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By Gordon B. French

In order to better understand the relation- ship of underground and surface oil shale processing systems, a block flow chart is presented in Fig. I. From this figure only modified in-situ and Room and Pillar underground mining are currently committed and into the Detailed Design and Construction phases. Figure II illustrates the times required (Federal land site) to bring oil shale operation into production. As this example shows, only those companies having progressed beyond the exploration stage have a chance to obtain oil shale production within the next 10 years. A more detailed breakdown of the oil shale development for those on private lands or having already obtained Federal lease lands is shown in Fig. III for shale oil development (without major regulatory changes).

Jan 1, 1981

By John B. Rigg

Thank you Mr. Chairman. It was a generous introduction. It allays some of the puzzlement I have of being a minority among the speakers at this conference. I see from the program that only two of us have been asked to speak on topics in keeping with an election year. Instead of reporting facts on past events as most speakers are, J. W. Wilson, of Consolidation Coal, and I have been designated to forecast the future. Forecasting in an election year implies a liberty to fabricate at will, hallucinate, fantasize, stretch fact and fancy and generally prognosticate without regard for the consequences. Since I'm not seeking your votes, promises aren't mandatory. This will be done with supreme confidence stemming from profound wisdom and a foolproof crystal ball. So instead of soliciting your vote, I'll simply penetrate 24 years of tomorrows, which may not be much different than some of us remembering the later hours of last night. My remarks do not draw upon Gulf planning department projections. Instead they are a roll of the dice of personal conjecture to stretch your imaginations on oil shale mining through the year 2000. In this regard, it is sobering to keep in mind that it has been in my lifetime that investors wouldn't risk a dollar on paperback books, motels, supermarkets, or drive-in restaurants. And only thirty years ago it was predicted by an eminent Ivy League professor

Jan 1, 1976

By M. T. Atwood

For more than sixty years the rich oil shale formations of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming have been evaluated as a future source of petroleum. After many false starts the commercial production of shale oil is near. Union Oil and Colony (Exxon and Tosco) have begun construction of commercial plants. Occidental and Rio Blanco (Gulf and Standard of Indiana) are well along in the development of modified in situ (underground) processes. A number of other companies and groups are in advanced stages of development. This paper will review some of the major elements involved in the production of shale oil with emphasis on means available to express the efficiency of production of pyrolysis liquids and gases from oil shale rock.

Jan 1, 1982

By M. T. Atwood, L. Goodfellow, S. W. Tyson

This paper reviews various methods for measuring the product output from oil shale processes. These include comparison with Fischer assay product yields, measuring conversion of feed oil shale organic carbon to volatile products, and measuring output of combustion energy in the form of product liquid and gas.

Jan 1, 1984

If world oil prices stabilize at $ll/bbl, if the US decides on the "accelerated supply" case for domestic fuel resources, if investment capital is available, if environmentalists' demand become reasonable, if land withdrawals are halted, if government grants generous depletion allowances and fast depreciation write-offs, and if many other "iffy" conditions are met-then shale oil production may reach the 1-million-bpd level by 1985, according to the Project Independence Report. In the "base case" scenario, oil shale production would be, at best, about 250,000 bpd at $11 prices, and "much lower if expectations for $7 oil prices prevail." In this regard, the FEA study reflects the conclusion reached by companies engaged in oil shale development work. Thus, except for some new technological breakthrough in mining, the birth and growth of the US oil shale industry will occur only if oil prices stabilize at about $ll/bbl.

Jan 5, 1975

The most extensive oil shale development program ever undertaken in the United States has been that carried out by Colony Development Operation at Para- chute Creek in western Colorado. Field development goals were completed this spring, with the remainder of the $24 million joint venture program, primarily engineering, environmental and economic analysis, due to be finished by the end of 1972. Upon completion of the overall program, a decision concerning a commercial venture is expected. This program points up the increasing attention being focused on oil shale as a source of crude oil and energy for the U.S. at a time when the nation's supply of oil produced by conventional methods is far from adequate to meet the demand. The oil shale reserves of the Green River formation in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming are the largest hydrocarbon reservoir. The Piceance basin of Colorado, alone, contains some 80 billion bbl of shale oil recoverable by modern methods in reserves more than 30 ft thick and containing at least 30 gal of oil per ton. The U.S. Geological Survey has estimated that the total shale oil reserves of the Green River formation in the states of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming is more than 600 billion bbl of oil in deposits containing at least 25 gal per ton of shale oil.

