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in situ combustion

extraction process

Quick Summary

In situ combustion is a method for extracting oil and gas by burning a portion of the reservoir's oil underground to heat the remaining oil, reducing its viscosity and allowing it to flow more easily to production wells. This process requires injecting large amounts of compressed air to support combustion, with optimal temperatures around 500 °C (930 °F). While investigated for oil shale recovery, in situ processing for oil shale involves heating the rock underground to produce oil and gas, with methods including electrical heating or downhole burners. These underground heating processes are distinct from aboveground pyrolysis, which involves heating mined oil shale in specialized vessels. In situ combustion has not seen widespread commercial use.123

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