AndreaBozzo/ceres-open-data-index huggingface dataset:
Estimating the extent of an in situ coal gasification process using a passive seismic technique

Sandia Laboratories fielded a comprehensive instrumentation effort on the Hanna II in situ coal gasification experiment conducted by the Laramie Energy Research Center in 1975-76. Instrumentation included temperature, electrical and seismic arrays designed to provide diagnostic information as well as to develop a remote monitoring capability to continuously map the in situ process. Three types of passive seismic signals produced by the gasification process were identified. The times of arrivals of discrete evvents were used to find the spatial origins of the seismic events by using a linear least squares technique. These seismic events were found to occur in the overburden above the burning coal seam and are related to subsidence. The seismic signals observed exhibited frequencies as high as 500 Hz and hence attenuated rapidly with distance. However, field data indicate that over 100 signals per day could be detected at 150 to 200 ft. from the source. Three dimensional plots of source locations are presented. These results correlate well with thermal data which provided direct and diagnostic measurements of the process.

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Preliminary economics and comment: in-situ gasification of coal for power and SNG

In-situ gasifciation has been suggested as an alternative to above ground gasification to produce power or synthetic natural gas from coal. This study presents a preliminary cost comparision between the two systems of gasification leading to those products. The comparison was made for both western and eastern coal. As a reference, power costs are presented for a conventional coal-fired steam power plant with SO2 removal equipment. The study also briefly compares in-situ gasification with mining followed by above-ground gasification of coal.

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Site qualification studies of the UCG/SDB site, North Knobs, Wyoming

"The site qualification program for the North Knobs UCG site near Rawlins, Wyoming has been completed. This site will be the location for the field tests of Underground Coal Gasificaation of Steeply Dipping Beds undertaken by Gulf Research and Development Company for DOE.  Site characterization included a comprehensive geotechnical analysis along with vegetation, historical, and archeological studies. The G coal seam chosen for these tests is a subbituminous B coal with a true seam thickness of 22 feet and has thin coal benches above and below the main seam. The water table is at 90 feet below the surface. Hydrologic studies have defined the seam as an aquiclude. The site is deemed restorable to regulatory requirements."

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Model calculations of electric fields measured with a fixed, stationary array to monitor in situ coal gasification

Electric methods are being investigated as a possible means for monitoring the rection zone in an in situ coal gasification experiment. The model for the static electricity fields results in solving for the model electrical potentials in a resistance network chosen to represent the overburden, coal seam, reaction zone, and underburden. The solution to the set of simultaneous, linear equations is accomplished using matrix techniques and utilizing a so-called banded solver. The model calculations are limited to the current electrodes co-linear with the injection and recovery wells. The presence of the injection and recover wells, as well as instrument wells, is taken into account. Due to the expanding volume of carbonized coal, the model calculations of the electric fields show a behavior which might be used to locate this volume.

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Potential use of the CSAMT geophysical technique to map UCG processes

Sandia National Laboratories has been developing surface geophysical techniques to map in situ processes, in particular the underground coal gasification process. The potential use will be discused of the controlled source audio-frequency magnetotelluric electromagnetic surface geophysical technique to map and monitor the UCG process. The technique has been field tested for the UCG application by mapping coal mine fires and by mapping the Hanna II, Phases 2 and 3 and Rawline T-2 cavities. Results of these field trials demonstrate that the CSAMT technique is  an excellent technique for the determining the lateral extent of the UCG process. In addition, the shape of the process is readily apparent in the "raw" data without extensive data reduction, and by careful design of the mapping survey; the results are not degraded by the presence of the surface plumbing. A brief description will be fiven of the deployment of the CSAMT for UCG process mapping and monitoring.

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Overburden characterization and post-burn study at the Hanna, Wyoming underground coal gasification site:  stratigraphy, depositional environments and mineralogy, Hanna Formation

Several underground coal gasification experiments have been conducted in the Hanna No 1 coal seam. During the fall of 1980 the Laramie Energy Technology Center performed a post-burn field study of the Hanna II, Phases 2 and 3 experiment at the Hanna UCG site. The field work consisted of high resolution seismic, drilling, coring, and geophysical logging. The Department of Earth Resources, Colorado State University, contributed to the post-burn study by doing laboratory work on the cores and geophysical logs. Funding was provided by the Laramie Energy Technology Center. The purpose of the laboratory work was to provide an estimate of the temperatures and chemical conditions reached during the conversion experiment by studying the mineralogic and textural characteristics of thermallly altered and unaltered overburden.

