Shale oil, water, and the politics of ambiguity

Technical Report · Fri Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6477889· OSTI ID:6477889

Prindle, D. F.

This report examines the public policy problems surrounding the development of shale oil, focusing on the many difficulties associated with shale and water, and the attempts of private and public decisionmakers to deal with those problems. Deposits of shale oil in northwestern Colorado are so enormous that this fuel has the potential to liberate the United State from dependence on foreign sources of energy for many decades. Yet the technical, environmental, economic, and political problems facing the exploitation of this resource are themselves so great that they call into question the very possibility of development. Two themes dominate the discussion. The first and most important is ambiguity. Uncertainty pervades every discussion of shale oil and water, so much so that industry, academic, and political observers are unable to evaluate realistically the possible costs, benefits, and dangers of developing the shale resource. The second theme is complexity. The process of judging the opportunities and dangers of shale and water, and the political maneuvering surrounding this process, are almost endlessly complex. Ambiguity adds to complexity, and vice-versa. The result is that both private and public policymakers treat the subject of shale with extreme caution. Policy advances incrementally when it moves at all. There is also a discussion of some of the political fights surrounding shale policy, to help illustrate the ambiguity and complexity of the process.

• Research Organization: Texas Univ., Austin (USA). Center for Energy Studies
• OSTI ID: 6477889
• Report Number(s): UT/CES-PS-21; ON: DE83901144
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
041000* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Environmental Aspects
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
294004 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Oil Shales & Tar Sands
AIR POLLUTION
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COLORADO
DECISION MAKING
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FEDERAL REGION VIII
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
INDUSTRY
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NORTH AMERICA
OIL SHALE INDUSTRY
OIL SHALES
POLITICAL ASPECTS
POLLUTION
RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
RESOURCES
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WATER POLLUTION
WATER REQUIREMENTS
WATER RESOURCES