On the possibility of magnetic nano-markers use for hydraulic fracturing in shale gas mining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zawadzki, Jaroslaw; Bogacki, Jan

2016-04-01

Recently shale gas production became essential for the global economy, thanks to fast advances in shale fracturing technology. Shale gas extraction can be achieved by drilling techniques coupled with hydraulic fracturing. Further increasing of shale gas production is possible by improving the efficiency of hydraulic fracturing and assessing the spatial distribution of fractures in shale deposits. The latter can be achieved by adding magnetic markers to fracturing fluid or directly to proppant, which keeps the fracture pathways open. After that, the range of hydraulic fracturing can be assessed by measurement of vertical and horizontal component of earth's magnetic field before and after fracturing. The difference in these components caused by the presence of magnetic marker particles may allow to delineate spatial distribution of fractures. Due to the fact, that subterranean geological formations may contain minerals with significant magnetic properties, it is important to provide to the markers excellent magnetic properties which should be also, independent of harsh chemical and geological conditions. On the other hand it is of great significance to produce magnetic markers at an affordable price because of the large quantities of fracturing fluids or proppants used during shale fracturing. Examining the properties of nano-materials, it was found, that they possess clearly superior magnetic properties, as compared to the same structure but having a larger particle size. It should be then possible, to use lower amount of magnetic marker, to obtain the same effect. Although a research on properties of new magnetic nano-materials is very intensive, cheap magnetic nano-materials are not yet produced on a scale appropriate for shale gas mining. In this work we overview, in detail, geological, technological and economic aspects of using magnetic nano-markers in shale gas mining. Acknowledgment This work was supported by the NCBiR under Grant "Electromagnetic method to estimate penetration of proppant in the fracturing process".

43 CFR 3935.10 - Accounting records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... processing plant and retort; (3) Mineral products produced and sold; (4) Shale oil products, shale gas, and... mined or processed and of all products including synthetic petroleum, shale oil, shale gas, and shale..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT (3000) MANAGEMENT OF OIL SHALE EXPLORATION AND LEASES...

43 CFR 3935.10 - Accounting records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... processing plant and retort; (3) Mineral products produced and sold; (4) Shale oil products, shale gas, and... mined or processed and of all products including synthetic petroleum, shale oil, shale gas, and shale..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT (3000) MANAGEMENT OF OIL SHALE EXPLORATION AND LEASES...

43 CFR 3935.10 - Accounting records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... processing plant and retort; (3) Mineral products produced and sold; (4) Shale oil products, shale gas, and... mined or processed and of all products including synthetic petroleum, shale oil, shale gas, and shale..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT (3000) MANAGEMENT OF OIL SHALE EXPLORATION AND LEASES...

43 CFR 3834.13 - Will BLM prorate annual maintenance or oil shale fees?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... FOR MINING CLAIMS OR SITES Fee Payment § 3834.13 Will BLM prorate annual maintenance or oil shale fees? BLM will not prorate annual maintenance or oil shale fees if you hold a mining claim or site for only... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Will BLM prorate annual maintenance or oil...

43 CFR 3834.13 - Will BLM prorate annual maintenance or oil shale fees?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... FOR MINING CLAIMS OR SITES Fee Payment § 3834.13 Will BLM prorate annual maintenance or oil shale fees? BLM will not prorate annual maintenance or oil shale fees if you hold a mining claim or site for only... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Will BLM prorate annual maintenance or oil...

43 CFR 3834.13 - Will BLM prorate annual maintenance or oil shale fees?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... FOR MINING CLAIMS OR SITES Fee Payment § 3834.13 Will BLM prorate annual maintenance or oil shale fees? BLM will not prorate annual maintenance or oil shale fees if you hold a mining claim or site for only... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Will BLM prorate annual maintenance or oil...

43 CFR 3834.13 - Will BLM prorate annual maintenance or oil shale fees?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... FOR MINING CLAIMS OR SITES Fee Payment § 3834.13 Will BLM prorate annual maintenance or oil shale fees? BLM will not prorate annual maintenance or oil shale fees if you hold a mining claim or site for only... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Will BLM prorate annual maintenance or oil...

Baseline studies on the feasibility of detecting a coal/shale interface with a self-powered sensitized pick

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, G. R., II

1981-01-01

The feasibility of utilizing a sensitized pick to discriminate between cutting coal and roof material during the longwall mining process was investigated. A conventional longwall mining pick was instrumented and cutting force magnitudes were determined for a variety of materials, including Illinois #6 coal, shale type materials, and synthetic coal/shale materials.

43 CFR 3935.10 - Accounting records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... processing plant and retort; (3) Mineral products produced and sold; (4) Shale oil products, shale gas, and... mined or processed and of all products including synthetic petroleum, shale oil, shale gas, and shale..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR RANGE MANAGEMENT (4000) MANAGEMENT OF OIL SHALE EXPLORATION AND LEASES Production...

Solubility relationships of aluminum and iron minerals associated with acid mine drainage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sullivan, Patrick J.; Yelton, Jennifer L.; Reddy, K. J.

1988-06-01

The ability to properly manage the oxidation of pyritic minerals and associated acid mine drainage is dependent upon understanding the chemistry of the disposal environment. One accepted disposal method is placing pyritic-containing materials in the groundwater environment. The objective of this study was to examine solubility relationships of Al and Fe minerals associated with pyritic waste disposed in a low leaching aerobic saturated environment. Two eastern oil shales were used in this oxidizing equilibration study, a New Albany Shale (unweathered, 4.6 percent pyrite), and a Chattanooga Shale (weathered, 1.5 percent pyrite). Oil shale samples were equilibrated with distilled-deionized water from 1 to 180 d with a 1∶1 solid-to-solution ratio. The suspensions were filtered and the clear filtrates were analyzed for total cations and anions. Ion activities were calculated from total concentrations. Below pH 6.0, depending upon SO{4/2-} activity, Al3+ solubility was controlled by AlOHSO4 (solid phase) for both shales. Initially, Al3+ solubility for the New Albany Shale showed equilibrium with amorphous Al(OH)3. The pH decreased with time, and Al3+ solubility approached equilibrium with AlOHSO4(s). Below pH 6.0, Fe3+ solubility appeared to be regulated by a basic iron sulfate solid phase with the stoichiometric composition of FeOHSO4(s). The results of this study indicate that below pH 6.0, Al3+ solubilities, are limited by basic Al and Fe sulfate solid phases (AlOHSO4(s) and FeHSO4(s)). The results from this study further indicate that the acidity in oil shale waters is produced from the hydrolysis of Al3+ and Fe3+ activities in solution. These results indicate a fundamental change in the stoichiometric equations used to predict acidity from iron sulfide oxidation. The results of this study also indicate that water quality predictions associated with acid mine drainage can be based on fundamental thermodynamic relationships. As a result, waste management decisions can be based on waste-specific/site-specific test methods.

Wet separation processes as method to separate limestone and oil shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurme, Martin; Karu, Veiko

2015-04-01

Biggest oil shale industry is located in Estonia. Oil shale usage is mainly for electricity generation, shale oil generation and cement production. All these processes need certain quality oil shale. Oil shale seam have interlayer limestone layers. To use oil shale in production, it is needed to separate oil shale and limestone. A key challenge is find separation process when we can get the best quality for all product types. In oil shale separation typically has been used heavy media separation process. There are tested also different types of separation processes before: wet separation, pneumatic separation. Now oil shale industry moves more to oil production and this needs innovation methods for separation to ensure fuel quality and the changes in quality. The pilot unit test with Allmineral ALLJIG have pointed out that the suitable new innovation way for oil shale separation can be wet separation with gravity, where material by pulsating water forming layers of grains according to their density and subsequently separates the heavy material (limestone) from the stratified material (oil shale)bed. Main aim of this research is to find the suitable separation process for oil shale, that the products have highest quality. The expected results can be used also for developing separation processes for phosphorite rock or all others, where traditional separation processes doesn't work property. This research is part of the study Sustainable and environmentally acceptable Oil shale mining No. 3.2.0501.11-0025 http://mi.ttu.ee/etp and the project B36 Extraction and processing of rock with selective methods - http://mi.ttu.ee/separation; http://mi.ttu.ee/miningwaste/

Experience and prospects of oil shale utilization for power production in Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Potapov, O. P.

2016-09-01

Due to termination of work at the Leningrad Shale Deposit, the Russian shale industry has been liquidated, including not only shale mining and processing but also research and engineering (including design) activities, because this deposit was the only commercially operated complex in Russia. UTT-3000 plants with solid heat carrier, created mainly by the Russian specialists under scientific guidance of members of Krzhizhanovsky Power Engineering Institute, passed under the control of Estonian engineers, who, alongside with their operation in Narva, construct similar plants in Kohtla-Jarve, having renamed the Galoter Process into the Enifit or Petroter. The main idea of this article is to substantiate the expediency of revival of the oil shale industry in Russia. Data on the UTT-3000 plants' advantages, shale oils, and gas properties is provided. Information on investments in an UTT-3000 plant and estimated cost of Leningrad oil shale mining at the Mezhdurechensk Strip Mine is given. For more detailed technical and economic assessment of construction of a complex for oil shale extraction and processing, it is necessary to develop a feasibility study, which should be the first stage of this work. Creation of such a complex will make it possible to produce liquid and gaseous power fuel from oil shale of Leningrad Deposit and provide the opportunity to direct for export the released volumes of oil and gas for the purposes of Russian budget currency replenishment.

The stable isotopes of site wide waters at an oil sands mine in northern Alberta, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baer, Thomas; Barbour, S. Lee; Gibson, John J.

2016-10-01

Oil sands mines have large disturbance footprints and contain a range of new landforms constructed from mine waste such as shale overburden and the byproducts of bitumen extraction such as sand and fluid fine tailings. Each of these landforms are a potential source of water and chemical release to adjacent surface and groundwater, and consequently, the development of methods to track water migration through these landforms is of importance. The stable isotopes of water (i.e. 2H and 18O) have been widely used in hydrology and hydrogeology to characterize surface water/groundwater interactions but have not been extensively applied in mining applications, or specifically to oil sands mining in northern Alberta. A prerequisite for applying these techniques is the establishment of a Local Meteoric Water Line (LMWL) to characterize precipitation at the mine sites as well as the development of a 'catalogue' of the stable water isotope signatures of various mine site waters. This study was undertaken at the Mildred Lake Mine Site, owned and operated by Syncrude Canada Ltd. The LMWL developed from 2 years (2009/2012) of sample collection is shown to be consistent with other LMWLs in western Canada. The results of the study highlight the unique stable water isotope signatures associated with hydraulically placed tailings (sand or fluid fine tailings) and overburden shale dumps relative to natural surface water and groundwater. The signature associated with the snow melt water on reclaimed landscapes was found to be similar to ground water recharge in the region. The isotopic composition of the shale overburden deposits are also distinct and consistent with observations made by other researchers in western Canada on undisturbed shales. The process water associated with the fine and coarse tailings streams has highly enriched 2H and 18O signatures. These signatures are developed through the non-equilibrium fractionation of imported fresh river water during evaporation from cooling towers used within the raw water process circuit. This highly fractionated surface water eventually becomes part of the recycled tailings water circuit, and as a consequence it undergoes further non-equilibrium fractionation as a result of surface evaporation, leading to additional enrichment along local evaporation lines.

Technologies for Decreasing Mining Losses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valgma, Ingo; Väizene, Vivika; Kolats, Margit; Saarnak, Martin

2013-12-01

In case of stratified deposits like oil shale deposit in Estonia, mining losses depend on mining technologies. Current research focuses on extraction and separation possibilities of mineral resources. Selective mining, selective crushing and separation tests have been performed, showing possibilities of decreasing mining losses. Rock crushing and screening process simulations were used for optimizing rock fractions. In addition mine backfilling, fine separation, and optimized drilling and blasting have been analyzed. All tested methods show potential and depend on mineral usage. Usage in addition depends on the utilization technology. The questions like stability of the material flow and influences of the quality fluctuations to the final yield are raised.

Engineering assessment and feasibility study of Chattanooga Shale as a future source of uranium. [Preliminary mining; data on soils, meteorology, water resources, and biological resources

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

This volume contains five appendixes: Chattanooga Shale preliminary mining study, soils data, meteorologic data, water resources data, and biological resource data. The area around DeKalb County in Tennessee is the most likely site for commercial development for recovery of uranium. (DLC)

Mapping the distribution of ferric iron minerals on a vertical mine face using derivative analysis of hyperspectral imagery (430-970 nm)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Richard J.; Monteiro, Sildomar T.

2013-01-01

Hyperspectral imagery is used to map the distribution of iron and separate iron ore from shale (a waste product) on a vertical mine face in an open-pit mine in the Pilbara, Western Australia. Vertical mine faces have complex surface geometries which cause large spatial variations in the amount of incident and reflected light. Methods used to analyse imagery must minimise these effects whilst preserving any spectral variations between rock types and minerals. Derivative analysis of spectra to the 1st-, 2nd- and 4th-order is used to do this. To quantify the relative amounts and distribution of iron, the derivative spectrum is integrated across the visible and near infrared spectral range (430-970 nm) and over those wavelength regions containing individual peaks and troughs associated with specific iron absorption features. As a test of this methodology, results from laboratory spectra acquired from representative rock samples were compared with total amounts of iron minerals from X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Relationships between derivatives integrated over the visible near-infrared range and total amounts (% weight) of iron minerals were strongest for the 4th- and 2nd-derivative (R2 = 0.77 and 0.74, respectively) and weakest for the 1st-derivative (R2 = 0.56). Integrated values of individual peaks and troughs showed moderate to strong relationships in 2nd- (R2 = 0.68-0.78) and 4th-derivative (R2 = 0.49-0.78) spectra. The weakest relationships were found for peaks or troughs towards longer wavelengths. The same derivative methods were then applied to imagery to quantify relative amounts of iron minerals on a mine face. Before analyses, predictions were made about the relative abundances of iron in the different geological zones on the mine face, as mapped from field surveys. Integration of the whole spectral curve (430-970 nm) from the 2nd- and 4th-derivative gave results which were entirely consistent with predictions. Conversely, integration of the 1st-derivative gave results that did not fit with predictions nor distinguish between zones with very large and small amounts of iron oxide. Classified maps of ore and shale were created using a simple level-slice of the 1st-derivative reflectance at 702, 765 and 809 nm. Pixels classified as shale showed a similar distribution to kaolinite (an indicator of shales in the region), as mapped by the depth of the diagnostic kaolinite absorption feature at 2196 nm. Standard statistical measures of classification performance (accuracy, precision, recall and the Kappa coefficient of agreement) indicated that nearly all of the pixels were classified correctly using 1st-derivative reflectance at 765 and 809 nm. These results indicate that data from the VNIR (430-970 nm) can be used to quantify, without a priori knowledge, the total amount of iron minerals and to distinguish ore from shale on vertical mine faces.

Evaluation of the potential of indigenous calcareous shale for neutralization and removal of arsenic and heavy metals from acid mine drainage in the Taxco mining area, Mexico.

PubMed

Romero, F M; Núñez, L; Gutiérrez, M E; Armienta, M A; Ceniceros-Gómez, A E

2011-02-01

In the Taxco mining area, sulfide mineral oxidation from inactive tailings impoundments and abandoned underground mines has produced acid mine drainage (AMD; pH 2.2-2.9) enriched in dissolved concentrations (mg l⁻¹) sulfate, heavy metals, and arsenic (As): SO₄²⁻ (pH 1470-5454), zinc (Zn; 3.0-859), iron (Fe; pH 5.5-504), copper (Cu; pH 0.7-16.3), cadmium (Cd; pH 0.3-6.7), lead (Pb; pH < 0.05-1.8), and As (pH < 0.002-0.6). Passive-treatment systems using limestone have been widely used to remediate AMD in many parts of the world. In limestone-treatment systems, calcite simultaneously plays the role of neutralizing and precipitating agent. However, the acid-neutralizing potential of limestone decreases when surfaces of the calcite particles become less reactive as they are progressively coated by metal precipitates. This study constitutes first-stage development of passive-treatment systems for treating AMD in the Taxco mine area using indigenous calcareous shale. This geologic material consists of a mixture of calcite, quartz, muscovite, albite, and montmorillonite. Results of batch leaching test indicate that calcareous shale significantly increased the pH (to values of 6.6-7.4) and decreased heavy metal and As concentrations in treated mine leachates. Calcareous shale had maximum removal efficiency (100%) for As, Pb, Cu, and Fe. The most mobile metals ions were Cd and Zn, and their average percentage removal was 87% and 89%, respectively. In this natural system (calcareous shale), calcite provides a source of alkalinity, whereas the surfaces of quartz and aluminosilicate minerals possibly serve as a preferred locus of deposition for metals, resulting in the neutralizing agent (calcite) beings less rapidly coated with the precipitating metals and therefore able to continue its neutralizing function for a longer time.

Environmental research on a modified in situ oil shale task process. Progress report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1980-05-01

This report summarizes the progress of the US Department of Energy's Oil Shale Task Force in its research program at the Occidental Oil Shale, Inc. facility at Logan Wash, Colorado. More specifically, the Task Force obtained samples from Retort 3E and Retort 6 and submitted these samples to a variety of analyses. The samples collected included: crude oil (Retort 6); light oil (Retort 6); product water (Retort 6); boiler blowdown (Retort 6); makeup water (Retort 6); mine sump water; groundwater; water from Retorts 1 through 5; retort gas (Retort 6); mine air; mine dust; and spent shale core (Retort 3E).more » The locations of the sampling points and methods used for collection and storage are discussed in Chapter 2 (Characterization). These samples were then distributed to the various laboratories and universities participating in the Task Force. For convenience in organizing the data, it is useful to group the work into three categories: Characterization, Leaching, and Health Effects. While many samples still have not been analyzed and much of the data remains to be interpreted, there are some preliminary conclusions the Task Force feels will be helpful in defining future needs and establishing priorities. It is important to note that drilling agents other than water were used in the recovery of the core from Retort 3E. These agents have been analyzed (see Table 12 in Chapter 2) for several constituents of interest. As a result some of the analyses of this core sample and leachates must be considered tentative.« less

Review of rare earth element concentrations in oil shales of the Eocene Green River Formation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Birdwell, Justin E.