Jan 10, 1972

By A. F. Meger

REPRESENTED here are the ideas and varied experiences of many people in the Hanna Coal Co. who have helped develop, over a number of years, an efficient and flexible method for spraying con- trolled amounts of oil on coal. Since the George- town preparation plant began operations early in 1951, oil treatment of coal has received special attention. It is believed that oil treating will satisfy present customers and also attract new markets. The first step in developing the new method of oil spraying was the construction of a dust cabinet for testing 50-lb samples of treated coal with the available oil sprays on the market. Tests results were tabulated for both indoor and outdoor storage.

Jan 7, 1954

By J. G. Reid

Nickel is second only to aluminium, of all non-ferrous metals, in energy required to convert the ore to metal. Nickel Laterite ores, which constitute the feed source for approximately 40% of world nickel production, are at a particular disadvantage because of the absence of sulphur, as an energy source, in the ore and because lateritic ores general 1 y are not amenable to beneficiation. The dramatic escalation of oil prices which commenced in 1973 and continued for a decade meant that Nickel Laterite refineries using oil as a primary energy source were placed at a distinct disadvantage relative to refineries utilizing nickel sulphide concentrate feeds. By the late 1970's the continuing large difference in oil and coal prices caused Greenvale to consider converting certain high oil consuming areas of the refinery to coal. These investigations confirmed that the areas of ore drying and power generation, which together consumed 50% of total Plant oil requirements, could be economically converted from oil to coal firing. Construction of the coal conversion facilities commenced in October 1980 and the first ore drying air heater came on line in August 1981. Construction was completed with the commissioning of the coal fired boiler in June 1982. This paper outlines the additions required to receive and utilize coal in ore drying and power generation and how the changeover was completed with minimal process disruption.

Jan 1, 1988

By AIME

Cores must be cut in half to secure workable samples for saturation, porosity, and permeability tests. They come from the field labeled as to the type of core, well, and depth from which they came.

Jan 1, 1948

By L. G. Huntley

Introduction IN View of the recent advance made in the knowledge of the nature and conditions accompanying the occurrence of oil and gas, and of the recent activity in drilling in Wyoming, Montana, and western Canada, a discussion of the probabilities of obtaining production in such a reservoir as the Dakota sand in general, and in particular districts, is thought by the author to be timely and likely to result in more intelligent operating in certain parts of the territory underlain by this sand. In Canada particularly it is thought that these general considerations have equal if not more significance in a consideration of the oil and gas possibilities of the formations than have the various local conditions.

Jan 6, 1915

By L. G. Huntley

Discussion of the paper of L. G. HUNTLEY,. presented at the San Francisco meeting, September, 1915, and printed in Bulletin No. 102, June, 1915, pp. 1333 to 1349. E. W. SHAW, Washington, D. C. (communication to the Secretary*). -The comparatively great extent and uniform character of the Dakota sandstone make it of great interest to the student of rock pores and the movements of their fluid contents. However, compared with other sands in areas of carbonaceous rocks facts concerning it do not seem to be of such great direct importance to the producer for it has thus far yielded few important pools of oil or gas. Information concerning the sandstone is extensive but scattered, hence a general treatise regarding it-particularly its pores, the fluids they contain, and the movements of the fluids-has been much needed. I therefore feel that the. chief thing to be ,desired concerning Mr. Huntley's paper is that it were more extended, particularly as to the discussion of the data presented. The general structure map of the Dakota is of especial interest. Slight changes in wording seem to be desirable here and there in the paper. For example, at the beginning of the third paragraph one-wonders if flora instead of fauna were not intended. In Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 the vertical scale seems incorrect. Concerning the analyses of oil quoted it is noted that they "are given, as indicating what may be expected in different localities." This seems to need modification for the average analysis of oil from Powder River, which indicates for example that this oil begins to boil at 213°C. The fact is that the samples to which this figure refers were taken from seeps long exposed. to the air :find hence the underground Dakota oil of this district no doubt differs profoundly from that which the analysis indicates. The product of a well here would probably differ more in boiling point and other. respects from the samples analyzed than it would from almost any other petroleum in the world. The use of the word synclinorium does not conform to the original definition, but this may be pardonable because misuse of the term, though a different misuse, has become general. Synclinorium is an orographic term and cannot be correctly applied outside of mountain regions, for it is derived in part from the Greek word for mountain. It has, however, been widely used in a purely structural sense for compound syncline. The broad shallow syncline of the Dakota sandstone falls in neither category. Objection might also be made to the use of

