CHAPTER 5 Technology Page Page Introduction ● .*. ... * * ,, *,, , **,,.*.,. 119 Demonstration . ........................173 Summary of Findings. .. ..119 Chapter 5 References. ..................175 An Overview of Oil Shale Processing . ......120 List of Tables Oil Shale Mining. .. .123 Surface Mining. 123 Table No. Page Underground Mining . ...................125 18. Overall Shale Oil Recoveries for Several Processing Options . 155 Oil Shale Retorting. ...................,128 19. Properties of Crude Shale Oil From True In Situ. ................,......128 Various Retorting Processes. 156 Modified In Situ . .......................131 20. Supply of Finished Petroleum Products Aboveground Retorting . .................137 in PADDs 2, 3, and 4 in1978 . 165 Advantages and Disadvantages of the 21. Technological Readiness of Oil Shale Processing Options. ..................153 Mining, Retorting, and Refining Oil Recovery . ......................154 Technologies . 168 Properties of Crude Shale Oil .. .... ... ....155 List of Figures Shale Oil Refining. ..................,..157 Shale Oil Upgrading Processes . ....,......158 FigureNo. Page Total Refining Processes . ................160 19. Oil Shale Utilization . 121 Cost of Upgrading and Refining . ...........162 20. The Components of an Underground Mining and Aboveground Retorting Oil Markets for Shale Oil. ..................163 Shale Complex. 122 Shale Oil as a BoilerFuel . ................163 21. An Open Pit Oil Shale Mine. 124 Shale Oil as a Refinery Feedstock . .........164 22. Open Pit Oil Shale Mining. 125 Shale Oil as a Petrochemical Feedstock .. ...166 23. The Colony Room-and-PillarMining Issues and Uncertainties . ................167 Concept . 126 24, Room-and-Pillar Mining on MultipIe R&D Needs and Present Programs. ........170 Levels . 127 R&D Needs . ...........................170 25. The Original Mine Development Plan Present Programs. ..............,..,...172 for Tract C-b . 128 Policy Options . .**.,*,.. 173 26. True In Situ Oil Shale Retorting . 129 R&D. ................,.....173 27. Modified In Situ Retorting. 132 Page Paqe 28. The RISE Method of MIS Oil Shale 42. The Superior Oil Shale Retort.. , . 150 Retorting . ,. 134 43. The Colony Semiworks Test Facility 29. Initial Modular MIS Retort Near Grand Valley, Colo. 151 Development Plan for Tract C-a . 135 44, The TOSCO II Oil Shale Retorting 30. Present MIS Retort Development Plan System .,, , . 0 ., . ., .,....,, 152 for Tract C-a . 136 45* The Lurgi-Ruhrgas Oil Shale Retorting 31. Retort Development Plan for the . ,0 ,0 . 153 Multi Mineral MIS Concept.. 136 46. Refining Scheme Used by the U.S. 32. Preparation of a Multi Mineral MIS Bureau of Mines to Maximize Gasoline Retort . 137 Production From Shale Oil . 161 33. A Set of Multi Mineral Misreports . 138 47* Refining Scheme Employing Coking 34. The Operation of an NTU Retort.. 140 Before an Initial Fractionation, Used by 35, Discharging Spent Shale Ash Froma Chevron U.S.A. in Refining 40-Ton NTU Retort. , . 141 Experiments. ., . 161 36. The Paraho Oil Shale Retorting System 143 48. Refining Scheme Employing Initial 37, The Paraho Semiworks Unit at Hydrotreating, Used by Chevron U.S.A. Anvil Points, Colo. ● , ● ● ● ● ● ● . ● . ● , . ● 143 in Refining Experiments . 161 38. The Petrosix Oil Shale Retorting 49. Refining Scheme Employing Initial System . .,..,.,.......,,..0.,.,0. 145 Fractionation, Used by SOHIO in 39. The Petrosix Demonstration Plant, Prerefining Studies . ... , . 162 Sao Mateus do Sul, Brazil. 146 50. The Petroleum Administration for 4U. The Union Oil “B” Retorting Process.. 147 Defense Districts. 165 41. Block Diagram for the Superior Multi Mineral Concept . 149 CHAPTER 5 Technology Introduction The mining and processing technologies that could be used to convert the oil that can be used to convert kerogenf the or- shale to liquid and gaseous fuels; ganic component of oil shale, into marketable ● the upgrading and refining methods that fuels are discussed in this chapter. The char- could be used to convert crude shale oil acteristics of these technologies will influ- to finished products; ence the effects that an oil shale industry will ● the potential markets for shale-derived have on the physical environment, and their fuels; technological readiness will affect the rate at ● the technological readiness of the major which an industry can be established. The steps in the oil shale conversion system; following subjects are discussed: ● the uncertainties and the research and development (R&D) needs that are asso- ● the general types of processing methods and their major unit operations; ciated with each major unit operation; ● and the mining methods that could be used to ● remove oil shale from the ground and the policies available to the