The characteristics of a low temperature in situ shale oil

Abstract

A 40 degrees A.P.I. crude shale oil has been produced from the Green River Formation in the Piceance Creek Basin of Colorado by injection of hot natural gas at a controlled temperature. The quality of the shale oil differs very markedly from the customary shale oil from the same formation produced in a high temperature retort. The characteristics of the oil fractions have now been determined. These include distillation analyses, viscosity, and pour point determination. Kinetic data on the production of the shale oil under the conditions used in the field, but carried out on a small scale in the laboratory will be presented. A possible mechanism for the production of this oil, as well as a mechanism for the production of shale oil by more usual high temperature methods will be presented.