Patent ID: 8485257

Claim:
A method for extracting a hydrocarbon-based kerogen product from a subsurface shale formation: comprising a. increasing accessibility of hydrocarbons in subsurface shale to a fluid, wherein the subsurface shale comprises an inorganic component in addition to the hydrocarbons; b. contacting the hydrocarbons in the subsurface shale with an extraction fluid, wherein the extraction fluid comprises pentane at a temperature of greater than 197° C. and at a pressure of greater than 33.3 atmospheres and a second component selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), nitrogen (N 2 ), ammonia (NH 3 ), carbon monoxide (CO), argon (Ar), hydrogen (H 2 ), hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), air and combinations thereof to create a mobile hydrocarbon-based product; and c. transporting the mobile hydrocarbon-based product out of the subsurface shale formation to yield an extracted hydrocarbon-based product.