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Computer modeling of coal gasification reactors. Quarterly technical progress report, January 1, 1976--March 31, 1976

The purpose of this program is to develop and apply over three years an accurate and general computer model that will expedite the development and aid in the optimization and scale-up of fluidized beds and entrained flow reactors for coal gasification. Initial applications will be to high-BTU, fluidized bed gasification processes, Later the work will be extended to consider low-BTU fluidized bed gasification, entrained flow reactors and fluidized bed combustion.

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Application of the Vertical-Tube Reactor to the treatment of selected underground-coal-gasification wastewaters

"The project objective was to evaluate the use of the Vertical Tube Reactor process in the wet oxidation of two wastewaters generated by an undergound coal gasification experiment. The Laboratory  Batch Reactor, a small vessel of constant volume, was used to simulate the conditions a wastewater would experience in a full scale Vertical Tube Reactor.  The scope of work included three phases of laboratory, design, and cost estimating effort. Phase I involved duplicate LBR runs at six temperature and time profiles and produced total chemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and total organic compound removal data for treatability curves. Computer modeling in Phase II yielded reactor configurations if various depths, maximum operating temperatures and reaction times for treating 100,000 gpd of each Hanna IV B underground coal gasification wastewater. Cost estimates for the facility design and construction provided a basis for comparison of thest various configurations. Each configuration for each wastewater was selected bsaed on consideration of data in Phase II. Mutiple LBR runs were performed at the design operating conditions for each VTR configuration selected and the results were compared with Phase I data and conclusions as to feasibility of treatment of the two wastewaters with the VTR process were drawn."

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DATA ACQUISITION AND ANALYSIS OF OCCIDENTAL VERTICAL MODIFIED IN SITU RETORTS 7 AND 8: VOL 1. TECHNICAL SUMMARY REPORT AND VOL. II. TECHNICAL APPENDIX

Sandia National Laboratories, funded by the United States Department of Energy, participated with Occidental Oil Shale, Inc., in the extensive instrumentation and analyses of vertical modified in situ (VMIS) Retorts 7 and 8. These retorts were commercial size retorts (50 m x 50 m x 75 m) that were processed concurrently at Occidental's Logan Wash site near Debeque, Colorado. Retorts 7 and 8 each contained approx.340,000 tonnes of rubble with post-blast voids of approx.18%. Average shale grade was 71 l/tonne (17.0 gpt). Design conditions of 0.17 m/min SGV (80% air and 20% steam) were maintained throughout the approx.300 days of processing of the retorts. Raw recycle gas was then injected into the retorts for approximately thirty days prior to the quenching of each retort. The extensive array of instrumentation (in situ thermocouples, flow measurement transducers, gas chromatography (GC) equipment and surface process equipment allowed continuous real-time monitoring and analysis of the retorts. Energy balance calculations (using the combined results of the material balance calculations and the thermal data) indicate about 30% of the available energy of the raw kerogen was combusted to produce shale oil, low BTU gas and C/sub 5/H/sub 10/-C/sub 12/ hydrocarbons. The fuel source for the combustion energy was mostly oil and char (approx.90%), while gas accounted for the remainder. Oxygen utilization (a measure of how well combustion energy is utilized in the retorting of shale) was 0.35 and 0.33 kg shale retorted/mole O/sub 2/ injected for Retorts 7 and 8, respectively. These values of oxygen utilization for Retorts 7 and 8 are comparable to other in situ retorts, but are still below values attained in pilot plant studies of in situ retorting. 25 refs., 50 figs., 17 tabs.

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Results from using the CSAMT technique to monitor the Tono UCG experiment

The controlled source audio-frequency magnetoteliuric surface electromagnetic geophysical technique was used to monitor the Tono project partial seam CPIP UCG test conducted by LLNL. The use of the CSAMT technique on the Tono UCG experiment was the first application of the technique to monitor an active UCG process. This test provided the opportunity to evaluate the technique and to determine if the technique could map the process on an essentially real-time basis. A grid of measuring electrodes was installed over the process area an measurements were made almost daily during the length of the 30 day test. As a completely automatic data collection system provided to be too costly and because daily manual field surveys of the required magnitude were not feasible, a combination of automatic scanning and manual surveying was selected for the test. The results of the monitoring show a changing resistivity pattern with time indicative of a changing process. The process boundary determined using CSAMT technique agrees very well with the process boundary determined from the limited thermal data coupled with the mass balance calculations and post-test coring. The CSMAT measured resistivities respond to the movement of water during dewatering. The dewatering boundary appears to be influenced by geologic barriers such as faults and fractures and the dewatering boundary appears to determine the ultimate process boundary.

