AndreaBozzo/ceres-open-data-index huggingface dataset:
Recent activity in U. S. tar sand

"The known U.S. tar sand resource consists of some 550 occurrences located in 22 states. Total oil-in-place in 43 of these occurrences, which have been submitted to some reservoir evaluation efforts, is estimated between 4.0 and 5.7 Gm^3 (1 to 16 billion barrels) of oil, with other significant deposits in Texas, New Mexico, California and Kentucky.  The lack of commercial oil production from U.S. tar sand deposits is attributable to several technical and nontechnical constraints. These include the lack of proven technology, marketability of the produced oil, and a moratorium on leasing of federally controlled tar sand properties.  The future supply role of the U.S. tar sand resource is necessarily vague because of the relatively small magnitude of the known resource, the lack of demonstrated applicable oil recovery technologies, and a resultant lack of recoverable reserve estimates.  Current efforts to develop the U.S. tar sand resource include: reservoir characterization and evaluation work by industry, states, and the U.S. Department of Energy (D.O.E.,8715 ); oil recovery and related research by industry, academia, and D.O.E.; and a few field mini-tests and pilots by industry and D.O.E."

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Properties of Utah tar sands:  Threemile Canyon area, P. R. Spring deposit

"Results of detailed analyses of four cores from the Three mile Canyon area in the P.R. Spring tar sand deposit in Utah are reported by the Bureau of Mines. The cores were obtained by the Utah Geological and Mineralogical Survey as part of a 17-corehole evaluation program in the P.R. Spring, Hill Creek, and Rim Rock tar sand deposits.  Average properties of the oil zone in the Three mile Canyon area as determined from these cores are as follows: Oil saturation, 67.4 pct of pore volume; porosity, 29.2 pct; permeability before oil extraction, 133 millidarcies; and permeability after oil extraction, 2,855 millidarcies. Average net thickness of the oil zone is 23.8 ft and average depth to the top of the oil zone is 189 ft."

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Field experiment of reverse combustion oil recovery from a Utah tar sand

"A field experiment to recover oil from tar sand by reverse combustion was conducted at Northwest Asphalt Ridge, near Vernal, Utah. This test was in a 10-foot interval of the Rim Rock sandstone member of the Mesa Verde Formation at a depth of approximately 300 feet.  Ignition was accomplished November 25, 1975, and the reverse combustion front was propagated successfully through the formation. Results of the field experiment differed significantly from the results of laboratory tests that were used in the design of the field test. This difference is attributed primarily to the extreme heterogeneity of the tar sand formation.  Observed temperatures in the burned area were lower than expected, but a large portion of the tar sand within the pattern boundaries was heated to the extent that the bitumen became mobile enough to be produced. After 3 ½ weeks of operation, the project was terminated because of the inability of the surface production equipment to accommodate the heavy hydrocarbons being produced.  Although the formation of the cracked products of reverse combustion was less than expected, this recovery process may be used  successfully to heat the tar sand reservoir to a temperature high enough that the bitumen becomes mobile enough to be produced."

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Properties of Utah tar sands:  north Seep Ridge area, P. R. Spring deposit

This report presents results of analyses made at the Laramie Energy Research Center of three cores from an area at the northern end of Seep Ridge in the P.R. Spring tar sand deposit in northeastern Utah. Up to five tar sand zones have been identified in the north Seep Ridge area. These zones occur between the depths of 9 and 390 feet and have a thickness ranging from 27 to 97 feet. The total tar sand section has good porosity, averaging 20.9 pct of bulk volume; fair permeability, 58.9 md before oil extraction and 384 md after oil extraction; and low oil saturation, 38.6 pct of pore volume. The oil has an average gravity of 10.1 degrees API, an average sulfur content of 0.40 weight pct, and an average nitrogen content of 1.30 weight pct.

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Properties of Utah tar sands-Asphalt Wash area:  P. R. Spring deposit

This Bureau of Mines report presents the analysis of three cores from the Asphalt Wash area of the P.R. Spring tar sand deposit of northeastern Utah. Two tar sand zones are indicated in the Asphalt Wash Area. Total net thickness of the tar sand ranges from 23 to 39 ft, with occurrences between 56 and 263 ft in depth. The sand has average porosity of 24.7 pct of bulk volume, average permeability before and after extraction of 87.5 and 596 md, respectively, and average oil saturation of 58.1 pct of pore volume. Oil gravity averages 10.9 degrees API.