2012-01-01

Concentrations of the lanthanide series or rare earth elements and yttrium were determined for lacustrine oil shale samples from the Eocene Green River Formation in the Piceance Basin of Colorado and the Uinta Basin of Utah. Unprocessed oil shale, post-pyrolysis (spent) shale, and leached shale samples were examined to determine if oil-shale processing to generate oil or the remediation of retorted shale affects rare earth element concentrations. Results for unprocessed Green River oil shale samples were compared to data published in the literature on reference materials, such as chondritic meteorites, the North American shale composite, marine oil shale samples from two sites in northern Tibet, and mined rare earth element ores from the United States and China. The Green River oil shales had lower rare earth element concentrations (66.3 to 141.3 micrograms per gram, μg g-1) than are typical of material in the upper crust (approximately 170 μg g-1) and were also lower in rare earth elements relative to the North American shale composite (approximately 165 μg g-1). Adjusting for dilution of rare earth elements by organic matter does not account for the total difference between the oil shales and other crustal rocks. Europium anomalies for Green River oil shales from the Piceance Basin were slightly lower than those reported for the North American shale composite and upper crust. When compared to ores currently mined for rare earth elements, the concentrations in Green River oil shales are several orders of magnitude lower. Retorting Green River oil shales led to a slight enrichment of rare earth elements due to removal of organic matter. When concentrations in spent and leached samples were normalized to an original rock basis, concentrations were comparable to those of the raw shale, indicating that rare earth elements are conserved in processed oil shales.

Hydrologic analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Mines' underground oil-shale research-facility site, Piceance Creek Basin, Rio Blanco County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dale, R.H.; Weeks, John B.

1978-01-01

The U.S. Bureau of Mines plans to develop an underground oil-shale research facility near the center of Piceance Creek basin in Colorado. The oil-shale zone, which is to be penetrated by a shaft, is overlain by 1,400 feet of sedimentary rocks, primarily sandstone and marlstone, consisting of two aquifers separated by a confining layer. Three test holes were drilled by the U.S. Bureau of Mines to obtain samples of the oil shale, and to test the hydraulic properties of the two aquifers. The data collected during construction of the test holes were used to update an existing ground-water-flow computer model. The model was used to estimate the maximum amount of water that would have to be pumped to dewater the shaft during its construction. It is estimated that it would be necessary to pump as much as 3,080 gallons per minute to keep the shaft dry. Disposal of waste water and rock are the principal hydrologic problems associated with constructing the shaft. (Woodard-USGS)

43 CFR 3834.10 - Paying maintenance, location, and oil shale fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... FOR MINING CLAIMS OR SITES Fee Payment § 3834.10 Paying maintenance, location, and oil shale fees. ... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Paying maintenance, location, and oil shale fees. 3834.10 Section 3834.10 Public Lands: Interior Regulations Relating to Public Lands...

43 CFR 3834.10 - Paying maintenance, location, and oil shale fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... FOR MINING CLAIMS OR SITES Fee Payment § 3834.10 Paying maintenance, location, and oil shale fees. ... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Paying maintenance, location, and oil shale fees. 3834.10 Section 3834.10 Public Lands: Interior Regulations Relating to Public Lands...

43 CFR 3834.10 - Paying maintenance, location, and oil shale fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... FOR MINING CLAIMS OR SITES Fee Payment § 3834.10 Paying maintenance, location, and oil shale fees. ... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Paying maintenance, location, and oil shale fees. 3834.10 Section 3834.10 Public Lands: Interior Regulations Relating to Public Lands...

43 CFR 3834.10 - Paying maintenance, location, and oil shale fees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... FOR MINING CLAIMS OR SITES Fee Payment § 3834.10 Paying maintenance, location, and oil shale fees. ... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Paying maintenance, location, and oil shale fees. 3834.10 Section 3834.10 Public Lands: Interior Regulations Relating to Public Lands...

Bentonite deposits of the northern Black Hills district, Wyoming, Montana, and South Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knechtel, Maxwell M.; Patterson, Sam H.

1962-01-01

The northern Black Hills bentonite mining district includes parts of Crook County, Wyo., Carter County, Mont., and Butte County, S. Dak. Within this district, many beds of bentonite occur interspersed with sedimentary strata of Cretaceous age that have an average total thickness of about 3,000 feet and consist chiefly of marine shale, marl, and argillaceous sandstone. The bentonite beds occur in formations ranging upward from the Newcastle sandstone to the lower part of the Mitten black shale member of the Pierre shale. Tertiary (?) and Quaternary deposits of gravel, sand, and silt are present on extensive terraces, and deposits of such materials also extend along stream courses in all parts of the district. The overall geologic structure of the district is that of a broad northwestward- plunging anticline, in which the strata dip gently toward the northeast, north, and northwest. The overall structure is interrupted, however, by several subordinate folds which bring the bentonite beds to the surface repeatedly, so that large resources of bentonite are present under light overburden. The northern Black Hills district is an important source of commercial gel-forming sodium-type bentonite. During the period 1941-56 more than 5 million tons of raw bentonite was mined, most of which came from the Clay Spur bed near the top of the Mowry shale; a few thousand tons was mined from bed A in the Newcastle sandstone. Calcium-type bentonite occurs in bed B in the Mowry shale and in bed I at the base of the Mitten black shale member. Seven other beds are sufficiently thick and continuous to warrant consideration as prospective sources of bentonite for industrial use. Most of the bentonite produced is sold for use (a) as an ingredient of drilling mud; (b) for preparing metallurgical molding sand of superior dry strength; and (c) for the bonding material used in pelletizing taconite iron ore of the Lake Superior region. The results of drilling-mud and foundry-sand bonding-clay tests of several hundred samples, as well as analyses of selected samples, chiefly by X-ray, differential thermal, base exchange and spectrographic methods, are included in this report.

Internal Surface Adsorption of Methane in the Microporous and the Mesoporous Montmorillonite Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Changjin; Nie, Dakai; Zhai, Zengqiang; Yang, Zhenqing

2018-05-01

Due to the rising worldwide energy demands and the shortage of natural gas resources, the development of shale gas has become the new research focus in the field of novel energy resources. To understand the adsorption mechanism of shale gas in the reservoir, we use grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) method to investigate the internal surface adsorption behavior of methane (main component of shale gas) in microporous and mesoporous montmorillonite materials for changing pressure, temperature and surface spacing. The results show that the adsorption capacity of methane decreases with increasing temperature while increasing as the surface spacing increases. Especially, the adsorption isotherm of the microporous model has a mutation when the surface spacing is about 10 ˚A. According to the trend for the change in the adsorption capacity, the best scheme for the exploitation of shale gas can be selected so that the mining efficiency is greatly improved.

Effect of retorted-oil shale leachate on a blue-green alga (Anabaena flos-aquae)

USGS Publications Warehouse

McKnight, Diane M.; Pereira, Wilfred E.; Rostad, Colleen E.; Stiles, Eric A.

1983-01-01

In the event of the development of the large oil shale reserves of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, one of the main environmental concerns will be disposal of retorted-oil shale which will be generated in greater volume than the original volume oI the mined oil shale. Investigators have found that leachates of retorted-oil shale are alkaline and have large concentrations of dissolved solids, molybdenum, boron, and fluoride (STOLLENWERK & RUNNELS 1981). STOLLENWERK & RUNNELS (1981) concluded that drainage from waste shale piles could have deleterious effects on the water quality of streams in northwestern Colorado.

Life cycle greenhouse gas emissions, consumptive water use and levelized costs of unconventional oil in North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mangmeechai, Aweewan

Conventional petroleum production in many countries that supply U.S. crude oil as well as domestic production has declined in recent years. Along with instability in the world oil market, this has stimulated the discussion of developing unconventional oil production, e.g., oil sands and oil shale. Expanding the U.S. energy mix to include oil sands and oil shale may be an important component in diversifying and securing the U.S. energy supply. At the same time, life cycle GHG emissions of these energy sources and consumptive water use are a concern. In this study, consumptive water use includes not only fresh water use but entire consumptive use including brackish water and seawater. The goal of this study is to determine the life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and consumptive water use of synthetic crude oil (SCO) derived from Canadian oil sands and U.S. oil shale to be compared with U.S. domestic crude oil, U.S. imported crude oil, and coal-to-liquid (CTL). Levelized costs of SCO derived from Canadian oil sands and U.S. oil shale were also estimated. The results of this study suggest that CTL with no carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) and current electricity grid mix is the worst while crude oil imported from United Kingdom is the best in GHG emissions. The life cycle GHG emissions of oil shale surface mining, oil shale in-situ process, oil sands surface mining, and oil sands in-situ process are 43% to 62%, 13% to 32%, 5% to 22%, and 11% to 13% higher than those of U.S. domestic crude oil. Oil shale in-situ process has the largest consumptive water use among alternative fuels, evaluated due to consumptive water use in electricity generation. Life cycle consumptive water use of oil sands in-situ process is the lowest. Specifically, fresh water consumption in the production processes is the most concern given its scarcity. However, disaggregated data on fresh water consumption in the total water consumption of each fuel production process is not available. Given current information, it is inconclusive whether unconventional oil would require more or less consumptive fresh water use than U.S. domestic crude oil production. It depends on the water conservative strategy applied in each process. Increasing import of SCO derived from Canadian oil sands and U.S. oil shale would slightly increase life cycle GHG emissions of the U.S. petroleum status quo. The expected additional 2 million bpd of Canadian SCO from oil sands and U.S. oil shale would increase life cycle GHG emissions of the U.S. petroleum status quo on average only 10 and 40 kg CO2 equiv/bbl, or about 7.5 and 29 million tons CO2 equiv/year. However this increase represents less than 1 and 5% of U.S. transportation emissions in 2007. Because U.S. oil shale resources are located in areas experiencing water scarcity, methods to manage the issue were explored. The result also shows that trading water rights between Upper and Lower Colorado River basin and transporting synthetic crude shale oil to refinery elsewhere is the best scenario for life cycle GHG emissions and consumptive water use of U.S. oil shale production. GHG emissions and costs of water supply system contribute only 1-2% of life cycle GHG emissions and 1-6% of total levelized costs. The levelized costs of using SCO from oil shale as feedstock are greater than SCO from oil sands, and CTL. The levelized costs of producing liquid fuel (gasoline and diesel) using SCO derived from Canadian oil sands as feedstock are approximately 0.80-1.00/gal of liquid fuel. The levelized costs of SCO derived from oil shale are 1.6-4.5/gal of liquid fuel (oil shale surface mining process) and 1.6-5.2/gal of liquid fuel (oil shale in-situ process). From an energy security perspective, increasing the use of Canadian oil sands, U.S. oil shale, and CTL may be preferable to increasing Middle East imports. However, oil shale and CTL has the advantage security wise over Canadian oil sands because oil shale and coal are abundant U.S. resources. From a GHG emissions and consumptive water use perspective, CTL requires less consumptive water use than oil shale in-situ process but produces more GHG emissions than oil shale in-situ and surface mining process, unless CTL plant performs CCS and renewable electricity.

43 CFR 3590.0-7 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... hydrocarbon from tar sands or oil shale by in-situ methods utilizing boreholes or wells, part 3160 of this... regulations in this part govern operations for the discovery, testing, development, mining, reclamation, and processing of all minerals under lease, license or permit issued for Federal lands under the regulations in...

43 CFR 3590.0-7 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... hydrocarbon from tar sands or oil shale by in-situ methods utilizing boreholes or wells, part 3160 of this... regulations in this part govern operations for the discovery, testing, development, mining, reclamation, and processing of all minerals under lease, license or permit issued for Federal lands under the regulations in...

43 CFR 3590.0-7 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... hydrocarbon from tar sands or oil shale by in-situ methods utilizing boreholes or wells, part 3160 of this... regulations in this part govern operations for the discovery, testing, development, mining, reclamation, and processing of all minerals under lease, license or permit issued for Federal lands under the regulations in...

43 CFR 3590.0-7 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... hydrocarbon from tar sands or oil shale by in-situ methods utilizing boreholes or wells, part 3160 of this... regulations in this part govern operations for the discovery, testing, development, mining, reclamation, and processing of all minerals under lease, license or permit issued for Federal lands under the regulations in...

Geohydrology and potential hydrologic effects of underground coal mining in the Rapid Creek Basin, Mesa County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brooks, Tom

1986-01-01

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management may lease additional coal tracts in the Rapid Creek basin, Colorado. Springs in this basin are used as a water supply for the town of Palisade. The geohydrology of the basin is described and the potential hydrologic effects of underground coal mining in the basin summarized. Geologic formations in the basin consists of Cretaceous sandstone and shale, Tertiary sandstone, shale, and basalt, and unconsolidated deposits of Quaternary age. Some sandstone and coal beds are permeable, although bedrock in the basin typically is a confining bed. Unconsolidated deposits contain aquifers that are the source of spring discharge. Stream discharge was measured on Rapid and Cottonwood Creeks, and inventories were made of 7 reservoirs, 25 springs, and 12 wells. Specific conductance of streams ranged from 320 to 1,050 microsiemens/cm at 25C; pH ranged from 7.8 to 8.6. Specific conductance of springs ranged from 95 to 1,050 microsiemens/cm at 25C; pH ranged from 6.8 to 8.3. Discharge from the basin includes about 18,800 acre-ft/yr as evapotranspiration, 1,300 acre-ft/yr as springflow, 1,280 acre-ft/yr as streamflow, and negligible groundwater flow in bedrock. With appropriate mining methods, underground mining would not decrease flow in basin streams or from springs. The potential effects of mining-caused subsidence might include water-pipeline damage and temporary dewatering of bedrock adjacent to coal mining. (Author 's abstract)

Parameters Affecting the Characteristics of Oil Shale-Derived Fuels.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-03-01

rock with essentially no organic matter. The oil shale of the Uinta Basin in Utah and extreme western Colorado is richer than the Wyoming shales, but...could be used in several areas of the Uinta Basin . Once the oil shale is mined, it must be heated to about 900’F to hreak down the kerogen. A variety... Uinta Basin of eastern Utah. The sections presented above d.l not exhaust the supply of retorting tech- niques that are in various stages of

Groundwater geochemistry in shallow aquifers above longwall mines in Illinois, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Booth, C. J.; Bertsch, L. P.

1999-12-01

Aquifers above high-extraction underground coal mines are not affected by mine drainage, but they may still exhibit changes in groundwater chemistry due to alterations in groundwater flow induced by mine subsidence. At two active longwall mine sites in Illinois, USA, glacial-drift aquifers were largely unaffected by mining, but the geochemistry of the bedrock aquifers changed during the post-mining water-level recovery. At the Jefferson site, brackish, high-sulfate water present in the upper bedrock shale briefly had lower values of total dissolved solids (TDS) after mining due to increased recharge from the overlying drift, whereas TDS and sulfate increased in the sodium-bicarbonate water present in the underlying sandstone due to downward leakage from the shale and lateral inflow of water through the sandstone. At the Saline site, sandstones contained water ranging from brackish sodium-chloride to fresh sodium-bicarbonate type. Post-mining recovery of the potentiometric levels was minimal, and the water had minor quality changes. Longwall mining affects geochemistry due to subsidence-related fracturing, which increases downward leakage from overlying units, and due to the temporary potentiometric depression and subsequent recovery, whereby water from surrounding areas of the aquifer recharges the affected zone above and adjacent to the mine.

Tridimensional modelling and resource estimation of the mining waste piles of São Domingos mine, Iberian Pyrite Belt, Portugal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vieira, Alexandre; Matos, João; Lopes, Luis; Martins, Ruben

2016-04-01

Located in the Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB) northern sector, near the Portuguese/Spanish border, the outcropping São Domingos deposit was mined since Roman time. Between 1854 and 1966 the Mason & Barry Company developed open pit excavation until 120 m depth and underground mining until 420 m depth. The São Domingos subvertical deposit is associated with felsic volcanics and black shales of the IPB Volcano-Sedimentary Complex and is represented by massive sulphide and stockwork ore (py, cpy, sph, ga, tt, aspy) and related supergene enrichment ore (hematite gossan and covellite/chalcocite). Different mine waste classes were mapped around the old open pit: gossan (W1), felsic volcanic and shales (W2), shales (W3) and mining waste landfill (W4). Using the LNEG (Portuguese Geological Survey) CONASA database (company historical mining waste characterization based on 162 shafts and 160 reverse circulation boreholes), a methodology for tridimensional modelling mining waste pile was followed, and a new mining waste resource is presented. Considering some constraints to waste removal, such as the Mina de São Domingos village proximity of the wastes, the industrial and archaeological patrimony (e.g., mining infrastructures, roman galleries), different resource scenarios were considered: unconditioned resources (total estimates) and conditioned resources (only the volumes without removal constraints considered). Using block modelling (SURPAC software) a mineral inferred resource of 2.38 Mt @ 0.77 g/t Au and 8.26 g/t Ag is estimated in unconditioned volumes of waste. Considering all evaluated wastes, including village areas, an inferred resource of 4.0 Mt @ 0.64 g/t Au and 7.30 g/t Ag is presented, corresponding to a total metal content of 82,878 oz t Au and 955,753 oz t Ag. Keywords. São Domingos mine, mining waste resources, mining waste pile modelling, Iberian Pyrite Belt, Portugal

Factors controlling localization of uranium deposits in the Dakota Sandstone, Gallup and Ambrosia Lake mining districts, McKinley County, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pierson, Charles Thomas; Green, Morris W.

1977-01-01

Geologic studies were made at all of the uranium mines and prospects in the Dakota Sandstone of Early(?) and Late Cretaceous age in the Gallup mining district, McKinley County, New Mexico. Dakota mines in the adjacent Ambrosia Lake mining district were visited briefly for comparative purposes. Mines in the eastern part of the Gallup district, and in the Ambrosia Lake district, are on the Chaco slope of the southern San Juan Basin in strata which dip gently northward toward the central part of the basin. Mines in the western part of the Gallup district are along the Gallup hogback (Nutria monocline) in strata which dip steeply westward into the Gallup sag. Geologic factors which controlled formation of the uranium deposits in the Dakota Sandstone are: (1) a source of uranium, believed to be uranium deposits of the underlying Morrison Formation of Late Jurassic age; (2) the accessibility to the Dakota of uranium-bearing solutions from the Morrison; (3) the presence in the Dakota of permeable sandstone beds overlain by impermeable carbonaceous shale beds; and (4) the occurrence within the permeable Dakota sandstone beds of carbonaceous reducing material as bedding-plane laminae, or as pockets of carbonaceous trash. Most of the Dakota uranium deposits are found in the lower part of the formation in marginal-marine distributary-channel sandstones which were deposited in the backshore environment. However, the Hogback no. 4 (Hyde) Mine (Gallup district) occurs in sandy paludal shale of the backshore environment, and another deposit, the Silver Spur (Ambrosia Lake district), is found in what is interpreted to be a massive beach or barrier-bar sandstone of the foreshore environment in the upper part of the Dakota. The sedimentary depositional environment most favorable for the accumulation of uranium is that of backshore areas lateral to main distributary channels, where levee, splay, and some distributary-channel sandstones intertongue with gray carbonaceous shales and siltstones of the well-drained swamp environment. Deposits of black carbonaceous shale which were formed in the poorly drained swamp deposits of the interfluve area are not favorable host rocks for uranium. The depositional energy levels of the various environments in which the sandstone and shale beds of the Dakota were deposited govern the relative favorability of the strata as uranium host rocks. In the report area, uranium usually occurs in carbonaceous sandstone deposited under low- to medium-energy fluvial conditions within distributary channels. A prerequisite, however, is that such sandstone be overlain by impermeable carbonaceous shale beds. Low- to medium-energy fluvial conditions result in the deposition of sandstone beds having detrital carbonaceous material distributed in laminae or in trash pockets on bedding planes. The carbonaceous laminae and trash pockets provide the necessary reductant to cause precipitation of uranium from solution. High-energy fluvial conditions result in the deposition of sandstones having little or no carbonaceous material included to provide a reductant. Very low energy swampy conditions result in carbonaceous shale deposits, which are generally barren of uranium because of their relative impermeability to migrating uranium-bearing solutions.