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Preliminary evaluation of underground coal gasification at Hanna, Wyo. [Investigation of feasibility of gasifying subbituminous coal underground; H/sub 2/-rich gas having heating value of 100-150 Btu/sel produced]

"The Bureau of Mines initiate a field test of underground coal gasification to investigate the technologic reasibility of gasifying a subbituminous coal. The test site is near the town of Hanna, Wyo., about 70 miles northwest of Laramie.  Preliminary results of the experiment are described. The coal was ignited in the central well of a 16-well pattern. Both forward and reverse combustion techniques were attempted to prepare a path of sufficient permeability to permit the high air injection rates necessary for gasification. Gasification between linked wellbores was sustained for periods as long as 3 months. Hydrogen-ricj gas having a heating value of 100 to 150 Btu/scf was produced."

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Opportunities in underground coal gasification

Underground Coal Gasification in Steeply Dipping Beds has been proven to be a technically feasible process for producing alternate fuels from coal. Coal resources which are not economically minable using conventional coal mining methods can be utilized by in situ techniques. Utilization of the coal resources in steeply dipping beds will increase the recoverable coal in the US to a much greater degree than that which is economically minable today. The success of the Bawlins field tests, economic factors, the large steeply dipping coal resourse, and existing and potential markets for UCG products indicate that commerciallization of UCG should be considered.

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Some observations from temperature measurements on recent underground coal gasification experiments. [7 refs. ; 8 figs]

Recent underground coal gasification experiments at the Laramie Energy Researh Center field site at Hanna, Wyoming have been monitored with an array of subsurface thermocouples located in and near the coal seam. These temperature measurements are providing a quantitative basis for a specific understanding of thermal, chemical, and mechanical aspects of the underground gasification process. The subsurface measurements complement surface observations of process variables and allow direct deductions not avaliable from surface measurements alone. This paper presents a description of the thermometry system, an example of data validation using diagnostic information provided be branched thermocouple circuits, and complete temperature histories from four instrument wells during linkage, gasification, and cooldown stages of the Hanna II, Phase I experiment.

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Treatment of retort water for co-disposal with spent shale

Co-disposal of wastewater with spent shale is being planned as part of the water management strategy of the shale oil industry to achieve zero discharge of wastewater. This approach not only serves to eliminate wastewater discharges to surface receiving water, but also fulfills part or perhaps nearly all of the water requirements for moisturizing fine spent shale. Moisturization of fine spent shale to about 15% water is needed to permit adequate compaction of the spent shale at the disposal site. Moisturization of coarse spent shale's will facilitate compaction but may not be required as in the case of fine spent shale.

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Examinations of batch and column procedures used to produce a leachate from retorted oil shale

The primary researcy objective of this study was to examine test variables inherent to batch and column procedures for their effect on the leachate produced, and to recommend a batch and column procedure for further retorted shale research. Western Research Institute conducted this research under U. S. Department of Energy cooperative agreement No. AW-FC21-83-FE60177

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Review of socio-economic impacts of oil-shale development

This study examines variables that would affect the socioeconomic impacts of oil shale development in northwest Colorado. The population impacts analyzed are contingent on a Department of Energy scenario of 300,000 barrels per day of oil shale development from 1980 to 1990. Although other energy and mineral resources besides oil shale may be developed, the conclusion reached in this study reflect only those impacts that would be felt from the oil shale scenario.

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Quantitation of carbon in oil shale process wastewaters: coulometry coupled with ultraviolet-peroxydisulfate and high-temperature oxidation

Wastewaters from the production of synfuels, in particular oil shale retort water, present several major problems to various instrument configurations designed for carbon analysis. A carbon analyzer was fabricated from commercially available oxidation and detection units. Carbon oxidation occurred in an ultraviolet photochemical reactor using acid peroxydisulfate; quantization of the evolved carbon dioxide was accomplished with an automatic bolometric titrator. This new design climinated the problems of instrument downtime caused by fouling of high-temperature combustion catalysis and corrosion of furnace combustion tubes, limited linear dynamic range and upper detection limit, and frequent detector calibration.

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Applying genetic ecology to environmental management

Energy future for America will employ an ever widening range of sources of energy and of specific technologies to extract and convert base energy resources into end use energy products. The choices available to the Department of Energy for defining the direction of both the nation's near term and long term energy supply future are rapidly expanding. However, the availability of these choices brings with it the responsibility for the consequences of the bath chosen. A growing awareness of the complexity, endurance and interconnectivity of the environmental, socioeconomic and human health impacts of many energy development choices has presented DOE with a requirement to unravel and identify the broad range of impacts of a variety of specific processes and technologies, of individual energy delivery pathways, and of total energy supply packages.