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Properties of Utah tar sands:  Flat Rock Mesa area, Hill Creek deposit

This report presents the results of analyses of three cores from the Flat Rock Mesa area in the Hill Creek tar sand deposit in northeastern Utah. Two major tar sand zones exist in the Flat Rock Mesa area and have net thicknesses ranging from 55 to 81 ft. The overall tar sand section has good porosity, averaging 20.2 pct of bulk volume; fair permeability before and after oil extraction, averaging 150 and 325 md, respectively; and low average oil saturation, 29.7 pct of pore volume. Average gravity of the oil is 9.4 degrees API. Average sulfur and nitrogen content are 0.45 and 0.73 weight pct, respectively.

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Recovery and hydropyrolysis of oil from Utah's tar sands. Final report

This report consists of the following four sections: (1) hot water processing of Utah tar sands; (2) upgrade of tar sand bitumen by hydropyrolysis process; (3) fluidized-bed pyrolysis of bituminous sands; and (4) energy recovery in thermal processing of Utah tar sands. Each section has been processed separately for inclusion in the Energy Data Base. (AT)

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Deep source gas. Technology status report

Deep source gas research exists to verify that natural gas can exist at depths in excess of 30,000 feet, to relate these occurences to conceptual models, to define the limits of target areas, to quantify the resource, and to determine the potential significance of such finds on the nation's future gas supply. There are three separate emplacement concepts that could explain the occurrence of gas at extreme depths: abiogenic gas; subducted, organic-origin gas; and deep sedimentary basin gas. Of these concepts, deep source gas research focuses on the subducted, organic-origin concept. The research emphasizes an earth science study (geochemistry, and geophysics) of the Cordilleran Geologic Province of western North America. This area is considered a prospective source largely because of known and suspected plate tectonic structures and their youthful emplacement (i.e., during the last 180 million years), which increase the likelihood of a timely entrapment of deep-source generated hydrocarbons. Detailed geochemical studies have indicated that the deep-source, gas-generating capacity of the Aleutian Trench area of southern Alaska may be high (up to 212 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) during the last 20 million years alone). Furthermore, geophysical studies show that an apparent fossil subduction zone exists in western Washington, and this zone appears to have very thick sedimentary rock units. The existence of this zone is being evaluated through detailed seismic studies, and drilling activities may be undertaken in the future. A new technique has helped determine that methane gas can exist at depths up to 40,000 feet. This new technique uses a combination of theoretical computer modeling and laboratory experiments with test rock samples that contain fluid inclusions. 14 refs., 15 figs., 3 tabs.

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Laboratory investigation of reverse combustion in two Utah tar sands. [Adiabatic conditions]

"Reverse combustion experiments were conducted using tar sand from Asphalt Ridge and P.R. Spring tar sand deposits in Utah. The experimental apparatus was designed to maintain adiabatic conditions during the combustion experiments.  The laboratory apparatus and procedure are described. Results of the experiments, including temperature, front velocity and oil recovery, are presented as functions of air flux. The maximum oil recovery occurs at an air flux of 35 SCF/hr-ft^2."

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Highlights of the LLL Hoe Creek No. 2 underground coal gasification experiment

The major objectives of the Hoe Creek No. 2 underground coal gasification experiment were the following: (1) investigate reverse combustion process in a uniform, wet, hydrologically active coal seam; (2) determine forward gasification parameters with injected air flows of 2000 to 4000 SCFM; (3) conduct a short steam-oxygen burn within the Hoe Creek No. 2 air burn; (4) evaluate diagnostic instrumentation; (5) evaluate operational parameters; and (6) evaluate environmental concerns. All of the objectives were accomplished successfully.

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Refining the cruder crude

Traditional petroleum refinery output is mismatched to the demand. A sluggish recession-bound industrial climate, improvements in energy efficiency, and a search for cleaner fuels have all cut demand for the heavy and sometimes dirty industrial fuel oil that refineries have had left over after skimming the more valuable light and middle transportation-fuel fractions. Methods of refining the heavier fractions or ''the bottom of the barrel''are discussed. Flexibility and sophistication will be the key words for the heavy oil future.

