Evaluation of four slurry explosives proposed for use in explosive fracturing of oil shale formations

Technical Report · Thu Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6605964· OSTI ID:6605964

Neel, R R; Jacobson, R D; Ray, C W

The oil shale fracturing experiment conducted by Sandia Laboratories and the Laramie Energy Research Center at Site 12 of the Rock Springs, Wyoming, oil shale experiment area required an understanding of the flow and detonation characteristics of the explosive slurry selected for insertion into preformed hydraulic fractures. A series of tests were conducted to evaluate those characteristics for four candidate explosive slurries considered for that experiment. Two of the slurries flowed readily through medium (10/20 mesh) sand; two failed to flow through 10/20 sand but were capable of being pumped through coarse (8/12 mesh) sand. Tests were conducted which indicated that successful detonation can be achieved in cracks at least 1/8'' thick; however, each of the explosives failed to detonate satisfactorily in 1/16'' thick unfilled cracks, or sand filled cracks up to 3/8'' thick.

• Research Organization: Sandia Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-04-0789
• OSTI ID: 6605964
• Report Number(s): SAND-78-1002
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040300* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Drilling
Fracturing & Mining
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450100 -- Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense-- Chemical Explosions & Explosives
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIVES
COMMINUTION
DETONATIONS
DISPERSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPLOSIVE FRACTURING
EXPLOSIVES
FLUID FLOW
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTURING
FUELS
MIXTURES
OIL SHALES
POROSITY
SLURRIES
SUSPENSIONS