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Spent oil shale disposal R and D:  EPA's efforts

Disposal of massive amounts of spent shale will be required if an oil shale industry using surface retorting is developed. Field studies to model both low elevation and high elevation disposal sites were initiated in 1973 on two types of spent oil shale course textured U. S. Bureau of Mines and fine textured- The Oil Shale Corporation. A similar study was initiated in 1975 on Paraho direct heated spent oil shale. These studies investigated surface stability and salt movement in spent shales and spent shales covered with soil after vegetation had been established by intensive treatment and then left under natural precipitation conditions. The water and for comparison of water movement through compacted and uncompacted spent shale.

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Carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance studies of a solid inclusion complex

"The oil shale deposits of northwestern Colorado,  northeastern Utah, and southwestern Wyoming are among this nation largest hydrocarbon resources.  The commercial development of this resource likely to occur over the next several decades will cause large-scale changes in the sparsely populated and undeveloped western oil shale region. The disposal of spent oil shale and other solid waste resulting from oil shale mining and aboveground retorting will require the disturbance of large areas of land and is a major environmental concern. It has been estimated that a shale processing operation  producing 8,000 m3 of shale oil per day would require 8.5-9.7 square kilometers to dispose of the waste materials produced over its 30-year operational life. Unless spent shale disposal piles are properly designed and reclaimed various environmental problems will occur. These include the contamination of water and soil with constituents of spent shale potentially hazardous to biota , and the preemption of land from other uses. This report consists of a review and assessment of the design and reclamation  methods proposed for use in the disposal of spent oil shale. Emphasis  is placed on the physical and chemical properties of spent shale and over solid wastes produced by retorting processes likely to be employed by the  emerging oil shale industry. The potential environmental problems associated with the surface disposal of these wastes and feasible mitigative measures are described. Disposal pile construction is discussed in light of the environmental and regulatory constraints imposed upon site selection and disposal pile design . The prospects for revegetating spent shale disposal piles and a description of appropriate reclamation technology is included. Postreclamation management strategies and possible land uses of revegetated disposal piles are discussed. However, because no commercial-scale shale disposal facility has yet been constructed, the problems and mitigated measures are discussed in this report may not be uniformly and/or directly applicable on a large scale.  Factors that may limit the adequate reclamation of shale disposal piles and future research needs are identified."

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Underground coal gasification product quality parameters

A simplified model is described which will indicate the economic value of the row product gas from an experimental underground coal gasification test on a real-time basis in order to aid in the optimization of the process during the course of the test. The model relates the properties of the product gas and the injection gas to the cost of producing each of five potential commercial products. This model is being utilized to evaliate data during the Gulf-DOE underground coal gasification test at Rawlins, Wyoming in the fall of 1981

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Comparison of microcolorimetric and macrotitrimetric methods for chemical oxygen demand of oil shale wastewaters

Modifications are described for both the micro-colorimetric and macro-titrimetric chemical oxygen demand (COD) procedures.  For the former, a prolonged cooling period, followed by extensive mixing, minimizes the spectrophotometric interferences from refractive index changes and catalyst induced  precipitate.  For the latter, automated titration and absorbance monitoring near the chromate-chromic isosbestic point improves accuracy and reproducibility.  The applicability of these modified methods for quantifying the COD of oil shale wastewaters, the micro-colorimetric method gave COD values (90C to 150,000 mg/l) that did not differ statistically (P>0.10) from those obtained by the macro-titrimetric COD method.  The relative standard deviations for five replicates of each wastewater were less than 1.3% for the macro0titrimetric method and generally less than 5.0% for the micro-colorimetric method; no matrix effects were evident.

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Kinetics of leaching of organic carbon from in situ spent shale

Spent oil shale from the Laramie Energy Technology Center 10-ton simulated in situ retort was leached in a series of batch and column experiments. The packed columns, were filled with water and allowed to reach equilibrium before leaching flows were commenced. Batch leachate and column break-through concentration data are presented, characterized by electrical conductivity, total organic carbon, and pH. Column break-through data typically dropped to less than 10 percent of initial levels within three to four leachate pore volumes and thereafter decreased very slowly.

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Industrial hygiene sampling at Rio Blanco Oil Shale Facility. II. Sampling during burn of retort one

Industrial hygiene sampling was conducted during the burn of a second and larger experimental modified in situ oil shale retort at the Rio Blanco Oil Shale Company's facility in northwestern Colorado. The study was a follow up to sampling perfumed before and during the burn of the first MIS retort prepared by the company. Air sampling was again conducted on the lower level of the underground mine, and limited sampling was also conducted around process units located on the ground surface. An attempt was made to sample areas of expected maximum concentrations in order to characterize air contaminants near process units or areas, rather than to sample actual employee exposure. Samples were collected for analysis of dust and a number of selected gases and vapors in air, and limited monitoring was conducted for noise.

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