Method for extraction of hydrocarbon fuels or contaminants using electrical energy and critical fluids

摘要

The extraction of hydrocarbon fuel products such as kerogen oil and gas from a body of fixed fossil fuels such as oil shale is accomplished by applying a combination of electrical energy and critical fluids with reactants and/or catalysts down a borehole to initiate a reaction of reactants in the critical fluids with kerogen in the oil shale thereby raising the temperatures to cause kerogen oil and gas products to be extracted as a vapor, liquid or dissolved in the critical fluids. The hydrocarbon fuel products of kerogen oil or shale oil and hydrocarbon gas are removed to the ground surface by a product return line. An RF generator provides electromagnetic energy, and the critical fluids include a combination of carbon dioxide (CO2), with reactants of nitrous oxide (N2O) or oxygen (O2).

主权项

1. A method of producing hydrocarbon fuel products from a body of fixed fossil fuels beneath an overburden comprising the steps of:
(a) transmitting electrical energy down a borehole to heat said body of fixed fossil fuels to a first predetermined temperature; (b) providing a critical fluid with a reactant or catalyst down said borehole for diffusion into said body of fixed fossil fuels at a predetermined pressure dependent upon the body of fixed fossil fuels and upon specific processing objectives combining technical and economic factors; (c) transmitting electrical energy down said borehole to heat said body of fixed fossil fuels and critical fluid to a second predetermined temperature; and (d) heating said critical fluid and said fixed fossil fuels with said electrical energy to said second predetermined temperature to initiate reaction of said reactant or catalyst in said critical fluid with a fraction of said hydrocarbon fuel products in said body of fixed fossil fuels causing a portion of the remainder of said hydrocarbon fuel products to be released for extraction as a vapor, liquid or dissolved in said critical fluid.