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_ ,~~ ~~ ~ i~ c. iii •~. v ZV]~TJ LJUJ LC(I~•1C <br />/~JV v / <br />~ 999 ~- ~ <br />United States Patent 119[ ~w~~:~-~~-5~ nl] 3,759,328 <br />Ueber et al. ~vc, h~a.y~e:Qfjec.~o,~5 ~X~i~i~s [as] Sept 18, 1973 <br />[54] LATERALLY EXPANDING OiL SHALE <br />PERMEABILIZATION <br />[75] InvcntOfs: Ruzull C. Uther; Paler Vao Meun; <br />]erke R. Brcw, all of Houston, Tcr. <br />[771 Assignee: Shell Oil Company, Houston, Tcr. <br />[22J Filed: May 11, 1973 <br />[21 ] Appl. No.: 252,ddg <br />Related U.S. Applkatiao Data <br />[fi7] Conunu¢tion-in-part of Ser. No. 57,209, July 22. <br />1970, abandoned. <br />[52[ U.S. CI .. .. .......... 1661303, 166/272, 299!4 <br />(31 ] let. CI ............................................. E216 43124 <br />(58) FIeId of Search ...... 299(4; 166/272, 703, <br />166/302,306 <br />[Sb] Refcrcncu Cued <br /> UNITED STATES PATENTS <br />J.372,g1g 7/1971 Templeton ..................... .........299/4 <br />3,301.201 ]/1910 Closmann ct ¢I .............. . 1661272 X <br />2979,317 4/1961 Bays .............................. .........299/4 <br />2 964,226 111961 Huntington .................... . 166872 X <br />3 050 290 fl11962 C¢Idwell et al . ... _. 29916 <br />3,309,140 311967 Gardner et al .. .. ......... ......... 299/4 <br />7!05,974 10/1968 Hundlcy, lr. et al ................. 299/4 <br />],455,3fl3 7!1969 Pnts ct al ................_......... 29914 X <br />],516,195 6!1970 Patton ................................. 166/272 <br />Primary Eraminer-Slcphen J. Novoaad <br />.tttornry-H. L. Dcnllcr ct al. <br />(57J ABSTRACT <br />An Improved process o! permeabilizing and recovering <br />water soluble and/or hea[ sensitive minerals and hydro- <br />carbons (rim an oil shale form atian Containing lard <br />minerals by torming a cavern and vertically ezp¢nding <br />it by contacting the uvem roof with a hot aqueous <br />Iluid while also causing horizontal ezpansion of tha <br />cavern by contacting the Oil shalt therein with the same <br />or diRerent ho[ aqueous fluid al a relatively shallow <br />depth and flowing down along a vertical section while <br />dissolving said minerals and rabbling the oil shale and <br />producing from a relatively deep location in the cavern <br />an aqueous liquid containing dissolved minerals therein <br />and subsequently or simultaneously injecting a pyrolyz- <br />ing fluid into the nibbled oil shale cavern to effect py- <br />rolysis of the oil sha]c and recovery of hydrocarbons <br />therefrom, <br />6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures <br />INFLOWING HOT <br />14 FLUID <br />OUTFLOWING COOL 15 <br />~--~ FLUID <br />J~ <br />Qo <br />r .-. <br />z to ~ 16 <br />O L <br />N Q <br />a <br />z w I ~ VERTICAL 1 <br />EXPANSION 1 <br />~~ ~ f <br />~ ~~ <br /> <br />