Weathering of sulfidic shale and copper mine waste: Secondary minerals and metal cycling in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, and North Carolina, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hammarstrom, J.M.; Seal, R.R.; Meier, A.L.; Jackson, J.C.

2003-01-01

Metal cycling via physical and chemical weathering of discrete sources (copper mines) and regional (non-point) sources (sulfide-rich shale) is evaluated by examining the mineralogy and chemistry of weathering products in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, and North Carolina, USA. The elements in copper mine waste, secondary minerals, stream sediments, and waters that are most likely to have negative impacts on aquatic ecosystems are aluminum, copper, zinc, and arsenic because these elements locally exceed toxicity guidelines for surface waters or for stream sediments. Acid-mine drainage has not developed in streams draining inactive copper mines. Acid-rock drainage and chemical weathering processes that accompany debris flows or human disturbances of sulfidic rocks are comparable to processes that develop acid-mine drainage elsewhere. Despite the high rainfall in the mountain range, sheltered areas and intermittent dry spells provide local venues for development of secondary weathering products that can impact aquatic ecosystems.

Developing technologies for synthetic fuels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sprow, F. B.

1981-05-01

After consideration of a likely timetable for the development of a synthetic fuels industry and its necessary supporting technology, the large variety of such fuels and their potential roles is assessed along with their commercialization outlook. Among the fuel production methods considered are: (1) above-ground retorting of oil shale; (2) in-situ shale retorting; (3) open pit mining of tar sands; (4) in-situ steam stimulation of tar sands; (5) coal gasification; (6) methanol synthesis from carbon monoxide and hydrogen; and (7) direct coal liquefaction by the hydrogenation of coal. It is shown that while the U.S. has very limited resource bases for tar sands and heavy crudes, the abundance of shale in the western states and the abundance and greater geographical dispersion of coal will make these the two most important resources of a future synthetic fuels industry.

Searching for anomalous methane in shallow groundwater near shale gas wells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhenhui; You, Cheng; Gonzales, Matthew; Wendt, Anna K.; Wu, Fei; Brantley, Susan L.

2016-12-01

Since the 1800s, natural gas has been extracted from wells drilled into conventional reservoirs. Today, gas is also extracted from shale using high-volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF). These wells sometimes leak methane and must be re-sealed with cement. Some researchers argue that methane concentrations, C, increase in groundwater near shale-gas wells and that ;fracked; wells leak more than conventional wells. We developed techniques to mine datasets of groundwater chemistry in Pennsylvania townships where contamination had been reported. Values of C measured in shallow private water wells were discovered to increase with proximity to faults and to conventional, but not shale-gas, wells in the entire area. However, in small subareas, C increased with proximity to some shale-gas wells. Data mining was used to map a few hotspots where C significantly correlates with distance to faults and gas wells. Near the hotspots, 3 out of 132 shale-gas wells ( 2%) and 4 out of 15 conventional wells (27%) intersect faults at depths where they are reported to be uncased or uncemented. These results demonstrate that even though these data techniques do not establish causation, they can elucidate the controls on natural methane emission along faults and may have implications for gas well construction.

Searching for anomalous methane in shallow groundwater near shale gas wells.

PubMed

Li, Zhenhui; You, Cheng; Gonzales, Matthew; Wendt, Anna K; Wu, Fei; Brantley, Susan L

2016-12-01

Since the 1800s, natural gas has been extracted from wells drilled into conventional reservoirs. Today, gas is also extracted from shale using high-volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF). These wells sometimes leak methane and must be re-sealed with cement. Some researchers argue that methane concentrations, C, increase in groundwater near shale-gas wells and that "fracked" wells leak more than conventional wells. We developed techniques to mine datasets of groundwater chemistry in Pennsylvania townships where contamination had been reported. Values of C measured in shallow private water wells were discovered to increase with proximity to faults and to conventional, but not shale-gas, wells in the entire area. However, in small subareas, C increased with proximity to some shale-gas wells. Data mining was used to map a few hotspots where C significantly correlates with distance to faults and gas wells. Near the hotspots, 3 out of 132 shale-gas wells (~2%) and 4 out of 15 conventional wells (27%) intersect faults at depths where they are reported to be uncased or uncemented. These results demonstrate that even though these data techniques do not establish causation, they can elucidate the controls on natural methane emission along faults and may have implications for gas well construction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Perry, Frank Vinton; Kelley, Richard E.

The DOE Spent Fuel and Waste Technology (SWFT) R&D Campaign is supporting research on crystalline rock, shale (argillite) and salt as potential host rocks for disposal of HLW and SNF in a mined geologic repository. The distribution of these three potential repository host rocks is limited to specific regions of the US and to different geologic and hydrologic environments (Perry et al., 2014), many of which may be technically suitable as a site for mined geologic disposal. This report documents a regional geologic evaluation of the Pierre Shale, as an example of evaluating a potentially suitable shale for siting amore » geologic HLW repository. This report follows a similar report competed in 2016 on a regional evaluation of crystalline rock that focused on the Superior Province of the north-central US (Perry et al., 2016).« less

A comparative study of removal of fluoride from contaminated water using shale collected from different coal mines in India.

PubMed

Biswas, Gargi; Dutta, Manjari; Dutta, Susmita; Adhikari, Kalyan

2016-05-01

Low-cost water defluoridation technique is one of the most important issues throughout the world. In the present study, shale, a coal mine waste, is employed as novel and low-cost adsorbent to abate fluoride from simulated solution. Shale samples were collected from Mahabir colliery (MBS) and Sonepur Bazari colliery (SBS) of Raniganj coalfield in West Bengal, India, and used to remove fluoride. To increase the adsorption efficiency, shale samples were heat activated at a higher temperature and samples obtained at 550 °C are denoted as heat-activated Mahabir colliery shale (HAMBS550) and heat-activated Sonepur Bazari colliery shale (HASBS550), respectively. To prove the fluoride adsorption onto different shale samples and ascertain its mechanism, natural shale samples, heat-activated shale samples, and their fluoride-loaded forms were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray diffraction study, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The effect of different parameters such as pH, adsorbent dose, size of particles, and initial concentration of fluoride was investigated during fluoride removal in a batch contactor. Lower pH shows better adsorption in batch study, but it is acidic in nature and not suitable for direct consumption. However, increase of pH of the solution from 3.2 to 6.8 and 7.2 during fluoride removal process with HAMBS550 and HASBS550, respectively, confirms the applicability of the treated water for domestic purposes. HAMBS550 and HASBS550 show maximum removal of 88.3 and 88.5 %, respectively, at initial fluoride concentration of 10 mg/L, pH 3, and adsorbent dose of 70 g/L.

Coal-shale interface detection system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, R. A.; Hudgins, J. L.; Morris, P. W.; Reid, H., Jr.; Zimmerman, J. E. (Inventor)

1979-01-01

A coal-shale interface detection system for use with coal cutting equipment consists of a reciprocating hammer on which an accelerometer is mounted to measure the impact of the hammer as it penetrates the ceiling or floor surface of a mine. A pair of reflectometers simultaneously view the same surface. The outputs of the accelerometer and reflectometers are detected and jointly registered to determine when an interface between coal and shale is being cut through.

Coal-shale interface detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reid, H., Jr. (Inventor)

1980-01-01

A coal-shale interface detector for use with coal cutting equipment is described. The detector consists of a reciprocating hammer with an accelerometer to measure the impact of the hammer as it penetrates the ceiling or floor surface of a mine. Additionally, a pair of reflectometers simultaneously view the same surface, and the outputs from the accelerometer and reflectometers are detected and jointly registered to determine when an interface between coal and shale is being cut through.

VEGETATIVE REHABILITATION OF ARID LAND DISTURBED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OIL SHALE AND COAL

EPA Science Inventory

Field experiments were established on sites disturbed by exploratory drilling in the oil shale region of northeastern Utah and on disturbed sites on a potential coal mine in south central Utah. Concurrently, greenhouse studies were carried out using soil samples from disturbed si...

Coal-shale interface detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Broussard, P. H.; Burch, J. L.; Drost, E. J.; Stein, R. J. (Inventor)

1979-01-01

A penetrometer for coal-shale interface detection is presented. It is used with coal cutting equipment consisting of a reciprocating hammer, having an accelerometer mounted thereon to measure the impact of the hammer as it penetrates the ceiling or floor surface of a mine. Additionally, a pair of reflectometers simultaneously view the same surface, and the outputs from the accelerometer and reflectometers are detected and jointly registered to determine when an interface between coal and shale is being cut through.

Preliminary study of the refaunation of alkaline shale coal surface mine spoil by soil arthropods

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cross, E.A.; Wilman, J.M.

1982-12-01

Soil sampling stations were laid out on (largely) untopsoiled shale surface mine spoil in 1979. Stations were located on spoil graded in 1978-1979, in ungraded spoil cast in 1972 and aerially seeded in 1973, and in adjacent off-mine woods and an old field. Additional stations were added in 1982 on spoil graded only 3.5 weeks - 3 months prior to sampling. Stations were located to include important variables typical of the mine. Of 17 classes-orders of arthropods recovered from all sites, only Acari (78-99% of total individuals) and Collembola (2-12%) were consistently widespread and numerous, and only Acari were importantmore » in the youngest spoils. A total of 69 mite families - superfamilies - were identified during the course of the study. Low-moderate mite populations were found in bare shale spoil graded only 3.5 weeks - 3 months prior to sampling, these distributed among 4 families. Samples from 1978-79 spoil contained 13 families 3-7 months after grading and 2 years later were comparable to off-mine sites both in numbers of individuals and number of families. Spoil from 1973 was comparable to off-mine sites in these 2 respects when first sampled. Earliest pioneer species were 3 (presumably) microherbivores, these remaining dominant for several years. Predatory mites appeared early and were well established less than a year after grading. Saprovores were absent or relatively scarce in the 2 youngest spoils, but well established in the 1973 spoil at first sampling.« less

Simulation of the hydrogeologic effects of oil-shale mining on the neighbouring wetland water balance: case study in north-eastern Estonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marandi, Andres; Karro, Enn; Polikarpus, Maile; Jõeleht, Argo; Kohv, Marko; Hang, Tiit; Hiiemaa, Helen

2013-11-01

The water balance of wetlands plays an integral role in their function. Developments adjacent to wetlands can affect their water balance through impacts on groundwater flow and increased discharge in the area, and they can cause lowering of the wetland water table. A 430 km2 area was selected for groundwater modelling to asses the effect of underground mining on the water balance of wetlands in north-eastern Estonia. A nature conservation area (encompassing Selisoo bog) is within 3 km of an underground oil-shale mine. Two future mining scenarios with different areal extents of mining were modeled and compared to the present situation. Results show that the vertical hydraulic conductivity of the subsurface is of critical importance to potential wetland dewatering as a result of mining. Significant impact on the Selisoo bog water balance will be caused by the approaching mine but there will be only minor additional impacts from mining directly below the bog. The major impact will arise before that stage, when the underground mine extension reaches the border of the nature conservation area; since the restriction of activities in this area relates to the ground surface, the conservation area’s border is not sufficiently protective in relation to underground development.

State summaries: Kentucky

USGS Publications Warehouse

Greb, S.F.; Anderson, W.H.

2006-01-01

Kentucky mines coal, limestone, clay, sand and gravel. Coal mining operations are carried out mainly in the Western Kentucky Coal Field and the Eastern Kentucky Coal field. As to nonfuel minerals, Mississippian limestones are mined in the Mississippian Plateaus Region and along Pine Mountain in southeastern Kentucky. Ordovician and Silurian limestones are mined from the central part of the state. Clay minerals that are mined in the state include common clay, ceramic and ball clays, refractory clay and shale. Just like in 2004, mining activities in the state remain significant.

Processing use, and characterization of shale oil products

PubMed Central

Decora, Andrew W.; Kerr, Robert D.

1979-01-01

Oil shale is a potential source of oil that will supplement conventional sources for oil as our needs for fossil fuels begin to exceed our supplies. The resource may be mined and processed on the surface or it may be processed in situ. An overview of the potential technologies and environmental issues is presented. PMID:446454

Solution mining and heating by oxidation for treating hydrocarbon containing formations

DOEpatents

Vinegar, Harold J.; Stegemeier, George Leo

2009-06-23

A method for treating an oil shale formation comprising nahcolite includes providing a first fluid to a portion of the formation. A second fluid is produced from the portion. The second fluid includes at least some nahcolite dissolved in the first fluid. A controlled amount of oxidant is provided to the portion of the formation. Hydrocarbon fluids are produced from the formation.

Talaromyces sayulitensis, Acidiella bohemica and Penicillium citrinum in Brazilian oil shale by-products.

PubMed

de Goes, Kelly C G P; da Silva, Josué J; Lovato, Gisele M; Iamanaka, Beatriz T; Massi, Fernanda P; Andrade, Diva S

2017-12-01

Fine shale particles and retorted shale are waste products generated during the oil shale retorting process. These by-products are small fragments of mined shale rock, are high in silicon and also contain organic matter, micronutrients, hydrocarbons and other elements. The aims of this study were to isolate and to evaluate fungal diversity present in fine shale particles and retorted shale samples collected at the Schist Industrialization Business Unit (Six)-Petrobras in São Mateus do Sul, State of Paraná, Brazil. Combining morphology and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence, a total of seven fungal genera were identified, including Acidiella, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Ochroconis, Penicillium, Talaromyces and Trichoderma. Acidiella was the most predominant genus found in the samples of fine shale particles, which are a highly acidic substrate (pH 2.4-3.6), while Talaromyces was the main genus in retorted shale (pH 5.20-6.20). Talaromyces sayulitensis was the species most frequently found in retorted shale, and Acidiella bohemica in fine shale particles. The presence of T. sayulitensis, T. diversus and T. stolli in oil shale is described herein for the first time. In conclusion, we have described for the first time a snapshot of the diversity of filamentous fungi colonizing solid oil shale by-products from the Irati Formation in Brazil.

43 CFR 3931.10 - Exploration plans and plans of development for mining and in situ operations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... for mining and in situ operations. 3931.10 Section 3931.10 Public Lands: Interior Regulations Relating....10 Exploration plans and plans of development for mining and in situ operations. (a) The POD must... development of the oil shale resources in the lease. (b) The operator must submit to the proper BLM office an...

43 CFR 3931.10 - Exploration plans and plans of development for mining and in situ operations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... for mining and in situ operations. 3931.10 Section 3931.10 Public Lands: Interior Regulations Relating....10 Exploration plans and plans of development for mining and in situ operations. (a) The POD must... development of the oil shale resources in the lease. (b) The operator must submit to the proper BLM office an...

43 CFR 3931.10 - Exploration plans and plans of development for mining and in situ operations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... for mining and in situ operations. 3931.10 Section 3931.10 Public Lands: Interior Regulations Relating....10 Exploration plans and plans of development for mining and in situ operations. (a) The POD must... development of the oil shale resources in the lease. (b) The operator must submit to the proper BLM office an...

43 CFR 3931.10 - Exploration plans and plans of development for mining and in situ operations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... for mining and in situ operations. 3931.10 Section 3931.10 Public Lands: Interior Regulations Relating....10 Exploration plans and plans of development for mining and in situ operations. (a) The POD must... development of the oil shale resources in the lease. (b) The operator must submit to the proper BLM office an...

Hydraulic Fracturing Mineback Experiment in Complex Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, S. J.; McLennan, J. D.

2012-12-01

Hydraulic fracturing (or "fracking") for the recovery of gas and liquids from tight shale formations has gained much attention. This operation which involves horizontal well drilling and massive hydraulic fracturing has been developed over the last decade to produce fluids from extremely low permeability mudstone and siltstone rocks with high organic content. Nearly thirteen thousand wells and about one hundred and fifty thousand stages within the wells were fractured in the US in 2011. This operation has proven to be successful, causing hundreds of billions of dollars to be invested and has produced an abundance of natural gas and is making billions of barrels of hydrocarbon liquids available for the US. But, even with this commercial success, relatively little is clearly known about the complexity--or lack of complexity--of the hydraulic fracture, the extent that the newly created surface area contacts the high Reservoir Quality rock, nor the connectivity and conductivity of the hydraulic fractures created. To better understand this phenomena in order to improve efficiency, a large-scale mine-back experiment is progressing. The mine-back experiment is a full-scale hydraulic fracture carried out in a well-characterized environment, with comprehensive instrumentation deployed to measure fracture growth. A tight shale mudstone rock geologic setting is selected, near the edge of a formation where one to two thousand feet difference in elevation occurs. From the top of the formation, drilling, well logging, and hydraulic fracture pumping will occur. From the bottom of the formation a horizontal tunnel will be mined using conventional mining techniques into the rock formation towards the drilled well. Certain instrumentation will be located within this tunnel for observations during the hydraulic fracturing. After the hydraulic fracturing, the tunnel will be extended toward the well, with careful mapping of the created hydraulic fracture. Fracturing fluid will be traceable, as will injected proppant, in order to demarcate in-situ fracture paths and fluid and proppant progression. This underground experiment is referred to as a "mine-back experiment". Several mine-back experiments have been conducted in the past, and have demonstrated complex, diffuse fracture systems in coals and bundled fracture systems in some sandstones. No mine-back experiment has been conducted in the tight shales; but, economics and environmental considerations dictate that more definitive measurements will be extremely helpful to establish fracture growth patterns and to validate monitoring methods such as micro-seismic measurements. This presentation discusses the mine-back experiment and presents details of geologic setting, hydraulic fracturing, and the excavation required before and after the hydraulic fracture. The mine-back experiment will provide ground-truth assessment of hydraulic fracturing, geologic forecasting, micro-seismicity, and other information.

Site evaluation for U.S. Bureau of Mines experimental oil-shale mine, Piceance Creek basin, Rio Blanco County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ege, John R.; Leavesley, G.H.; Steele, G.S.; Weeks, J.B.

