Paraho process
Encyclopedia
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".
developed by the United States Bureau of Mines
and the earlier Nevada–Texas–Utah Retort
. In the late 1940s, these retorts were tested in the Oil Shale Experiment Station at Anvil Points in Rifle, Colorado
. In 1971, the Standard Oil of Ohio
started to cooperate with Mr. John B. Jones providing financial support for obtaining an oil shale lease at Anvil Points. In May 1972, the lease was approved. Before leasing a track at Anvil Points, a test of using the Paraho Direct process for limestone
calcination
in cement kilns was carried out.
The consortium for developing the Anvil Points lease – the Paraho Development Corporation – was formed in 1973. In addition to the Standard Oil of Ohio, other participants of the consortium were Atlantic Richfield
, Carter Oil, Chevron Research
, Cleveland-Cliffs Iron, Gulf Oil
, Kerr-McKee
, Marathon Oil
, Arthur G. McKee, Mobil Research
, Phillips Petroleum Company, Shell Development, Southern California Edison
, Standard Oil Company (Indiana)
, Sun Oil
, Texaco
, and the Webb-Chambers-Gary-McLoraine Group. Shale oil
retorting started in 1974 when two operational retorts – pilot plant and semiworks – were put into operation. The semiworks unit achieved a maximum throughput capacity of 290 tons
(263 tonnes) of raw oil shale per day. In March 1976, the Paraho Development Corporation tested a modification of its technology – the Paraho Indirect process. The Anvil Points lease was closed in 1978.
In 1976–1978, under the contracts with the United States Navy
, Paraho technology was used for production of 100,000 barrels of crude shale oil. It was tested for using as military transportation fuels. The Gary Western Refinery in Fruita, Colorado
, refined the Paraho shale oil for production of gasoline
, jet fuel
s, diesel fuel marine, and heavy fuel oil. Paraho JP-4 aviation fuel was tested by the United States Air Force
in the T-39 jet aircraft flight, which took a place between the Wright Patterson Air Force Base (Dayton, Ohio
) and the Carswell Air Force Base
(Fort Worth, Texas
). In addition, the Paraho heavy fuel oil was used for fueling a Cleveland-Cliffs Iron ore carrier during its 7-day cruise on Great Lakes
. On 13 June 1980, the Department of Energy awarded $4.4 million contract (participants providing additional $3.7 million) for a 18-month study to construct a 18,000 TPD modular demonstration shale oil plant producing 10,000 BPD on a lease 40 miles southeast of Vernal, Utah
. The demonstration module was never built.
In 1982, Paraho’s semi-works plant was torn down when the Anvil Points station was decommissioned, but the pilot plant was moved to an adjacent plot of private land.
In 1987, Paraho reorganized as New Paraho and began production of SOMAT asphalt additive used in test strips in 5 States. In 1991, New PARAHO reported successful tests of SOMAT shale oil asphalt additive.
On 28 June 2000, Shale Technologies
purchased Paraho Development Corporation and became owner of the proprietary information relating to the Paraho oil shale retorting technologies.
On 14 August 2008, Queensland Energy Resources
announced that it will use the Paraho Indirect technology for its Stuart Oil Shale Project
.
and Fushun
retorts, used correspondingly in Estonia and China. However, compared to the earlier gas combustion retorts the Paraho retort's raw oil shale feeding mechanism, gas distributor, and discharge grate have different designs. In the Paraho Direct process, the crushed and screened raw oil shale is fed into the top of the retort through a rotating distributor. The oil shale descends the retort as a moving bed. The oil shale is heated by the rising combustion gases from the lower part of the retort and the kerogen
in the shale decomposes at about 500 °C (932 °F) to oil vapour, shale oil gas and spent shale. Heat for pyrolysis comes from the combustion of char
in the spent shale. The combustion takes place where air is injected at two levels in the middle of the retort below the pyrolysis section raising the temperature of the shale and the gas to 700 °C (1,292 °F) to 800 °C (1,472 °F). Collecting tubes at the top of the retort carry shale oil mist, evolved gases and combustion gases into the product separation unit, where oil, water and dust are separated from the gases. For combined removal of liquid droplets and particulates, a wet electrostatic precipitator
is used. Cleaned gases from the precipitator are compressed in a compressor. Part of the gas from the compressor is recycled to the bottom of the retort to cool the combusted shale (shale ash) and carry the recovered heat back up the retort. Cooled shale ash exits the retort through the discharge grate in the bottom of the retort. After processing, shale ash is disposed of. The liquid oil is separated from produced water and may be further refined into high quality products. The mixture of evolved gases and combustions gases is available for use as a low quality fuel gas for drying or power generation.
