Instrumentation and evaluation of the Talley Energy Systems, Inc. oil shale project. Part II. Explosive insertion, detonation and post-shot evaluation results

Technical Report · Sat Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:6921950

Beasley, R R; Boade, R R

January 1979 marked the completion of Phase I of the Talley Energy Systems, Inc. (TESI) contract with the Department of Energy (DOE) which was undertaken to examine the hydraulic/explosive fracturing method for preparing an underground oil shale bed for true in situ processing. Phase I of the contract involved the bed preparation activities - specifically the creation of four horizontal hydrofractures in the shale bed, the insertion and subsequent detonation of slurry explosives in these hydrofractures, and the detailed assessments of major operations and of the rock formation before and after these operations. Phase II of the contract, which was cancelled, was to have been a retorting operation. Sandia National Laboratoy participated in the TESI experiment by providing instrumentation and technical support in several areas during Phase I. This report described the work performed during the explosive insertion and detonation operations and during the post-shot evaluation. The results of the various measurements performed during these operations are discussed along with an overall assessment of the post-shot state of the formation.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6921950
• Report Number(s): SAND-78-1886
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040300* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Drilling
Fracturing & Mining
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMMINUTION
DECOMPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPLOSIVE FRACTURING
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTURING
FUELS
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
IN-SITU PROCESSING
IN-SITU RETORTING
MATERIALS
OIL SHALES
PROCESSING
RETORTING