Jan 12, 1915

By Arthur Taggart

FLOTATION of sulphide minerals and native metals is no longer a practical difficulty. The underlying scientific principles of the method, although not explored in anything like complete detail, have been formulated with sufficient breadth so that the direction of attack on any specific case is clearly indicated. It has been known since the earliest clays of flotation that certain of the nonsulphide nonmetal minerals-e.g., sulphur and graphite-would respond to flotation by oils as sulphides do; therefore they have been grouped with sulphides in many patents. But since the development of the chemical theory of collection,1,2,3 this similarity in action has been one of the facts cited in disproof of the theory by opponents of the hypothesis.4,5,6 Air levitation? of certain oxidized minerals, both metalliferous? and nonmetalliferous, and separa-tion thereby from other oxidized minerals, is a recent development in practice, although the discovery of the method dates back 17 years.7 This paper presents evidence that the principles underlying the air levita-tion of the nonsulphide nonmetal minerals are the same as those utilized in the flotation of the sulphides and native metals. It will be apparent immediately to anyone with knowledge of mineral concentration that separation of air-levitated minerals in water from minerals not so levitated is a simple matter of water-gravity concentra-tion, the separating device employed depending solely upon the size of the particles treated and the buoyancy differences effected by the levita-tion, The usual separating means employed are: (1) a flotation machine for fine, slimy and for well aerated granular material; (2) shaking tables for granular less aerated material.

Jan 1, 1937

By G. R. M. Del Giudice, A. M. Sadler, Arthur F. Taggart, M. Hassialis

FLOTATION of sulphide minerals and native metals is no longer a practical difficulty. The underlying scientific principles of the method, although not explored in anything like complete detail, have been formulated with sufficient breadth so that the direction of attack on any specific case is clearly indicated. It has been known since the earliest days of flotation that certain of the nonsulphide nonmetal minerals-e.g., sulphur and graphite-would respond to flotation by oils as sulphides do; therefore they have been grouped with sulphides in many patents. But since the development of the chemical theory of collection, 1,2,3 this similarity in action has been one of the facts cited in disproof of the theory by opponents of the hypothesis. 4 5-1 Air levitationt of certain oxidized minerals, both metalliferoust and nonmetalliferous, and separation thereby from other oxidized minerals, is a recent development in practice, although the discovery of the method dates back 17 years .7 This paper presents evidence that the principles underlying the air levitation of the nonsulphide nonmetal minerals are the same as those utilized in the flotation of the sulphides and native metals. It will be apparent immediately to anyone with knowledge of mineral concentration that separation of air-levitated minerals in water from minerals not so levitated is a simple matter of water-gravity concentration, the separating device employed depending solely upon the size of the particles treated and the buoyancy differences effected by the levitation. The usual separating means employed are: (1) a flotation machine for fine, slimy and for well aerated granular material; (2) shaking tables for granular less aerated material. By using large quantities of oil, it is possible to form substantially air-free oil-bound masses or granules of nonsiliceous minerals and to

