Effects of MIS retorting on groundwater

Conference · Fri Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · Oil Shale Symp. Proc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5166153

Hester, N E

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.

• Research Organization: Occidental Research Corp., Irvine, California
• OSTI ID: 5166153
• Report Number(s): CONF-830434-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Oil Shale Symp. Proc.; (United States)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
041000* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Environmental Aspects
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
COLORADO
CONTAMINATION
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
FEDERAL REGION VIII
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IN-SITU PROCESSING
IN-SITU RETORTING
LIQUID WASTES
MATERIALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
MODIFIED IN-SITU PROCESSES
MONITORING
NORTH AMERICA
OIL SHALE DEPOSITS
OIL SHALES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
PROCESSING
RESOURCES
RETORTING
USA
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER
WATER CHEMISTRY
WATER POLLUTION
WATER QUALITY
WELL LOGGING