Patent ID: 8312927
Filing Date: 2012-11-20
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
1. A method of recovering hydrocarbonaceous and other products from non-rubbilized oil shale and oil/tar sands, comprising the steps of: forming a hole in a body of the oil shale or sand; positioning a gas inlet conduit into the hole; heating and pressurizing a processing gas; introducing the processing gas into the hole through the gas inlet conduit, thereby creating a nonburning thermal energy front sufficient to convert kerogen in oil shale or bitumen in oil sand to hydrocarbonaceous products; withdrawing the processing gas and hydrocarbonaceous products as effluent gas through the hole; performing first and second initial condensation steps to separately recover and store heavy and sweet crude oil products from the effluent gas; performing one or more subsequent condensation steps to recover and store additional liquefied products from the effluent gas; and maintaining the effluent gas under a negative pressure from the hole and through the initial and subsequent condensation steps.