Pressurized Retorting of Oil Shale from Thailand and Colorado

Abstract

Two kinds of oil shales were retorted mostly under hydrogen pressure to clarify the effects of pressure, inlet gas flow rate, kind of gas and type of retort used. Although the yield of oil per weight of shale was not improved, lighter shale oils were obtained under higher pressures. Based on the hydrogen balance, a considerable amount of hydrogen was consumed in retorting, and the amount increased with increase in pressure. The rate of gas flow had a slight effect on the properties of the oil. Moreover, the type of retort, i.e., a box-type and a shaft-type retort, affected the properties but slightly, too.