The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 15, 1978
Filed:
Jul. 15, 1977
Gordon B French, Bakersfield, CA (US);
Occidental Oil Shale, Inc., Grand Junction, CO (US);
Abstract
A row of horizontally spaced apart in situ oil shale retorts is formed in a subterranean formation containing oil shale. Each row is formed by excavating at least a pair of upper and lower retort access drifts at elevations within the top and bottom boundaries of the retort sites. The access drifts extend through opposite side boundaries of a plurality of retorts in such row. Each retort is formed by excavating upper and lower horizontal voids at the levels of the upper and lower right access drifts, respectively, such voids being excavated laterally from the access drift within the side boundaries of the retort sites. Each retort is formed by explosively expanding formation toward the upper and lower voids within the boundaries of the retort site to form a fragmented permeable mass of particles containing oil shale in each retort. Following formation of each retort, the retort access drifts on the advancing side of the retort are at least partially sealed, preferably with a mass of formation particles covered by a gas impermeable layer and backfilled with a further mass of formation particles.