Importance

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Abstract

A system and process is disclosed for retorting oil shale and extracting shale oil and other hydrocarbons therefrom, in which a cased heat delivery well is drilled generally vertically through an overburden and then through a body of oil shale to be retorted to the bottom thereof, generally horizontally under the body of oil shale to be retorted, and then back to the earth surface. Heat energy is transmitted conductively to the body of oil shale to be retorted from a closed loop heat delivery module in the well, the module comprising a fluid transmission pipe containing a heating fluid heated to at least a retorting temperature. Heat energy is also transmitted to the body of oil shale to be retorted above the fluid transmission pipe by vapor conduits that conduct retort vapors upward through the body of oil shale to be retorted; the ascending retort vapors condense and reflux, delivering their latent heat of vaporization to the body of oil shale to be retorted, and the condensed retort liquids descend. If not recycled, the retort liquids are collected in a sump at the bottom of a production well and are transmitted to the surface for processing. The vapor conduits communicate at upper ends thereof with the production well, so that vapors that do not reflux are collected in the production well and are transmitted to the surface for processing.

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First Claim