SECOND ANNUAL OIL SHALE CONTRACTORS MEETING: Agenda, Project Synopses, List of Participants

"For the second time in 40 years, the DOE Oil Shale Program is evolving new technologies to produce shale oil in competition with conventional petroleum. The first stage in the program (1944 to 1984) resulted in oil shale conversion systems such as Paraho, Oxy, and Geokinetics, which were funded through the pilot plant stage and are technically but not economically ready for commercialization. The current stage consists of a combination of basic and applied research on faster, more efficient conversion systems such as fluidized-bed  retorts/combustions and hydroretorts. These second-generation systems are capable of higher rates of throughput and shorter residence time (therefore, smaller  size and lower capital costs) and higher conversion efficiencies (therefore, leaving a cleaner silent shale). Currently, most research is still at laboratory scale, with the largest unit being the LLNL 1-ton-per-day unit.  The program consists of a combination of in-house, national laboratory (LLNL, LANL, and SNL), and contract research. Most of the basic research is conducted  in house and at the national laboratories and at WRI. Most of the applied research is s conducted under contracts at HYCRUDE, Mineral Resources Institute,  Cliffs Engineering, and Eastern Shale Research  Corporation. For the basic research, use of a series of reference shales has been instituted. The program addresses the critical issues for both first- and second-generation oil shale conversion systems, including both surface and in situ processes. In the first-generation surface systems, the critical technical issue is solid  waste disposal . The issue is being addressed primarily at WRI and KCERL. Laboratory-scale research has been conducted for many years, but the value of this work is diminishing because scale-up is now required to address such issues as percolation through piles. METC developed an engineering-scale research plan and is awaiting funding.  In the in situ systems, the critical technical issue is predictability of rock fragmentation. The issue is being addressed at SNL. The current lack of funding precludes much progress in this effort. METC and SNL developed a research plan for rock fragmentation research and is awaiting funding. WRI continues to investigate optimization of in situ retorting. In the second-generation surface systems, METC and LLNL are addressing the  issues of system characterization. This effort is designed to correlate resources, processes, and products to identify fundamental advantages or problems relating to the latest processes. For example, advantages of FBR/FBC may be the mitigation of sulfur emissions and production of clean (no residual organics) spent shale. Disadvantages of the same system may be increased  crushing costs, increased erosion due to abrasive action of the small particles, and increased particulates in the product oil . Two key efforts in the program are the METC in-house research, including data base development and the systems analyses effort. The data base effort is designed to determine what is known and what data are useful and meaningful for oil shale conversion. This effort alone will produce a more comprehensive understanding of the oil shale conversion process. The systems effort is destined to drive the R&D efforts by determination of which cost centers (mining, processing, upgrading, and environmental) need more/different research to realize the most cost savings.  In FY 86, Congress directed the DOE to report on the feasibility of a national oil shale research facility. The report will be delivered before the end of FY 86."

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