AndreaBozzo/ceres-open-data-index huggingface dataset:
ENVIRONMENTAL RECONNAISSANCE STUDY FOR SWEETWATER COUNTY IN SITU OIL SHALE RESEARCH--DRAFT REPORT

Pursuant to conditions itemized in Contract Number E(29-2) - 3575 between the United States Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) and the University of Wyoming as represented by the Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI) the following five-chapter report titled "Environmental Reconnaissance Study for Sweetwater County In-Situ Oil Shale Research" has been prepared. This document seeks to inform ERDA officials of the pertinent environmental regulation and requirements which must satisfied before field operations can begin. Most of the Pertinent rules and regulations are of recent vintage and often require specific interpretation for each project action.

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THE EFFECTS OF PARTICLE SIZE ON OIL SHALE PYROLYSIS KINETICS

Experiments have been performed to measure the rates of oil shale pyrolysis. The measurements have been used to develop a model of the reaction rates that takes into account resistance to the evolution of product. In the experiment, samples of shale were quickly injected into a batch fluidized bed of hot inert particles. The evolution of  hydrocarbons was measured by means of an on-line flame ionization detector (FID) located in the product line of the reactor. The FID responses were corrected by taking into account the residence time distribution of the reactor in a convolution with the reaction rate. The initial stages of the reaction are very fast and decreases with increasing particle size. Larger particles also display a time delay for the appearance of product that is related partly to the time required to heat the particle. The later stages of product evolution are slow but continue for long times.

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A REVIEW OF OIL SHALE DECOMPOSITION KINETICS

The chemistry and decomposition dynamics of oil shale are reviewed with the aim of defining a preliminary model characterizing the yield of oil from Atrium shale. Data on oil shale decomposition taken over a period of nearly three decades are summarized and caste into a model for the decomposition kinetics. Few order rate constants, drawing heavily from the detailed studies of Johnson, et al., are suggested as input to numerical model calculations. Since many of the decomposition reactions have large activation energies, the importance of quantifying an accurate thermal history in the shale during the decomposition is underscored.

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ENVIRONMENTAL RECONNAISSANCE STUDY FOR SWEETWATER COUNTY IN SITU OIL SHALE RESEARCH

This document has attempted to address those ERDA comments generated by the draft document previously submitted to you. In that specific process description and site locations were not available to us for this report, we were unable to adequately assess that needs for future studies as promised in chapter V of the drat document. This information can be supplied to you later when ERDA has more fully finalized their efforts.

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HYDROGASIFICATION OF OIL SHALE

The goal of this study was to investigate the technical and economic feasibility of producing synthetic pipeline gas from oil shale using HYTORT Process. The technical and economic feasibility of the process was shown in laboratory-scale, bench-scale, and PDU-scale (1-ton/hr process development unit) equipment in tests with both Eastern and Western U.S. shales. With Western shales, 95% or more of the organic carbon conversions up to 90% were achieved. In addition to showing the overall technical and economic feasibility of the process, this study showed the technical and economic feasibility of a novel, patented method for feeding shale to and from high-pressure reactors. Based on the results obtained, it now appears that the Eastern U.S. shale resource (largely neglected in the past because of the low yield by the conventional Fischer Assay method) is now economically recoverable.

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PROCESS TECHNOLOGIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF OIL SHALE PROCESSING: AN OVERVIEW, FINAL REPORT

This report is an overview of both the extraction process technologies and various environmental aspects of oil shale development. It provides some background information on the deposits, the resources, and the characteristics of oil shales. The first part of the report includes a brief description of the principles and capacities of each different oil shale extraction process, together with a summary of the current status of several oil shale projects around the world. The second part of the report begins with a presentation of the environmental control laws, standards, and regulations for air emission, wastewater discharge, and solid waste disposal pertinent to oil shale development. After discussing the nature and sources of these pollutants, their impacts and control methods are presented. In addition, the impact of occupational safety and health hazards, as well as the socioeconomic impacts are also discussed. At the end of the report, a bibliography of the selected references on environmental impacts of oil shale development is included.

