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Title: Effects of MIS retorting on groundwater

Abstract

Occidental Petroleum Corporation has conducted field tests on the modified-in-situ (MIS) oil shale retorting technology for a number of years at its Logan Wash site near De Beque, Colorado. A total of 8 major retorts have been burned, the last three of which were commercial sized. Concurrent with process development research, a significant program was undertaken to study the effects of the MIS technology on the environment. Groundwater was examined before, during and after the major retorting experiments by means of an extensive monitoring network. This network was comprised of monitoring wells at various distances from the retorting operation. Both alluvial wells and deep bedrock wells were examined. Water quality in local seeps and springs was also monitored. Almost eighty chemical and physical parameters of the water samples have been examined. Analyses of these data have shown no contamination of the groundwaters by the MIS retorts. The quality of water exiting MIS retorts during and after the retorting period has also been followed. Data from Retorts 1 through 6 show that the species mobilized by retorting are rapidly removed, and concentrations of chemicals in ''leachate'' from the retorts quickly approach the same range of values as seen in natural groundwaters.more » Statistical analyses have been made of both the retort waters and the groundwaters. Based on the results of these analyses a list of key variables has been identified whose measurement is most likely to identify contamination problems.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Occidental Research Corp., Irvine, California
OSTI Identifier:
5166153
Report Number(s):
CONF-830434-
Journal ID: CODEN: OSSPD
Resource Type:
Conference
Journal Name:
Oil Shale Symp. Proc.; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Conference: 16. oil shale symposium, Golden, CO, USA, 13 Apr 1983
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS; GROUND WATER; WATER POLLUTION; MODIFIED IN-SITU PROCESSES; ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS; OIL SHALES; IN-SITU RETORTING; COLORADO; CONTAMINATION; MONITORING; OIL SHALE DEPOSITS; WASTE WATER; WATER CHEMISTRY; WATER QUALITY; WELL LOGGING; BITUMINOUS MATERIALS; CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS; CHEMICAL REACTIONS; CHEMISTRY; DECOMPOSITION; ENERGY SOURCES; ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY; FEDERAL REGION VIII; FOSSIL FUELS; FUELS; GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS; HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS; IN-SITU PROCESSING; LIQUID WASTES; MATERIALS; MINERAL RESOURCES; NORTH AMERICA; OXYGEN COMPOUNDS; POLLUTION; PROCESSING; RESOURCES; RETORTING; USA; WASTES; WATER; 041000* - Oil Shales & Tar Sands- Environmental Aspects

Citation Formats

Hester, N E. Effects of MIS retorting on groundwater. United States: N. p., 1983. Web.
Hester, N E. Effects of MIS retorting on groundwater. United States.
Hester, N E. 1983. "Effects of MIS retorting on groundwater". United States.
@article{osti_5166153,
title = {Effects of MIS retorting on groundwater},
author = {Hester, N E},
abstractNote = {Occidental Petroleum Corporation has conducted field tests on the modified-in-situ (MIS) oil shale retorting technology for a number of years at its Logan Wash site near De Beque, Colorado. A total of 8 major retorts have been burned, the last three of which were commercial sized. Concurrent with process development research, a significant program was undertaken to study the effects of the MIS technology on the environment. Groundwater was examined before, during and after the major retorting experiments by means of an extensive monitoring network. This network was comprised of monitoring wells at various distances from the retorting operation. Both alluvial wells and deep bedrock wells were examined. Water quality in local seeps and springs was also monitored. Almost eighty chemical and physical parameters of the water samples have been examined. Analyses of these data have shown no contamination of the groundwaters by the MIS retorts. The quality of water exiting MIS retorts during and after the retorting period has also been followed. Data from Retorts 1 through 6 show that the species mobilized by retorting are rapidly removed, and concentrations of chemicals in ''leachate'' from the retorts quickly approach the same range of values as seen in natural groundwaters. Statistical analyses have been made of both the retort waters and the groundwaters. Based on the results of these analyses a list of key variables has been identified whose measurement is most likely to identify contamination problems.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5166153}, journal = {Oil Shale Symp. Proc.; (United States)},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1983},
month = {Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1983}
}

Conference:
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