How ATP technology works
The shale is first crushed to marble-sized pellets.
1&2. The prepared shale is then fed into a pre-heating portion of the retort and the temperature increased to approximately 250 celsius.
3. Shale is transferred to the reaction zone of the retort, heated to 500 - 550 celsius. At this temperature the kerogen in the shale decomposes into gas, hydrocarbon vapour and coke.
4. The spent retorted shale is then heated further to 750 celcius by injection of air to assist in burining the residual carbon. This hot combusted shale is then used to pre-heat the incoming feed shale.
Finishing - Gas and hydrocarbon vapour is condensed and distilled into raw naphtha and medium shale oil, as well as a heavy oil product that is re-treated to feed into the medium oil product. Produced oil is transferred to storage tanks prior to transportation to a refinery for further processing into fuel products.
The shale lifecycle - Spent shale has a variety of uses such as the production of asphalt and cement, which adds value to mining projects.
Waste disposal - To minimise environmental impact, unwanted spent shale will be returned to the mine, covered with the original, stored overburden and landscaped to blend in with its desert setting. A clay lining in the mine guards against any leakage into the ground water supply.
