Apparatus for the recovery of hydrocarbonaceous and additional products from oil shale and sands via multi-stage condensation

Abstract

A system for recovering products from a gas stream comprises a cooled chamber having an inlet that feeds the gas stream to a plurality of sequential conduit loops within the chamber. A critical orifice follows each loop, and each loop includes an output port. Based upon the physical characteristics of each loop, the sizing of the critical orifice following the loop, and the temperature within the chamber, different products are condensed from the gas stream through the output ports. The system may be configured to condense hydrocarbonaceous products such as ethane, propane, butane or methane, as well as fundamental products such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen or hydrogen. Gaseous products may be stored in gas or liquid form or vented to atmosphere depending upon amount, purity, and so forth.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method of recovering hydrocarbonaceous and other products from non-rubbilized oil shale and oil/tar sands, comprising the steps of:
 forming a hole in a body of the oil shale or sand;   positioning a gas inlet conduit into the hole;   heating and pressurizing a processing gas;   introducing the processing gas into the hole through the gas inlet conduit, thereby creating a nonburning thermal energy front sufficient to convert kerogen in oil shale or bitumen in oil sand to hydrocarbonaceous products;   withdrawing the processing gas and hydrocarbonaceous products as effluent gas through the hole;   performing first and second initial condensation steps to separately recover and store heavy and lighter crude oil products from the effluent gas; and   performing one or more subsequent condensation steps to recover and store additional liquefied products from the effluent gas.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of performing one or more subsequent condensation steps includes the recovery of one or more of the following additional products:
 liquefied ethane,   liquefied propane,   liquefied butane,   liquefied carbon dioxide,   liquefied methane,   liquefied nitrogen, and   hydrogen.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , including the steps of:
 burning a fuel that produces an exhaust gas and heat within a heat exchanger; and   routing the exhaust gas through the heat exchanger to create the processing gas.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , including the steps of:
 burning a fuel that produces an exhaust gas and heat within a heat exchanger;   mixing at least one of the additional products with the exhaust gas; and   routing the mixture through the heat exchanger to create the processing gas.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , including the step of controlling the composition of the processing gas so that it is oxygen-deprived. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , including the step of controlling the composition of the processing gas so that it contains approximately 1% oxygen or less. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further including the step of maintaining the effluent gas under a relative negative pressure from the hole and through the initial and subsequent condensation steps. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , including the steps of:
 performing the subsequent condensation steps in at least one cooled chamber having an input and an output; and   providing a compressor at the output of the cooled chamber to maintain the effluent gas at a negative pressure from the hole and through the initial and subsequent condensation steps.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , including the step of performing the subsequent condensation steps in at least one cooled chamber having an input, an output, and a plurality of critical orifices sized to recover the other products. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 one of the other products is liquid carbon dioxide; and   the subsequent condensation steps are performed in a chamber cooled with the liquid carbon dioxide.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 one of the other products is liquid carbon dioxide; and   the subsequent condensation steps are performed in a chamber cooled with the liquid carbon dioxide and including critical orifices sized to recover the other products.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, in oil shale, the step of withdrawing the processing gas and hydrocarbonaceous products as effluent gas through the hole is sufficient to withdraw at least a portion of the hydrocarbonaceous products from the shale through the Venturi effect. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one of the other products is carbon dioxide, the method further including a carbon sequestration step wherein the carbon dioxide is delivered down the hole following the recovery of the hydrocarbonaceous products. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further including the steps of:
 forming a plurality of holes, each with a gas inlet conduit to receive the heated and pressurized processing gas;   withdrawing the processing gas and hydrocarbonaceous products as effluent gas through each hole; and   performing said condensation steps to recover the crude oil products and the additional liquefied products from the effluent gas from the plurality of the holes.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein one of the other products is carbon dioxide, the method further including carbon sequestration steps comprising:
 forming a plurality of holes, each with a gas inlet conduit to receive the heated and pressurized processing gas, the holes being arranged as a central hole and a plurality of surrounding holes;   withdrawing the processing gas and hydrocarbonaceous products as effluent gas through each hole;   performing said condensation steps to recover the crude oil products and the additional liquefied products from the effluent gas from the plurality of the holes; and   introducing the carbon dioxide down the central hole following the recovery of the hydrocarbonaceous products until the carbon dioxide is detected at one or more of the surrounding holes.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the crude oil is obtained as a ratio of heavy crude to lighter crudes, the method further including the step of reducing the flow rate of the processing gas to reduce the ratio. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the crude oil is obtained as a ratio of heavy crude to lighter crudes, the method further including the step of increasing the reflux time of the heavy crude with respect to the initial condensation step to reduce the ratio. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , including the step of adjusting one or more of the following parameters to vary the recovery of crude oil, other products or contaminants from the effluent gas:
 the temperature, pressure or flow rate of the processing gas,   the residency time of the processing gas in the hole,   the reflux time of the crude oil with respect to the initial condensation step.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , including the step of providing an apertured sleeve within the hole to extract hydrocarbonaceous products from oil/tar sands. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising maintaining the effluent gas under a negative pressure from the hole and through the initial and subsequent condensation steps. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step of performing one or more subsequent condensation steps includes the recovery and storage of one or more of the following additional products:
 liquefied ethane,   liquefied propane,   liquefied butane,   liquefied carbon dioxide,   liquefied methane,   liquefied nitrogen, and   hydrogen.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , including the steps of:
 burning a fuel that produces an exhaust gas and heat within a heat exchanger; and   routing the exhaust gas through the heat exchanger to create the processing gas.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , including the steps of:
 burning a fuel that produces an exhaust gas and heat within a heat exchanger;   mixing at least one of the additional products with the exhaust gas; and   routing the mixture through the heat exchanger to create the processing gas.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , including the step of controlling the composition of the processing gas is oxygen-deprived. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , including the step of controlling the composition of the processing gas so that it contains approximately 1% oxygen or less. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , including the steps of:
 performing the subsequent condensation steps in at least one cooled chamber having an input and an output; and   providing a compressor system at the output of the cooled chamber to maintain the effluent gas at a negative pressure from the hole and through the initial and subsequent condensation steps.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20 , including the step of performing the subsequent condensation steps in at least one cooled chamber having an input, an output, and a plurality of critical orifices sized to recover the other products. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein:
 one of the other products is liquid carbon dioxide; and   the subsequent condensation steps are performed in a chamber cooled with the liquid carbon dioxide.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein:
 one of the other products is liquid carbon dioxide; and   the subsequent condensation steps are performed in a chamber cooled with the liquid carbon dioxide and including critical orifices sized to recover the other products.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 20  wherein, in oil shale, the step of withdrawing the processing gas and hydrocarbonaceous products as effluent gas through the hole is sufficient to withdraw at least a portion of the hydrocarbonaceous products from the shale through the Venturi effect. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 20 , further including the steps of:
 forming a plurality of holes, each with a gas inlet conduit to receive the heated and pressurized processing gas;   withdrawing the processing gas and hydrocarbonaceous products as effluent gas through each hole; and   performing said condensation steps to recover the crude oil products and the additional liquefied products from the effluent gas from the plurality of the holes.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the crude oil is obtained as a ratio of heavy crude to lighter crudes, the method further including the step of reducing the flow rate of the processing gas to reduce the ratio. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the crude oil is obtained as a ratio of heavy crude to lighter crudes, the method further including the step of increasing the reflux time of the heavy crude with respect to the initial condensation step to reduce the ratio. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 20 , including the step of adjusting one or more of the following parameters to vary the recovery of crude oil, other products or contaminants from the effluent gas:
 the temperature, pressure or flow rate of the processing gas,   the residency time of the processing gas in the hole,   the reflux time of the crude oil with respect to the initial condensation step.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 20 , including the step of providing an apertured sleeve within the hole to extract hydrocarbonaceous products from oil/tar sands. 
