Abstract: A method for forming an in situ oil shale retort in a subterranean formation containing oil shale is provided. The in situ oil shale retort has top, bottom, and generally vertically extending side boundaries of unfragmented formation and contains a body of expanded oil shale formation that completely fills the retort to its top boundary. The retort is bulked full by explosively expanding a layer above a fragmented permeable mass of formation particles forming part of the body of expanded formation in the retort. The layer is expanded with an available void fraction of no more than about ten percent.

Abstract: A method of pyrolyzing and desulfurizing coal in a transport reactor to recover volatile fuel values and hydrogen by heating particulate coal entrained in a carrier gas substantially free of oxygen to a pyrolysis temperature in a zone within three seconds.

Abstract: Carbonaceous material is gasified in a first pyrolysis zone substantially in an absence of free oxygen by heating with a solid heating media. The carbonaceous material is conducted through the first pyrolysis zone in turbulent flow to provide for the rapid transfer of heat to effect the gasification.Gaseous products are recovered while char products are introduced into a second pyrolysis zone for additional gasification. The second pyrolysis zone is maintained substantially free of free oxygen. Gasification in the second pyrolysis zone is effected by the transfer of heat from a heating media to the char products produced in the first pyrolysis zone.Gaseous products from the second pyrolysis zone are recovered.The char products from the second pyrolysis zone can be heated to a temperature sufficient for use as a solid heating media.The gaseous product from the first pyrolysis zone, after separation from the char product, can be cooled to a lower temperature to condense a liquid product therefrom.

Abstract: A subterranean formation containing oil shale is prepared for in situ retorting by forming a fragmented permeable mass of formation particles containing oil shale in an in situ oil shale retort site. Formation is initially excavated from the retort site for forming one or more voids extending horizontally across the retort site, leaving a zone of unfragmented formation adjacent such a void. In one ambodiment, an array of rocks bolts are anchored in at least a portion of the roof adjacent such a void for providing reinforcement of unfragmented formation above the void. Vertical blasting holes are drilled in the zone of unfragmented formation adjacent the void. Explosive is placed in the blasting holes and detonated for explosively expanding the zone of unfragmented formation toward the void, including the rock bolted portion of the roof, for forming at least a portion of a fragmented permeable mass of formation particles containing oil shale in an in situ oil shale retort.

Abstract: Carbonaceous material is gasified in a first pyrolysis zone substantially in an absence of free oxygen by heating with a solid heating media. The carbonaceous material is conducted through the first pyrolysis zone in turbulent flow to provide for the rapid transfer of heat to effect the gasification.Gaseous products are recovered while char products are introduced into a second pyrolysis zone for additional gasification. The second pyrolysis zone is maintained substantially free of free oxygen. Gasification in the second pyrolysis zone is effected by the transfer of heat from a heating media to the char products produced in the first pyrolysis zone.Gaseous products from the second pyrolysis zone are recovered.The char products from the second pyrolysis zone can be heated to a temperature sufficient for use as a solid heating media.The gaseous product from the first pyrolysis zone, after separation from the char product, can be cooled to a lower temperature to condense a liquid product therefrom.

Abstract: This invention covers an improved hydrodesulfurization process which significantly reduces the organic sulfur content of char by first magnetically or electrostatically removing iron sulfides and precursors of iron sulfides from char and then hydrodesulfurizing the remaining char.

Abstract: Essentially carbon free inorganic particles formed from the decarbonization of a carbon containing solid residue of pyrolysis of comminuted organic solid waste is employed as the prime heat source for the pyrolysis of the comminuted organic solid waste.

Abstract: This invention covers a process for reducing the sulfur content of char by washing the char with an acid followed by treatment with hydrogen gas.

Abstract: This invention covers a process for reducing the sulfide sulfur content of char by treatment with a gaseous mixture of carbon dioxide and H.sub.2 O.