Analysis of applicability of oil shale for in situ conversion

Abstract

Abstract. There are only a few substantial oil shale industries in the world, mainly because of the high cost of oil shale development relative to coal, oil and natural gas. Innovative approaches to oil shale processing could change this situation. Underground (or in situ) conversion could become a very useful technology, once an efficient way is found to prepare oil shale deposits for heating and to transfer heat into them. A new electrophysical method, which uses electrical treeing breakdown and resistive heating to fracture and heat underground formations, appears to have great potential in this regard. This paper examines the potential applicability of the process to two oil shale deposits in Russia. Results of laboratory tests are presented that confirm the technology's ability to obtain high yields of good quality oil and gas. Values for some of the technology's important operating parameters are suggested, and energy ratios are calculated from both theory and results of the laboratory tests. The energy ratios of the process are compared with other methods of underground and aboveground oil shale processing.

Verification of an Explicitly Coupled Thermal-Phase Field-Mechanical Electromagnetic (TPME) Framework by the Method of Manufactured Solutions

“…The ExxonMobil Electrofrac™ process, as outlined in Hoda et al [18], Kelkar et al [19] and Martemyanov et al [16] highlights a typical in-situ conversion of oil shale by heating the oil shale formation to pyrolyze the kerogen. The result is the generation of liquid hydrocarbon that can be conventionally produced.…”

“…The Shell ICP process involves heating the oil shale formation with resistive heating elements surrounded by a hexagonal pattern of heating wells with the converted oil and gas produced through a production well in the center of the ring [16]. This process has been shown to add value by producing good quality gas and oil.…”

Numerical Simulation of Oil Shale Pyrolysis under Microwave Irradiation Based on a Three-Dimensional Porous Medium Multiphysics Field Model

“…The heating rate is slow and the energy consumption is very high. [49][50][51] Microwave heating The temperature rise is fast and pyrolysis efficiency is high.…”