Self-Sustaining On-Site Production of Electricity and/or Steam for Use in the In Situ Processing of Oil Shale and/or Oil Sands

Abstract

Oil shale and/or oil sands are utilized to generate electricity and/or steam at the site of the oil shale/sands deposit in an in situ process for recovering oil from the deposit. Bulk shale/sands material is removed from the deposit and combusted to generate thermal energy. The thermal energy is utilized to heat water to generate steam. The steam can be used directly in the in situ process or utilized to drive a steam turbine power generator located in close proximity to the deposit to generate electricity. The electricity generated on-site may be utilized to drive an in situ conversion process that recovers oil from the oil shale/sands deposit. Also, the exit steam generated by the on-site turbine generator can be used on-site to drive the in-situ conversion process.

1 . A self-sustaining method of recovering oil shale/sands deposit, the method comprising:
 generating electricity at the site of the oil shale/sands deposit utilizing hydrocarbon products recovered from the oil shale/sands deposit; and   utilizing the electricity generated at the site of the oil shale/sands deposit to drive an in situ conversion process for recovering oil from the oil shale/sands deposit.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 1 , and wherein the electricity generated at the site of the oil shale/sands deposit is utilized to drive the underground heating function of the in situ conversion process. 
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 1 , and wherein the step of generating electricity at the site of the oil shale/sands deposit comprises:
 locating an electrical power generating facility that includes a steam turbine power generator in close proximity to the oil shale/sands deposit;   removing oil shale/sands from the oil shale/sands deposit in bulk form;   providing the removed oil shale/sands to an above ground burn container;   providing supplemental fuel to the burn container such that hydrocarbons contained in the oil shale/sands provided to the burn container are combusted to generate thermal energy;   using the thermal energy generated by the burn container to heat water to generate steam;   providing the steam to the steam turbine power generator such that the steam turbine power generator generates electricity on the site of the oil shale/sands deposit.   
     
     
         5 . A method as in  claim 4 , and wherein the oil shale/sands are removed from a perimeter portion of the oil shale/sands deposit to define a perimeter trench around an interior portion of the oil shale/sands deposit. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . A method as in  claim 4 , and wherein the oil shale/sands provided to the above ground burn container comprises rubblized oil shale. 
     
     
         8 . A method as in  claim 4 , and wherein the oil shale/sands provided to the above ground burn container comprises pulverized oil shale. 
     
     
         9 . A method as in  claim 4 , and further comprising:
 recovering potash generated by combustion of the oil shale/sands hydrocarbons.   
     
     
         10 . A method as in  claim 4 , and further comprising:
 returning spent oil shale/sands resulting from combustion of the oil shale/sands hydrocarbons to the oil shale/sands deposit.   
     
     
         11 . A method as in  claim 4 , and further comprising:
 preheating the water prior to utilizing the thermal energy generated by the burn container to heat the water to generate steam.   
     
     
         12 . A method as in  claim 11 , and further comprising:
 preheating the water utilizing a parabolic solar reflector.   
     
     
         13 . A method as in  claim 12 , and further comprising:
 adjusting the position of the parabolic reflector to track the position of the sun.   
     
     
         14 . A method as in  claim 11 , and further comprising:
 preheating the water utilizing a dual parabolic reflector that includes a first parabolic surface having a focal point and a second parabolic reflecting surface having the same focal point as the first parabolic reflecting surface, the water being passed through the common focal point of the first and second parabolic reflecting surfaces.   
     
     
         15 . A method as in  claim 14 , and wherein the first parabolic reflecting surface has solar collectors mounted thereon for generating electricity from solar energy captured by the solar collectors. 
     
     
         16 . A method as in  claim 4 , and wherein the supplemental fuel includes propane. 
     
     
         17 . A method as in  claim 4 , and wherein the supplemental fuel is obtained from a source located in close proximity to the oil shale/sands deposit. 
     
     
         18 . A method as in  claim 17 , and wherein the supplemental fuel comprises ethanol derived from a crop grown in close proximity to the oil shale/sands deposit. 
     
     
         19 . A method as in  claim 4 , and further comprising:
 utilizing exhaust heat from the electrical power generating facility to heat the oil shale/sands provided to the burn container.   
     
     
         20 . A method as in  claim 4 , and further comprising:
 utilizing exhaust heat from the electrical power generating facility to pre-heat the oil shale/sands prior to its introduction to the burn container.   
     
     
         21 . A method as in  claim 4 , and further comprising:
 providing supplemental fuel to pre-heat the oil shale/sands prior to its introduction to the burn container.   
     
     
         22 . A method as in  claim 1 , and wherein the step of generating electricity at the site of the oil shale/sands deposit comprises:
 removing oil shale/sands from the oil shale/sands deposit in bulk form;   combusting the removed bulk oil shale/sands above ground to generate heat energy;   utilizing the heat energy at the site of the oil shale/sands deposit to generate electricity;   utilizing at least some of the generated electricity in the removing and/or combusting steps.   
     
     
         23 .- 37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . A system that generates electricity and hydrocarbon products, the system comprising:
 an electrical power generating system that includes an on-site steam turbine power generator located in close proximity to an oil shale/sands deposit:   an above ground burn container that combusts oil shale/sands material removed from the oil shale/sands deposit to produce thermal energy utilized to produce steam that drives the steam turbine power generator to generate electricity; and   an on-site in situ conversion system that recovers hydrocarbon products from the oil shale/sands deposit utilizing electricity generated by the steam turbine power generator.   
     
     
         39 .- 42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . A method of recovering oil from an oil shale/sands deposit, the method comprising:
 removing oil shale/sands material from a perimeter region of a portion of the oil shale/sands deposit to define a perimeter trench around said portion of the oil shale/sands deposit;   utilizing the oil shale/sands material removed from the oil shale/sands deposit to generate electricity at the site of the oil shale/sands deposit; and   utilizing the electricity generated at the site of the oil shale/sands deposit in the in situ recovery of oil from said portion of the oil shale/sands deposit.   
     
     
         44 .- 48 . (canceled)