Devonian oil shale of the eastern United States: a major American energy resource
The eastern Devonian oil shale resource can yield 400 billion (400 X 10/sup 9/) bbl of synthetic oil, if all surface and near-surface shales were strip or deep mined for above-ground hydroretorting. Experimental work, in equipment capable of processing up to 1 ton/h of shale, has confirmed the technical and economic feasibility of aboveground hydroretorting of oil shales. Work done to date on nearly 500 samples from 12 states indicates that the HYTORT Process can give organic carbon recoveries from 2 to 2.5 times those of conventional retorting of the Devonian shales, so that the HYTORT Process yields 25 to 30 gallons per ton on syncrude at many localities, compared with 10 to 15 gallons per ton using Fischer Assay retort methods. Criteria for inclusion of shale in estimates of recoverable resources for the HYTORT Process are: (1) organic carbon of at least 10% by weight; (2) overburden of less than 200 feet (59 meters); (3) volumetric stripping ratios of less than 2.5 to 1; and (4) stratigraphic thickness of 10 feet (3 meters) or more. Resource estimates include: Kentucky (Ohio, New Albany, and Sunbury shales), 190 billion (190 X 10/sup 9/) barrels (bbl); Ohio (Ohio and Sunbury shales), 140 billion bbl; Tennessee (Chattanooga shale), 44 billion bbl; Indiana (New Albany shale), 40 billion bbl; Michigan (Antrim shale), 5 billion bbl; and Alabama (Chattanooga shale), 4 billion bbl. Recoverable resources have not been identified in West Virginia, Georgia, Oklahoma, Illinois, Arkansas, or Missouri outcrops. Co-production of uranium and metals is a possibility in the areas favorable for syncrude production.
- OSTI ID:
- 6445143
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8010177-1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
040100* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Reserves & Exploration-- (-1989)
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290400 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Energy Resources
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
BLACK SHALES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHATTANOOGA FORMATION
DEVONIAN PERIOD
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GEOLOGY
HYTORT PROCESS
MATERIALS
NORTH AMERICA
OIL SHALES
OIL YIELDS
PALEOZOIC ERA
RESOURCE ASSESSMENT
STRATIGRAPHY
USA
YIELDS