AndreaBozzo/ceres-open-data-index huggingface dataset:
Simulated in situ retorting of oil shale in a controlled-state retort. II. Heat soaking experiments

Oil shale from the Green River formation has been retorted in three experiments under closely controlled conditions in the controlled-state retort using a very slow heating rate (2.4/sup 0/F/h). In two of the experiments, all of the shale was retorted and in the third, the bottom 40% of the shale was left unretorted. The oil yield was less than 70% of Fischer Assay for the completed experiments and residual carbon content was higher because of the slow heating rate. Nitrogen and sulfur content of the oils washed from the shale of the interrupted experiment and of the periodic oil samples taken at the retort outlet during the experiment indicate either that nitrogen is more prevalent in the last oils released from the shale and sulfur is prevalent in the first oil released or that there is a chromatographic effect on the oil as it passes over the unretorted shale. Also the amount of bitumen extractable from the partially retorted shale of the interrupted experiment peaks at a lower temperature than for shales retorted at faster heating rates. These data imply that operators of vertical modified in situ retorts can expect higher concentrations of nitrogen in the oil product at the end of their retort burns and that shale retorted at the fringes of retorts will give lower than ideal yields.

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Determination of sulfur species in oil shales

The method of Attar and Dupuis (1978, 1979) for sulfur in coal looked attractive. This method involves reduction of the sulfur species by hydrogen transfer in the presence of a molybdenum sulfide catalyst to produce hydrogen sulfide, which is detected with a flame photometer. Since the kinetics of reduction of each type of functional group should be different, each type should produce hydrogen sulfide at a different temperature if the sample, hydrogen donor and catalyst are heated through an increasing temperature ramp. This work was an attempt to remove some of the deficiencies of the existing system.

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Performance characteristics of large-capacity face-ventilation systems for oil-shale mining. Report of Investigations 1986

The performance of two large-capacity ventilation systems was compared through tests conducted in a large dead-end heading at a pilot oil-shale mine in Colorado. Sulfur hexafluoride tracer gas was used to measure the performance of the two systems: a free-standing jet fan and a reversible fan with rigid duct. The tracer gas was used to simulate the production of mine air pollutants, including blasting pollutants, hot diesel emissions, free methane from surrounding strata, and methane desorbing from muck piles.

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Numerical simulation results for the electrical heating of Athabasca oil-sand formations

Electrical preheating has been proposed as a method of overcoming many of the problems inherent in using a steamdrive in very viscous reservoirs-such as the Athabasca oil sands of Alberta, Canada. A numerical simulator was developed to study the process of electrically heating oil reservoirs consisting of several layers with different electrical resistivities. This simulator was used to study the effects of electrode placement on the final temperature contours resulting from electrically heating realistic reservoirs. Three cases illustrating the development of a hot-oil communication path flow low in the formation are described.

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Nuclear magnetic resonance:  a technique for direct nondestructive evaluation of source-rock potential

A direct nondestructive method for source-rock evaluation based on solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques is demonstrated. Direct measurement of the aliphatic and aromatic carbon structures of the total organic matter in whole rocks is provided by NMR techniques known as cross polarization with magic-angle spinning. The proportion of organic carbon present in aliphatic structures correlates with the oil-generation potential of a source rock. In addition, whether the organic matter in the rock has been altered during catagenesis can be evaluated. These evaluations are demonstrated for carbonaceous shales from the Retort and Meade Peak Phosphatic Shale Members of the Permian Phosphoria Formation. The NMR results show that the Retort shales have a high potential to generate oil, but the Meade Peak shales, having already undergone thermal alteration, have a low potential to generate additional oil.

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LLNL underground coal gasification project. Quarterly progress report, April-June 1983

The products of coal pyrolysis play an important part in determining the ultimate products - especially the hydrocarbons - recovered from an underground coal gasification (UCG) system. Thus some type of pyrolysis submodel is necessary to successfully model a UCG system. Recently we have done a series of experiments to provide more realistic pyrolysis data. In these experiments, coal is continuously fed onto a hot bed of char, and the pyrolysis products are swept down through the hot char before being removed from the reactor. The experiments have been done at various temperatures and pressures (500 to 900/sup 0/C and 100 to 600 kPa). Methane production was found to reach a peak at 800/sup 0/C and the effect of the modest pressure change from 100 to 600 kPa was small. The methane produced is threatened by system temperatures much above 800/sup 0/C. Another part of the UCG modeling problem is in simulating the growth of the burn cavity. We have improved our cavity growth model by incorporating in it many of the key features observed in the large block (LBK) experiments done near Centralia, Washington, in 1981-1982. The model divides the cavity into three zones consisting of ash, rubble, and void, with provision for movement of solids between zones. Roof and walls of the cavity regress at rates dependent on fluid velocities and temperatures. The fluid velocities are determined by cavity geometry in conjunction with calculated temperatures and injection rates, assuming Darcy flow in a nonisotropic permeable medium. The fluid velocities along with the rubble-forming rates are input to a chemical/thermal model which determines product composition and cavity temperature. We have made a number of runs with our improved cavity growth model, matching LBK data, studying sensitivity to variations in model parameters and operational parameters, and calculating the possible performance of the upcoming Centralia partial-seam CRIP test.