Government prepare it for aboveground processing; for dealing with the uncertainties, ● the generic types of retorting methods Summary of Findings Oil shale contains a solid hydrocarbon called advanced with other minerals. More oil shale ex- kerogen that when heated (retorted) yields combusti- perience has been acquired with underground ble gases, crude shale oil, and a solid residue called mining, particularly room-and-pillar mining, and spent, retorted, or processed shale. Crude shale oil preparing MIS retorts. Although uncertainties re- can be obtained by either aboveground or in situ (in main, the mining technologies should advance place) processing. In aboveground retorting (AGR), rapidly if presently active projects continue and the shale is mined and then heated in retorting suspended ones resume. vessels. In a true in situ (TIS) process, a deposit is first fractured by explosives and then retorted under- ● TIS is presently a very primitive process, although ground. In modified in situ (MIS) processing, a por- R&D and field tests are being conducted. The prin- tion of the deposit is mined and the rest is shattered cipal advantages of TIS are that mining is not (rubbled) by explosives and retorted underground. needed and surface disturbance from facility siting The crude shale oil can be burned directly as boiler and waste disposal is minimized. The principal fuel, or it can be converted into a synthetic crude oil disadvantages are a low level of technological (syncrude) by adding hydrogen. The syncrude can readiness, low recovery of the shale oil, and a po- also be burned as boiler fuel, or it can be converted tential for surface subsidence and leaching of the to petrochemicals or refined to obtain finished fuels. spent shale by ground water. Some of OTA’s major findings concerning these min- ● MIS is a more advanced in situ method. It is being ing and processing technologies are: further developed on two lease tracts and a pri- ● Limited areas of the oil shale deposits may be vately owned site. The Department of Energy amenable to open pit mining. This technique has (DOE) is providing substantial R&D support. The never been tested with oil shale but it is well- principal advantages of MIS are that large depos- 119 120 ● An Assessment of Oil Shale Technologies its can be retorted, oil recoveries per acre affected $2.00 more per bbl than refining some of the are high, and relatively few surface facilities are poorer grades of domestic crude. required. However, some mining and some dis- posal of solid wastes on the surface are required, ● The initial output from the pioneer oil shale in- and the oil recovery per unit of ore processed is dustry will probably be marketed near the oil shale low relative to AGR methods. The burned-out MIS region. Once the industry is established, the shale retorts have a potential for ground water pollution. oil will probably be used as boiler fuel or refined in the Rocky Mountain States. A large industry will ● AGR also has a medium level of technological most likely supply oil to Midwest markets. A 1- readiness. Three retorts have been tested for sev- million-bbl/d industry could completely displace eral months at rates approaching one-tenth the ca- the quantities of jet, diesel, and distillate heating pacity of commercial-size modules. Others are still fuels that are presently obtained from foreign at the laboratory or pilot-plant stages. The princi- sources in the entire Midwest. pal advantage of AGR processing is high oil recov- ery per unit of ore processed. However, with some ● With the present technical status of the critical mining methods, oil recoveries per acre may be retorting processes, deploying a major oil shale in- lower than with MIS. Surface disturbance is high- dustry would entail appreciable risks of techno- est with AGR because of the extensive surface fa- logical and economic failure. Although much R&D cilities, and because large quantities of solid has been conducted, and development is proceed- waste are generated. ing, the total amount of shale oil produced to date ● The physical and chemical properties of crude is equivalent to only 10 days of production from a shale oil differ from those of many conventional single 50,000-bbl/d plant. Because of its primi- crudes. However, depending on the nature of the tive status, much basic and applied R&D is needed upgrading techniques applied, the syncrude can for the TIS method. The MIS approach and some be a premium-quality refinery feedstock, compar- of the AGR processes are ready for the next stage able with the best grades of conventional crude. of development—either modular retort demonstra- Shale oil is a better source of jet fuel, diesel fuel, tions or pioneer commercial-scale plants. Such and distillate