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Concurrent dielectric analysis:  differential thermal analysis

An automated technique for concurrent application of Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) and Dynamic Dielectric Analysis (DDA) is described. Two modes of operation of DDA are discussed: Mode A allows monitoring of the ac electrical properties of the test sample over a continuous range of frequencies from 50 Hz to 1 MHz at selected temperatures whereas Mode B facilitates examination of the dielectric behavior over a continuous range of temperatures from room temperature to 800/sup 0/C at selected frequencies. The complementary nature of information obtained from Mode A and Mode B and the concurrent application of DDA and DTA are illustrated for the crystal structure transformation in potassium perchlorate. 10 figures, 2 tables.

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OIL SHALE WASTEWATER TREATABILITY WORKSHOP

"The development of a new technology necessitates new or modified methodologies for developing analysis of impacts and mitigation measures, where necessary, conceptual understanding of the various stages of the process, and cost-effective design and management of specific facilities. The development of these  methodologies for the oil shale industry and, in particular, the treatability of associated wastewater is still in its infancy. In'order to provide a forum for discussion  of conceptual, regulatory, and design analysis for oil shale  wastewater treatability, the U.S. Environmental Protection  Agency's Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory in  Cincinnati, Ohio, (IERL-Ci) sponsored an Oil Shale Wastewater Treatability Workshop in Denver, Colorado, on December 2-3, 1980. This report is designed to highlight current approaches and perceived need of regulators, research chemists, and engineers involved in the analysis of oil shale wastewater treatability ."

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THE ROLE OF SILICA IN WATER TREATMENT - PART 1

"When considering the treatment of various water  supplies, we usually focus our attention on the major  constituents, such as calcium, magnesium, sodium,  alkalinity, chloride, and sulfate. However, a closer  examination of water treatment practices reveals that  it is frequently the minor components which represent  the controlling factors in many situations. For example,  traces of organic matter (chlorotorm), viruses, fluorides,  and silica sometime determine the overall design of the water treatment system. These constituents may be present in concentrations as low as parts per billion, or a few parts per million, but their importance can rival that of other components present at much higher concentrations.  This issue of Amber-hi-lites will be devoted to one of  these minor components, silica."

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CHAPARROSA RANCH TAR SANDS PROJECT - DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING PLAN OUTLINE

It is believed that the proposed plan will provide an effective means for identifying  any significant environmental or occupational health impacts of the Chaporrosa project.  Moreover it will provide the necessary information  to more fully evaluate in the future impacts which might derive from additional projects to increase the production of this south Texas resource base.  The plan will also provide a basis for correcting any significant project impacts which have not yet been anticipated.  Engineering of the facilities which will be included in the project is not yet finalized.  However it is believed that work in these areas is sufficiently advanced so that the major environmental and occupational health impacts can be identified.  This report identifies where uncertainties may exist and revisions to the projects Environmental Monitoring Plan Outline will be completed to allow timely review and approval by the SFC Board of Directors and other consulting agencies.  The final Environmental Monitoring Plan Outline will be incorporated into Chaparrosa's financial assistance agreement with the SFC.

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MONITORING TRIGGER LEVELS FOR PROCESS CHARACTERIZATION STUDIES - PROJECT SUMMARY - FINAL DRAFT

"A number of environmental engineering research and development (R&D) programs such as the program for synfuels require monitoring of source emissions or ambient media in order to determine the extent to which.  given source adds pollutant loadings to the surrounding environment, for example, financial assistance from the Synthetic fuels Corporation (Sf C) is contingent upon a sponsor's meeting many requirements, including compliance with the section of the Energy Security Act that requires development of a plan for monitoring environmental and health-related emissions from the construction and operation of synthetic fuels projects.  The stated purpose of the Energy Security Act, Section 131(e) monitoring -- to develop a data base which can be used to identify environmental problems -- suggests the need for a fairly broad monitoring program. A monitoring approach must be selected that will allow this broad data base to be developed in a realistic and cost-effective way.  Synthetic fuels processes could produce and potentially discharge a wide array of organic compounds and any trace metals present in the feedstock. Thus, the design of a monitoring program that must develop a broad data  base is complicated because a wide range of substances might be present, and there is only a general (class) indication of what the actual substances might be."