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Gas hydrates

There is a definite need for the US government to provide leadership for research in gas hydrates and to coordinate its activities with academia, industry, private groups, federal agencies, and their foreign counterparts. In response to this need, the DOE Morgantown Energy Technology Center implemented a gas hydrates R and D program. Understanding the resource will be achieved through: assessment of current technology; characterization of gas hydrate geology and reservoir engineering; and development of diagnostic tools and methods. Research to date has focused on geology. As work progressed, areas where gas hydrates are likely to occur were identified, and specific high potential areas were targeted for future detailed investigation. Initial research activities involved the development of the Geologic Analysis System (GAS,10547 ); which will provide, through approximately 30 software packages, the capability to manipulate and correlate several types of geologic and petroleum data into maps, graphics, and reports. Preliminary mapping of hydrate prospects for the Alaskan North Slope is underway. Geological research includes physical system characterization which focuses on creating synthetic methane hydrates and developing synthetic hydrate cores using tetrahydrofuran, consolidated rock cores, frost base mixtures, water/ice base mixtures, and water base mixtures. Laboratory work produced measurements of the sonic velocity and electrical resistivity of these synthetic hydrates. During 1983, a sample from a natural hydrate core recovered from the Pacific coast of Guatemala was tested for these properties by METC. More recently, a natural hydrate sample from the Gulf of Mexico was also acquired and testing of this sample is currently underway. In addition to the development of GAS, modeling and systems analysis work focused on the development of conceptual gas hydrate production models. 16 figs., 6 tabs.

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Determination of selenium species in spent oil shale leachates by ion chromatography

The leaching and transport of trace elements from spent oil shales is a growing area for environmental concern. Selenium is often present in spent oil shales. Under the alkaline conditions present in spent western oil shale leachates, selenium species display anionic behavior, increasing their solubility and mobility. The processes that govern the partitioning of selenium species between solid and solution phases are not well understood, and computer modeling is an important tool in this area. The accuracy of geochemical model predictions depends on the thermodynamic data and mathematical formulations used in their development. To assure reliability of model predictions, it is essential to validate ion speciation data obtained from geochemical models with data obtained from laboratory analyses. The purpose of this study was to begin developing a method for the speciation of the two most common selenium species in spent oil shale leachates, selenite (SeO{sub 3}{sup 2{minus}}) and selenate (SeO{sub 4}{sup 2{minus}}), using suppressed ion chromatography. 26 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs.

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Refining to high yields of jet fuel from shale oil. Final report

As produced, raw retorted shale oil is unsuited for use as a refinery feedstock or as a finished fuel product. Severe catalytic hydrotreating is the approach usually taken to reduce nitrogenous and other undesirable hetero-atomic species to acceptable levels. This exploratory study investigated the use of an alternative upgrading scheme which combined partial hydrotreating of the raw shale oil with treatment of the hydrotreated products by anhydrous hydrogen chloride (HCl) to separate a non-miscible amine hydrochloride adduct. The effect of shale oil hydrotreating severity level on the yields of HCl adduct and raffinate was determined. Reaction conditions required to thermally decompose the HCl adduct were defined, and the hydrogen manufacturing potential of the amine concentrate so produced was estimated for a partial oxidation process. This hydrogen potential was compared with the hydrogen consumption during hydrotreating to estimate the approximate hydrotreating severity level required for balanced operation with respect to hydrogen utilization. Several aspects of raffinate clean-up were studied, including the further reduction of nitrogen content beyond that achieved by the HCl extraction, as well as reductions in raffinate chloride content.

