Apparatus and method for production of organic products from kerogen
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorThonet C. Dauphin/e/
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and a method of producing fluid organic products from kerogen in situ in a body of oil shale by the application of alternating electric fields having a frequency between 100 kilohertz and 100 megahertz to heat the kerogen in the oil shale to a temperature in the range of 200.degree. C. to 360.degree. C. and to maintain the kerogen in this temperature range for a period of time sufficient to convert a substantial portion of the kerogen in oil shale to fluid organic products which may be collected through passages produced in the oil shale formation by flowing to a well bore having a collection sump.
Claims6
Apparatus for producing organic liquid and/or gaseous products of dissociation of an organic compound in a subsurface body comprising:
- means for heating regions of said body to temperatures where said compound converts to said liquid and/or gaseous products comprising radiating means extending into said subsurface body for producing in said body time varying electric fields;
- and
- means for producing said fluid products of dissociation from said body comprising passage means for allowing the flow of said products through said body while said field is applied to said body.
Apparatus for producing fluid products from kerogen contained in a subsurface body of oil shale comprising:
- means for heating regions of said body to temperatures below 360.degree. C. where kerogen pyrolytically converts to fluid products comprising radiating means for subjecting said oil shale to a time varying electric field having a component whose frequency lies in the range between 100 kilohertz and 100 megahertz;
- means for producing and/or maintaining passages in said body during heating of said body with said fields;
- and
- means for collecting said fluid products pyrolytically converted from said kerogen flowing through said passages.
Apparatus for producing organic liquid and/or gaseous products of dissociation of an organic compound in a subsurface body comprising:
- means for heating regions of said body to temperatures where said compound converts to said liquid and/or gaseous products comprising radiating means extending into said subsurface body for producing in said body time varying electric fields;
- and
- means for producing fractures in said body through which the products of conversion of said kerogen flow to collecting means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.