In situ recovery of shale oil

摘要

An in situ oil shale retort is formed in a subterranean formation containing oil shale and having horizontal cleavage planes extending parallel to the bedding of the formation and approximately orthogonal vertical cleavage plane sets extending perpendicular to the horizontal cleavage planes. The in situ retort is formed by excavating an opening or void in a retort site in the formation and placing explosive in the formation adjacent the void such that the explosive can fracture formation along the vertical cleavage planes and expand remaining formation within the retort site toward the void, forming a fragmented permeable mass of formation particles containing oil shale within the retort site.