Occupational-health study at the Geokinetics true in-situ oil-shale retorting facility

Technical Report · Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983

OSTI ID:5723332

Hargis, K M; Rom, W N; Grier, R S; Tillery, M I; Voelz, G L; Ettinger, H J; Wheat, L D

An occupational health study was conducted during the burn of the first commercial-size retort employing the Geokinetics, Inc., horizontal in situ oil shale retorting process. The study consisted of field industrial hygiene surveys and sampling, and medical evaluation of workers and spouses living at the facility. Industrial hygiene surveys and sampling were conducted during early, middle, and late phases of the 9-month burn of the retort. 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 exposures. Samples were collected for analysis of dust and a number of selected gases and vapors in air, and limited monitoring was conducted for noise. Limited dust monitoring was also conducted during the drilling of blastholes for another retort. Medical evaluations consisted of medical history, physical examination, pulmonary ventilation function tests, chest x ray, and blood and urine tests (including chromosome evaluations and Ames testing of urine). 30 references.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5723332
• Report Number(s): LA-9659-MS; ON: DE84000108
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
IN-SITU RETORTING
HEALTH HAZARDS
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
PERSONNEL
MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS
DUSTS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GASES
NOISE POLLUTION
OIL SHALE INDUSTRY
SAMPLING
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DATA
DECOMPOSITION
FLUIDS
HAZARDS
IN-SITU PROCESSING
INDUSTRY
INFORMATION
NUMERICAL DATA
POLLUTION
PROCESSING
RETORTING
SAFETY
040700* - Oil Shales & Tar Sands- Health & Safety