1978-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey is cooperating with the U.S. Bureau of Mines in the selection of a site for a shaft and experimental mine to be constructed in the Piceance Creek basin, Rio Blanco County, Colo. The Piceance Creek basin, an asymmetric, northwest-trending large structural downwarp, is located approximately 40 km (25 mi) west of the town of Meeker in Rio Blanco County, Colo. The oil-shale, dawsonite, nahcolite, and halite deposits of the Piceance Creek basin occur in the lacustrine Green River Formation of Eocene age. In the basin the Green River Formation comprises three members. In ascending order, they are the Douglas Creek, the Garden Gulch, and the Parachute Creek Members, Four sites are presented for consideration and evaluated on geology and hydrology with respect to shale-oil economics. Evaluated criteria include: (1) stratigraphy, (2) size of site, (3) oil-shale yield, (4) representative quantities of the saline minerals dawsonite and nahcolite, which must be present with a minimum amount of halite, (5) thickness of a 'leached' saline zone, (6) geologic structure, (7) engineering characteristics of rock, (8) representative surface and ground-water conditions, with emphasis on waste disposal and dewatering, and (9) environmental considerations. Serious construction and support problems are anticipated in sinking a deep shaft in the Piceance Creek basin. The two major concerns will be dealing with incompetent rock and large inflow of saline ground water, particularly in the leached zone. Engineering support problems will include stabilizing and hardening the rock from which a certain amount of ground water has been removed. The relative suitability of the four potential oil-shale experimental shaft sites in the Piceance Creek basin has been considered on the basis of all available geologic, hydrologic, and engineering data; site 2 is preferred to sites 1, 3, and 4, The units in this report are presented in the form: metric (English). Both units of measurement are necessary as measurements were taken in English units, and most of the contracting agencies involved are using predominantly English units.

Automated recognition of stratigraphic marker shales from geophysical logs in iron ore deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silversides, Katherine; Melkumyan, Arman; Wyman, Derek; Hatherly, Peter

2015-04-01

The mining of stratiform ore deposits requires a means of determining the location of stratigraphic boundaries. A variety of geophysical logs may provide the required data but, in the case of banded iron formation hosted iron ore deposits in the Hamersley Ranges of Western Australia, only one geophysical log type (natural gamma) is collected for this purpose. The information from these logs is currently processed by slow manual interpretation. In this paper we present an alternative method of automatically identifying recurring stratigraphic markers in natural gamma logs from multiple drill holes. Our approach is demonstrated using natural gamma geophysical logs that contain features corresponding to the presence of stratigraphically important marker shales. The host stratigraphic sequence is highly consistent throughout the Hamersley and the marker shales can therefore be used to identify the stratigraphic location of the banded iron formation (BIF) or BIF hosted ore. The marker shales are identified using Gaussian Processes (GP) trained by either manual or active learning methods and the results are compared to the existing geological interpretation. The manual method involves the user selecting the signatures for improving the library, whereas the active learning method uses the measure of uncertainty provided by the GP to select specific examples for the user to consider for addition. The results demonstrate that both GP methods can identify a feature, but the active learning approach has several benefits over the manual method. These benefits include greater accuracy in the identified signatures, faster library building, and an objective approach for selecting signatures that includes the full range of signatures across a deposit in the library. When using the active learning method, it was found that the current manual interpretation could be replaced in 78.4% of the holes with an accuracy of 95.7%.

Explosively produced fracture of oil shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morris, W. A.

1982-05-01

Rock fragmentation research in oil shale to develop the blasting technologies and designs required to prepare a rubble bed for a modified in situ retort is reported. Experimental work is outlined, proposed studies in explosive characterization are detailed and progress in numerical calculation techniques to predict fracture of the shale is described. A detailed geologic characterization of two Anvil Points experiment sites is related to previous work at Colony Mine. The second section focuses on computer modeling and theory. The latest generation of the stress wave code SHALE, its three dimensional potential, and the slide line package for it are described. A general stress rate equation that takes energy dependence into account is discussed.

77 FR 55420 - Minerals Management: Adjustment of Cost Recovery Fees

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-10

... mining, oil and gas extraction, and the mining and quarrying of nonmetallic minerals) as an individual...\\ New value \\4\\ New fee \\5\\ Oil & Gas (parts 3100, 3110, 3120, 3130, 3150) Noncompetitive lease... Leasing of Solid Minerals Other Than Coal and Oil Shale (parts 3500, 3580) Applications other than those...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hepworth, J.C.; Foss, M.M.

The fifth Energy and Minerals Field Institute program for Washington, D.C. Congressional and Executive Aides was held during August 15-21, 1982. The five-and-one-half day program was conducted through Wyoming, Colorado and Utah and consisted of visits to: an R and D tertiary petroleum production facility; an historic oil field entering secondary production; a surface uranium mine; a petroleum exploration drilling rig; a surface coal mine; an air cooled, coal-fired power plant; an oil shale site; a geothermal-electrical generating facility; and open pit copper mine and associated smelter and refinery; a petroleum refinery and an oil shale semi-works retort. During themore » field program, participants had opportunities to view communities affected by these activities, such as Wright City and Gillette, Wyoming, Parachute, Colorado and Milford and Cedar City, Utah. Throughout the program, aides met with local, state and industry officials and citizen leaders during bus rides, meals and site visits.« less

Is air pollution causing landslides in China?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ming; McSaveney, Mauri J.

2018-01-01

Air pollution in China often exceeds "unhealthy" levels, but Chinese air is not only a threat from being breathed: the pollutants may also be causing fatal landslides. Very acid rain from severe air pollution falls widely in southwest China, where coal is a major energy source. We discuss where acid rain may provide an unsuspected link between mining and the fatal 2009 Jiweishan landslide in southwest China; it may have reduced the strength of a thin, calcareous, black sapropelic shale in Jiweishan Mountain by removing cementing carbonate minerals and sapropel matrix. Mining beneath the potential slide mass may not have directly triggered the landslide, but collapse of abandoned adits drained a perched aquifer above a regional black-shale aquiclude. Inflow of acid, oxygenated water and nutrients into the aquiclude may have accelerated the reduction of strength of the weakest rocks and consequently led to rapid sliding of a large rock mass on a layer of weathered shale left composed largely of soft, and slippery talc.

Preliminary report on Bureau of Mines Yellow Creek core hole No. 1, Rio Blanco County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carroll, R.D.; Coffin, D.L.; Ege, J.R.; Welder, F.A.

1967-01-01

Analysis of geologic, hydrologic , and geophysical data obtained in and around Yellow Creek core hole No. 1, Rio Blanco County, Colorado, indicate a 1,615-foot section of oil shale was penetrated by the hole. Geophysical log data indicate the presence of 25 gallons per ton shale for a thickness of 500 feet my be marginal. The richest section of oil shale is indicated to be centered around a depth of 2,260 feet. Within the oil shale the interval 1,182 to 1,737 feet is indicated to be relatively structurally incompetent and probably permeable. Extension of available regional hydrologic data indicate the oil shale section is probably water bearing and may yield as much as 1,000 gallons per minute. Hydrologic testing in the hole is recommended.

Geochemical fractions of rare earth elements in soil around a mine tailing in Baotou, China

PubMed Central

Wang, Lingqing; Liang, Tao

2015-01-01

Rare earth mine tailing dumps are environmental hazards because tailing easily leaches and erodes by water and wind. To assess the influence of mine tailing on the geochemical behavior of rare earth elements (REEs) in soil, sixty-seven surface soil samples and three soil profile samples were collected from different locations near China’s largest rare earth mine tailing. The total concentration of REEs in surface soils ranged from 156 to 5.65 × 104 mg·kg−1 with an average value of 4.67 × 103 mg·kg−1, which was significantly higher than the average value in China (181 mg·kg−1). We found obvious fractionation of both light and heavy REEs, which was supported by the North American Shale Composite (NASC) and the Post-Archean Average Australian Shale (PAAS) normalized concentration ratios calculated for selected elements (LaN/YbN, LaN/SmN and GdN/YbN). A slightly positive Ce anomaly and a negative Eu anomaly were also found. For all 14 REEs in soils, enrichment was intensified by the mine tailing sources and influenced by the prevailing wind. PMID:26198417

Geochemical fractions of rare earth elements in soil around a mine tailing in Baotou, China.

PubMed

Wang, Lingqing; Liang, Tao

2015-07-22

Rare earth mine tailing dumps are environmental hazards because tailing easily leaches and erodes by water and wind. To assess the influence of mine tailing on the geochemical behavior of rare earth elements (REEs) in soil, sixty-seven surface soil samples and three soil profile samples were collected from different locations near China's largest rare earth mine tailing. The total concentration of REEs in surface soils ranged from 156 to 5.65 × 10(4) mg·kg(-1) with an average value of 4.67 × 10(3) mg·kg(-1), which was significantly higher than the average value in China (181 mg·kg(-1)). We found obvious fractionation of both light and heavy REEs, which was supported by the North American Shale Composite (NASC) and the Post-Archean Average Australian Shale (PAAS) normalized concentration ratios calculated for selected elements (La(N)/Yb(N), La(N)/Sm(N) and Gd(N)/Yb(N)). A slightly positive Ce anomaly and a negative Eu anomaly were also found. For all 14 REEs in soils, enrichment was intensified by the mine tailing sources and influenced by the prevailing wind.

Delineation of an old coal mine in an urban environment with surface wave seismics using a landstreamer and laterally constrained inversion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roger Wisen; Mattias Linden; Mats Svensson

2007-01-15

Prior to the site investigation for a tunnel below Helsingborg, southern Sweden, a surface wave seismic investigation was made to delineate an old coal mine. The mine as described in old literature has an area of about 6 acres and each layer of coal has a height of less than one 1 m; however, the exact location and status is unclear. The sedimentary geological setting consists of fill, quaternary deposits, shale, coal and sandstone. The mine, or alternatively the coal, is found at 10 m depth between a layer of shale and a layer of soft sandstone. The seismic measurementsmore » were made along two crossing profiles, located on the walkways covered with gravel, in the area where the mine is expected. The measurement system was a landstreamer with 244.5 Hz geophones, a Geometrics Geode and a shotgun. The v{sub s} models clearly show increasing velocities with depth with a low velocity layer at 10 m depth. The results correlate well with the expected geology and results from geotechnical drillings that indicate an open mine in parts of the area; however, the low velocity layer is mainly due to the soft sandstone and does not seem to be strongly affected by the presence of the open mine.« less

43 CFR 3835.1 - How do I qualify for a waiver?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... than a total of 10 mining claims or sites nationwide, not including oil shale claims; and All co... co-claimants must be military personnel on active duty status. (c) Reclamation Maintenance fees are waived for your mining claims or sites that are undergoing final reclamation under subparts 3802, 3809...

43 CFR 3835.1 - How do I qualify for a waiver?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... than a total of 10 mining claims or sites nationwide, not including oil shale claims; and All co... co-claimants must be military personnel on active duty status. (c) Reclamation Maintenance fees are waived for your mining claims or sites that are undergoing final reclamation under subparts 3802, 3809...

43 CFR 3835.1 - How do I qualify for a waiver?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... than a total of 10 mining claims or sites nationwide, not including oil shale claims; and All co... co-claimants must be military personnel on active duty status. (c) Reclamation Maintenance fees are waived for your mining claims or sites that are undergoing final reclamation under subparts 3802, 3809...

43 CFR 3835.1 - How do I qualify for a waiver?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... than a total of 10 mining claims or sites nationwide, not including oil shale claims; and All co... co-claimants must be military personnel on active duty status. (c) Reclamation Maintenance fees are waived for your mining claims or sites that are undergoing final reclamation under subparts 3802, 3809...

Geospatial assessment of invasive plants on reclaimed mines in Alabama

Treesearch

D. Lemke; C.J. Schweitzer; W. Tadesse; Y. Wang; J.A. Brown

2013-01-01

Throughout the world, the invasion of nonnative plants is an increasing threat to native biodiversity and ecosystem sustainability. Invasion is especially prevalent in areas affected by land transformation and disturbance. Surface mines are a major land transformation, and thus may promote the establishment and persistence of invasive plant communities. Using the Shale...

Geology of the fushun coalfield, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, E.A.

1990-01-01

The Fushun coalfield is located in Liaoning Province 45 km east of Shenyang in a relatively small east-west-trending exposure of Mesozoic and Cenozoic rocks surrounded by Precambrian terrane. The coal is included in a sequence of early Tertiary rocks consisting of Paleocene basalt and tuff, and Eocene coal, oil shale and mudstone. These units have been folded into a syncline that plunges gently to the east. The overturned north limb of this fold has been partly removed by a thrust fault. The principal coal beds are low-sulfur subbituminous and bituminous in rank, are of limnic origin, and are contained in the 55-m-thick Eocene Guchengzi Formation. The field, which has been active since the turn of the century, has both open pit and underground mines. The largest operation is the West Open Pit mine, which measures 2.0 km wide, 6.6 km long, and 300 m deep. Coal is mined by means of power shovels, trucks, and an electric rail system. Oil shale from the Eocene Jijuntun Formation is also mined. ?? 1990.

Solution mining dawsonite from hydrocarbon containing formations with a chelating agent

DOEpatents

Vinegar, Harold J [Bellaire, TX

2009-07-07

A method for treating an oil shale formation comprising dawsonite includes providing heat from one or more heaters to the formation to heat the formation. Hydrocarbon fluids are produced from the formation. At least some dawsonite in the formation is decomposed with the provided heat. A chelating agent is provided to the formation to dissolve at least some dawsonite decomposition products. The dissolved dawsonite decomposition products are produced from the formation.

Hydrology of an abandoned coal-mining area near McCurtain, Haskell County, Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Slack, L.J.

1983-01-01

Water quality was investigated from October 1980 to May 1983 in an area of abandoned coal mines in Haskell county, Oklahoma. Bedrock in the area is shale, siltstone, sandstone, and the McAlester (Stigler) and Hartshorne coals of the McAlester Formation and Hartshorne Sandstone of Pennsylvanian age. The two coal beds, upper and lower Hartshorne, associated with the Hartshorne Sandstone converge or are separated by a few feet or less of bony coal or shale in the McCurtain area. Many small faults cut the Hartshorne coal in all the McCurtain-area mines. The main avenues of water entry to and movement through the bedrock are the exposed bedding-plane openings between layers of sandstone, partings between laminae of shale, fractures and joints developed during folding and faulting laminae of shale, fractures and joints developed during folding and faulting of the brittle rocks, and openings caused by surface mining--the overburden being shattered and broken to form spoil. Water-table conditions exist in bedrock and spoil in the area. Mine pond water is in direct hydraulic connections with water in the spoil piles and the underlying Hartshorne Sandstone. Sulfate is the best indicator of the presence of coal-mine drainage in both surface and ground water in the Oklahoma coal field. Median sulfate concentrations for four sites on Mule Creek ranged from 26 to 260 milligrams per liter. Median sulfate concentrations increased with increased drainage from unreclaimed mined areas. The median sulfate concentration in Mule Creek where it drains the reclaimed area is less than one-third of that at the next site downstream where the stream begins to drain abandoned (unreclaimed) mine lands. Water from Mule Creek predominantly is a sodium sulfate type. Maximum and median values for specific conductance and concentrations of calcium, magnesium, sodium, sulfate, chloride, dissolved solids, and alkalinity increase as Mule Creek flows downstream and drains increasing areas of abandoned (unreclaimed) mining lands. Constituent concentrations in Mule Creek, except those for dissolved solids, iron, manganese, and sulfate, generally do not exceed drinking-water limits. Reclamation likely would result in decreased concentrations of dissolved solids, calcium, magnesium, sodium, sulfate, and alkalinity in Mule Creek in the vicinity of the reclaimed area. Ground water in the area is moderately hard to very hard alkaline water with a median pH of 7.2 to 7.6. It predominately is a sodium sulfate type and, except for dissolved solids, iron manganese, and sulfate, constituent concentrations generally do not exceed drinking-water limits. Ground-water quality would likely be unchanged by reclamation. The quality of water in the two mine ponds is quite similar to that of the shallow ground water in the area. Constituents in water from both ponds generally do not exceed drinking-water limits and the water quality is unlikely to be changed by reclamation in the area.

Data set for Journal article "The shale gas revolution: barriers, sustainability, and emerging opportunities"

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Middleton, Richard Stephen

Shale gas and hydraulic refracturing has revolutionized the US energy sector in terms of prices, consumption, and CO 2 emissions. However, key questions remain including environmental concerns and extraction efficiencies that are leveling off. For the first time, we identify key discoveries, lessons learned, and recommendations from this shale gas revolution through extensive data mining and analysis of 23 years of production from 20,000 wells. Discoveries include identification of a learning-bydoing process where disruptive technology innovation led to a doubling in shale gas extraction, how refracturing with emerging technologies can transform existing wells, and how overall shale gas production ismore » actually dominated by long-term tail production rather than the high-profile initial exponentially-declining production in the first 12 months. We hypothesize that tail production can be manipulated, through better fracturing techniques and alternative working fluids such as CO 2, to increase shale gas recovery and minimize environmental impacts such as through carbon sequestration.« less

The shale gas revolution: Barriers, sustainability, and emerging opportunities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Middleton, Richard S.; Gupta, Rajan; Hyman, Jeffrey D.

Shale gas and hydraulic refracturing has revolutionized the US energy sector in terms of prices, consumption, and CO 2 emissions. However, key questions remain including environmental concerns and extraction efficiencies that are leveling off. For the first time, we identify key discoveries, lessons learned, and recommendations from this shale gas revolution through extensive data mining and analysis of 23 years of production from 20,000 wells. Discoveries include identification of a learning-by-doing process where disruptive technology innovation led to a doubling in shale gas extraction, how refracturing with emerging technologies can transform existing wells, and how overall shale gas production ismore » actually dominated by long-term tail production rather than the high-profile initial exponentially-declining production in the first 12 months. We hypothesize that tail production can be manipulated, through better fracturing techniques and alternative working fluids such as CO 2, to increase shale gas recovery and minimize environmental impacts such as through carbon sequestration.« less

The shale gas revolution: Barriers, sustainability, and emerging opportunities

DOE PAGES

Middleton, Richard S.; Gupta, Rajan; Hyman, Jeffrey D.; ...

2017-08-01

Shale gas and hydraulic refracturing has revolutionized the US energy sector in terms of prices, consumption, and CO 2 emissions. However, key questions remain including environmental concerns and extraction efficiencies that are leveling off. For the first time, we identify key discoveries, lessons learned, and recommendations from this shale gas revolution through extensive data mining and analysis of 23 years of production from 20,000 wells. Discoveries include identification of a learning-by-doing process where disruptive technology innovation led to a doubling in shale gas extraction, how refracturing with emerging technologies can transform existing wells, and how overall shale gas production ismore » actually dominated by long-term tail production rather than the high-profile initial exponentially-declining production in the first 12 months. We hypothesize that tail production can be manipulated, through better fracturing techniques and alternative working fluids such as CO 2, to increase shale gas recovery and minimize environmental impacts such as through carbon sequestration.« less

Development of technical means for directional hydraulic fracturing with shearing loading of borehole walls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rybalkin, LA; Patutin, AV; Patutin, DV

2018-03-01

During the process of mineral deposits’ mining one of the most important conditions for safe and economically profitable work of a mining enterprise is obtaining timely information on the stress state of the developed massif. One of the most common methods of remote study of the geomechanical state of the rock massif is hydraulic fracturing of the formation. Directional hydraulic fracturing is a type of the method employed to form cracks across production wells. This technology was most widely used in the gas industry to extract gas from shale formations. In mining, this technology is used to set up filtration screens, to integrate degassing, to soften the hard roof of coal seams. Possible practical appliance is the expansion of the application field of this technology to intensify the production of viscous oil, to leach non-ferrous metals, to create in the rock massif anti-filtration screens for various purposes, as well as to measure stresses acting along the wells.

