Inventors:
Mark Dean Looney - Houston TX, US
Robert Steven Lestz - Missouri City TX, US
Kirk Hollis - Los Alamos NM, US
Craig Taylor - Los Alamos NM, US
Scott Kinkead - Los Alamos NM, US
Marcus Wigand - Los Alamos NM, US
Assignee:
Chevron U.S.A. Inc. - San Ramon CA
Los Alamos National Security, LLC - Los Alamos NM
International Classification:
E21B 43/22
E21B 43/25
E21B 43/263
E21B 49/00
US Classification:
16625001, 166 901, 1662721, 166263, 166299, 166302, 166303, 1663051, 166307, 1663082
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to methods for extracting a kerogen-based product from subsurface (oil) shale formations, wherein such methods rely on fracturing and/or rubblizing portions of said formations so as to enhance their fluid permeability, and wherein such methods further rely on chemically modifying the shale-bound kerogen so as to render it mobile. The present invention is also directed at systems for implementing at least some of the foregoing methods. Additionally, the present invention is also directed to methods of fracturing and/or rubblizing subsurface shale formations and to methods of chemically modifying kerogen in situ so as to render it mobile.