     
     
         36 . A system for recovering hydrocarbonaceous and other products from a hole drilled in non-rubbilized oil shale and oil/tar sands, the system comprising:
 a combustor for heating and pressurizing a processing gas;   a gas inlet conduit for introducing the processing gas into the hole to convert kerogen in oil shale or bitumen in oil sand into hydrocarbonaceous products;   a gas outlet conduit for withdrawing the processing gas and hydrocarbonaceous products from the hole;   an initial condenser system for separately recovering heavy and lighter crude oil products from the effluent gas;   one or more tanks for storing the recovered crude oil products;   a subsequent condenser system for recovering additional liquefied products from the effluent gas; and   one or more tanks for storing the additional liquefied products.   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the subsequent condenser system is operative to recover of one or more of the following additional products:
 liquefied ethane,   liquefied propane,   liquefied butane,   liquefied carbon dioxide,   liquefied methane,   liquefied nitrogen, and   hydrogen.   
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein:
 the combustor produces an exhaust gas, the system further including a heat exchanger heated by the combustor; and   the processing gas is generated by heating the exhaust gas with the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the combustor produces an exhaust gas, the system further including:
 one or more conduits for routing the at least one of the additional products with the exhaust gas; and   the processing gas is generated by heating the mixture of the exhaust gas and the additional products with the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 36 , further including a compressor for maintaining the effluent gas under a negative pressure from the hole and through the condenser systems. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the subsequent condenser system includes:
 a cooled chamber; and   a plurality of conduit loops within the chamber, each followed by a critical orifice, each loop and following critical orifice being physically configured to condense a different one of the additional products.   
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the subsequent condenser system includes:
 a cooled chamber;   a plurality of conduit loops within the chamber, each followed by a critical orifice, each loop and following critical orifice being physically configured to condense a different one of the additional products; and   wherein one of the additional products is liquefied carbon dioxide which is used to cool the chamber.   
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 36 , further including:
 a plurality of gas inlet conduits, each situated in a separately drilled hole;   a plurality of gas outlet conduits, each withdrawing the processing gas and hydrocarbonaceous products as effluent gas through a respective one of the holes; and   wherein the condenser systems are fed by the plurality of the gas outlet conduits.   
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the initial condenser system includes a reflux chamber to reduce the ratio of heavy crude to lighter crudes. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the gas outlet conduit is in gaseous communication with an apertured sleeve disposed within the hole to extract hydrocarbonaceous products from oil/tar sands. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 36 , further comprising a compressor for maintaining the effluent gas under a negative pressure from the hole and through the condenser systems. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein the subsequent condenser system is operative to recover of one or more of the following additional products:
 liquefied ethane,   liquefied propane,   liquefied butane,   liquefied carbon dioxide,   liquefied methane,   liquefied nitrogen, and   hydrogen.   
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein:
 the combustor produces an exhaust gas, the system further including a heat exchanger heated by the combustor; and   the processing gas is generated by heating the exhaust gas with the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein the combustor produces an exhaust gas, the system further including:
 one or more conduits for routing the at least one of the additional products with the exhaust gas; and   the processing gas is generated by heating the mixture of the exhaust gas and the additional products with the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein the subsequent condenser system includes:
 a cooled chamber; and   a plurality of conduit loops within the chamber, each followed by a critical orifice, each loop and following critical orifice being physically configured to condense a different one of the additional products.   
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein the subsequent condenser system includes:
 a cooled chamber;   a plurality of conduit loops within the chamber, each followed by a critical orifice, each loop and following critical orifice being physically configured to condense a different one of the additional products; and   wherein one of the additional products is liquefied carbon dioxide which is used to cool the chamber.   
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 47 , further including:
 a plurality of gas inlet conduits, each situated in a separately drilled hole;   a plurality of gas outlet conduits, each withdrawing the processing gas and hydrocarbonaceous products as effluent gas through a respective one of the holes; and   wherein the condenser systems are fed by the plurality of the gas outlet conduits.   
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein the initial condenser system includes a reflux chamber to reduce the ratio of heavy crude to lighter crudes. 
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein the gas outlet conduit is in gaseous communication with an apertured sleeve disposed within the hole to extract hydrocarbonaceous products from oil/tar sands.