Steven Rene Howe

US Patent:

50134280, May 7, 1991

Filed:

Apr 5, 1990

Appl. No.:

7/504937

Inventors:

Ben A. Christolini - Yorba Linda CA
Kimanh T. Le - Corona CA
Mitchell J. Berndt - Placentia CA
Steven E. Howe - Chino CA

Assignee:

Union Oil Company of California - Los Angeles CA

International Classification:

C10G 100

US Classification:

208415

Abstract:

Enhanced recovery of oil from an oil-containing particulate shale sludge is achieved by contacting the sludge with a light hydrocarbon solvent fraction, obtained from the processing of oil derived from the shale, in the presence of water to form an oil-solvent liquid phase which is separated from an aqueous phase containing oil-depleted shale. The oil-solvent liquid phase when introduced into a slurry of product oil and particulate contained within a shale retort provides several advantages, including lowering the viscosity of the product oil and enhanced separation of the product oil from the particulate shale.