Oil Shale Technology

Book excerpt: This book focuses on the fundamental and engineering aspects of shale oil extraction, as well as the mathematical clarification of the complex transport mechanisms involved in oil shale pyrolysis. The influence of the chemical and physical environment on the enhancement of oil yield is explained, and ex situ and in situ technologies are reviewed and compared. The discussion on ex situ shale oil extraction includes both thermal and chemical extraction techniques such as retorting, solvent, and supercritical extraction. Parallels are drawn between the processes available for recovering and using other fossil fuel sources, such as coal and tar sands, and oil shale. In addition to covering the characteristics of oil shale, Oil Shale Technology summarizes the physical and chemical properties of shale oil obtained from various deposits around the world. The influence of the retorting process on the properties of the resulting oil shale is discussed, as are standardized techniques for determining these properties. Engineers, geologists, chemists, chemical engineers, and other researchers in the petroleum and chemical industries should consider this book an important reference resource.