Method and system for heating a bed of rocks containing sulfur-rich type iis kerogen

A method of heating hydrocarbon-containing rocks comprising:

• a. introducing the hydrocarbon-containing rocks comprising sulfur-rich type IIs kerogen into an excavated enclosure to form a bed of rocks therein;
• b. heating the hydrocarbon-containing rocks sufficiently to significantly raise a temperature of a majority of the rock bed,
• wherein for a substantial majority of horizontal locations of an upper half of the rock bed, sulfur-rich type IIs kerogen of the rocks id heated (i) primarily by heater(s) arranged substantially near a bottom of the enclosure and (ii) in a manner so that the dominant mechanism of transferring thermal energy thereto is downward convection.

A method of thermally treating hydrocarbon-containing rocks comprising:

• a. introducing the hydrocarbon-containing rocks comprising sulfur-rich type IIs kerogen into an interior of an excavated enclosure to form a bed of rocks within an interior thereof;
• b. heating the sulfur-rich type IIs kerogen of the containing rocks sufficiently to pyrolyze a majority of the sulfur-rich type IIs kerogen of the rock bed, wherein for a substantial majority of horizontal locations of an upper half of the rock bed, the dominant mechanism of heating of the rocks is heat convection by hot liquid hydrocarbons flowing through the rock bed.

The method of any previous claim wherein the interior region is maintained under anoxic conditions during the heating.

The method of any previous claim wherein sulfur-rich type IIs kerogen of the rocks id pyrolyzed, the hydrocarbon reflux loop supplying at least a portion of the thermal energy required to pyrolyze type IIs kerogen of the rocks.

The method of any preceding claim wherein the reflux loop vertically spans at least a majority of the rock bed and/or of the interior region of the excavated enclosure.

The method of any preceding claim wherein liquid hydrocarbon vapor of the reflux loop condenses primarily above the rock bed and/or substantially at a top thereof.

The method of any preceding claim wherein a majority of the hydrocarbon fluid flow of the reflux loop passes via one or more vertical chimneys that substantially vertically traverse the rock bed.

The method of any previous claim wherein thermal energy supplied by the reflux loop is sufficient to significantly raise a temperature of at least one location at the top of the rock bed.

The method of any previous claim wherein the heater(s) are immersed heaters located within a reservoir of hydrocarbon liquid.

The method of any previous claim wherein the hydrocarbon liquid reservoir is located substantially at the bottom of the interior region of the excavated enclosure, the method further comprising:

• removing hydrocarbon liquids from the interior region of the enclosure at a rate which maintains a level of the reservoir above the heaters but substantially below the rock bed.

The method of any previous claim wherein, the hydrocarbon-containing rocks are heated sufficiently to pyrolyze type IIs kerogen thereof into hydrocarbon pyrolysis liquids which (i) have a boiling point exceeding that of the reservoir and (ii) mix with the hydrocarbon liquids of the reservoir, wherein the method comprises in response to the mixing, regulating a boiling point of hydrocarbon liquids of the reservoir to prevent or limit an increase in a boiling point of the reservoir.

The method of any previous claim wherein an atmospheric boiling point of the hydrocarbon liquids of the reservoir is maintained between 300 and 400 degrees Celsius.

The method of any previous claim wherein the hydrocarbon liquid reservoir occupies at least 2.5% or at least 5% of a volume of the interior region of the excavated enclosure.

A method of heating hydrocarbon-containing rocks comprising sulfur-rich type IIs kerogen within an excavated enclosure comprising:

• a. arranging the hydrocarbon-containing rocks comprising sulfur-rich type IIs kerogen into a rock bed within the enclosure so that one or more substantially vertical conduits substantially vertically traverse the rock bed;
• b. respectively maintaining lower and upper hydrocarbon liquid reservoirs at upper and lower elevations, the lower elevation being substantially at the bottom of the enclosure and substantially below the rock bed, the upper elevation being above or substantially at the top of the rock bed,
• wherein the upper hydrocarbon liquid reservoir is supplied primarily by boiling of hydrocarbon liquids of the lower reservoir so that vapors formed therefrom substantially vertically traverse the rock bed and condense into liquid of the upper reservoir, wherein at least some thermal energy for the pyrolysis is supplied by convective heat transfer from downward movement of hydrocarbon liquid through the rock bed from the upper reservoir to the lower reservoir.

