubblizing and in-situ combustion steps can be repeated to move the combustion operation laterally through the shale deposit.

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Bakerstown, PA, United States of America

Hans H Huygen