Long-range resource utilization of NOSR 1: site and soil investigations. Naval Oil Shale Reserves management support and systems engineering project

Technical Report · Mon Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980

OSTI ID:6288534

During the summer of 1980, a site and soil investigation program was completed on NOSR 1. This program involved the drilling/coring of 10 shallow core holes (less than 200 feet), 26 auger holes, 4 trench excavations, and associated access road development and reclamation. A laboratory program completed numerous classification tests on soil samples and extensive logging of rock cores. The site and soil investigation program was designed to determine the suitability of the NOSR 1 site for construction of commercial-size oil shale plants. Four representative ridge-top plant sites were examined, along with three mine portal sites, and three dam sites. Limited work was performed in the primary disposal site for spent shale in upper Trapper Creek. Program results indicate that any of the proposed plant sites, and presumably any ridge-top location with sufficient room for development, would be satisfactory from a foundation viewpoint. Dam site locations were evaluated to determine the effect of water retention on leakage into the mining horizons below. Each of the mine sites investigated was found to be potentially suitable for mine entry and development, although Sites 1 and 3 were not drilled directly. The conclusions for Sites 1 and 3 are based on visual examination, and will need verification through drilling, coring, and testing. Both sites will require more road access development before drilling can be completed there. No obvious problems were found with disposal of spent shale in Trapper Creek, other than a potentially leaky base. A leaky foundation for a spent shale disposal area could potentially complicate the design by requiring the installation of an impermeable seal to prevent percolation of water through the spent shale and into the groundwater.

• Research Organization: TRW Energy Systems Planning Div., McLean, VA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC01-78RA32012
• OSTI ID: 6288534
• Report Number(s): DOE/RA/32012-T18; ON: DE84006902
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
041000* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Environmental Aspects
510500 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
BOREHOLES
CAVITIES
CLASSIFICATION
DRILL CORES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
MINERAL RESOURCES
MINING
NAVAL OIL SHALE RESERVES
OIL SHALE DEPOSITS
OIL SHALE MINING
OIL SHALE PROCESSING PLANTS
RESERVES
RESOURCES
SITE SELECTION
SITE SURVEYS
SOILS
SPENT SHALES