Process for the extraction of hydrocarbons from oil sands and oil shale

摘要

Process for the extraction of hydrocarbons contained in oil sands and oil shale comprising feeding said oil sands or oil shale to a suitable apparatus in which they are heated, directly and/or by means of a suitable vector fluid, making use of solar energy collected by means of optical concentration systems.

主权项

1. A process for extracting hydrocarbons contained in oil sand, the process comprising:
feeding an oil sand into a heating apparatus; and heating the oil sand within the heating apparatus, wherein the heating apparatus comprises an extraction column, wherein energy for the heating is provided directly, indirectly through a vector fluid, or both, from solar energy collected by at least one optical concentration system to form a hot vector fluid; wherein the hot vector fluid acts an extracting fluid; and wherein said extracting fluid is in a supercritical phase and the extraction can be effected by modifying the temperature and pressure conditions to achieve subcritical conditions.