The Paraho Indirect is classified as an externally generated hot gas technology . The Paraho Indirect retort configuration is similar to the Paraho Direct except that a part of the gas from the compressor is heated to between 600 °C (1,112 °F) to 800 °C (1,472 °F) in a separate furnace and injected into the retort instead of air. No combustion occurs in the Paraho Indirect retort itself. As a result, the fuel gas from the Paraho Indirect is not diluted with combustion gases and the char remains on the disposed spent shale.
The main advantage of the Paraho process is simplicity in process and design; it has few moving parts and therefore low construction and operating costs compared with more sophisticated technologies. The Paraho retort also consumes no water, which is especially important for oil shale extraction in areas with water scarcity.
A disadvantage common to both the Paraho Direct and Paraho Indirect is that neither are able to process oil shale particles smaller than about 12 millimetre (0.47244094488189 in). These fines may account for 10 to 30 per cent of the crushed feed.
History
The Paraho process was invented by John B. Jones, Jr., later president of the Paraho Development Corporation, and developed by Development Engineering, Inc., in late 1960s. Its design was based on a gas combustion retortGas Combustion Retort Process
The gas combustion retort process was an above-ground retorting technology for shale oil extraction...
developed by the United States Bureau of Mines
United States Bureau of Mines
For most of the 20th century, the U.S. Bureau of Mines was the primary United States Government agency conducting scientific research and disseminating information on the extraction, processing, use, and conservation of mineral resources.- Summary :...
and the earlier Nevada–Texas–Utah Retort
Nevada–Texas–Utah Retort
The Nevada–Texas–Utah Retort process was an above ground shale oil extraction technology to produce shale oil, a type of synthetic crude oil. It heated oil shale in a sealed vessel causing its decomposition into shale oil, oil shale gas and spent residue...
. In the late 1940s, these retorts were tested in the Oil Shale Experiment Station at Anvil Points in Rifle, Colorado
Rifle, Colorado
The City of Rifle is a Home Rule Municipality in Garfield County, Colorado, United States. The population was 6,769 at the 2000 census. Rifle is a regional center of the cattle ranching industry located along Interstate 70 and the Colorado River just east of the Roan Cliffs, which dominate the...
. In 1971, the Standard Oil of Ohio
Standard Oil of Ohio
Standard Oil of Ohio or Sohio was an American oil company that was acquired by British Petroleum, now called BP.It was one of the successor companies to Standard Oil after the antitrust breakup in 1911. Standard Oil of Ohio was the original Standard Oil company founded by John D. Rockefeller. It...
started to cooperate with Mr. John B. Jones providing financial support for obtaining an oil shale lease at Anvil Points. In May 1972, the lease was approved. Before leasing a track at Anvil Points, a test of using the Paraho Direct process for limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
calcination
Calcination
Calcination is a thermal treatment process applied to ores and other solid materials to bring about a thermal decomposition, phase transition, or removal of a volatile fraction. The calcination process normally takes place at temperatures below the melting point of the product materials...
in cement kilns was carried out.
The consortium for developing the Anvil Points lease – the Paraho Development Corporation – was formed in 1973. In addition to the Standard Oil of Ohio, other participants of the consortium were Atlantic Richfield
ARCO
Atlantic Richfield Company is an oil company with operations in the United States as well as in Indonesia, the North Sea, and the South China Sea. It has more than 1,300 gas stations in the western part of the United States. ARCO was originally formed by the merger of East Coast-based Atlantic...