43 CFR 3511.10 - Do certain leases allow me to mine other commodities as well?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... processing or refining of phosphate, phosphate rock, and associated minerals mined from the leased lands. You... (Continued) BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT (3000) LEASING OF SOLID MINERALS OTHER THAN COAL AND OIL SHALE Lease Terms and Conditions § 3511.10 Do certain leases allow me to...

43 CFR 3511.10 - Do certain leases allow me to mine other commodities as well?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... processing or refining of phosphate, phosphate rock, and associated minerals mined from the leased lands. You... (Continued) BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT (3000) LEASING OF SOLID MINERALS OTHER THAN COAL AND OIL SHALE Lease Terms and Conditions § 3511.10 Do certain leases allow me to...

75 FR 55678 - Minerals Management: Adjustment of Cost Recovery Fees

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-14

... text to the general cost recovery fee table so that mineral cost recovery fees can be found in one... Coal and Oil Shale) Program's lease renewal fee will increase from $480 to $485; (C) The Mining Law... $2,840; and (D) The Mining Law Administration Program's fee for mineral patent adjudication of 10 or...

43 CFR 3931.100 - Boundary pillars and buffer zones.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... otherwise specified in writing by the BLM. Boundary and other main pillars may be mined only with the BLM's prior written consent or on the BLM's order. For in-situ operations, a 50-foot buffer zone from the..., mine out and remove all available oil shale in such boundary pillar, both in the lands covered by the...

43 CFR 3931.100 - Boundary pillars and buffer zones.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... otherwise specified in writing by the BLM. Boundary and other main pillars may be mined only with the BLM's prior written consent or on the BLM's order. For in-situ operations, a 50-foot buffer zone from the..., mine out and remove all available oil shale in such boundary pillar, both in the lands covered by the...

43 CFR 3931.100 - Boundary pillars and buffer zones.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... otherwise specified in writing by the BLM. Boundary and other main pillars may be mined only with the BLM's prior written consent or on the BLM's order. For in-situ operations, a 50-foot buffer zone from the..., mine out and remove all available oil shale in such boundary pillar, both in the lands covered by the...

43 CFR 3931.100 - Boundary pillars and buffer zones.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... otherwise specified in writing by the BLM. Boundary and other main pillars may be mined only with the BLM's prior written consent or on the BLM's order. For in-situ operations, a 50-foot buffer zone from the..., mine out and remove all available oil shale in such boundary pillar, both in the lands covered by the...

76 FR 59058 - Minerals Management: Adjustment of Cost Recovery Fees

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-23

... mining, oil and gas extraction, and the mining and quarrying of nonmetallic minerals) as an individual... increase New value New fee \\5\\ fee \\1\\ value \\2\\ \\3\\ \\4\\ Oil & Gas (parts 3100, 3110, 3120, 3130, 3150... interest transfer 60 61.94 0.84 62.78 65 Leasing of Solid Minerals Other Than Coal and Oil Shale (parts...

Characterization of in situ oil shale retorts prior to ignition

DOEpatents

Turner, Thomas F.; Moore, Dennis F.

1984-01-01

Method and system for characterizing a vertical modified in situ oil shale retort prior to ignition of the retort. The retort is formed by mining a void at the bottom of a proposed retort in an oil shale deposit. The deposit is then sequentially blasted into the void to form a plurality of layers of rubble. A plurality of units each including a tracer gas cannister are installed at the upper level of each rubble layer prior to blasting to form the next layer. Each of the units includes a receiver that is responsive to a coded electromagnetic (EM) signal to release gas from the associated cannister into the rubble. Coded EM signals are transmitted to the receivers to selectively release gas from the cannisters. The released gas flows through the retort to an outlet line connected to the floor of the retort. The time of arrival of the gas at a detector unit in the outlet line relative to the time of release of gas from the cannisters is monitored. This information enables the retort to be characterized prior to ignition.

Future of small scale mining

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meyer, R.F.; Carman, J.S.

1978-01-01

The first international conference on the future of small scale mining was sponsored by The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and The Consejo de Recursos Minerales and Secretaria de Patrimonio y Fomento Industrial (SEPAFIN) of the Government of Mexico and held 26 November-5 December 1978, at Jurica, Queretaro, Mexico. Six papers have been entered individually into EDB. The papers mainly concern small metal mining operations and only those concerning coal, uranium, and oil shales have been entered. (LTN)

High contents of rare earth elements (REEs) in stream waters of a Cu-Pb-Zn mining area.

PubMed

Protano, G; Riccobono, F

2002-01-01

Stream waters draining an old mining area present very high rare earth element (REE) contents, reaching 928 microg/l as the maximum total value (sigmaREE). The middle rare earth elements (MREEs) are usually enriched with respect to both the light (LREEs) and heavy (HREEs) elements of this group, producing a characteristic "roof-shaped" pattern of the shale Post-Archean Australian Shales-normalized concentrations. At the Fenice Capanne Mine (FCM), the most important base metal mine of the study area, the REE source coincides with the mine tailings, mostly the oldest ones composed of iron-rich materials. The geochemical history of the REEs released into Noni stream from wastes in the FCM area is strictly determined by the pH, which controls the REE speciation and in-stream processes. The formation of Al-rich and mainly Fe-rich flocs effectively scavenges the REEs, which are readily and drastically removed from the solution when the pH approaches neutrality. Leaching experiments performed on flocs and waste materials demonstrate that Fe-oxides/oxyhydroxides play a key role in the release of lanthanide elements into stream waters. The origin of the "roof-shaped" REE distribution pattern as well as the peculiar geochemical behavior of some lanthanide elements in the aqueous system are discussed.

Groundwater quality at the Saline Valley Conservancy District well field, Gallatin County, Illinois

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gorczynska, Magdalena; Kay, Robert T.

2016-08-29

The Saline Valley Conservancy District (SVCD) operates wells that supply water to most of the water users in Saline and Gallatin Counties, Illinois. The SVCD wells draw water from a shallow sand and gravel aquifer located in close proximity to an abandoned underground coal mine, several abandoned oil wells, and at least one operational oil well. The aquifer that yields water to the SVCD wells overlies the New Albany Shale, which may be subjected to shale-gas exploration by use of hydraulic fracturing. The SVCD has sought technical assistance from the U.S. Geological Survey to characterize baseline water quality at the SVCD well field so that future changes in water quality (if any) and the cause of those changes (including mine leachate and hydraulic fracturing) can be identified.

Environmental Inventory: Little South Fork Cumberland River.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-11-01

coal and clay shale. The contact between the Mississippian strata (Pennington Formation ) and...these formations include the Barren Fork coal bed and the Stearns coal zone. In addition to these there are several unnamed coal beds. Number and...Cindy Cliff, Coal Cliff, Sand Cliff and Balls Cliff are being mined by the Greenwood Land and Mining Company of Somerset and Parkers Lake, Kentucky

Evaluation of afforestation development and natural colonization on a reclaimed mine site

Treesearch

Diana Laarmann; Henn Korjus; Allan Sims; Ahto Kangur; Andres Kiviste; John Stanturf

2015-01-01

Post-mining restoration sites often develop novel ecosystems as soil conditions are completely new and ecosystem assemblage can be spontaneous even on afforested sites. This study presents results from long-term monitoring and evaluation of an afforested oil-shale quarry in Estonia. The study is based on chronosequence data of soil and vegetation and comparisons are...

30 CFR 75.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... of gas mask approved by MSHA and NIOSH under 42 CFR part 84 for escape only from underground mines.... Pulverized limestone, dolomite, gypsum, anhydrite, shale, adobe, or other inert material, preferably light...

30 CFR 75.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... of gas mask approved by MSHA and NIOSH under 42 CFR part 84 for escape only from underground mines.... Pulverized limestone, dolomite, gypsum, anhydrite, shale, adobe, or other inert material, preferably light...

30 CFR 75.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... of gas mask approved by MSHA and NIOSH under 42 CFR part 84 for escape only from underground mines.... Pulverized limestone, dolomite, gypsum, anhydrite, shale, adobe, or other inert material, preferably light...

Hydrologic-information needs for oil-shale development, northwestern Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Taylor, O.J.

1982-01-01

Hydrologic information is not adequate for proper development of the large oil-shale reserves of Piceance basin in northwestern Colorado. Exploratory drilling and aquifer testing are needed to define the hydrologic system, to provide wells for aquifer testing, to design mine-drainage techniques, and to explore for additional water supplies. Sampling networks are needed to supply hydrologic data on the quantity and quality of surface water, ground water, and springs. A detailed sampling network is proposed for the White River basin because of expected impacts related to water supplies and waste disposal. Emissions from oil-shale retorts to the atmosphere need additional study because of possible resulting corrosion problems and the destruction of fisheries. Studies of the leachate materials and the stability of disposed retorted shale piles are needed to insure that these materials will not cause problems. Hazards related to in-situ retorts, and the wastes related to oil-shale development in general also need further investigation. (USGS)

Growth responses of Scots pine to climatic factors on reclaimed oil shale mined land.

PubMed

Metslaid, Sandra; Stanturf, John A; Hordo, Maris; Korjus, Henn; Laarmann, Diana; Kiviste, Andres

2016-07-01

Afforestation on reclaimed mining areas has high ecological and economic importance. However, ecosystems established on post-mining substrate can become vulnerable due to climate variability. We used tree-ring data and dendrochronological techniques to study the relationship between climate variables and annual growth of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) growing on reclaimed open cast oil shale mining areas in Northeast Estonia. Chronologies for trees of different age classes (50, 40, 30) were developed. Pearson's correlation analysis between radial growth indices and monthly climate variables revealed that precipitation in June-July and higher mean temperatures in spring season enhanced radial growth of pine plantations, while higher than average temperatures in summer months inhibited wood production. Sensitivity of radial increment to climatic factors on post-mining soils was not homogenous among the studied populations. Older trees growing on more developed soils were more sensitive to precipitation deficit in summer, while growth indices of two other stand groups (young and middle-aged) were highly correlated to temperature. High mean temperatures in August were negatively related to annual wood production in all trees, while trees in the youngest stands benefited from warmer temperatures in January. As a response to thinning, mean annual basal area increment increased up to 50 %. By managing tree competition in the closed-canopy stands, through the thinning activities, tree sensitivity and response to climate could be manipulated.

Maps showing mines, quarries, and prospects, with analyses of samples, Gee Creek Wilderness, Polk and Monroe counties, Tennessee

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gazdik, Gertrude C.; Behum, Paul T.

1983-01-01

During the recent U.S. Bureau of Mines field investigation, 21 samples were collected (fig. 2) and were submitted to the Bureau's Reno Metallurgy Research Center, Reno, Nev., for analysis. All samples were tested for 40 elements by semiquantitative spectrographic analyses. Additional testing by atomic absorption, neutron activation, and wet chemical techniques was performed for selected elements on some samples. Two shale samples were submitted to the Bureau of Mines, Tuscaloosa Metallurgy Research Center, Tuscaloosa, Ala., for the evaluation of ceramic properties. 

Malignant human cell transformation of Marcellus Shale gas drilling flow back water

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yao, Yixin; Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, Tuxedo, NY 10987; Chen, Tingting

The rapid development of high-volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing for mining natural gas from shale has posed potential impacts on human health and biodiversity. The produced flow back waters after hydraulic stimulation are known to carry high levels of saline and total dissolved solids. To understand the toxicity and potential carcinogenic effects of these wastewaters, flow back waters from five Marcellus hydraulic fracturing oil and gas wells were analyzed. The physicochemical nature of these samples was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. A cytotoxicity study using colony formation as the endpoint was carriedmore » out to define the LC{sub 50} values of test samples using human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B). The BEAS-2B cell transformation assay was employed to assess the carcinogenic potential of the samples. Barium and strontium were among the most abundant metals in these samples and the same metals were found to be elevated in BEAS-2B cells after long-term treatment. BEAS-2B cells treated for 6 weeks with flow back waters produced colony formation in soft agar that was concentration dependent. In addition, flow back water-transformed BEAS-2B cells show better migration capability when compared to control cells. This study provides information needed to assess the potential health impact of post-hydraulic fracturing flow back waters from Marcellus Shale natural gas mining. - Highlights: • This is the first report of potential cytotoxicity and transforming activity of Marcellus shale gas mining flow back to mammalian cells. • Barium and Strontium were elevated in flow back water exposed cells. • Flow back water malignantly transformed cells and formed tumor in athymic nude mice. • Flow back transformed cells exhibited altered transcriptome with dysregulated cell migration pathway and adherent junction pathway.« less

Mineral resource of the month: perlite

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2010-01-01

The article talks about perlite, which is a mineral used as an aggregate for lightweight construction products, filler for paints and horticultural soil blends. Perlite comes from viscous lava, mined and processed to produce lightweight material that competes with pumice, exfoliated vermiculite and expanded clay and shale. It is mined in about 35 countries that include Greece, Japan and the U.S. Other uses include insulation, concrete and plaster aggregate, and stonewashing.

Geotechnical characterization of mined clay from Appalachian Ohio: challenges and implications for the clay mining industry.

PubMed

Moran, Anthony R; Hettiarachchi, Hiroshan

2011-07-01

Clayey soil found in coal mines in Appalachian Ohio is often sold to landfills for constructing Recompacted Soil Liners (RSL) in landfills. Since clayey soils possess low hydraulic conductivity, the suitability of mined clay for RSL in Ohio is first assessed by determining its clay content. When soil samples are tested in a laboratory, the same engineering properties are typically expected for the soils originated from the same source, provided that the testing techniques applied are standard, but mined clay from Appalachian Ohio has shown drastic differences in particle size distribution depending on the sampling and/or laboratory processing methods. Sometimes more than a 10 percent decrease in the clay content is observed in the samples collected at the stockpiles, compared to those collected through reverse circulation drilling. This discrepancy poses a challenge to geotechnical engineers who work on the prequalification process of RSL material as it can result in misleading estimates of the hydraulic conductivity of the samples. This paper describes a laboratory investigation conducted on mined clay from Appalachian Ohio to determine how and why the standard sampling and/or processing methods can affect the grain-size distributions. The variation in the clay content was determined to be due to heavy concentrations of shale fragments in the clayey soils. It was also concluded that, in order to obtain reliable grain size distributions from the samples collected at a stockpile of mined clay, the material needs to be processed using a soil grinder. Otherwise, the samples should be collected through drilling.

Geotechnical Characterization of Mined Clay from Appalachian Ohio: Challenges and Implications for the Clay Mining Industry

PubMed Central

Moran, Anthony R.; Hettiarachchi, Hiroshan

2011-01-01

Clayey soil found in coal mines in Appalachian Ohio is often sold to landfills for constructing Recompacted Soil Liners (RSL) in landfills. Since clayey soils possess low hydraulic conductivity, the suitability of mined clay for RSL in Ohio is first assessed by determining its clay content. When soil samples are tested in a laboratory, the same engineering properties are typically expected for the soils originated from the same source, provided that the testing techniques applied are standard, but mined clay from Appalachian Ohio has shown drastic differences in particle size distribution depending on the sampling and/or laboratory processing methods. Sometimes more than a 10 percent decrease in the clay content is observed in the samples collected at the stockpiles, compared to those collected through reverse circulation drilling. This discrepancy poses a challenge to geotechnical engineers who work on the prequalification process of RSL material as it can result in misleading estimates of the hydraulic conductivity of the samples. This paper describes a laboratory investigation conducted on mined clay from Appalachian Ohio to determine how and why the standard sampling and/or processing methods can affect the grain-size distributions. The variation in the clay content was determined to be due to heavy concentrations of shale fragments in the clayey soils. It was also concluded that, in order to obtain reliable grain size distributions from the samples collected at a stockpile of mined clay, the material needs to be processed using a soil grinder. Otherwise, the samples should be collected through drilling. PMID:21845150

Anomalous abundance and redistribution patterns of rare earth elements in soils of a mining area in Inner Mongolia, China.

PubMed

Wang, Lingqing; Liang, Tao

2016-06-01

The Bayan Obo Mine, the largest rare earth element (REE) deposit ever found in the world, has been mined for nearly 60 years for iron and rare earth elements. To assess the influences of mining activities on geochemical behavior of REEs in soils, 27 surface soil samples and three soil profile samples were collected from different directions in the vicinity of the mine area. The total concentrations of REEs in surface soils varied from 149.75 to 18,891.81 mg kg(-1) with an average value of 1906.12 mg kg(-1), which was apparently higher than the average values in China (181 mg kg(-1)). The order of the average concentrations of individual REEs in surface soils was similar to that in Bayan Obo ores, which confirmed that the concentration and distribution of REEs in the soils was influenced by the mining activities. The concentrations of single REE in the soil profiles showed a similar trend with depth with an increase at 0-25 cm section, then decreased and remained relatively stable in the deep part. The normalized curves inclined to the right side, showing the conspicuous fractionation between the light and heavy REEs, which supported by the North American Shale Composite (NASC) and Post-Archean Australian Shale (PAAS) normalized concentration ratios calculated for selected elements (La N /Yb N , La N /Sm N , Gd N /Yb N ). Slight positive Ce anomaly and negative Eu anomaly were also observed.

M-X Environmental Technical Report. Environmental Characteristics of Alternative Designated Deployment Areas, Mining and Geology.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-22

Nevada and Utah Great Basin area, can be quickly drawn because of the paucity of known sites. The sole commercially producing area of oil and gas in...good production (in addition to oil shale, tar, sand and Gilsonite) is to be found in the Uinta Basin . Major production in Utah comes from the four...Utah crude came from these four fields. About 3,000 ni 2 (7,800 km 2 ) in the Uinta Basin in northeastern Utah is underlain by oil shale 15 ft (4.5 m

Application of soil nails to the stability of mine waste slopes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tant, C.R.; Drumm, E.C.; Mauldon, M.