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GAS-COMBUSTION RETORTING PROCESS

In 1944, under the Synthetic Liquid Fuels Act, the Bureau of Mines was directed to supply the scientific, engineering, and economic information required for the establishment of an American shale oil industry. To develop the necessary retorting technology, numerous paper studies of existing processes were made. Also, several field trips were made to obtain information and, where possible, to observe the operation of existing retorting plants (3,4,5). Later several processes were tried at Rifle on a pilot-plant scale (6 through 12). The gas-combustion process is the result of the development work to date.

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QUANTITATIVE HISTOPATHOLOGY IN RAINBOW TROUT GILLS AFTER CHRONIC EXPOSURE TO OIL SHALE RETORT WATER

A laboratory study was performed which compared structural responses in gill tissues with fry survival and growth in rainbow trout salmo gairdneri exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of oil shale retort water for 60 days. Histological techniques included tissue fixation in buffered glutaraldehyde followed by buffered osmium tetroxide and embedment in Araldite 502. Sections 1-pm thick were cut from tissue blocks so that each section contained a sample of several filaments,  each cut form a different level along the filament. With high-resolution light microscopy, the containment response was quantified using white blood cell infiltration, chloride cell and mucous cell proliferation, mitotic index, and respiratory diffusion distance. The no-observed-effects-concentration (NOEC) was 0.009% retort water for survival. In contrast, the NOEC for quantified histological parameters was 0.001% retort water for fry growth and 0.004% retort water for survival. In contrast, the NOEC for quantified histological parameters was 0.001% retort water for white blood cell infiltration and 0.002% for four other structural parameters. Thus, gill histopathology was more sensitive than traditional chronic toxicity endpoints. We conclude that quantitative histopathology may be used to predict "safe" levels of at least some environmental contaminants.

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OIL SHALE: A NEW PROCESS APPROACH

Replacement of retorting methods for releasing organic values from oil shales has been needed for years. The basic development of the existing retorting processes occurred 20 or more years ago. Not one of these has ever been able to compete with other investment opportunities, no matter what the price of petroleum was at the time. In general, as environmental controls were band aided onto each retorting process, its ability to compete eroded even further. Therefore, a strategic source of domestic mobile fuel had to be the primary incentive for continued development. As oil prices dropped, even interest to meet this objective declined. An entirely new approach has seemed necessary in order to reduce costs and make it easier to develop a strategic source of supply from oil shale.

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COMPARISON OF EVAPORATION MODELS FOR OIL SHALE RETORT WATERS

Daily evaporation estimates for four types of waters (fresh water and three types of oil shale retort water) were calculated using ten established evaporation models and regression models which were developed from actual data measured at Laramie, Wyoming. The daily estimates were then compared with actual data and analyzed to determine which model most accurately predicted evaporation for the different oil shale retort waters. The established models in general used mainly climatic parameters for input but each model varied in it's required input. Regression models were developed for each water separately and for all the waters combined using both chemical and climatic data as input. The regression model developed for all waters combined produced the best estimates of daily evaporation for the oil shale retort waters as a whole. Several of the established models did well in prediction also. If a chemical breakdown of the waters is not available for use with the regression model, it was found that the Penman combination equation produced the next best estimates of daily evaporation for the oil shale retort waters with the Priestly-Taylor and Kohler-Nordenson-Fox methods producing estimates close to the Penman method.

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SUPERIOR OIL SHALE DIVISION DESIGN OF A SURFACE OIL SHALE RETORTING MODULE AND DEMONSTRATION PLANT

A detailed description of the demonstration plant design is presented in the project deliverable reports listed in Appendix A. Specifically, the design bases, the drawings, the specifications, and the costs are outlined in the Project Data Books for the Retort and Related Facilities, the Mine and Related Facilities, and the Auxiliaries and Related Facilities. General descriptions of the plane, together with summaries of all phases of the project, are included in the Final Technical Report, and site details, cost summaries, economic evaluations and economic sensitivity analyses are presented in the Preliminary Site Development Plan.

