An ImprovedOil Shale
RetortA Road Not Taken
26th Oil Shale SymposiumOctober 17, 2006
Larry M. Southwick, P.E.Cincinnati, Ohio
OutlineIntroductionFluid Bed RetortsFluid Catalytic CrackingFundamentalsDemo PlantsResolution
Synfuels BasicsOil shale
KerogenHeating (500°C or more)
Oil sandsBitumenWater dissolution
Oil and gasNo mining requiredGenerally higher quality products
ChallengesTechnology
Large scale miningWhole mass must be heatedSmall unit sizes heretoforeRecovery low (<~50% of organic C)Dusting into product oilBeneficiation has not been successful
ChallengesOther Areas
Operational risks (need good demo plant)Environmental permitting/liabilitiesUncertain public policyLead time - design, permitting, constructionEconomics
Lots of iron and steel in plantsErgo, oil price goes up, plant cost riseCan’t get there from here
Fluid Bed RetortingHytort
High pressure, hydrogen, mistingNot viable as moving bed - redesignFluid bed tried
Chattanooga EnergyHigh pressure, hydrogen, spouted bed
Ensyn/IvanhoeHigh velocity cyclonic vesselBiomass, heavy oil, oil shale
Fluid Cat CrackingESSO
1940’s, Australian shalesYield loss, dusting into product
SinclairHot gas from combustion to heat retortModify Gas Combustion
METCStacked beds (Kellogg A)
ESSO
Advanced ConceptsKentort II
Devonian, pyrolyzer, gasifier, combustorHeat carrier, reactivityTarry, dirty oil
Univ. of Queensland/CSIROCirculating beds: retort & combustorInert carrier, or well combusted spent shaleHigher temperature = higher yieldsRundle Twins - road not taken (ATP)
KENTORT II
CSIRO/QUEENSLAND
Oil Company EntriesExxon
FCCU pilot plant, secretiveGreen River shale, Rundle shaleDusts into oil Viewed as not viable
AmocoCirculating beds: Contactor, retort, combustorInert carrier or combusted spent shaleBasic data, shale holding time, strip vaporsShale fines into product oil, same on LurgiSand lost to system, replaced by spent shaleViewed as not viable
Exxon
AMOCO
Design ResolutionInert carrier
No spent shale in retort - better yieldNo dusts into oil - better quality oils
Fluid bed designLike AmocoDo not allow carrier/shale separationRemove dust from carrier after heatingObtain basic data: temp., particle data, fluidization characteristics (species, psd)Need pilot testing
ConclusionsHigh oil prices will not make small scale units magically become economicalToo much iron, steel and concreteNeed to find a larger capacity alternativeFCCU holds considerable promiseThink beyond Big Oil’s dead ends
FCCU benefited from years of improvements
Investigate beneficiation - fines not an issue if Fl. BedOil sands has done it, oil shale can too!