Water problems in oil shale mining, Piceance Creek Basin, Colorado

Journal Article · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978 · US Bur. Mines Mining Res. Rev.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6155879

As a result of intense competition for water used for large-scale shale oil production in the Colorado River Basin, a water management study was conducted by the US Bureau of Mines in the Piceance Creek Basin. The study evaluated various underground and open pit mining methods, and determined the effects of groundwater use and the post-mining impact on the hydrologic system in the creek basin. Because of limited groundwater in the basin, significant overall development of oil shale will require imports of water; the average cost of water supply from either the White River or the Colorado River would be 2.3 cents/bpd. Unless large sums of money are spent to import water from these sources, an oil shale industry in the basin would be limited to approximately 2 million bpd. As groundwater use becomes more competitive, the water-bearing-formation pressures, spring flows, and stream flows to the basin will be affected. If production is < 50,000 bpd, mine water inflow will exceed use in the areas. The most economical and environmentally acceptable water disposal method would be reinjection into the aquifers from which the water came.

• OSTI ID: 6155879
• Journal Information: US Bur. Mines Mining Res. Rev.; (United States), Journal Name: US Bur. Mines Mining Res. Rev.; (United States)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040300* -- Oil Shales &amp; Tar Sands-- Drilling
Fracturing &amp; Mining
040900 -- Oil Shales &amp; Tar Sands-- Waste management
AQUIFERS
COLORADO
COST
ENERGY SOURCES
EVALUATION
FEDERAL REGION VIII
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGY
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROLOGY
LIQUID WASTES
MANAGEMENT
MINING
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
OIL SHALE MINING
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PICEANCE CREEK BASIN
RESERVOIR PRESSURE
RESERVOIR TEMPERATURE
RESOURCES
US BUREAU OF MINES
US DOI
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE WATER
WASTES
WATER
WATER RESOURCES