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Instrumentation and evaluation of the Talley Energy Systems, Inc. oil shale project. Part II. Explosive insertion, detonation and post-shot evaluation results

Janary 1979 marked the completion of Phanse I of the Talley Energy Systems, Inc. (TESI) contract with the Department of Energy (DOE) which was indertaken to examine the hydraulic.explosive fracturing method for preparing an undergroun oil shale bed for true in situ processing. Phase I of the contract involved the bed preparation activities - specifically the creation of four horizontal hydrofractures in the shale bed, the insertion and subsequent detonation of slurry explosives in these hydrofractures, and the detalied assessments of major operations and of the rock formation before and after these operations. Phase II of the contract, which was cancelled, was to have been a retorting operation. Sandia National Laboratories participated in the TESI experiment by providing instrumentation and technical support in several areas during Phase I. This report describedthe work performed during the explosive insertion and detonation operations and during the post shot evaluation. The result of the various measurments performed during these operations are discussed along with an overall assessment of the post-shot state of the formation.

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Effect of thermal alteration on petrographic constituents of the Hanna No. I coal

Results of a study designed to construct a geothermometer based upon thermal alterations in the organic constituents of Hanna No. 1 coal lying within the Paleocene Hanna Formation and carbonaceous shale samples are presented. The samples were observed microscopically and determinations were made as to the maximum temperature to which the sediments has been subjected. The organic constituents of the samples (macerals) were observed described, and quantified as changes occurred in their appearance during heating at progressively higher temperatures. Direct petrographic changes were noted to take place in the Hanna No. 1 samples during heating. Decreasing abundances of fluorescence macerals, increasing vesicularity and cracking in vitrinites, and eventual elimination of all organic constituents except vitrinite could be correlated with temperature ranges. The liptinites reacted earlier than the vitrinites, and this information could have important implications as far as optimum gas composition and production are concerned. (BLM)

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Organic compounds in the aqueous extract of a retorted Green River Formation oil shale

Spent oil shale (Green River Formation) from a Paraho directly fired retort was extracted with distilled/deionized water for 28 days at ambient temperature. The aqueous extract was then analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry for volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds using EPA hazardous chemicals identification technology. Organic compounds identified were predominantly carboxylic acids, although neutral and basic compounds were also observed. Quantitative analyses indicated that the identified compounds were present in parts-per-billion amounts. 15 refs., 14 figs., 2 tabs.

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Inventory of power plants in the United States 1988

The Inventory of Power Plants in the United States is prepared annually by the Electric Power Division, Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternate Fuels, Energy Information Administration (EIA), US Department of Energy (DOE). The purpose of this publication is to provide year-end statistics about electric generating units in operation and to provide a 10 year outlook of future generating unit additions by electric utilities in the United States (the 50 States and the District of Columbia) and Puerto Rico. Data summarized in this report are useful to a wide audience including Congress, Federal and State agencies, the electric utility industry, and the general public. The data presented in this report were assembled and published by the EIA, to fulfill its data collection and dissemination responsibilities as specified in the Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-275) as amended.

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Shale oil upgrading using radio-frequency energy

Western Research Institute has constructed and operated a radio-frequency (rf) reactor system to investigate shale oil upgrading opportunities. The reactor system has been used to develop techniques using rf energy as a nonchemical catalyst to enhance reaction rate or to change the product distribution. This report documents experimental results of eastern and western shale oil desulfurization tests using 2450 MHz rf energy. A series of batch and continuous reactor tests have been conducted using eastern and western shale oil in a tubular reactor located inside the wave guide. Results show that 2,450 MHz of rf energy selectively decomposes sulfur and oxygen components in the eastern and western shale oil when they are processed at 450--500{degree}F (230--260{degree}C). The rate of sulfur removal from shale oil is mainly dependent on the rf power input per unit weight of shale oil introduced. The maximum sulfur removal (32--38%) was obtained when power input was in the range of 0.8 to 1.1 watts per grams of shale oil per hour. Oil residence times between 3 and 12 minutes had no significant effect on sulfur removal rate. The highest sulfur removal (42%) was obtained when the shale oil was treated with 300 watts of rf energy at 450--500{degree}F (230-260{degree}C) for two hours in the batch reactor. 3 refs., 5 figs., 4 tabs.

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Antrim oil shale-electric heater and propane burner field ignition experiments. Topical report, August 1977-April 1978

The Dow Chemical Company contract with the Department of Energy to investigate the feasibility of recovering energy from Antrim oil shale by an in situ process required that an extraction trial be conducted using wells previously drilled by Dow. During this trial, two systems were used to initiate in situ combustion. An electric heater ignited the shale after two similar heaters were unsuccessful. The failures were due to electric short-circuits and corrosion. Of four attempts to initiate combustion with a propane burner, two were succesful, although considerable difficulty was experienced because the thermocouples placed in the well to provide positive indication of burner ignition were not durable. These results indicate the need for additional developmental work to make the burner more dependable and more easily ignitable.