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OIL-SHALE RESEARCH PROGRAM

It was just ten years ago that the 78th congress passed the Synthetic Liquid Fuels Act and appropriated the initial funds to the Bureau of Mines to inaugurate the program to study the oil shale, coal, and agricultural products as sources of liquid fuels, let us go back to that date to refresh our memories on the world situation at that time but more particularly, for the purpose of this discussion, to review the status of our knowledge of oil shale and methods for producing fuels from it.

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POSTBURN STUDY RESULTS FOR HANNA II, PHASES 2 AND 3 UNDERGROUND COAL GASIFICATION EXPERIMENT

"During the fall of 1980 the Laramie Energy Technology Center conducted a post-burn drilling study at the Hanna II, Phases 2 and 3 underground coal gasification (UCG) site. Twenty-two drill holes were drilled and logged. Core samples and geophysical logs were used to interpret the gasification zone. Caliper, gamma, gamma-gamma density, neutron, directional, and temperature logs were used. Char zones were delineated using petrographic  studies and chemical analyses. Vertical cross sections were constructed to show the size and shape of the burn cavity and the location of rubble, paralava and char."

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PETROGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF UNALTERED AND THERMALLY METAMORPHOSED COAL FROM THE HANNA, WYOMING GASIFICATION AREA

Petrographic data were used to characterize carbonaceous shale, bituminous coal, and char at the Hanna, Wyoming, underground coal gasification site. Petrographic procedures for sample preparation, maceral analysis, and mean-maximum reflectance analysis are described. Photomicrographs showing vitrinite, pseudovitrinite, exinite, resinite, semi-fusinite, semi-macrinite, fusinite, macrinite, and sclerotinite are included. A petrographic classification of coal from the Hanna no. 1 coal seam is given. Rank of the Hanna coal was determined using the mean-maximum reflectance of the vitrinite, and this determination was compared to rank determined according to the ASTM method. The rank of the coal is a high volatile C bituminous coal. Char obtained from the Hanna II, Phase 2 and 3 burn was characterized using a maceral analysis and a reflectance analysis. Possible applications of petrographic data for characterization of coal prior to underground coal gasification is explained.

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LOCATION OF BURNS AND FAULTS AT THE HANNA UNDERGROUND COAL GASIFICATION AREA USING HIGH RESOLUTION SEISMIC SURVEY

In November 1980 a high resolution seismic survey was conducted at the Hanna underground coal gasification area. The objectives of the survey were to locate and characterize the burn cavity at the Hanna II, Phases 2 and 3 gasification site; and to locate shallow geologic faults. Seismic data acquisition and processing parameters were specifically designed to emphasize reflections at the shallow, 200-500 for depths of interest. A three dimensional grid of data was obtained over the burn zone. Processing included time varying filters, deconvolution, trace compositing; and two dimensional, areal stacking of the data in order to identify anomalies. An anomaly was clearly discernable resulting from the rubble-collapse void in the burn zone which was studied in detail, and compared to synthetic models. The fault system was found to be a graben complex with antithetic faults. The fault system contains folded beds. A series of anomalies were discovered on the northeast end of one of the seismic lines; and these reflections have been identified as underground mine adits from the old Hanna No. 1 coal mine.

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LOCATION OF BURNS AND FAULTS AT THE HANN UNDERGROUND COAL GASIFICATION AREA BY USE OF HIGH-RESOLUTION SEISMIC SURVEY (ABSTRACT ONLY)

Recognition of the turbidite nature of many petroleum producing sands worldwide makes it imperative to understand both the facies types encountered and the trap types to be anticipated in future exploration and development work. Several facies models have been proposed, most of which are not readily usable with the data generally available in subsurface work. The facies analysis presented examines large-scale controls, such as climate, provenance, basin geometry, and tectonics, and then considers the various large to small-scale facies and sand-body geometrics that result.

