IN-SITU KEROGEN CONVERSION AND RECYCLING

• Main Authors: LOONEY MARK DEAN, WIGAND MARCUS OLIVER, CARLSON ROBERT MARTIN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 12.07.2012
• Subjects: CABINETS; CHEMISTRY; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION ORPROCESSING OF GOODS; COFFEE MILLS; CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; DESKS; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; DRAWERS; EARTH DRILLING; EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; FUELS; FURNITURE; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HUMAN NECESSITIES; LUBRICANTS; METALLURGY; MINERAL WAXES; MINING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR ASLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS; OFFICE FURNITURE; PEAT; PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVEHYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, ORGASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL; TABLES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE

Disclosed herein are methods for extracting a kerogen-based product from subsurface (oil) shale formations. These methods rely on chemically modifying the shale-bound kerogen using a chemical oxidant so as to render it mobile. The oxidant is provided to a formation fluid in contact with the kerogen in the subsurface shale. An alkaline material is also provided to the formation fluid to mobilize organic acids which are produced during oxidation of the kerogen. A mobile kerogen-based product which includes the organic acids is withdrawn from the subsurface shale formation and further processed to isolate the organic acids contained therein. These organic acids are valuable as hydrocarbon products for creating commercial products and a portion of these organic acids can also be used in the process for extracting the kerogen-based product from the subsurface shale formation.