Search for energy from the Antrim

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:7305480

Matthews, R D; Humphrey, J P

The Dow Chemical Company's interest in oil shale was directed in the 1950's toward in situ processes and local shales, specifically the Antrim, a black Devonian shale which occasionally produces natural gas and which yields 9-10 gallons of oil per ton when retorted. It underlies most of the lower peninsula of Michigan. Various field studies of the Antrim shale have resulted in the drilling of some 21 wells and the cutting of over 5000 feet of core. Antrim shale has been retorted in laboratories and in surface retorts and underground combustion experiments have been conducted in a quarry and through bore holes at depths of 1200 and 2600 ft below the surface. Both high pressure air and oxygen have been used underground as reactants. Hydraulic fracturing and chemical explosives have been used on a massive scale in attempts to generate the necessary fracture permeability for in situ retorting. The costs have been large and the technological problems yet to be solved are formidable; however, the potential of the eastern oil shale is so large that a continuing effort has been recommended to the Federal Government.

• OSTI ID: 7305480
• Report Number(s): CONF-770431-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030300 -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040401* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- In Situ Methods
True & Modified
AIR
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
BLACK SHALES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
COMMINUTION
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPLOSIVE FRACTURING
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTURING
FUELS
GASES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GREAT LAKES REGION
HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
IN-SITU COMBUSTION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
IN-SITU RETORTING
MICHIGAN
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
OIL SHALES
OXIDATION
OXYGEN
PROCESSING
RESOURCES
RETORTING
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
USA