The Hytort process is an above-ground
shale oil extraction
Shale oil extraction is an industrial process for unconventional oil production. This process converts kerogen in oil shale into shale oil by pyrolysis, hydrogenation, or thermal dissolution. The resultant shale oil is used as fuel oil or up ...
process developed by the
Institute of Gas Technology
The Gas Technology Institute is an American non-profit research and development organization which develops, demonstrates, and licenses new energy technologies for private and public clients, with a particular focus on the natural gas industry. G ...
. It is classified as a reactive fluid process,
which produces
shale oil
Shale oil is an unconventional oil produced from oil shale rock fragments by pyrolysis, hydrogenation, or thermal dissolution. These processes convert the organic matter within the rock (kerogen) into synthetic oil and gas. The resulting oil ca ...
by
hydrogenation
Hydrogenation is a chemical reaction between molecular hydrogen (H2) and another compound or element, usually in the presence of a Catalysis, catalyst such as nickel, palladium or platinum. The process is commonly employed to redox, reduce or S ...
.
The Hytort process has advantages when processing oil shales containing less hydrogen, such as the eastern
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
Devonian
The Devonian ( ) is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic era, spanning 60.3 million years from the end of the Silurian, million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Carboniferous, Mya. It is named after Devon, England, whe ...
oil shale
Oil shale is an organic-rich fine-grained sedimentary rock containing kerogen (a solid mixture of organic chemical compounds) from which liquid hydrocarbons can be produced. In addition to kerogen, general composition of oil shales constitute ...
s. In this process, oil shale is processed at controlled heating rates in a high-pressure hydrogen environment, which allows a carbon conversion rate of around 80%.
[
][
] Hydrogen reacts with coke
precursors (a chemical structure in the oil shale that is prone to form char during retorting but has not yet done so). In the case of Eastern US Devonian shales, the reaction roughly doubles the yield of oil, depending on the characteristics of the oil shale and process.
[
][
]
In 1980, the HYCRUDE Corporation was established to commercialize the Hytort technology. The feasibility study was conducted by HYCRUDE Corporation,
Phillips Petroleum Company
Phillips Petroleum Company was an American oil company incorporated in 1917 that expanded into petroleum refining, marketing and transportation, natural gas gathering and the chemicals sectors. It was Phillips Petroleum that first found oil in the ...
,
Bechtel Group and the Institute of Gas Technology.
[
]
See also
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Galoter process
The Galoter process (also known as TSK, UTT, or SHC; its newest modifications are called Enefit and Petroter) is a shale oil extraction technology for a production of shale oil, a type of synthetic crude oil. In this process, the oil shale is d ...
*
Alberta Taciuk Process
*
Petrosix process
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Kiviter process
The Kiviter process is an above ground retorting technology for shale oil extraction.
History
The Kiviter process is based on the earlier vertical retort technology (Pintsch's generator). This technology underwent a long process of development. ...
*
TOSCO II process
The TOSCO II process is an above ground retorting technology for shale oil extraction, which uses fine particles of oil shale that are heated in a rotating kiln. The particularity of this process is that it use hot ceramic balls for the heat tran ...
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Fushun process
The Fushun process is an above-ground retorting technology for shale oil extraction. It is named after the main production site of Fushun, Liaoning province in northeastern China.
History
The Fushun process was developed and utilized for the extra ...
*
Paraho process
The Paraho process is an above ground retorting technology for shale oil extraction. The name "Paraho" is delivered from the words "''para homem''", which means in Portuguese "for mankind".
History
The Paraho process was invented by John B. Jones, ...
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Lurgi-Ruhrgas process
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Chevron STB process
The Chevron STB process (also known as Staged Turbulent Bed Retorting Process) is an above-ground shale oil extraction technology. It is classified as a hot recycled solids technology.
The Chevron STB process is a hot recycled solids technology, ...
*
LLNL HRS process
LLNL HRS (hot recycled solid) process is an above-ground shale oil extraction technology. It is classified as a hot recycled solids technology.
History
The process was developed by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. In 1984–1987, La ...
*
KENTORT II
KENTORT II is an above-ground shale oil extraction process developed by the Center for Applied Energy Research of the University of Kentucky. It is a hot recycled solids fluidized bed retorting process developed since 1982 for processing the easter ...
References
{{Reflist
Oil shale technology