, Carter Oil, Chevron Research
Chevron Corporation
Chevron Corporation is an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California, United States and active in more than 180 countries. It is engaged in every aspect of the oil, gas, and geothermal energy industries, including exploration and production; refining,...
, Cleveland-Cliffs Iron, Gulf Oil
Gulf Oil
Gulf Oil was a major global oil company from the 1900s to the 1980s. The eighth-largest American manufacturing company in 1941 and the ninth-largest in 1979, Gulf Oil was one of the so-called Seven Sisters oil companies...
, Kerr-McKee
TransCanada Corp.
TransCanada Corporation is a major North American energy company based in Calgary, Alberta, developing and operating energy infrastructure in North America. Its pipeline network includes approximately of pipeline and connects with virtually all major gas supply basins in North America...
, Marathon Oil
Marathon Oil
Marathon Oil Corporation is a United States-based oil and natural gas exploration and production company. Principal exploration activities are in the United States, Norway, Equatorial Guinea, Angola and Canada. Principal development activities are in the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway,...
, Arthur G. McKee, Mobil Research
ExxonMobil
Exxon Mobil Corporation or ExxonMobil, is an American multinational oil and gas corporation. It is a direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil company, and was formed on November 30, 1999, by the merger of Exxon and Mobil. Its headquarters are in Irving, Texas...
, Phillips Petroleum Company, Shell Development, Southern California Edison
Southern California Edison
Southern California Edison , the largest subsidiary of Edison International , is the primary electricity supply company for much of Southern California, USA. It provides 14 million people with electricity...
, Standard Oil Company (Indiana)
Amoco
Amoco Corporation, originally Standard Oil Company , was a global chemical and oil company, founded in 1889 around a refinery located in Whiting, Indiana, United States....
, Sun Oil
Sunoco
Sunoco Inc. is an American petroleum and petrochemical manufacturer headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, formerly known as Sun Company Inc. and Sun Oil Co. ....
, Texaco
Texaco
Texaco is the name of an American oil retail brand. Its flagship product is its fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owns the Havoline motor oil brand....
, and the Webb-Chambers-Gary-McLoraine Group. Shale oil
Shale oil
Shale oil, known also as kerogen oil or oil-shale oil, is an unconventional oil produced from oil shale by pyrolysis, hydrogenation, or thermal dissolution. These processes convert the organic matter within the rock into synthetic oil and gas...
retorting started in 1974 when two operational retorts – pilot plant and semiworks – were put into operation. The semiworks unit achieved a maximum throughput capacity of 290 tons
Short ton
The short ton is a unit of mass equal to . In the United States it is often called simply ton without distinguishing it from the metric ton or the long ton ; rather, the other two are specifically noted. There are, however, some U.S...
(263 tonnes) of raw oil shale per day. In March 1976, the Paraho Development Corporation tested a modification of its technology – the Paraho Indirect process. The Anvil Points lease was closed in 1978.
In 1976–1978, under the contracts with the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, Paraho technology was used for production of 100,000 barrels of crude shale oil. It was tested for using as military transportation fuels. The Gary Western Refinery in Fruita, Colorado
Fruita, Colorado
The City of Fruita is a Home Rule Municipality located in the western part of Mesa County, Colorado, in the United States. It is part of the Grand Junction Metropolitan Statistical Area and within the Grand Valley...
, refined the Paraho shale oil for production of gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
, jet fuel
Jet fuel
Jet fuel is a type of aviation fuel designed for use in aircraft powered by gas-turbine engines. It is clear to straw-colored in appearance. The most commonly used fuels for commercial aviation are Jet A and Jet A-1 which are produced to a standardized international specification...
s, diesel fuel marine, and heavy fuel oil. Paraho JP-4 aviation fuel was tested by the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
in the T-39 jet aircraft flight, which took a place between the Wright Patterson Air Force Base (Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
) and the Carswell Air Force Base
Carswell Air Force Base
Carswell Air Force Base, was a United States Air Force Strategic Air Command base located about northwest central of Fort Worth, Texas, United States; the air force base is mostly within the Fort Worth city limits and has portions within Westworth and White Settlement...
(Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
). In addition, the Paraho heavy fuel oil was used for fueling a Cleveland-Cliffs Iron ore carrier during its 7-day cruise on Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
. On 13 June 1980, the Department of Energy awarded $4.4 million contract (participants providing additional $3.7 million) for a 18-month study to construct a 18,000 TPD modular demonstration shale oil plant producing 10,000 BPD on a lease 40 miles southeast of Vernal, Utah
Vernal, Utah
Vernal, Uintah County's largest city, is located in eastern Utah near the Colorado State Line, and 175 miles east of Salt Lake City. It is bordered on the north by the Uinta Mountains, one of the few mountains ranges in the world which lie in an east-west rather than the usual north to south...
. The demonstration module was never built.
In 1982, Paraho’s semi-works plant was torn down when the Anvil Points station was decommissioned, but the pilot plant was moved to an adjacent plot of private land.
In 1987, Paraho reorganized as New Paraho and began production of SOMAT asphalt additive used in test strips in 5 States. In 1991, New PARAHO reported successful tests of SOMAT shale oil asphalt additive.
On 28 June 2000, Shale Technologies
Shale Technologies (company)
Shale Technologies, LLC is an American privately held oil shale company with the headquarter in Rifle, Colorado. It is an owner of the proprietary information relating to the Paraho oil shale retorting technologies . The Paraho Direct is an American version of a vertical shaft retort similar to...
purchased Paraho Development Corporation and became owner of the proprietary information relating to the Paraho oil shale retorting technologies.
On 14 August 2008, Queensland Energy Resources
Queensland Energy Resources
Queensland Energy Resources Limited is an Australian oil shale mining and shale oil extraction company with the headquarter in Brisbane. It is the developer of the Stuart and McFarlane oil shale projects.-History:...
announced that it will use the Paraho Indirect technology for its Stuart Oil Shale Project
Stuart Oil Shale Project
The Stuart Oil Shale Project was an oil shale development project in Australia near Gladstone, Queensland. It was Australia's first major attempt since the 1950s to restart commercial use of oil shale...
.
Technology
The Paraho process can be operated in two different heating modes, which are direct and indirect. The Paraho Direct process evolved from gas combustion retort technology and is classified as an internal combustion method. Accordingly, the Paraho Direct retort is a vertical shaft retort similar to the KiviterKiviter process
-History:The Kiviter process is based on the earlier vertical retort technology . This technology underwent a long process of development...
and Fushun
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:...
retorts, used correspondingly in Estonia and China. However, compared to the earlier gas combustion retorts the Paraho retort's raw oil shale feeding mechanism, gas distributor, and discharge grate have different designs. In the Paraho Direct process, the crushed and screened raw oil shale is fed into the top of the retort through a rotating distributor. The oil shale descends the retort as a moving bed. The oil shale is heated by the rising combustion gases from the lower part of the retort and the kerogen
Kerogen
Kerogen is a mixture of organic chemical compounds that make up a portion of the organic matter in sedimentary rocks. It is insoluble in normal organic solvents because of the huge molecular weight of its component compounds. The soluble portion is known as bitumen. When heated to the right...
in the shale decomposes at about 500 °C (932 °F) to oil vapour, shale oil gas and spent shale. Heat for pyrolysis comes from the combustion of char
Char
Char is the solid material that remains after light gases and tar coal tar have been driven out or released from a carbonaceous material during the initial stage of combustion, which is known as carbonization, charring, devolatilization or pyrolysis.Further stages of efficient combustion are...
in the spent shale. The combustion takes place where air is injected at two levels in the middle of the retort below the pyrolysis section raising the temperature of the shale and the gas to 700 °C (1,292 °F) to 800 °C (1,472 °F). Collecting tubes at the top of the retort carry shale oil mist, evolved gases and combustion gases into the product separation unit, where oil, water and dust are separated from the gases. For combined removal of liquid droplets and particulates, a wet electrostatic precipitator
Electrostatic precipitator
An electrostatic precipitator , or electrostatic air cleaner is a particulate collection device that removes particles from a flowing gas using the force of an induced electrostatic charge...