The method of any previous claim, performed to pyrolyze sulfur-rich type IIs kerogen into a sulfur-rich pyrolysis liquid comprising at least 3% wt/wt or at least 4% wt/wt sulfur

The method any previous claim, wherein a majority of pyrolysis of the sulfur-rich type IIs kerogen is performed at temperatures of at most 290 degrees Celsius.

The method of any previous claim, wherein pyrolysis of the sulfur-rich type IIs kerogen generates an alkylthiophene-rich oil.

The method of any previous claim, wherein pyrolysis of the sulfur-rich type IIs kerogen generates an alkylpyridine and/or alkylpyrrole rich oil.

A system for production of hydrocarbon fluids, the system comprising:

• a. an excavated enclosure defining an interior region bounded by a plurality of enclosing surfaces including wall(s) and a floor;
• b. rocks containing sulfur-rich type IIs, the rocks being arranged within the interior region of the excavated enclosure to form a rock bed therein;
• c. external heater(s) configured to heat the rocks of the rock bed within the enclosure primarily by externally heating the enclosing surfaces so that thermal energy is transferred from the heated enclosing surface(s) to the rocks of the rock bed.

A system for production of hydrocarbon fluids, the system comprising:

• a. an excavated enclosure defining an interior region bounded by a plurality of enclosing surfaces including wall(s) and a floor;
• b. rocks containing sulfur-rich type IIs kerogen, the rocks arranged within the interior region of the excavated enclosure to form a rock bed therein;
• c. wall-embedded or floor embedded heater(s) embedded within at least one wall(s) or floor and configured to heat the rocks of the rock bed within the enclosure primarily by externally heating the wall or floor so that thermal energy is transferred from the heated wall or floor to the rocks of the rock bed.

The system of any previous claim further comprising an external liquid reservoir outside of the interior region of the enclosure, at least one of the external heater(s) being immersed within the external liquid of the external reservoir and operated to boil the external liquid to transfer thermal energy to at least one wall of the enclosure.

The system of claim 54 wherein at least some of the conduit(s) pass through a portion of the packed bed.

The system or method of any previous claim wherein one or more of the heaters is a molten salt heater.

The system or method of any previous claim wherein a volume of the interior region and/or a volume of the rock bed is at least 1,000 meters3, or at least 2,500 meters3, or at least 5,000 meters3, or at least 10,000 meters3, or at least 25,000 meters3.

The system or method of any previous claim wherein a height of the rock bed is at least 5 meters or at least 10 meters or at least 20 meters or at least 30 meters or at least 50 meters.

The system or method of any previous claim wherein the excavated enclosure is a pit or an impoundment.

The system of method of any previous claim wherein the rock bed occupies at least a majority, or at least a substantial majority of the interior region of the enclosure.

The system of method of any previous claim wherein a volume of the interior region of the enclosure and/or a volume of the rock bed is at least 1,000 meters3, or at least 2,500 meters3, or at least 5,000 meters3, or at least 10,000 meters3, or at least 25,000 meters3.

The system of method of any of previous claim wherein at least one of the walls is horizontally supported by an interior side of the pit or by earth of an impoundment to maintain a structural integrity of the interior region wall.

The method of any previous claim or the use of the system of any previous claim so as to pyrolyze sulfur-rich type IIs kerogen so as to generate an oil wherein a ratio between respective concentrations of alkylthiophenes and alkyldibenzothiophenes in the oil is at least 10 or at least 15 or at least 20 or at least 30.

The method of any previous claim or the use of the system of any previous claim so as to pyrolyze sulfur-rich type IIs kerogen so as to generate an oil wherein a majority of alkylthiophenes of the oil are thiophene C4H4S or C1-C4 alkylthiophenes.

The method of any previous claim or the use of the system of any previous claim so as to pyrolyze sulfur-rich type IIs kerogen so as to generate an oil wherein a majority of alkylthiophenes of the oil are thiophene C1-C4 alkylthiophenes.

The method of any previous claim or the use of the system of any previous claim so as to pyrolyze sulfur-rich type IIs kerogen so as to generate an oil wherein a majority of alkylthiophenes of the oil are thiophene C1-C3 alkylthiophenes.

The method of any previous claim or the use of the system of any previous claim so as to pyrolyze sulfur-rich type IIs kerogen so as to generate an oil wherein a majority of alkylthiophenes of the oil are thiophene C2-C3 alkylthiophenes.