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HYDROGEOLOGIC EVALUATION OF THE HANNA COAL GASIFICATION SITE

During the spring of 1980, a field program was begun to evaluate the hydrogeology of the LETC underground coal gasification site near Hanna, Wyoming. Four holes were cored and twenty-two new hydrology wells were drilled in the Hanna No. 1 coal seam and in the overlying strata. A comprehensive set of geophysical logs were run. The Hanna No. 1 coal seam and two separate strata in the overburden were identified as water bearing. A series of slug tests and injection tests were run to determine hydrologic characteristics of the aquifers. Values of transmissivity for the Hanna no. 1 coal aquifer were found to range from 0.14 gpd/ft to 27.5 gpd/ft with an average of 7.44 gpd/ft. Submersible pumps were installed in thirty one wells. A water sampling program was initiated to establish apparent baseline water quality and to determine the water quality at existing burn sites. Water levels are measured quarterly and potentiometric maps prepared to determine groundwater flow and burn site water levels recovery. An average groundwater velocity of 11.9 ft/yr was found for the Hanna no. 1 coal seam. The results of the field program to date in addition to some previously collected data are presented.

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APPLICATIONS OF CROSS POLARIZATON MAGIC-ANGLE SPINNING CARBON-13 NMR TO IN SITU COAL GASIFICATION

Carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance with cross polarization and magic-angle spinning is a state-of-the-art nuclear magnetic resonance technique that can provide detailed structural information about the carbon distribution in solid materials. For complex organic materials, such as coals, the cross polarization magic-angle spinning techniques provide a direct, nondestructive measurement of an important coal parameter the carbon aromaticity. Cross polarization magic angle spinning techniques have been applied to a series of coal samples obtained from the Department of Energy's Underground Coal Gasification site near Hanna Wyoming. Aromaticities thus obtained have been used to assess the nature of the situ experiments, and to determine whether changes in the Aromaticities of coals that have been heated can be used to assess the extent and temperatures of carbonization achieved during underground coal gasification processing. These applications and the nature of the cross polarization magic-angle spinning experiment are described in the paper.

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IN SITU COAL GASIFICATION FOR ELECTRIC POWER GENERATION:  DEVELOPMENT OF MATHEMATICAL MODELS AND DESIGN CRITERIA

Although coal is the cheapest and most plentiful fossil fuel available for power generation, it is also a "dirty" fuel which on burning discharges particulate matter and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere and for some coal, dangerous heavy metal compounds as well. Gasification of  coal and removal of sulfur and other dangerous material s from the fuel gas in many instances may be easier and more economical than removing these materials from the stack gases. Furthermore, through gasification sulfur  can be removed as a useful by-product whereas processes such as the limestone scrubbing of stack gases produce a by-product which in itself poses a major disposal problem.

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UNDERGROUND GASIFICATION AT GORGAS, ALABAMA

Underground gasification, as a means for releasing and utilizing energy from coal, has been considered and discussed in the engineering and mining world almost as long as coal has been burned. Advantages of the scheme over conventional and often difficult mining methods are frequently obvious and may include elimination of much human underground work, lower cost both in dollars and effort in utilizing the energy from coal, and elimination of handling millions of tons of coal and ashes. It also may be pointed out that there may be disadvantages and difficulties, such as much of the coal may be wasted through incomplete combustion, underground control may be difficult or impossible, the gas secured could be too lean to be useful, and too much work may be involved in preparation for combustion, to name only a few.

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UNDERGROUND GASIFICATION OF COAL AT GORGAS, ALABAMA

The Federal Bureau of Mines and the Alabama Power Company have co operated since 1946, in a series of field scale experiments on the underground gasification of coal. The primary objectives are to recover at low cost either the chemical constituents or the energy of coal in forms suitable for the synthesis of liquid fuels and organic chemicals or for the production of power. During the course of experiments up to the present time various methods of gasification have been tried: stream-type operation, utilizing passages in the coal bed prepared by conventional mining methods an electrical method of establishing an underground gasification passage for mining procedures employed previously: unidirectional flow and other changes in site-preparation procedure; oxygen gasification; and cyclic operation, using an air flow followed by a steam fun. Experience with these various procedures and other operating details are discussed in the paper.

