Patent ID: 8096349

Claim:
A system for producing hydrocarbon fuels from a body of fixed fossil fuels beneath an overburden comprising: means for transmitting electrical energy down a borehole to heat the body of fixed fossil fuels comprising an RF generator coupled to a transmission line for transferring electrical energy to an RF applicator; means for providing a critical fluid down the borehole for diffusion into the body of fixed fossil fuels at a predetermined pressure; means included with the critical fluid for initializing a reaction with the body of fixed fossil fuels to cause the hydrocarbon fuels to be released; means for cycling the pressure within the borehole between 500 psi and 5000 psi, and wherein the system further comprises means for removing the hydrocarbon fuels from the borehole to a ground surface above the overburden and wherein the means for initiating a reaction with the body of fixed fossil fuels comprises a catalyst including one of nano-sized iron oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ), silica aerogel, and nano-sized alumina (AL 2 O 3 ) aerogel.