IN-SITU KEROGEN CONVERSION AND RECOVERY

摘要

Disclosed herein are methods for extracting a kerogen-based product from subsurface (oil) shale formations. These methods rely on chemically modifying the shale-bound kerogen using a chemical oxidant so as to render it mobile. The oxidant is provided to a formation fluid in contact with the kerogen in the subsurface shale. An alkaline material is also provided to the formation fluid to mobilize organic acids which are produced during oxidation of the kerogen. A mobile kerogen-based product which includes the organic acids is withdrawn from the subsurface shale formation and further processed to isolate the organic acids contained therein. An exemplary method for isolating the acids includes treating the mobile kerogen- based product such that at least a portion of the organic acids form a separate phase from the mobile kerogen-based product. The organic acids may further be extracted from the mobile kerogen-based product using an organic extraction fluid. The isolated organic acids can be upgraded by a reaction process that make the products suitable as refinery feedstocks, fuel or lubricant blendstocks, reaction intermediates, chemical feedstocks, or chemical intermediate blendstocks.