1996-12-31

The traditional soil nailed structure incorporates grouted or driven nails, and a wire mesh reinforced shotcrete facing to increase the stability of a slope or wall. This paper describes the construction and monitoring of a full-scale demonstration of nailing to stabilize coal mine spoil. The purpose of the investigation is to evaluate the performance of nailed slopes in mine spoil using methods proven for the stabilization of soil walls and slopes. The site in eastern Tennessee is a 12 meter high slope of dumped fill, composed of weathered shale chips, sandstone, and coal. The slope was formed by {open_quotes}pre-regulatory{close_quotes} contourmore » surface mining operations and served as a work bench during mining. The material varies in size from silt to boulders, and has a small amount of cohesion. Portions of the mine spoil slope have experienced slope instability and erosion which have hampered subsequent reclamation activities. Three different nail spacings and three different nail lengths were used in the design. The 12 meter high structure is instrumented to permit measurement of nail strain, and vertical inclinometer readings and survey measurements will be used for the detection of ground movement. The results of this study will aid in the development of design recommendations and construction guidelines for the application of soil nailing to stabilize mine spoil.« less

Chemical composition of samples collected from waste rock dumps and other mining-related features at selected phosphate mines in southeastern Idaho, western Wyoming, and northern Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moyle, Phillip R.; Causey, J. Douglas

2001-01-01

This report provides chemical analyses for 31 samples collected from various phosphate mine sites in southeastern Idaho (25), northern Utah (2), and western Wyoming (4). The sampling effort was undertaken as a reconnaissance and does not constitute a characterization of mine wastes. Twenty-five samples were collected from waste rock dumps, 2 from stockpiles, and 1 each from slag, tailings, mill shale, and an outcrop. All samples were analyzed for a suite of major, minor, and trace elements. Although the analytical data set for the 31 samples is too small for detailed statistical analysis, a summary of general observations is made.

Re-injection feasibility study of fracturing flow-back fluid in shale gas mining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Dingyu; Xue, Chen; Chen, Xinjian; Du, Jiajia; Shi, Shengwei; Qu, Chengtun; Yu, Tao

2018-02-01

Fracturing flow-back fluid in shale gas mining is usually treated by re-injecting into formation. After treatment, the fracturing flow-back fluid is injected back into the formation. In order to ensure that it will not cause too much damage to the bottom layer, feasibility evaluations of re-injection of two kinds of fracturing fluid with different salinity were researched. The experimental research of the compatibility of mixed water samples based on the static simulation method was conducted. Through the analysis of ion concentration, the amount of scale buildup and clay swelling rate, the feasibility of re-injection of different fracturing fluid were studied. The result shows that the swelling of the clay expansion rate of treated fracturing fluid is lower than the mixed water of treated fracturing fluid and the distilled water, indicating that in terms of clay expansion rate, the treated fracturing flow-back fluid is better than that of water injection after re-injection. In the compatibility test, the maximum amount of fouling in the Yangzhou oilfield is 12mg/L, and the maximum value of calcium loss rate is 1.47%, indicating that the compatibility is good. For the fracturing fluid with high salinity in the Yanchang oilfield, the maximum amount of scaling is 72mg/L, and the maximum calcium loss rate is 3.50%, indicating that the compatibility is better.

New fossils from Tadkeshwar Mine (Gujarat, India) increase primate diversity from the early Eocene Cambay Shale.

PubMed

Rose, Kenneth D; Dunn, Rachel H; Kumar, Kishor; Perry, Jonathan M G; Prufrock, Kristen A; Rana, Rajendra S; Smith, Thierry

2018-06-07

Several new fossil specimens from the Cambay Shale Formation at Tadkeshwar Lignite Mine in Gujarat document the presence of two previously unknown early Eocene primate species from India. A new species of Asiadapis is named based on a jaw fragment preserving premolars similar in morphology to those of A. cambayensis but substantially larger. Also described is an exceptionally preserved edentulous dentary (designated cf. Asiadapis, unnamed sp. nov.) that is slightly larger and much more robust than previously known Cambay Shale primates. Its anatomy most closely resembles that of Eocene adapoids, and the dental formula is the same as in A. cambayensis. A femur and calcaneus are tentatively allocated to the same taxon. Although the dentition is unknown, exquisite preservation of the dentary of cf. Asiadapis sp. nov. enables an assessment of masticatory musculature, function, and gape adaptations, as well as comparison with an equally well-preserved dentary of the asiadapid Marcgodinotius indicus, also from Tadkeshwar. The new M. indicus specimen shows significant gape adaptations but was probably capable of only weak bite force, whereas cf. Asiadapis sp. nov. probably used relatively smaller gapes but could generate relatively greater bite forces. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Description of Shale Reservoir Pore Structure Based on Method of Moments Estimation

PubMed Central

Li, Wenjie; Wang, Changcheng; Shi, Zejin; Wei, Yi; Zhou, Huailai; Deng, Kun

2016-01-01

Shale has been considered as good gas reservoir due to its abundant interior nanoscale pores. Thus, the study of the pore structure of shale is of great significance for the evaluation and development of shale oil and gas. To date, the most widely used approaches for studying the shale pore structure include image analysis, radiation and fluid invasion methods. The detailed pore structures can be studied intuitively by image analysis and radiation methods, but the results obtained are quite sensitive to sample preparation, equipment performance and experimental operation. In contrast, the fluid invasion method can be used to obtain information on pore size distribution and pore structure, but the relative simple parameters derived cannot be used to evaluate the pore structure of shale comprehensively and quantitatively. To characterize the nanoscale pore structure of shale reservoir more effectively and expand the current research techniques, we proposed a new method based on gas adsorption experimental data and the method of moments to describe the pore structure parameters of shale reservoir. Combined with the geological mixture empirical distribution and the method of moments estimation principle, the new method calculates the characteristic parameters of shale, including the mean pore size (x¯), standard deviation (σ), skewness (Sk) and variation coefficient (c). These values are found by reconstructing the grouping intervals of observation values and optimizing algorithms for eigenvalues. This approach assures a more effective description of the characteristics of nanoscale pore structures. Finally, the new method has been applied to analyze the Yanchang shale in the Ordos Basin (China) and Longmaxi shale from the Sichuan Basin (China). The results obtained well reveal the pore characteristics of shale, indicating the feasibility of this new method in the study of the pore structure of shale reservoir. PMID:26992168

The Description of Shale Reservoir Pore Structure Based on Method of Moments Estimation.

PubMed

Li, Wenjie; Wang, Changcheng; Shi, Zejin; Wei, Yi; Zhou, Huailai; Deng, Kun

2016-01-01

Shale has been considered as good gas reservoir due to its abundant interior nanoscale pores. Thus, the study of the pore structure of shale is of great significance for the evaluation and development of shale oil and gas. To date, the most widely used approaches for studying the shale pore structure include image analysis, radiation and fluid invasion methods. The detailed pore structures can be studied intuitively by image analysis and radiation methods, but the results obtained are quite sensitive to sample preparation, equipment performance and experimental operation. In contrast, the fluid invasion method can be used to obtain information on pore size distribution and pore structure, but the relative simple parameters derived cannot be used to evaluate the pore structure of shale comprehensively and quantitatively. To characterize the nanoscale pore structure of shale reservoir more effectively and expand the current research techniques, we proposed a new method based on gas adsorption experimental data and the method of moments to describe the pore structure parameters of shale reservoir. Combined with the geological mixture empirical distribution and the method of moments estimation principle, the new method calculates the characteristic parameters of shale, including the mean pore size (mean), standard deviation (σ), skewness (Sk) and variation coefficient (c). These values are found by reconstructing the grouping intervals of observation values and optimizing algorithms for eigenvalues. This approach assures a more effective description of the characteristics of nanoscale pore structures. Finally, the new method has been applied to analyze the Yanchang shale in the Ordos Basin (China) and Longmaxi shale from the Sichuan Basin (China). The results obtained well reveal the pore characteristics of shale, indicating the feasibility of this new method in the study of the pore structure of shale reservoir.

Fischer Assays of Oil Shale Drill Cores and Rotary Cuttings from the Piceance Basin, Colorado - 2009 Update

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mercier, Tracey J.; Brownfield, Michael E.; Johnson, Ronald C.; Self, Jesse G.

1998-01-01

This CD-ROM includes updated files containing Fischer assays of samples of core holes and cuttings from exploration drill holes drilled in the Eocene Green River Formation in the Piceance Basin of northwestern Colorado. A database was compiled that includes more than 321,380 Fischer assays from 782 boreholes. Most of the oil yield data were analyzed by the former U.S. Bureau of Mines oil shale laboratory in Laramie, Wyoming, and some analyses were made by private laboratories. Location data for 1,042 core and rotary holes, oil and gas tests, as well as a few surface sections are listed in a spreadsheet and included in the CD-ROM. These assays are part of a larger collection of subsurface information held by the U.S. Geological Survey, including geophysical and lithologic logs, water data, and chemical and X-ray diffraction analyses having to do with the Green River oil shale deposits in Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah. Because of an increased interest in oil shale, this CD-ROM disc containing updated Fischer assay data for the Piceance Basin oil shale deposits in northwestern Colorado is being released to the public.

Hydrology of the Ferron sandstone aquifer and effects of proposed surface-coal mining in Castle Valley, Utah, with sections on stratigraphy and leaching of overburden

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lines, Gregory C.; Morrissey, Daniel J.; Ryer, Thomas A.; Fuller, Richard H.

1983-01-01

Coal in the Ferron Sandstone Member of the Mancos Shale of Cretaceous age has traditionally been mined by underground techniques in the Emery Coal Field in the southern end of Castle Valley in east-central Utah. However, approximately 99 million tons are recoverable by surface mining. Ground water in the Ferron is the sole source of supply for the town of Emery, but the aquifer is essentially untapped outside the Emery area.The Ferron Sandstone Member crops out along the eastern edge of Castle Valley and generally dips 2 ? to 10 ? to the northwest. Sandstones in the Ferron are enclosed between relatively impermeable shale in the Tununk and Blue Gate Members of the Mancos Shale. Along the outcrop, the Ferron ranges in thickness from about 80 feet in the northern part of Castle Valley to 850 feet in the southern part. The Ferron also generally thickens in the subsurface downdip from the outcrop. Records from wells and test holes indicate that the full thickness of the Ferron is saturated with water in most areas downdip from the outcrop area.Tests in the Emery area indicate that transmissivity of the Ferron sandstone aquifer ranges from about 200 to 700 feet squared per day where the Ferron is fully saturated. Aquifer transmissivity is greatest near the Paradise Valley-Joes Valley fault system where permeability has been increased by fracturing. Storage coefficient ranges from about 10 .6 to 10 -3 where the Ferron sandstone aquifer is confined and probably averages 5 x 10-2 where it is unconfined.

Hydrology of area 18, Eastern Coal Province, Tennessee

USGS Publications Warehouse

May, V.J.

1981-01-01

The Eastern Coal Province is divided into 24 hydrologic reporting areas. This report describes the hydrology of area 18 which is located in the Cumberland River basin in central Tennessee near the southern end of the Province. Hydrologic information and sources are presented as text, tables, maps, and other illustrations designed to be useful to mine owners, operators, and consulting engineers in implementing permit applications that comply with the environmental requirements of the ' Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. ' Area 18 encompasses parts of three physiographic regions; from east to west the Cumberland Plateau, Highland Rim, and Central Basin. The Plateau is underlain by sandstones and shales, with thin interbedded coal beds, of Pennsylvanian age. The Highland Rim and Central Basin are underlain by limestone and dolomite of Mississippian age. Field and laboratory analyses of chemical and physical water-quality parameters of streamflow samples show no widespread water quality problems. Some streams, however, in the heavily mined areas have concentrations of sulfate, iron, manganese, and sediment above natural levels, and pH values below natural levels. Mine seepage and direct mine drainage were not sampled. Ground water occurs in and moves through fractures in the sandstones and shales and solution openings in the limestones and dolomites. Depth to water is variable, ranging from about 5 to 70 feet below land-surface in the limestones and dolomites, and 15 to 40 feet in the coal-bearing rocks. The quality of ground water is generally good. Locally, in coal-bearing rocks, acidic water and high concentrations of manganese, chloride, and iron have been detected. (USGS)

Solution mining systems and methods for treating hydrocarbon containing formations

DOEpatents

Vinegar, Harold J [Bellaire, TX; de Rouffignac, Eric Pierre [Rijswijk, NL; Schoeling, Lanny Gene [Katy, TX

2009-07-14

A method for treating an oil shale formation comprising nahcolite is disclosed. The method includes providing a first fluid to a portion of the formation through at least two injection wells. A second fluid is produced from the portion through at least one injection well until at least two injection wells are interconnected such that fluid can flow between the two injection wells. The second fluid includes at least some nahcolite dissolved in the first fluid. The first fluid is injected through one of the interconnected injection wells. The second fluid is produced from at least one of the interconnected injection wells. Heat is provided from one or more heaters to the formation to heat the formation. Hydrocarbon fluids are produced from the formation.

LANDSAT Remote Sensing: Observations of an Appalachian mountaintop surface coal mining and reclamation operation. [kentucky

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

The potential benefits of using LANDSAT remote sensing data by state agencies as an aide in monitoring surface coal mining operations are reviewed. A mountaintop surface mine in eastern Kentucky was surveyed over a 5 year period using satellite multispectral scanner data that were classified by computer analyses. The analyses were guided by aerial photography and by ground surveys of the surface mines procured in 1976. The application of the LANDSAT data indicates that: (1) computer classification of the various landcover categories provides information for monitoring the progress of surface mining and reclamation operations; (2) successive yearly changes in barren and revegetated areas can be qualitatively assessed for surface mines of 100 acres or more of disrupted area; (3) barren areas consisting of limestone and shale mixtures may be recognized, and revegetated areas in various stages of growth may be identified against the hilly forest background.

LANDSAT remote sensing: observations of an Appalachian mountaintop surface coal mining and reclamation operation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1979-10-01

The potential benefits of using LANDSAT remote sensing data by state agencies as an aide in monitoring surface coal mining operations are reviewed. A mountaintop surface mine in eastern Kentucky was surveyed over a 5 year period using satellite multispectral scanner data that were classified by computer analyses. The analyses were guided by aerial photography and by ground surveys of the surface mines procured in 1976. The application of the LANDSAT data indicates that: (1) computer classification of the various landcover categories provides information for monitoring the progress of surface mining and reclamation operations, (2) successive yearly changes in barrenmore » and revegetated areas can be qualitatively assessed for surface mines of 100 acres or more of disrupted area, (3) barren areas consisting of limestone and shale mixtures may be recognized, and revegetated areas in various stages of growth may be identified against the hilly forest background.« less

Potential Energy Sources Pose Mining Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chemical and Engineering News, 1974

1974-01-01

Summarizes the discussions of a Division of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry symposium on solids handling for synthetic fuels production. Included is a description of technical difficulties with the use of coal seams and deposits of oil shale and oil sand as potential sources of fuel. (CC)

RESEARCH TO IDENTIFY COMPONENTS OF ENERGY-RELATED WASTES: A STATE-OF-THE-ART REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

Pertinent abstracts from a survey of current (post-1976) research projects are categorized according to energy-related activity. Subjects include coal strip mines, oil refineries, oil shale operations, coal-fired power plants, geothermal energy production, coal liquefaction plant...

Origin, mode of emplacement, and trace element geochemistry of albertite at the type locality, Albert Mines, southeastern New Brunswick, Canada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farrell, K.P.J.; Mossman, D.J.

1995-07-01

Fracturing of oil shale was coeval with albertite vein formation at Albert Mines early in the diagenetic history of the Lower Carboniferous (Tourmasian) Albert Formation. Albertite of this type locality is a pre-oil bitumen produced as a result of overpressuring due to a high rate of hydrocarbon generation and, as such, is largely preserved in an immature source rock. Dolomite precipitated in albertite during emplacement of the latter, and was sourced from an accompanying CO{sub 2}-rich fluid phase. Trace element contents of albertite are within the range of selected other major bitumen occurrences and, except for nickel, are lower thanmore » those of the host rock. Ratios of Ni/V are elevated in comparison with the host oil shale and with other bitumen occurrences. Carbon isotope values for albertite range from 27.92 to 30.80 {per_thousand}, {delta} {sup 13}C, within the range of most conventional crudes.« less

Malignant human cell transformation of Marcellus shale gas drilling flow back water

PubMed Central

Yao, Yixin; Chen, Tingting; Shen, Steven S.; Niu, Yingmei; DesMarais, Thomas L; Linn, Reka; Saunders, Eric; Fan, Zhihua; Lioy, Paul; Kluz, Thomas; Chen, Lung-Chi; Wu, Zhuangchun; Costa, Max

2015-01-01

The rapid development of high-volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing for mining natural gas from shale has posed potential impacts on human health and biodiversity. The produced flow back waters after hydraulic stimulation is known to carry high levels of saline and total dissolved solids. To understand the toxicity and potential carcinogenic effects of these waste waters, flow back water from five Marcellus hydraulic fracturing oil and gas wells were analyzed. The physicochemical nature of these samples was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy / energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. A cytotoxicity study using colony formation as the endpoint was carried out to define the LC50 values of test samples using human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B). The BEAS-2B cell transformation assay was employed to assess the carcinogenic potential of the samples. Barium and strontium were among the most abundant metals in these samples and the same metals were found elevated in BEAS-2B cells after long-term treatment. BEAS-2B cells treated for 6 weeks with flow back waters produced colony formation in soft agar that was concentration dependant. In addition, flow back water-transformed BEAS-2B cells show a better migration capability when compared to control cells. This study provides information needed to assess the potential health impact of post-hydraulic fracturing flow back waters from Marcellus Shale natural gas mining. PMID:26210350

26 CFR 1.9004-1 - Election relating to the determination of gross income from the property for taxable years...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... brick and tile clay, fire clay, or shale which he mined and used in the manufacture of building or paving brick, drainage and roofing tile, sewer pipe, flower pots, and kindred products. The election must...

26 CFR 1.9004-1 - Election relating to the determination of gross income from the property for taxable years...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... respect to brick and tile clay, fire clay, or shale which he mined and used in the manufacture of building or paving brick, drainage and roofing tile, sewer pipe, flower pots, and kindred products. The...

26 CFR 1.9004-1 - Election relating to the determination of gross income from the property for taxable years...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... respect to brick and tile clay, fire clay, or shale which he mined and used in the manufacture of building or paving brick, drainage and roofing tile, sewer pipe, flower pots, and kindred products. The...

26 CFR 1.9004-1 - Election relating to the determination of gross income from the property for taxable years...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... respect to brick and tile clay, fire clay, or shale which he mined and used in the manufacture of building or paving brick, drainage and roofing tile, sewer pipe, flower pots, and kindred products. The...

26 CFR 1.9004-1 - Election relating to the determination of gross income from the property for taxable years...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... respect to brick and tile clay, fire clay, or shale which he mined and used in the manufacture of building or paving brick, drainage and roofing tile, sewer pipe, flower pots, and kindred products. The...

Kinetics of selenium release in mine waste from the Meade Peak Phosphatic Shale, Phosphoria Formation, Wooley Valley, Idaho, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stillings, Lisa L.; Amacher, Michael C.