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GEOLOGIC FACTORS AFFECTING DENSITY LOGS IN OIL SHALE

Two major geologic factors adversely affecting oil-yield estimations from density logs in Colorado's Green River Formation oil shale are examined. Crystalline nahcolite and cavities left after nahcolite solution are seen by the density log as richer oil shale. Stratigraphic distribution of these geologic factors is described for the U.S. Bureau of Mines Colorado Corehole No. 2, and laboratory determinations of oil yield and rock density in the affected zone are compared with the density log. In nahcolite-bearing sections oil-yield estimation is feasible but with reduced accuracy. In the leached zone accuracy of oil-yield estimation is poor. The leached zone should be precisely located and calibrated separately.

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GEOCHEMISTRY OF OIL SHALE GENESIS IN COLORADO'S PICEANCE CREEK BASIN

A geochemical genesis pattern for the lacustrine oil shales of Colorado's Green River Formation is postulated to explain 7 requirements made on depositional conditions by present day observations. The deposition of hydrogen- rich, uniform organic matter in relatively large amounts through more than 2,000ft. of continuous oil shale is shown to be a natural consequence of the development of a chemically stratified sodium carbonate lake. Authigenic formation of the minerals present in the oil-shale matrix stems from conditions in the carbonate lake and from effects of the continuously large proportion of organic matter in the lake's sediment.

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CONTROL TECHOLOGY RESEARCH DEVELOPMENTS FOR IN SITU OIL SHALE PROCESS WATERS

Development of treatment and management techniques for the water produced during in situ oil shale retorting operations is one of the most important initial steps required towards the achievement of the ultimate goal of successful commercialization. This paper identifies the three distinct water streams produced during a retorting operation and discusses treatment schemes for each type. Significant research results obtained from the current water treatment projects of the Laramie Energy Technology Center are presented and a summary overview of water related environmental research conducted under the leadership of LETC is provided.

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REFINERY CRACKING OPERATIONS CRACKING PLANT RUN NO. 31

Cracking plant run No. 31, April 23 and 24, 1951, was the third and last of a series for the production of a quantity of Diesel fuel for use by the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad in a full-scale test. A secondary purpose of the runs was to produce a high softening point pitch for experimentation.

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REFINERY CRACKING OPERATIONS INTERIM REPORT JULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER, 1949

The refinery cracking plant was first operated on July 15, 1949. The initial run was atmospheric distillation followed by visbreaking and recycle cracking of crude shale oil. Two additional runs were made during the period covered by this report, both of which were recycle cracking runs using the reaction chamber and charging crude shale oil.

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REFINERY TREATING PLANT OPERATIONS JULY THROUGH SEPT. 1950

During the period covered by this report (July through September 1950), two treating plant runs were made. The first, run No. 7, was made to produce Diesel fuel which was used by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad on a trial train operation between Salt Lake City and Denver on September 1 and 2, 1950. The primary objective of this run was to determine the acid treatment that would be necessary to substantially reduce the sulfur content of the raw oil. Charge stock for run No. 7 was light gas oil from visbreaking operations (cracking plant run No. 19).

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REFINERY CRACKING PLANT OPERATIONS CRACKING PLANT RUN NO. 52

Refinery cracking plant run No. 52 was a crude shale-oil viscosity-breaking operation conducted from August 25 to 29, 1952. Both Gas Combustion and N-T-U crude shale oils were processed. Operating conditions, controlled to supply lacking visbreaking data, were limited to 950 degrees F. heater outlet temperature at 120 and 300 p.s.i.g. heater outlet pressure.

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DEWATERING OF CRUDE SHALE OIL BY MEANS OF SOLID PACKING MATERIALS

Most oil-shale retorting processes produce a crude shale oil which contains appreciable quantities of water. This water is presently as a relatively stable water in oil emulsion. It ahs been found possible to resolve some of these emulsions by passing the emulsion through a fixed bed of suitable packing material. Several different packing materials have been tested and on the basis of these results a fine grade of steel wool appears to be the most effective for crude shale oil.

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