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REPORT OF THE 1973 INVENTORY OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL REMAINS ON NAVAL OIL SHALE RESERVE LANDS IN GARFIELD COUNTY, COLORADO

Site was a major habitation area for the prehistoric inhabitants with probably at least 3 individual temporary camps.  Surface indications of the site were chips and artifacts concentrated in three distinct locations in the meadow and three manes on the banks of the major drainage; those latter indicate a food processing component was also part of the site.  Construction of two reservoirs has damaged some of the site area; however the meadow camp areas are in good condition.  The site is one of the largest recorded during the survey.  Permanent water is available from the headwaters of First Anvil Creek within the site area.  Common vegetation types in the immediate area are aspen, spruce, Rocky Mountain Maple, sage, snowberry, currant, nettle, lupine, gooseberry and grasses.  Artifact inventory: 20 small milling stone fragments, 3 manes, 2 mane fragments, 1 projectile point, 2 utilized flakes, 1 smoothed pebble and 9 chips.

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FIELD STUDIES ON PARAHO RETORTED OIL SHALE LYSIMETERS: LEACHATE, VEGETATION, MOISTURE, SALINITY AND RUNOFF, 1977-1980

A disposal scheme for Paraho retorted shale utilizing lysimeters to simulate a low-elevation (dry site) and a high-elevation (moist site) was constructed. Objectives of the study were to investigate (1) vegetative stabilization of Paraho restored shale, as affected by leaching and soil cover treatments; and (2) moisture and soluble salt movement through the soil/shale profile. After intensive management and four growing seasons, only a sparse (2% to 3%) cover of perennial vegetation resulted on the Paraho retorted shale. In contrast, good to excellent cover was established and maintained on the soil control and soil-covered retorted shale treatments. Initial leaching and irrigation for plant establishment produced percolate from drains below the compacted shale zone. The percolate from the Paraho retorted shale treatment measured a maximum electrical conductivity (EC) of 35 mmhos/cm and pH of 11.4. The soil control produced percolate with a maximum EC of 8.5 mmhos/cm and a pH of 8.3. Each spring the high-elevation lysimeter received supplemental irrigation to simulate a zone of higher precipitation. Percolate produced from these irrigations exhibited a general overall reduction in both EC (33 to 11.4 mmhos/cm) and pH (11.4 to 8.6) by 1980 on the Paraho retorted shale treatment. The low-elevation lysimeters did not receive additional spring irrigations and no percolate was produced from the unleached treatments. When the constructed lysimeters were filled with freshly retorted shale a high temperature (60C) was maintained at a 1m depth for 30 days.  Prolonged elevated temperatures of retorted shale disposal piles could significantly affect both the amount and composition of vegetative cover.  This report deals mot specifically with the collection, measurement, and interoperation of data from 1978 through 1980. A more detailed description of all measurements and analyses for 1976-1977 was reported in Harbert et. al. (1979)

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OZONATION AND UV IRRADIATION: EFFECT ON OIL SHALE WASTEWATER BIOREFRACTORY ORGANIC SOLUTES

"Ozonation and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation were evaluated for their effects on the treatment of biorefractory organic solutes in an oil shale process wastewater (Oxy-6 retort water). Direct mineralization of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was determined for each method and for combined UV irradiation/ozonation, but emphasis was placed on the use of these oxidative methods to effect structural alterations, thereby promoting subsequent  biooxidation. Short sequential or combined exposures to low dosages of UV and ozone did not affect mineralization of DOC nor did they promote biooxidation of previously biotreated (spent ) retort water. Prolonged exposure to UV did not effect significant photochemical oxidation. In contrast, five hours of a high ozone dosage altered 14 percent of the recalcitrant DOC, thereby promoting subsequent microbial mineralization. Similar results were obtained after only three hours of combined high-dosage UV/ozone treatment; the trend of increasing biodegradability with increasing dosage, however, was reversed after three hours of treatment. Exhaustive biooxidation followed by extensive UV irradiation in combination with ozonation and by secondary biooxidation  achieved total elimination of color and odor from Oxy-6 retort water, but more than 41 percent of the DOC was refractory to this series of treatments. Direct chemical and photochemical oxidation and the action of excited oxygen species, ozone decomposition products, and organic radicals are discussed; the ramifications of structural alterations of recalcitrant nitrogen heterocycles  are considered."