2010-01-01

Phosphorite from the Meade Peak Phosphatic Shale member of the Permian Phosphoria Formation has been mined in southeastern Idaho since 1906. Dumps of waste rock from mining operations contain high concentrations of Se which readily leach into nearby streams and wetlands. While the most common mineralogical residence of Se in the phosphatic shale is elemental Se, Se(0), Se is also an integral component of sulfide phases (pyrite, sphalerite and vaesite–pyritess) in the waste rock. It may also be present as adsorbed selenate and/or selenite, and FeSe2 and organo-selenides.Se release from the waste rock has been observed in field and laboratory experiments. Release rates calculated from waste rock dump and column leachate solutions describe the net, overall Se release from all of the possible sources of Se listed above. In field studies, Se concentration in seepage water (pH 7.4–7.8) from the Wooley Valley Unit 4 dump ranges from 3600 µg/L in May to 10 µg/L by Sept. Surface water flow, Q, from the seep also declines over the summer, from 2 L/s in May to 0.03 L/s in Sept. Se flux ([Se] ⁎ Q) reaches a steady-state of < 150 mg/day in 1–4 months, depending upon the volume of Q. Se release (mg/L) follows a first order reaction with a rate constant, k, = 1.35 – 6.35e−3 h− 1 (11.8–55.6 yr− 1).Laboratory experiments were performed with the waste shale in packed bed reactors; residence time varied from 0.09 to 400 h and outlet pH ∼ 7.5. Here, Se concentration increased with increasing residence time and release was modeled with a first order reaction with k = 2.19e−3 h− 1 (19.2 yr− 1).Rate constants reported here fall within an order of magnitude of reported rate constants for oxidation of Se(0) formed by bacterial precipitation. This similarity among rate constants from both field and laboratory studies combined with the direct observation of Se(0) in waste shales of the Phosphoria Formation suggests that oxidation of Se(0) may control steady-state Se concentration in water draining the Wooley Valley waste dump.

Seismically induced shale diapirism: the Mine d'Or section, Vilaine estuary, Southern Brittany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Vliet-Lanoe, B.; Hibsch, C.; Csontos, L.; Jegouzo, S.; Hallégouët, B.; Laurent, M.; Maygari, A.; Mercier, D.; Voinchet, P.

2009-07-01

The Pénestin section (southern Brittany) presents large regular undulations, commonly interpreted as evidence of periglacial pingos. It is an upper Neogene palaeoestuary of the Vilaine River reactivated during the middle Quaternary (middle terrace). It is incised into a thick kaolinitic saprolite and deformed by saprolite diapirs. This paper presents the arguments leading to a mechanistic interpretation of the deformations at Pénestin. Neither recent transpressive tectonics nor diagnostic evidence of periglacial pingo have been found despite evidence for a late paleo-permafrost. The major deformational process is shale diapirism, initially triggered by co-seismic water supply, with further loading and lateral spreading on an already deformed and deeply weathered basement, which allowed the shale diapirism to develop. Deformations are favoured by the liquefaction of the saprolite and a seaward mass movement and recorded, rather distant, effects of an earthquake (c. 280 ka B.P.) resulting from the progressive subsidence of the southern Armorican margin. These deformations triggered by an earthquake are similar to those induced by classical shale diapirism. They are probably common in tectonically active continental environments with shallow water table.

Method for maximizing shale oil recovery from an underground formation

DOEpatents

Sisemore, Clyde J.

1980-01-01

A method for maximizing shale oil recovery from an underground oil shale formation which has previously been processed by in situ retorting such that there is provided in the formation a column of substantially intact oil shale intervening between adjacent spent retorts, which method includes the steps of back filling the spent retorts with an aqueous slurry of spent shale. The slurry is permitted to harden into a cement-like substance which stabilizes the spent retorts. Shale oil is then recovered from the intervening column of intact oil shale by retorting the column in situ, the stabilized spent retorts providing support for the newly developed retorts.

Growth, aboveground biomass, and nutrient concentration of young Scots pine and lodgepole pine in oil shale post-mining landscapes in Estonia.

PubMed

Kuznetsova, Tatjana; Tilk, Mari; Pärn, Henn; Lukjanova, Aljona; Mandre, Malle

2011-12-01

The investigation was carried out in 8-year-old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia Engelm.) plantations on post-mining area, Northeast Estonia. The aim of the study was to assess the suitability of lodgepole pine for restoration of degraded lands by comparing the growth, biomass, and nutrient concentration of studied species. The height growth of trees was greater in the Scots pine stand, but the tree aboveground biomass was slightly larger in the lodgepole pine stand. The aboveground biomass allocation to the compartments did not differ significantly between species. The vertical distribution of compartments showed that 43.2% of the Scots pine needles were located in the middle layer of the crown, while 58.5% of the lodgepole pine needles were in the lowest layer of the crown. The largest share of the shoots and stem of both species was allocated to the lowest layer of the crown. For both species, the highest NPK concentrations were found in the needles and the lowest in the stems. On the basis of the present study results, it can be concluded that the early growth of Scots pine and lodgepole pine on oil shale post-mining landscapes is similar.

Oil shale resources in the Eocene Green River Formation, Greater Green River Basin, Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2011-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently completed a comprehensive assessment of in-place oil in oil shales in the Eocene Green River in the Greater Green River Basin, Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah. This CD-ROM includes reports, data, and an ArcGIS project describing the assessment. A database was compiled that includes about 47,000 Fischer assays from 186 core holes and 240 rotary drill holes. Most of the oil yield data were analyzed by the former U.S. Bureau of Mines oil shale laboratory in Laramie, Wyoming, and some analyses were made by private laboratories. Location data for 971 Wyoming oil-shale drill holes are listed in a spreadsheet and included in the CD-ROM. Total in-place resources for the three assessed units in the Green River Formation are: (1) Tipton Shale Member, 362,816 million barrels of oil (MMBO), (2) Wilkins Peak Member, 704,991 MMBO, and (3) LaClede Bed of the Laney Member, 377,184 MMBO, for a total of 1.44 trillion barrels of oil in place. This compares with estimated in-place resources for the Piceance Basin of Colorado of 1.53 trillion barrels and estimated in-place resources for the Uinta Basin of Utah and Colorado of 1.32 trillion barrels.

41 CFR 50-204.2 - General safety and health standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

.... Part 221—Oil and Gas Operating Regulations. Part 231—Operating and Safety Regulations Governing the Mining of Potash; Oil Shale, Sodium, and Phosphate; Sulphur; and Gold, Silver, or Quicksilver; and Other... 14 CFR part 103 Hazardous material regulation—Transportation of compressed gases. (4) U.S. Department...

41 CFR 50-204.2 - General safety and health standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

.... Part 221—Oil and Gas Operating Regulations. Part 231—Operating and Safety Regulations Governing the Mining of Potash; Oil Shale, Sodium, and Phosphate; Sulphur; and Gold, Silver, or Quicksilver; and Other... 14 CFR part 103 Hazardous material regulation—Transportation of compressed gases. (4) U.S. Department...

Stratigraphy of Zambian copperbelt orebodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Binda, Pier L.

1994-11-01

The subdivision of the Roan Supergroup in three informal units instead of the traditional Lower Roan/Upper Roan allows a better understanding of facies relationships. The lower division (Siliciclastic Unit) consists of a variable thickness of continental conglomerates and erenites. The middle division (Mixed Unit) consists of a wedge of carbonate and siliciclastic lithologies tapering to the south-west and deposited in a shallow sea. The upper division (Carbonate Unit or Upper Roan s.s.) is a thick succession of dolostones, subordinate argillites and breccias that directly overlies, but is probably in tectonic contact with, the Siliciclastic Unit in the south-western part of the Copperbelt. Reference boundaries for the Mixed and Siliciclastic Units are given for all mining localities of the Zambian Copperbelt. The basal part of the Mixed Unit, host to the most important CuCo orebodies, was deposited during a major marine transgression which, proceeding from SW-NE, swiftly inundated the whole Copperbelt basin. Thus, the Mufulira Ore Formation can be considered as the near-shore facies of the basinal ore shale. The transition from the Mufulira arenites to the Chambishi silty, ore shale has been effaced by erosional or tectonic stripping of the Roan sediments on the Kafue anticline, whereas the transition from silty to carbonaceous ore shale is well documented in the southern part of the Chambishi-Nkana basin. Concomitant with the NE-SW lithofacies changes within the basal Mixed Unit, there is marked decrease in Cu grade and content from the Mufulira wacke and arenite to the silty ore shale of the northern Chambishi basin and the carbonaceous and pyritic ore shale of the southern Chambishi basin. Cobalt is virtually absent in the Mufulira Ore Formation, reaches ore grade in the silty ore shale and occurs in trace amounts in the carbonaceous ore shale. Thus, the correlation of the basal Mixed Unit reveals a hitherto undetected regional metal zoning akin to that noted in parts of individual Copperbelt basin. The middle portion of the Mixed Unit contains at least one laterally continuous Cu mineralization in the arkosic arenite with minor occurrences of local significance. The Siliciclastic Unit contains Cu concentrations at several stratigraphical levels, but precise correlation of footwall orebodies is precluded by the heterogeneity of the clastic wedges of local provenance. The Mixed Unit of the Zambian Copperbelt can be correlated lithostratigraphically with the Serie des Mines of Shaba. A bed-by-bed correlation of the Kamoto (Zaire) and Mindola (Zambia) Ore Formations is proposed. The southern provenance of the Shaba nappes is supported.

Comparison of Methane Control Methods in Polish and Vietnamese Coal Mines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borowski, Marek; Kuczera, Zbigniew

2018-03-01

Methane hazard often occurs in hard coal mines and causes very serious accidents and can be the reason of methane or methane and coal dust explosions. History of coal mining shows that methane released from the rock mass to the longwall area was responsible for numerous mining disasters. The main source of methane are coal deposits because it is autochthonous gas and is closely related with carbonification and forming of coal deposits. Degree of methane saturation in coal deposits depends on numerous factors; mainly on presence or lack of insulating layers in cover deposit that allow or do not on degasification and easily methane outflow into surroundings. Hence in coal mining there are coal deposits that contain only low degree of methane saturation in places where is lack of insulating layers till high in methane coal deposits occurring in insulating claystones or in shales. Conducting mining works in coal deposits of high methane hazard without using of special measures to combat (ventilation, methane drainage) could be impossible. Control of methane hazard depends also on other co-occuring natural dangers for which used preventive actions eliminate methane hazard. Safety in mines excavating coal deposits saturated with methane depends on the correct estimation of methane hazard, drawn up forecasts, conducted observations, hazard control as well as undertaken prevention measures. Methane risk prevention includes identification and control methods of methane hazards as well as means of combating the explosive accumulation of methane in longwall workings. The main preventive actions in underground coal mines are: effective ventilation that prevents forming of methane fuses or placed methane accumulation in headings ventilated by airflow created by main fans and in headings with auxiliary ventilation, methane drainage using drain holes that are drilled from underground headings or from the surface, methanometry control of methane concentration in the air; location of the sensors is defined by law, additional ventilation equipment used in places of lower intensity of ventilation and places where methane is concentrated.

Diversity and role of plasmids in adaptation of bacteria inhabiting the Lubin copper mine in Poland, an environment rich in heavy metals.

PubMed

Dziewit, Lukasz; Pyzik, Adam; Szuplewska, Magdalena; Matlakowska, Renata; Mielnicki, Sebastian; Wibberg, Daniel; Schlüter, Andreas; Pühler, Alfred; Bartosik, Dariusz

2015-01-01

The Lubin underground mine, is one of three mining divisions in the Lubin-Glogow Copper District in Lower Silesia province (Poland). It is the source of polymetallic ore that is rich in copper, silver and several heavy metals. Black shale is also significantly enriched in fossil organic matter in the form of long-chain hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, organic acids, esters, thiophenes and metalloporphyrins. Biological analyses have revealed that this environment is inhabited by extremophilic bacteria and fungi. Kupfershiefer black shale and samples of water, bottom and mineral sediments from the underground (below 600 m) Lubin mine were taken and 20 bacterial strains were isolated and characterized. All exhibited multi-resistant and hypertolerant phenotypes to heavy metals. We analyzed the plasmidome of these strains in order to evaluate the diversity and role of mobile DNA in adaptation to the harsh conditions of the mine environment. Experimental and bioinformatic analyses of 11 extrachromosomal replicons were performed. Three plasmids, including a broad-host-range replicon containing a Tn3 family transposon, carried genes conferring resistance to arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, mercury and zinc. Functional analysis revealed that the resistance modules exhibit host specificity, i.e., they may increase or decrease tolerance to toxic ions depending on the host strain. The other identified replicons showed diverse features. Among them we identified a catabolic plasmid encoding enzymes involved in the utilization of histidine and vanillate, a putative plasmid-like prophage carrying genes responsible for NAD biosynthesis, and two repABC-type plasmids containing virulence-associated genes. These findings provide an unique molecular insight into the pool of extrachromosomal replicons and highlight their role in the biology and adaptation of extremophilic bacteria inhabiting terrestrial deep subsurface.

Mineral resource assessment of the Iron River 1 degree x 2 degrees Quadrangle, Michigan and Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cannon, William F.

1983-01-01

The Iron River 1? x 2? quadrangle contains identified resources of copper and iron. Copper-rich shale beds in the north part of the quadrangle contain 12.2 billion pounds (5.5 billion kilograms) of copper in well-studied deposits including 9.2 billion pounds (4.2 billion kilograms) that are economically minable by 1980 standards. At least several billion pounds of copper probably exist in other parts of the same shale beds, but not enough data are available to measure the amount. A small amount, about 250 million pounds (113 million kilograms), of native copper is known to remain in one abandoned mine, and additional but unknown amounts remain in other abandoned mines. About 13.25 billion tons (12.02 billion metric tons) of banded iron-formation averaging roughly 30 percent iron are known within 500 feet (152.4 meters) of the surface in the Gogebic, Marquette, and Iron River-Crystal Falls districts. A small percentage of that might someday be minable as taconite, but none is now believed to be economic. Some higher grade iron concentrations exist in the same iron-formations. Such material was the basis of former mining of iron in the region, but a poor market for such ore and depletion of many deposits have led to the decline of iron mining in the quadrangle. Iron mines of the quadrangle were not being worked in 1980. Many parts of the quadrangle contain belts of favorable host rocks for mineral deposits. Although deposits are not known in these belts, undiscovered deposits of copper, zinc, lead, silver, uranium, phosphate, nickel, chromium, platinum, gold, and diamonds could exist.

Assessment of burned coal shale properties based on cyclic load

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grygierek, Marcin; Kalisz, Piotr; Pacześniowski, Krzysztof; Pytlik, Andrzej; Zięba, Magdalena

2018-04-01

Road surfaces that are subjected to cyclic loads generated by vehicle wheels must meet the requirements concerning the durability in the assumed period of use. The durability of the layered pavement construction systems depends on the value and frequency of the load as well as on the mechanical features of its individual layers. Layers of unbound, mechanically stabilized mixtures are a significant aspect of surfaces that are susceptible. Mixtures of this type can be applied both to the subgrade layers as well as to the bottom pavement layers, including the improved course. Considering the cyclic nature of the load on the surface of the entire system, mechanically stabilized layers are subject to continuous, but slow, densification during the period of use, which results in the formation of permanent deformations and so-called structural ruts. Post-mining waste is frequently used in road construction. which is the so-called burned shale that can be used for the bottom layers of the surface and layers of the improved subgrade (soil replacement). This material was the subject of the analysis. The evaluation was based mainly on the results of pilot studies covering cyclic loads of the layer/course made of the so-called red shale. The applied research method was aimed at preliminary assessment of its suitability for the assessment of the behaviour of the disintegrated medium under the conditions of test loads simulating the movement of vehicles.

Geology and mineral deposits of the Carlile quadrangle, Crook County, Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bergendahl, M.H.; Davis, R.E.; Izett, G.A.

1961-01-01

The Carlile quadrangle-is along the northwestern flank of the Black Hills uplift in Crook County, Wyo. The area-is primarily one of canyons and divides that are a result of downcutting by the Belle Fourche River and its tributaries through an alternating succession of sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone or shale beds. The present topography is also influenced by the regional structure, as reflected by the beds that dip gently westward and by the local structural features such as anticlines, domes, synclines, basins, and terraces, which are superimposed upon the regional setting. Rocks exposed include shale and thin limestone and sandstone beds belonging to the Redwater shale member of the Sundance formation and to the Morrison formation, both of Late Jurassic age; sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone of the Lakota and Fall River formations of Early Cretaceous age; and shale and sandstone of the Skull Creek shale, Newcastle sandstone, and Mowry shale, also of Early Cretaceous age. In the southwestern part of the quadrangle rocks of the Upper Cretaceous series are exposed. These include the Belle Fourche shale, Greenhorn formation, and Carlile shale. Gravel terraces, landslide debris, and stream alluvium comprise the surficial deposits. The Lakota and Fall River formations, which make up the Iriyan Kara group, contain uranium deposits locally in the northern Black Hills. These formations were informally subdivided in order to show clearly the vertical and lateral distribution of the sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone facies within them.The Lakota was subdivided into a sandstone unit and an overlying mudstone unit; the Fall River was subdivided, in ascending order, into a siltstone unit, a mudstone unit, a sandstone unit, and an upper unit. The lithologic character of the Lakota changes abruptly locally, and the units are quite inconsistent with respect to composition, thickness, and extent. This is in contrast to a notable consistency in the lithologic character and thickness among all the Fall River units, with the exception of the upper unit. Petrographic studies on selected samples of units from both formations show differences in composition between Lakota and Fall River rocks.The Carlile quadrangle lies immediately east of the monocline that marks the outer limit of the Black Hills uplift, and the rocks in this area have a regional dip of less than 2° outward from the center of the uplift. Superimposed upon the regional uplift are many subordinate structural features anticlines, synclines, domes, basins, and terraces which locally modify the regional features. The most pronounced of these subordinate structural features are the doubly-plunging Pine Ridge, Oil Butte, and Dakota Divide anticlines, and the Eggie Creek syncline. Stress throughout the area was relieved almost entirely through folding; only a few small nearly vertical normal faults were found within the quadrangle.Uranium has been mined from the Carlile deposit, owned by the Homestake Mining Co. The ore minerals, carnotite and tyuyamnuite occur in a sandstone lens that is enclosed within relatively impermeable clayey beds in the mudstone unit of the Lakota formation. The ore also includes unidentified black vanadium minerals and possibly coffinite. Uranium minerals are more abundant in and adjacent to thicker carbonaceous and silty seams in the sandstone lens. A mixture of fine-grained calcium carbonate and calcium sulfate fills the interstices between detrital quartz grains in mineralized sandstone. Selenium and arsenic are more abundant in samples that are high in uranium. Drilling on Thorn Divide about 1 mile west of the Carlile mine has roughly outlined concentrations of a sooty black uranium mineral associated with pyrite In two stratigraphic intervals of the Lakota formation. One is in the same sandstone lens that contains the ore at the Carlile mine; the other is in conglomeratic sandstone near the base of the Lakota. These deposits are relatively deep, and no mining has been attempted. The mineralogy of the Carlile deposits and the lithologic features of the sandstone host rock suggest that uranium and vanadium were transported in the high-valent state by carbonate or sulfate solutions, were extracted from solution by organic material, and were reduced to low-valent states to form an original assemblage of oxides and silicates. These primary minerals were oxidized in place, and the present carnotite-tyuyamunite assemblage was formed. In general, radioactivity analyses correspond fairly closely with chemical analyses of uranium, thus it is believed that only minor solution and migration of uranium has occurred since the present suite of oxidized minerals was formed. The factors responsible for ore localization are not clear, but probably a combination of three lithologic and structural elements contributed to provide a favorable environment for precipitating uranium from aqueous solutions: abundant carbonaceous material or pyrite in a thin, permeable sandstone enclosed within relatively thick impermeable clays; local structural basins; and a regional structural setting involving a broad syncline between two anticlines. The structural features controlled the regional flow of ground water and the lithologic features controlled the local rate of flow and provided the proper chemical environment for uranium deposition. Bentonite has been mined from an opencut in the Mowry shale in the southwest part of the quadrangle. A bentonite bed in the Newcastle sandstone also seems to be of minable thickness and quality. Exploration for petroleum has been unsuccessful within the quadrangle; however, some wells that yielded oil were recently drilled on small anticlines to the west and southeast. It is possible that similar structural features in the Carlile area, that were previously overlooked, may be equally productive.