Jan 1, 1937

By F. F. Peng

A unique collector dispersion techniques was developed and used to improve the flotation rate and recovery of coarser and ultrafine coal-rich particles in the froth flotation processes. In this novel collector dispersion method, the collector such as hydrocarbon-oil is gasified and transported by gas phase (air stream) into the pulp. In addition to the excellent mode of collector dispersion, the collector-encapsulated air bubbles are generated in the pulp. This approach alters the surface properties of air bubbles and provides the fast rate of flotation compared to that of direct liquid collector addition froth flotation. Using gasified kerosene as the collector, the effect of altering surface properties of bubbles on the recovery of larger and finer coal-rich particles of -1.7 mm (-12 mesh) and -600 µ m (-30 mesh) raw coal samples were studied. The Redstone seam coal obtained from Northern Central region of West Virginia was used in this work. The effect of particle size on oil-coated bubble flotation rate and recovery were also evaluated. The conventional froth flotation test with a liquid form of kerosene addition was also conducted for comparison purpose.

Jan 1, 1991

By Chester Washburne

RECENTLY, Messrs. Mills and Wells1 published a thorough chemical study of the waters associated with oil in parts of the Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia region. Many of their conclusions are of general application and the writer wishes to discuss some of these: Messrs. Mills and Wells show that the composition of the deep brines of the Appalachian fields is such as would be produced by the evaporation of sea water and the precipitation of sodium chloride, combined with reactions with hydrocarbons and other substances. The brines are altered, also, by considerable mixing with meteoric water. They give good reasons for believing that the concentration of the brines was produced by evaporation in the rock pores induced by migrating gas, much of which probably escaped to the surface of the ground. This hypothesis was considered by the writer in a former paper,2 in which main stress was laid on a second hypothesis, that the excess of chlorine in the deep brines may have been due to the entrance of solutions rich in magnesium and calcium chloride which ascended .from a deep, possibly intratelluric, source. Messrs: Mills and Wells present good arguments for the first hypothesis. Underground evaporation by ascending gases probably will be accepted as the best available explanation of the concentration and composition of deep well waters. They have not considered the possibility that, salt waters in deep sands may be concentrated by the diffusion of water vapor through gas into shale. The writer has given reasons3-for believing that capillary forces concentrate gas and oil in the larger openings of rock, such as the pores of sandstones embedded in shale. The gas underground must be nearly saturated with water vapor at; all times, because it always is in contact with the interstitial water of enclosing shales and of the sand-

Jan 9, 1920

By W. P. Campbell

Introduction OWING to the necessity of curtailing the length of this paper, nothing like an exhaustive treatment of the subject will be attempted. Instead, merely a few aspects will be considered, viz., water trouble in wells, sampling of waters, analysis, methods of reporting analysis, and the comparison of a few typical waters. The waters discussed will not be confined to those occurring in areas where oil or gas has already been found, but will include samples from areas in which drilling is being carried on in the hope that oil or gas may be found, i.e., from unproved fields. The Water Problem The problem of dealing with water encountered in oil and gas producing areas has engaged the attention of petroleum engineers from the early days of the industry. Water was not always considered a menace to oil sands; indeed, a certain amount of it was considered beneficial in some areas, but if such exist today they are very exceptional. In some fields, the problem is more acute than in others, and at times has baffled all attempts to solve it satisfactorily. Wells have been brought-in with promise of good production, but after a brief period have 'gone to water'. Whether ?it has always been a case of poor engineering in the form of unsuccessful water shut-off of 'top' or 'bottom' water, or because 'edge' water was present and water and oil were in such close contact it was impossible to remove the one without the other, is hard to say.

Jan 1, 1929

By Paul Torrey

THE Northwestern Pennsylvania Oil Producers Association and the United States Geological Survey have cooperated in conducting a pre-liminary study of the character of the flood waters, the relationship of changes in concentration of the salts dissolved in these waters to ultimate flood-oil production, and the original association of oil and water in the Bradford field. Bradford has long been recognized as a dry-sand field. As a matter of fact, there had been little information available on the oil-field waters of northern Pennsylvania until this investigation was undertaken. THE BRADFORD SAND Practically all of the oil produced in the Bradford field comes from one horizon, generally known as the Third, or Bradford, sand. Originally, it was believed that the Bradford sand was equivalent to the Third sand of Venango County, Pennsylvania and the name "Third" unfortunately still persists, although shortly after the discovery of the Bradford pool Carll1 determined that there was a stratigraphic interval of approximately ;000 ft. between the two horizons. The Bradford sand, although varying considerably in thickness and lithology within local areas, is persistent throughout the field. It is of marine origin and, upon both paleontologi-cal and stratigraphic evidence, is regarded as a basal member of the Chemung formation.

