SOLID HEAT CARRIER OIL SHALE RETORTING TECHNOLOGY WITH INTEGRATED CFB TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

The solid heat carrier (SHC) retorting method, so-called Galoter process, was developed for oil shale processing at the end of the 1940s. Since then the method has undergone several improvements. Nowadays there are different modifications of Galoter process in use – Petroter, Enefit-140 and TSK-500 technologies. The major differences between these technologies are in sizing (throughput), technical solutions and layouts. Recently a shale oil plant based on a new technology, Enefit-280, was commissioned. Enefit-280 is a technology successor of Enefit-140 where the heating of solid heat carrier is accomplished using the circulating fluidized bed (CFB) combustion technology as opposed to the conventional heat carrier combustion technology in Enefit-140. The CFB technology in Enefit-280 was integrated into the process to improve the performance of SHC heating process and reduce the emissions. Operational experience has demonstrated that the modified technology of SHC oil shale retorting has a potential to play a key role in shale oil production with reduced environmental impact.