Preliminary feasibility study for a nuclear in situ oil shale experiment in the area of the Wosco Ex-1 well, Uintah County, Utah

Technical Report · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1969

OSTI ID:6386594

Analysis of the data shows that a 5 to 10 kt device will be safely contained when detonated at a working point (WP) of 2,360 ft rotary bushing (RB). This explosion should not fracture into any water zone and should produce a chimney with a height of from 200 to 455 ft and a radius of from 60 to 91 ft in an oil-shale sequence having an average oil-shale content of approx. 14 to 18 gal/ton. Previous U.S. Bureau of Mines results with surface retorts indicate that the lower several hundred feet of the chimney will be retortable. The WOSCO EX-l site appears to be acceptable from a ground motion and structural response, public health, and hydrologic standpoint. However, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) suggests that some additional tests might be necessary to verify the hydrologic conditions. The successful economic development of this oil shale resource utiizing nuclear explosives would necessitate retorting the fractured zone adjacent to the chimney. This would require processing 15 gal/ton shale.

• OSTI ID: 6386594
• Report Number(s): NP-19253
• 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
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450201 -- Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense-- Nuclear Explosions & Explosives-- Containment
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DATA ANALYSIS
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPLOSIONS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGY
HYDROLOGY
IN-SITU PROCESSING
MATERIALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
OIL SHALES
OIL WELLS
PROCESSING
PYROLYSIS
RETORTING
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
US BUREAU OF MINES
US DOI
US ORGANIZATIONS
WELLS