Jan 1, 1927

By Jock A. Campbell

Oil-impregnated rocks are known to occur in 22 of the 50 states. The largest known petroleum resources of this type are in Utah, with over 95% of the inventoried total, The Utah deposits are estimated to contain over 25 million bbl (42 gal per bbl) of oil in place.' All major Utah tar sand deposits crop out and can be mined partially by open pit methods, but in-situ techniques will have to be employed to recover oil from the deeper parts of the deposits. No significant development of Utah tar sands deposits for their petroleum content has occurred to date, although a mine and extraction plant are anticipated this year at Asphalt Ridge. The barriers to development have been mainly economic, but technological and legal problems will also have to be overcome.

Jan 5, 1975

By A. F. Sirianni

The Peace River iron ore deposit represents the sole source of raw material for an integrated steel industry in Alberta. The ore has proved refractory to beneficiation by a number of techniques. A selective oil-phase agglomeration technique is described. Medium-grade concentrates, analyzing 48-53% Fe and 10-14% SiO2 were obtained with recoveries of about 75% of the total iron. These results appear to represent the optimum possible for this ore body.

Jan 1, 1977

By Tell Ertl

The term oil shale is defined. Foreign oil-shale developments are outlined briefly. The richest and most extensive oil-shale deposits in the United States lie in western Colorado. The Bureau of Mines is opening two adjacent areas for underground mining. in western Colorado. From the first area the oil shale is mined selectively as required by the retorting plant. The second area is being developed as a unit of a full scale oil-shale mine to ascertain the most practical methods of mining oil shale and to determine costs. In both of these mining areas, research will be carried on to develop new and improved practices for mining oil shale. Introduction Oil shale is a sedimentary rock containing a solid mineraloid of indefinite composition known as kerogen. On heating oil shale, the kerogen undergoes thermal decomposition and some of the vapor products of the decomposition can be condensed as shale oil. Oil from shale can be a major source of liquid fuels since extensive deposits of oil shale are known to exist throughout the world. The United States considers the establishment of an oil-shale industry only when doubt exists of the adequacy of the domestic supply of crude petroleum. On the other hand, oil shale is not strange to foreign oil men. The industry is an old one in other parts of the world. The French industry has been in existence since 1838, the Scottish since 1859, the Australian since 1860, the Estonian and Swedish The since World War 1, and the Manchurian industry since 1929. The most highly exploited oil-shale deposits are the Carboniferous shales of Scotland. About 20 seams ranging from 4 to I2 ft in thickness are worked. The yield during recent years in scotland has been 18 to 25 gal of shale oil per ton, from 3&"30'000 tons per year' The French and Swedish oil-shale deposits are of lower grade than the Scottish. The Estonian oil-shale deposits are 7 ft thick, and the oil yield averages 50 gal per ton. Over 1,000,-ooo tons are mined each year, half of which is used directly as fuel to substitute for coal and the other half is used for the production of oil. Immense deposits of oil shale that will yield 10 to 15 gal per ton exist in Germany. Because of the impending loss of the Rumanian and Polish oil fields and the bombing of synthetic liquid fuel plants, the Nazis in 1943 started a large-scale oil-shale program in Germany. By V-E Day, it is said, oil-shale production had reached the rate of 2500 tons per day and rapid expansion of the industry was imminent. Australian oil shale, known as torbanite, occurs in beds 2 to 6 ft thick. It is of a very high grade and on retorting yields 80 to 160 gal per ton. The oil-shale industry of Manchuria was the largest in the world during the past decade. The well-known Fushun coal deposit in Manchuria has an overburden of 500 million tons of oil shale about 450 ft thick that will yield 10 to 15 gal of shale oil per ton. The oil shale is

Jan 1, 1949