Ventilation practices at Rio Blanco Oil Shale's tract C-a mine

Conference · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983 · Prepr., Soc. Min. Eng. AIME; (United States)

OSTI ID:6364070

Earnest, H W

The Rio Blanco Oil Shale Company completed a modified in-situ oil shale retorting demonstration at its Tract C-a Lease in the Piceance Creek Basin of northwestern Colorado during the spring of 1982. This demonstration was the first MIS project with shafts rather than adits for access to the mining operation, and it involved several potential hazards which required that particular attention be paid to mine ventilation. Methane was first encountered during shaft sinking and ultimately resulted in the mine being classified gassy by MSHA. Secondly, we encountered hydrogen sulfide in association with the ground water, and this proved to be a more persistent problem than did the methane. Thirdly, in order to burn the underground retorts, it was necessary to provide for potential leakage of retort gases and to obtain a modification to the MSHA standard which forbids fires underground. This modification had a significant effect on the ultimate ventilation procedures at Tract C-a. An extensive underground air monitoring program was included in the ventilation system. The mine development and in situ retorting demonstration was completed safely and satisfactorily. Two retorts were successfully burned under gassy mine conditions with no significant problems within the mine or the retorts. The ventilation system used was more than adequate for all conditions which were encountered during the time the mine was in operation.

• Research Organization: Rio Blanco Oil Shale Company, Aurora, Colorado
• OSTI ID: 6364070
• Report Number(s): CONF-831009-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Prepr., Soc. Min. Eng. AIME; (United States) Journal Volume: 83-303
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040401* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- In Situ Methods
True & Modified
AIR QUALITY
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COLORADO
DECOMPOSITION
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
FEDERAL REGION VIII
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
IN-SITU PROCESSING
IN-SITU RETORTING
MINE SHAFTS
NORTH AMERICA
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
RETORTING
RIO BLANCO OIL SHALE PROJECT
SAFETY
SHAFT EXCAVATIONS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
USA
VENTILATION SYSTEMS
WATER