Method for extracting hydrocarbon compounds, especially crude oil, from underground oil sands deposits

Abstract

A method for extracting hydrocarbon compounds, especially crude oil, from underground oil sands deposits, including the following steps: at least two parallel boring sections are created in the oil sands deposits; at least some areas of the boring sections are filled with an explosive material; the explosive material is ignited in order to enlarge the boring sections; the combustible material is ignited in at least one of the boring sections in order to convert the hydrocarbon compounds in the oil sands deposit into a liquid and/or gaseous state; the hydrocarbon compounds in a liquid and/or gaseous state are collected; and auxiliary substances such as water and atmospheric oxygen are optionally introduced and removed for desired material conversions for the refining of hydrocarbons.

1 . A method for extracting hydrocarbon compounds, especially crude oil, from underground oil sand deposits, with the steps of
 introducing at least two bore sections parallel to one another into the oil sand deposit,   at least sectionally filling the bore sections with an explosive material,   detonating the explosive material to enlarge the bore sections,   igniting combustible material in at least one of the bore sections, to convert the hydrocarbon compounds present in the oil sand deposit into a liquid and/or gaseous state, and   collecting the hydrocarbon compounds present in a liquid and/or gaseous state.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , including compacting of the oil sand material surrounding the outer surface of the bore sections, by means of the enlarging of the bore sections after detonating of the explosive material. 
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the explosive material is a gellike explosive. 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein air is supplied to the bore sections to promote the combustion of the combustible material, and in that off-gases formed during combustion are drawn off under suction. 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein water, steam, oxygen, more particularly atmospheric oxygen, carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide is supplied to or targetedly withdrawn from the bore sections in order to influence temperature and physical conversions, such as cracking and upgrading, for example, in the region of the bore sections. 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon compounds present in the oil sand deposit are split by means of the combustion into hydrocarbon chains of different lengths and different aggregate states, with short-chain, lighter and/or gaseous chain components rising upward, and long-chain, heavier and/or liquid chain components falling downward. 
     
     
         7 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the combustion of the combustible material is extinguished by the pumped introduction of an extinguishant, more particularly by means of an extinguishing gas, CO 2  for example. 
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , including sealing off at least one bore section from the atmosphere. 
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , with the steps of
 introducing a first, substantially vertical bore section down into the oil sand deposit,   introducing a second, substantially horizontal bore section into the oil sand deposit, starting from the first, vertical bore section,   introducing at least one third, substantially horizontal bore section into the oil sand deposit, starting from the first, vertical bore section or starting from a fourth, vertical bore section, the third, horizontal bore section being arranged with a vertical and/or horizontal offset from the second, horizontal bore section and running substantially parallel thereto,   at least sectionally filling the second, horizontal bore section and the third, horizontal bore section with an explosive material, and detonating this explosive material to enlarge the second, horizontal and third, horizontal bore sections,   igniting combustible material in the second and/or third, horizontal bore section(s), to convert the hydrocarbon compounds present in the oil sand deposit into a liquid and/or gaseous state, and   collecting the liquid and/or gaseous hydrocarbon compounds.   
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein two or more second, horizontal bore sections and two or more third, horizontal bore sections are arranged in planes which each run parallel to one another. 
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein two or more second, horizontal bore sections and two or more third, horizontal bore sections are arranged in a plane at a predetermined distance from one another. 
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , with the steps of
 introducing at least one first, substantially vertical bore section down into the oil sand deposit,   introducing at least one fourth, substantially vertical bore section down into the oil sand deposit, substantially parallel to the first, vertical bore section, characterized by   at least sectionally filling the first and/or fourth vertical bore section(s) with an explosive material, and detonating this explosive material to enlarge the first and/or fourth vertical bore section(s),   igniting combustible material in the first and/or fourth vertical bore section(s), to convert the hydrocarbon compounds present in the oil sand deposit into a liquid and/or gaseous state, and   collecting the liquid and/or gaseous hydrocarbon compounds.   
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , including connecting the first and fourth vertical bore sections by means of horizontal bore sections, with at least one horizontal bore section connecting the vertical bore sections in an upper region, and at least one horizontal bore section connecting the vertical bore sections in a lower region.