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Petrographic and chemical studies of the Hanna IV Burn, Hanna UCG Site, Wyoming. [Hanna Basin; post burn sampling and analysis]

Samples were removed from five cores which had been drilled at the Hanna IV A and Hanna IV B burn sites. Strata in four of the cores included paralava and/or coke or semicoke. The fifth core contained coal which had been visibly altered, but there was no other thermally metamorphosed rock. All samples were analyzed by four techniques, including white light and blue light maceral analyses, vitrinite reflectivity, and fluorescence spectroscopy. All methods of analysis confirmed the presence of distinct vertical thermal gradients in Cores 1, 2, 12, and 14. A lateral thermal gradient between Cores 2 and 8 was also deduced. White light maceral analyses and fluorescence spectroscopy provided qualitative evidence that sharp thermal gradients existed between altered and unaltered strata beneath burn cavities and that much broader gradients existed above the burn zones. No absolute range of temperatures could be postulated, though. Blue light maceral analyses and vitrinite reflectivity provided much core quantitative evidence for the levels of thermal alteration. Heat transfer to rocks lying below the zone of combustion in a UCG chamber is apparently negligible. Much greater heat penetration and thermal alteration occurs laterally and vertically above the zone of combustion. 19 refs., 22 figs., 2 tabs.

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Western gas sands

The purpose of this research is to demonstrate the feasibility of economically producing natural gas from low-permeability reservoirs. Two broad research goals have been defined: (1) reducing the uncertainty of the reservoir production potential, and (2) improving the extraction technology. These goals are being pursued by conducting research and encouraging industrial efforts in developing the necessary technology, including: (1) providing fundamental research into the nature of tight, lenticular gas sands and the technologies for diagnosing and developing them: (2) developing and verifying the technology for effective gas production; and (3) promoting the transfer of research products and technology advances to the gas industry in usable forms. The focus of the research for the last several years has been improving diagnostic instrumentation for reservoir and stimulation performance evaluation, geophysical and engineering interpretation, and stimulation techniques. Integrated geologic studies of three basins containing tight lenticular sands, which were selected by DOE as priority research targets, have also been pursued as part of this new effort. To date, the following tentative conclusions have been formed: Permeability of the tight gas sands can be as much as three to four orders of magnitude lower than that of conventional gas deposits. Nineteen western geologic basins and trends containing significant volumes of tight gas have been identified. Gas resources in the priority geologic basins have been estimated - Piceance Basin 49 Tcf.; Greater Green River Basin, 136 Tcf.; Uinta Basin, 20 Tcf. Presence of natural micro-fractures within a reservoir and the effective propped length of hydraulically induced fratures are the critical parameters for successful development of tight sand resources. Stimulation technology at the present time is insufficient to efficiently recover gas from lenticular tight reservoirs. 8 figs., 3 tabs.

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Fluidized-Bed Combustion-Industrial Application Demonstration Projects. Battelle's multisolid fluidized-bed combustion process, end-of-phase final report

Successful operation of the Subscale Experimental Unit System has been demonstrated; performance was comparable to that of the 6-inch unit (one-tenth scale), indicating that scale-up problems should be minimal. Combustion of as-received wet lump coal (e.g., 1-1/4 in. top size) has been successfully demonstrated. Combustion performance was independent of feed location; accordingly, feeding from above the dense bed is preferred because of relative simplicity of the feeding system. Comparable combustion efficiency and sulfur retention were obtained using either tan silica pebbles or hematite ore as the dense bed material. Tan silica pebbles are preferred from a cost and availability standpoint. Limestone needs to be well distributed in the dense bed to ensure effective sulfur retention. Excellent sulfur removal and limestone utilization can be achieved in the MSFBC system. Effective freeboard height was found to be one of the most important process variables affecting sulfur retention. Sulfur retention decreases with increasing limestone particle size, but is not significantly dependent on coal size, dense bed height, bed type, or excess air. Good combustion efficiency (up to 98 percent) has been demonstrated for both lump and crushed coals. Carbon recycle in the sand circulation stream and/or the flyash reinjection stream is essential to achievement of such a high overall combustion efficiency. The heat transfer coefficient for the steam tubes located in the entrained bed region ranged from 10 to 16 Btu/ft/sup 2/-hr-F (lower-than-expected). Appreciable metal wastage on boiler tubes in the entrained bed zone was observed for the sections not parallel to the flow direction.

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