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EFFECTS OF OZONATION AND ULTRAVIOLET IRRADIATION ON BIODEGRADABILITY OF OIL SHALE WASTEWATER ORGANIC SOLUTES

"Ozonation and UV irradiation were evaluated for their abilities to (1) mineralize organic solutes that remained in a biooxidized oil shale process wastewater and (2) effect sufficient structural modification of the remaining  biorefractory organic solutes to promote secondary biooxidation. Full-spectrum UV radiation (5 h, total dosage of 10.2 X 106 J 1-1) failed to mineralize or effect the biooxidation of any of the biorefractory carbon. Although ozonation (5 h, total dosage of 1.6 g-03 1-1) directly mineralized only 8% of the bioreiractory carbon, it enhanced secondary biooxidation; 26% of the refractory  carbon was mineralized by an acclimated microbial including. When UV irradiation and ozonation were combined simultaneously, a synergistic effect was observed; 3 h of combined treatment (5.9 X 106 J 1-1 and 0.83 g-03 1-1) was as effective a pretreatment for secondary biooxidation as was 5 h of ozonation. Sequential  application of primary biooxidation, 6 h of combined UV/ozonation, and secondary bioxidation removed only 59% of the dissolved organic carbon; total reduction  of 87% was achieved by using a culture in the secondary biooxidation step that was specifically adapted to this oxidized water. Each time-course sample was analyzed for the distribution of polar and no polar organic solutes. In general, ozonation and combined UV/ozonation mineralized carbon from the no polar fraction; biooxidation of formerly refractory carbon was promoted by oxidation of nonpolar carbon to yield more polar or lower-molecular-weight species."

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CHEMILUMINESCENCE VERSUS KJELDAHL DETERMINATION OF NITROGEN IN OIL SHALE RETORT WATERS AND ORGANONITROGEN COMPOUNDS

"The applicability of combustion/chemiluminescent nitrogen analysis to quantifying nitrogen in oil shale wastewaters and various representative chemical classes was demonstrated. Only azoxy compounds and those containing  the pyrazole nucleus were not amenable to analysis. The majority of 55  compounds tested yielded from 90 to 110% of the1r theoretical nitrogen  contents; enhanced recovery was found for nitrogen oxide salts. For 12 oil  shale wastewaters,  combustion/chemiluminescence gave total nitrogen values  (1100 to 28,800 mg/l) that did not differ statistically (P>O.10) from those obtained by the t1me-consum1ng wet-chem1cal Kjeldahl method. The relative standard deviations for ten replicates of each wastewater were less than 3.5%   No matrix or solvent effects were found."

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COMPOUNDS REPORTED TO OCCUR IN SHALE OIL

A survey of the literature has been made to determine the compounds which have been reported as constituents of various shale oils. Thus survey covers thoroughly Chemical Abstracts, as well as available bibliographics, books, and reviews on oil shale and shale oil. In addition, British Abstracts, abstract sections of the Journal of the Chemical Society and Zontralblatt were consulted. Many of the original articles were checked.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF POTENTIAL REPOSITORY WASTE (Draft)

This draft report represents a first effort to bring together under one cover a coherent presentation of waste characterization information and data pertinent to the planning and design of a geologic repository system. Of necessity there are numerous appendices that provide a level of detail not appropriate for the main body of the report, but still essential to those responsible for the execution of the work. Beyond that there exists a huge body of fine detail, each portion of which is needed by a relatively select, specialized group of users.

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Effect of Sulfur Compounds on Analysis of Naphthas for Aromatics and Naphthenes by Refractometric Methods

The Bureau of Mines has analyzed many naphthas by refractometric methods including a number which have appreciable sulfur contents.  The effect of sulfur compounds on the analysis has been studied both from the standpoint of the properties of the pure sulfur compounds, and from analyses of naphthas before and after desulfurization.  The results of these studies indicate that within certain limits sulfur compounds have negligible effects.

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