PERMFILE46036 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

', 3,759,328 •s a , ~, x shown ration of -ing pro- 1eat6en- d/or the 1 is rola- rbon di- e extent ~•latively tiff pro- , the ar- ;uipped of such dicated iuough into the ^.xtends w fluid aseous. ferably Sown ), liquid. ends of ~ ~para- t liquid lowino ~e ' on ui- while along uively :., can acted, ehole :stab- ~lublc ydro- suth tvern ~f the m the pyro- ccov- :m as t can bons Y .ailed per- ttion '~1 ~~ility 1~ able car chin om- :ub- teat .low atng 9 flowing hot aqueous fluid downward along a verti- cally extensive portion of oil shale that contaitu hea[ sensitive carbonate mineral, from said rela- tively shallow depth t.o a deeper depth; outflowing an aqueous solution of mineral material from a relativcly deep depth, in order to cause a horizontal expansion of rubble-containing cavern- ous zone within said oil shalt: adjusting the rate of said fluid inflows and outflows so as w keep a cubstanttal proporvon of the rubble containing cavern filled with fluid; and recovering shale oil with said outflowing fluid. 2. In a process for expanding a zone o(permeabiliry within a subterranean oil shale by forming a cavern within a portion that contains heat xnsitive carbonate mineral and circulating hot aqueous fluid within the cavern, the improvement which comprises: inflowing hot aqueous fluid into contact with a sub- terranean portion of oil shale that contains heat sensitive carbonate mineral at a relatively shallow depth, the temperature of said inflowing fluid being high enough to pyrolyze oil shale; flowing ho[ aqueous fluid downward aloog a verti- cally extensive portion of oil shale that Contains heat sensitive carbonate mineral, from said rela- tively shallow depth to a deeper depth; outflowing an aqueous solution of mineral material from a relativcly deep depth, in order to caux a horizontal expansion of arubble-containing cav- ernous zone within said oil shale; outflowing a substantially gaseous fluid Crom the rvb- ble-containing cavern at an intermediate depth be- tween the depth of said inflow of Got aqueous fluid and said outflow of aqueous liquid solution; and recovering shale oil with said ou[flowing fluid. 3. In a process for expanding a zone of pcrmeabiliry within a subtertanean oil shale by forming a cavern within a ponion that contains heat xnsitive carbonate mineral and circulating hot aqueous fluid within the cavern, the improvement which comprises: inflowing hot aqueous fluid into contact with a sub• terranean ponion of oil shale that contains heat sensitive carbonate mineral at a relatively shallow depth, the temperature of said inflowing fluid being high enough to pyrolyu oil shale; 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 a0 45 50 SS 65 10 flowing a mixture of a hot aqueous fluid, gaseous ear- bon dioxide and hydrocazbon downward along a vertically extensive portion of oil shale that eon- tains heat xnsitive carbonate mineral, from said relatively shallow depth m a deeper depth; outflouing an aqueous solution of mineral material from a relativcly deep depth, N order to cause a horizontal exparuion of arubble-containing cav- ernous zone within said oil shale; and recovering shale oil with said outElowing fluid. 4. A process oC expanding a fluid permeable opening within a sub[crtanean oil shale formation, comprising: establishing xparate paths of fluid communicatioa between a surface location and upper and lower portiosu of a relatively solids-free opening within a sub[ertanean oil shale formation that contavu heat sensitive carbonate material; inflowing relatively hot and relatively low density aqueous fluid into contact with the oil shale around the upper portion of said opening at a temperature sufficient to cause a localiud removal of solid ma- terial from the oil shale; removing cooler and heavier Fluid from the lower po~on of the opening within said oil shale totma- tion at a ra[e correlated with the rate of fluid inflow to maintain a layer of relatively hot and low density aqueous fluid above a layer oCrelatively cooler and higher dcnsiry aqueous solution of mineral mate- rial; and continuing said fluid circulation to cause a generally horizontal expansion of the opening within said oil shale formation due to a decomposition dissolution of solid componenu of the oil shale. 5. The process oCclaim 4 in which said subterranean oil shale formation contains at least about S percent by weight of hear xnsitive carbonate material. 6. The process of claim 4 in which: said solids-free opening and at least one of said paths of fluid communication is extended into a¢ areally extensive opening within an adjacent underlying zone that is rich in water soluble mineral; and said fluid circulation is adjusted to cause a generally vertical expansion oCsaid underlying opening con- curtent with said generally horizontal expaasio¢. . . .