In situ oil shale retorting: water quality
Rio Blanco Oil Shale Company completed the first burn on their modified in-situ system located in the Piceance Basin of Colorado. Gas stream analyses were performed using a small computerized mass spectrometer. These analyses were made continuously from a sample line originating at the off-gas knockout drum. In addition, the feasibility of determining trace sulfur gases in this mixture was tested. The mass spectrometer has a detection limit of about 5 ppM for a typical trace component in air or other simple gas matrix. However, because of the complex organic matrix composing the oil shale gas, it becomes very difficult to positively identify most trace components at this low ppM level. The sulfur gases which have the fewest interferences include H/sub 2/S, COS, CH/sub 3/SH and SO/sub 2/. These gases can be determined at approximatey the 15 to 25 ppM level. Mass spectrometric analysis of low- or sub-ppM level trace components in complex gas mixture would require pre-treatment of the gas such as concentration or separation to be effective. Positive identifications were made on H/sub 2/S, CH/sub 3/SH, COS and SO/sub 2/. Water samples were taken from five points in the Rio Blanco MIS process for organic characterization and toxicity screening. There was considerable variation in the toxicity of the retort waters relative to both time into the burn and the location of the sampling point. The scrubber water samples were more toxic than the other samples. This is most likely due to the higher pH of these samples. The east holding pond samples were not toxic. These samples represent an integrated sample set as all process waters are finally discharged into this holding pond.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 6553436
- Report Number(s):
- UCID-18986
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CARBON OXYSULFIDE
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
GASEOUS WASTES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
OIL SHALES
MODIFIED IN-SITU PROCESSES
RETORTS
WASTE WATER
SULFUR DIOXIDE
THIOLS
TOXICITY
FIELD TESTS
OFF-GAS SYSTEMS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RETORTING
WATER QUALITY
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMICAL REACTORS
DECOMPOSITION
DISTILLATION EQUIPMENT
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
EQUIPMENT
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LIQUID WASTES
MATERIALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SPECTROSCOPY
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
TESTING
WASTES
WATER
040401* - Oil Shales & Tar Sands- In Situ Methods
True & Modified
041000 - Oil Shales & Tar Sands- Environmental Aspects