Conceptual design of production systems for NOSR 1. Naval Oil Shale Reserves management support and systems engineering project

Technical Report · Wed Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980

OSTI ID:6411639

The objective of this study is to screen out those technology options that are obviously unsuitable for NOSR 1 application, and to establish a framework for future production systems evaluations. This study has attempted to put all available data on a common basis, and derive those data that are unavailable. The results of this study have enabled us to perform the initial screening. The initial screening includes consideration of all technologies (mining, ore handling, retorting, upgrading, and transportation), synthesis of total production systems, and computation of capital costs. An assessment of six mining options has shown that room-and-pillar mining and vertical modified in situ (MIS) mining are the only options feasible for NOSR 1. With room-and-pillar mining and surface retorting of 34 GPT shale, the recoverable reserves on NOSR 1 are sufficient to last 90 to 100 years at a production rate of 50,000 BPD. At this same production rate, the recoverable reserves are sufficient for 20 to 30 years when MIS and MIS/surface retorting options are considered. There are approximately 17 options available for retorting shale. These fall broadly into the categories of surface and in situ retorting, solvent processing, and bioleaching. Process options retained after initial screening include: Paraho, Lurgi-Ruhrgas, Union B, Tosco II, Superior Circular Grate, Oxy MIS, RISE, and MIS/surface retorting combustion. Preliminary analyses of water requirements have shown that the Paraho and Tosco processes consume the least water, whereas the Lurgi process consumes the most. Capital costs (or investment) for nine options have been calculated for a nominal 50,000 BPD plant producing both pipeline and refinery feedstock oil. The Lurgi process is shown to be the least expensive primarily because of the low investment in the retorts. The modified in situ process has the highest investment. 20 figures, 19 tables.

• Research Organization: TRW Energy Engineering Div., McLean, VA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC01-78RA32012
• OSTI ID: 6411639
• Report Number(s): DOE/RA/32012-T11; ON: DE84006941
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040300* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Drilling
Fracturing & Mining
040401 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- In Situ Methods
True & Modified
040402 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Surface Methods
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CAPITALIZED COST
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COST
DECOMPOSITION
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
LURGI-RUHRGAS PROCESS
MATERIALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
MINING
MODIFIED IN-SITU PROCESSES
NAVAL OIL SHALE RESERVES
OIL SHALE DEPOSITS
OIL SHALE MINING
OIL SHALE PROCESSING PLANTS
OIL SHALES
OXY MODIFIED IN-SITU PROCESS
PARAHO PROCESS
RESERVES
RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
RESOURCES
RETORTING
RISE
ROOM AND PILLAR MINING
SUPERIOR PROCESS
TOSCO PROCESS
UNDERGROUND MINING
UNION OIL PROCESS
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION
WATER REQUIREMENTS