is used. Cleaned gases from the precipitator are compressed in a compressor. Part of the gas from the compressor is recycled to the bottom of the retort to cool the combusted shale (shale ash) and carry the recovered heat back up the retort. Cooled shale ash exits the retort through the discharge grate in the bottom of the retort. After processing, shale ash is disposed of. The liquid oil is separated from produced water and may be further refined into high quality products. The mixture of evolved gases and combustions gases is available for use as a low quality fuel gas for drying or power generation.
The Paraho Indirect is classified as an externally generated hot gas technology . The Paraho Indirect retort configuration is similar to the Paraho Direct except that a part of the gas from the compressor is heated to between 600 °C (1,112 °F) to 800 °C (1,472 °F) in a separate furnace and injected into the retort instead of air. No combustion occurs in the Paraho Indirect retort itself. As a result, the fuel gas from the Paraho Indirect is not diluted with combustion gases and the char remains on the disposed spent shale.
The main advantage of the Paraho process is simplicity in process and design; it has few moving parts and therefore low construction and operating costs compared with more sophisticated technologies. The Paraho retort also consumes no water, which is especially important for oil shale extraction in areas with water scarcity.
A disadvantage common to both the Paraho Direct and Paraho Indirect is that neither are able to process oil shale particles smaller than about 12 millimetre (0.47244094488189 in). These fines may account for 10 to 30 per cent of the crushed feed.
Operations
- Shale Technologies LCCShale Technologies (company)Shale Technologies, LLC is an American privately held oil shale company with the headquarter in Rifle, Colorado. It is an owner of the proprietary information relating to the Paraho oil shale retorting technologies . The Paraho Direct is an American version of a vertical shaft retort similar to...
owns and operates a pilot Paraho retort near Rifle, ColoradoRifle, ColoradoThe City of Rifle is a Home Rule Municipality in Garfield County, Colorado, United States. The population was 6,769 at the 2000 census. Rifle is a regional center of the cattle ranching industry located along Interstate 70 and the Colorado River just east of the Roan Cliffs, which dominate the...
.
See also
- Alberta Taciuk ProcessAlberta Taciuk ProcessThe Alberta Taciuk process is an above-ground dry thermal retorting technology for extracting oil from oil sands, oil shale and other organics-bearing materials, including oil contaminated soils, sludges and wastes...
- Galoter processGaloter processThe Galoter process 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 decomposed into shale oil, oil shale gas, and spent residue...
- Fushun processFushun processThe 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:...
- Kiviter processKiviter process-History:The Kiviter process is based on the earlier vertical retort technology . This technology underwent a long process of development...
- Lurgi-Ruhrgas processLurgi-Ruhrgas processThe Lurgi–Ruhrgas process is an above-ground coal liquefaction and shale oil extraction technology. It is classified as a hot recycled solids technology.-History:...
- PetrosixPetrosixPetrosix is currently the world’s largest surface oil shale pyrolysis retort with an diameter vertical shaft kiln, operational since 1992. It is located in São Mateus do Sul, Brazil, and it is owned and operated by the Brazil energy company Petrobras. Petrosix means also the Petrosix process, an...
- TOSCO II processTOSCO II processThe 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 transfer between the retort and a heater...
- Superior multimineral processSuperior multimineral processThe Superior multimineral process is an above ground shale oil extraction technology designed for production of shale oil, a type of synthetic crude oil. The process heats oil shale in a sealed horizontal segmented vessel causing its decomposition into shale oil, oil shale gas and spent residue...
- Union processUnion processThe Union process is an above ground shale oil extraction technology for production of shale oil, a type of synthetic crude oil. The process uses a vertical retort where heating causes decomposition of oil shale into shale oil, oil shale gas and spent residue...