Determination of Porosity in Shale by Double Headspace Extraction GC Analysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Chun-Yun; Li, Teng-Fei; Chai, Xin-Sheng; Xiao, Xian-Ming; Barnes, Donald

2015-11-03

This paper reports on a novel method for the rapid determination of the shale porosity by double headspace extraction gas chromatography (DHE-GC). Ground core samples of shale were placed into headspace vials and DHE-GC measurements of released methane gas were performed at a given time interval. A linear correlation between shale porosity and the ratio of consecutive GC signals was established both theoretically and experimentally by comparing with the results from the standard helium pycnometry method. The results showed that (a) the porosity of ground core samples of shale can be measured within 30 min; (b) the new method is not significantly affected by particle size of the sample; (c) the uncertainties of measured porosities of nine shale samples by the present method range from 0.31 to 0.46 p.u.; and (d) the results obtained by the DHE-GC method are in a good agreement with those from the standard helium pycnometry method. In short, the new DHE-GC method is simple, rapid, and accurate, making it a valuable tool for shale gas-related research and applications.

41 CFR 50-204.2 - General safety and health standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Alaska. Part 221—Oil and Gas Operating Regulations. Part 231—Operating and Safety Regulations Governing the Mining of Potash; Oil Shale, Sodium, and Phosphate; Sulphur; and Gold, Silver, or Quicksilver; and... 171-179 and 14 CFR part 103 Hazardous material regulation—Transportation of compressed gases. (4) U.S...

78 FR 49945 - Minerals Management: Adjustment of Cost Recovery Fees

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-16

..., oil and gas extraction, and the mining and quarrying of nonmetallic minerals) as an individual...\\ Increase \\3\\ New value \\4\\ New fee \\5\\ Oil & Gas (parts 3100, 3110, 3120, 3130, 3150) Noncompetitive lease... Solid Minerals Other Than Coal and Oil Shale (parts 3500, 3580) Applications other than those 35 34.99 0...

Pit and backfill: Getty's plan for a diatomite zone in an oil patch. [Dravo Process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1981-06-01

Getty Oil Co. is investigating the recovery of oil from a diatomite deposit in California's McKittrick oil field, using a pair of newly built pilot plants - one a Dravo solvent extraction train and the other a Lurgi-Ruhrgas retort-condenser system. Both are sized to process approximately 240 short tons/day of mined feed, and each will be separately campaigned for a year during the evaluation program. The diatomite project has a number of advantages as a mine and materials-handling project compared to oil shale and tar sands. The deposit is soft, and in-transit handling will probably perform much of the necessarymore » crushing for the plant. The material is light, approximately 100 lb/cu ft in place and 90 lb/cu ft broken. The near-surface location contrasts to the more deeply buried oil shale deposits in other areas of the nation. At the same time, the traction surface and structural bearing strength for heavy earth movers should be somewhat better in diatomite.« less

Malignant human cell transformation of Marcellus Shale gas drilling flow back water.

PubMed

Yao, Yixin; Chen, Tingting; Shen, Steven S; Niu, Yingmei; DesMarais, Thomas L; Linn, Reka; Saunders, Eric; Fan, Zhihua; Lioy, Paul; Kluz, Thomas; Chen, Lung-Chi; Wu, Zhuangchun; Costa, Max; Zelikoff, Judith

2015-10-01

The rapid development of high-volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing for mining natural gas from shale has posed potential impacts on human health and biodiversity. The produced flow back waters after hydraulic stimulation are known to carry high levels of saline and total dissolved solids. To understand the toxicity and potential carcinogenic effects of these wastewaters, flow back waters from five Marcellus hydraulic fracturing oil and gas wells were analyzed. The physicochemical nature of these samples was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. A cytotoxicity study using colony formation as the endpoint was carried out to define the LC50 values of test samples using human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B). The BEAS-2B cell transformation assay was employed to assess the carcinogenic potential of the samples. Barium and strontium were among the most abundant metals in these samples and the same metals were found to be elevated in BEAS-2B cells after long-term treatment. BEAS-2B cells treated for 6weeks with flow back waters produced colony formation in soft agar that was concentration dependent. In addition, flow back water-transformed BEAS-2B cells show better migration capability when compared to control cells. This study provides information needed to assess the potential health impact of post-hydraulic fracturing flow back waters from Marcellus Shale natural gas mining. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Method for rubblizing an oil shale deposit for in situ retorting

DOEpatents

Lewis, Arthur E.

1977-01-01

A method for rubblizing an oil shale deposit that has been formed in alternate horizontal layers of rich and lean shale, including the steps of driving a horizontal tunnel along the lower edge of a rich shale layer of the deposit, sublevel caving by fan drilling and blasting of both rich and lean overlying shale layers at the distal end of the tunnel to rubblize the layers, removing a substantial amount of the accessible rubblized rich shale to permit the overlying rubblized lean shale to drop to tunnel floor level to form a column of lean shale, performing additional sublevel caving of rich and lean shale towards the proximate end of the tunnel, removal of a substantial amount of the additionally rubblized rich shale to allow the overlying rubblized lean shale to drop to tunnel floor level to form another column of rubblized lean shale, similarly performing additional steps of sublevel caving and removal of rich rubble to form additional columns of lean shale rubble in the rich shale rubble in the tunnel, and driving additional horizontal tunnels in the deposit and similarly rubblizing the overlying layers of rich and lean shale and forming columns of rubblized lean shale in the rich, thereby forming an in situ oil shale retort having zones of lean shale that remain permeable to hot retorting fluids in the presence of high rubble pile pressures and high retorting temperatures.

Is shale gas drilling an energy solution or public health crisis?

PubMed

Rafferty, Margaret A; Limonik, Elena

2013-01-01

High-volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing, a controversial new mining technique used to drill for shale gas, is being implemented worldwide. Chemicals used in the process are known neurotoxins, carcinogens, and endocrine disruptors. People who live near shale gas drilling sites report symptoms that they attribute to contaminated air and water. When they seek help from clinicians, a diagnosis is often elusive because the chemicals to which the patients have been exposed are a closely guarded trade secret. Many nurses have voiced grave concern about shale gas drilling safety. Full disclosure of the chemicals used in the process is necessary in order for nurses and other health professionals to effectively care for patients. The economic exuberance surrounding natural gas has resulted in insufficient scrutiny into the health implications. Nursing research aimed at determining what effect unconventional drilling has on human health could help fill that gap. Public health nurses using the precautionary principle should advocate for a more concerted transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy. Any initiation or further expansion of unconventional gas drilling must be preceded by a comprehensive Health Impact Assessment (HIA). © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Late-stage sulfides and sulfarsenides in Lower Cambrian black shale (stone coal) from the Huangjiawan mine, Guizhou Province, People's Republic of China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Belkin, H.E.; Luo, K.

2008-01-01

The Ni-Mo Huangjiawan mine, Guizhou Province, People's Republic of China, occurs in Lower Cambrian black shale (stone coal) in an area where other mines have recently extracted ore from the same horizon. Detailed electron microprobe (EMPA) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses of representative thin sections have revealed a complex assemblage of sulfides and sulfarsenides. Early sulfidic and phosphatic nodules and host matrix have been lithified, somewhat fractured, and then mineralized with later-stage sulfides and sulfarsenides. Gersdorffite, millerite, polydymite, pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena, and clausthalite have been recognized. EMPA data are given for the major phases. Pyrite trace-element distributions and coeval Ni-, As-sulfides indicate that in the main ore layer, the last sulfide deposition was Ni-As-Co-rich. Mo and V deposition were early in the petrogenesis of these rocks. The assemblages gersdorffite-millerite-polydymite (pyrite) and millerite-gersdorffite (pyrite) and the composition of gersdorffite indicate a formation temperature of between 200?? and 300??C suggesting that the last solutions to infiltrate and mineralize the samples were related to hydrothermal processes. Environmentally sensitive elements such as As, Cd, and Se are hosted by sulfides and sulfarsenides and are the main source of these elements to residual soil. Crops grown on them are enriched in these elements, and they may be hazardous for animal and human consumption. ?? Springer-Verlag 2007.

The Oxidative Metabolism of Fossil Hydrocarbons and Sulfide Minerals by the Lithobiontic Microbial Community Inhabiting Deep Subterrestrial Kupferschiefer Black Shale.

PubMed

Włodarczyk, Agnieszka; Lirski, Maciej; Fogtman, Anna; Koblowska, Marta; Bidziński, Grzegorz; Matlakowska, Renata

2018-01-01

Black shales are one of the largest reservoirs of fossil organic carbon and inorganic reduced sulfur on Earth. It is assumed that microorganisms play an important role in the transformations of these sedimentary rocks and contribute to the return of organic carbon and inorganic sulfur to the global geochemical cycles. An outcrop of deep subterrestrial ~256-million-year-old Kupferschiefer black shale was studied to define the metabolic processes of the deep biosphere important in transformations of organic carbon and inorganic reduced sulfur compounds. This outcrop was created during mining activity 12 years ago and since then it has been exposed to the activity of oxygen and microorganisms. The microbial processes were described based on metagenome and metaproteome studies as well as on the geochemistry of the rock. The microorganisms inhabiting the subterrestrial black shale were dominated by bacterial genera such as Pseudomonas, Limnobacter, Yonghaparkia, Thiobacillus, Bradyrhizobium , and Sulfuricaulis . This study on black shale was the first to detect archaea and fungi, represented by Nitrososphaera and Aspergillus genera, respectively. The enzymatic oxidation of fossil aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons was mediated mostly by chemoorganotrophic bacteria, but also by archaea and fungi. The dissimilative enzymatic oxidation of primary reduced sulfur compounds was performed by chemolithotrophic bacteria. The geochemical consequences of microbial activity were the oxidation and dehydrogenation of kerogen, as well as oxidation of sulfide minerals.

In-place oil shale resources of the Mahogany zone sorted by grade, overburden thickness and stripping ratio, Green River Formation, Piceance Basin, Colorado and Uinta Basin, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Birdwell, Justin E.; Mercier, Tracey J.; Johnson, Ronald C.; Brownfield, Michael E.

2015-01-01

A range of geological parameters relevant to mining oil shale have been examined for the Mahogany zone of the Green River Formation in the Piceance Basin, Colorado, and Uinta Basin, Utah, using information available in the U.S. Geological Survey Oil Shale Assessment database. Basinwide discrete and cumulative distributions of resource in-place as a function of (1) oil shale grade, (2) Mahogany zone thickness, (3) overburden thickness, and (4) stripping ratio (overburden divided by zone thickness) were determined for both basins on a per-acre basis, and a resource map showing the areal distribution of these properties was generated. Estimates of how much of the Mahogany zone resource meets various combinations of these parameters were also determined. Of the 191.7 billion barrels of Mahogany zone oil in-place in the Piceance Basin, 32.3 percent (61.8 billion barrels) is associated with oil shale yielding at least 25 gallons of oil per ton (GPT) of rock processed, is covered by overburden 1,000 feet thick or less, and has a stripping ratio of less than 10. In the Uinta Basin, 14.0 percent (29.9 billion barrels) of the 214.5 billion barrels of Mahogany zone oil in-place meets the same overburden and stripping ratio criteria but only for the lower grade cutoff of 15 GPT.

An improved evaluation method for measuring TOC of the Longmaxi Formation shale in the Sichuan Basin, south China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y.; Hu, C.; Wang, M.

2017-12-01

The evaluation of total organic carbon (TOC) in shale using logging data is one of the most crucial steps in shale gas exploration. However, it didn't achieve the ideal effect for the application of `ΔlogR' method in the Longmaxi Formation shale of Sichuan Basin.The reason may be the organic matter carbonization in Longmaxi Formation. An improved evaluation method, using the classification by lithology and sedimentary structure: 1) silty mudstone (wellsite logging data show silty); 2) calcareous mudstone (calcareous content > 25%); 3) laminated mudstone (laminations are recognized by core and imaging logging technology); 4) massive mudstone (massive textures are recognized by core and imaging logging technology, was proposed. This study compares two logging evaluation methods for measuring TOC in shale: the △logR method and the new proposed method. The results showed that the correlation coefficient between the calculated TOC and the tested TOC, based on the △logR method, was only 0.17. The correlation coefficient obtained according to the new method reached 0.80. The calculation results illustrated that, because of the good correlation between lithologies and sedimentary structure zones and TOC of different types of shale, the shale reservoirs could be graded according to four shale types. The new proposed method is more efficient, faster, and has higher vertical resolution than the △logR method. In addition, a new software had been completed. It was found to be especially effective under conditions of insufficient data during the early stages of shale gas exploration in the Silurian Longmaxi Formation, Muai Syncline Belt, south of the Sichuan Basin.

Fischer Assays of Oil-Shale Drill Cores and Rotary Cuttings from the Greater Green River Basin, Southwestern Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2008-01-01

Chapter 1 of this CD-ROM is a database of digitized Fischer (shale-oil) assays of cores and cuttings from boreholes drilled in the Eocene Green River oil shale deposits in southwestern Wyoming. Assays of samples from some surface sections are also included. Most of the Fischer assay analyses were made by the former U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) at its laboratory in Laramie, Wyoming. Other assays, made by institutional or private laboratories, were donated to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and are included in this database as well as Adobe PDF-scanned images of some of the original laboratory assay reports and lithologic logs prepared by USBM geologists. The size of this database is 75.2 megabytes and includes information on 971 core holes and rotary-drilled boreholes and numerous surface sections. Most of these data were released previously by the USBM and the USGS through the National Technical Information Service but are no longer available from that agency. Fischer assays for boreholes in northeastern Utah and northwestern Colorado have been published by the USGS. Additional data include geophysical logs, groundwater data, chemical and X-ray diffraction analyses, and other data. These materials are available for inspection in the office of the USGS Central Energy Resources Team in Lakewood, Colorado. The digitized assays were checked with the original laboratory reports, but some errors likely remain. Other information, such as locations and elevations of core holes and oil and gas tests, were not thoroughly checked. However, owing to the current interest in oil-shale development, it was considered in the public interest to make this preliminary database available at this time. Chapter 2 of this CD-ROM presents oil-yield histograms of samples of cores and cuttings from exploration drill holes in the Eocene Green River Formation in the Great Divide, Green River, and Washakie Basins of southwestern Wyoming. A database was compiled that includes about 47,000 Fischer assays from 186 core holes and 240 rotary drill holes. Most of the oil yield data are from analyses performed by the former U.S. Bureau of Mines oil shale laboratory in Laramie, Wyoming, with some analyses made by private laboratories. Location data for 971 Wyoming oil-shale drill holes are listed in a spreadsheet that is included in the CD-ROM. These Wyoming Fischer assays and histograms are part of a much larger collection of oil-shale information, including geophysical and lithologic logs, water data, chemical and X-ray diffraction analyses on the Green River oil-shale deposits in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming held by the U.S. Geological Survey. Because of an increased interest in oil shale, this CD-ROM containing Fischer assay data and oil-yield histograms for the Green River oil-shale deposits in southwestern Wyoming is being released to the public. Microsoft Excel spreadsheets included with Chapter 2 contain the Fischer assay data from the 426 holes and data on the company name and drill-hole name, and location. Histograms of the oil yields obtained from the Fischer assays are presented in both Grapher and PDF format. Fischer assay text data files are also included in the CD-ROM.

The Cretaceous glauconitic sandstones of Abu Tartur, Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pestitschek, Brigitte; Gier, Susanne; Essa, Mahmoud; Kurzweil, Johannes

2010-05-01

The Abu Tartur mine is located in the Western Desert of Egypt, 50 km west of El Kharga City. Geologically, the Abu Tartur plateau is built by a sequence of Upper Cretaceous (Campanian - Maastrichtian) phosphorites, black shales and glauconitic sandstones. The phosphate deposits are of great economic importance and have been mined since their discovery in 1967. Outcrop sections were measured, sampled, sedimentologically characterized and described. One specific glaucony layer was investigated mineralogically and chemically in detail and compared to a subsurface sample from the mine. Two depositional regimes can be interpreted based on sedimentary architecture and structures: 1) a deeper-water hemipelagic environment, where phosphorites and organic carbon-rich shales were deposited and 2) a shallower, prograding higher energy shelf environment with glauconies. From a sequence stratigraphic perspective 1) was deposited during the transgressive systems tract and the early highstand while 2) was deposited during the remaining highstand and a lowstand prograding wedge (Glenn & Arthur, 1990). Petrographic and SEM investigations show that the glaucony grains are of authochtonous origin. XRF, EMPA and thin-section analyses show that the glaucony grains from the outcrop differ significantly in their chemical composition, morphology and color from the grains of the mine sample. The fresh glauconies are enriched in Fe2O3 and K2O compared to the surface samples. XRD analyses of the clay fraction of the six outcrop samples and the mine sample show that the grains consist of illite(glauconite)/smectite mixed-layers, with more illite layers (80 %) in the mine sample. The charge distribution diagram muscovite-pyrophyllite-celadonite shows a clear trend from smectitic glaucony to illitic glaucony, the mine sample plots exactly in the field for glauconites. All these features indicate that the surface samples are strongly altered by weathering and that glauconite progressively transforms into iron-rich illte/smectite mixed layers and then into smectites. For any chemical and mineralogical characterization of glauconites at surface, these weathering effects have to be taken into consideration. GLENN, C. R. & ARTHUR, M. A. (1990): Anatomy and origin of a Cretaceous phosphorites-greensand giant, Egypt. Sedimentology, 37, 123-154.

A photometric method for the estimation of the oil yield of oil shale

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cuttitta, Frank

1951-01-01

A method is presented for the distillation and photometric estimation of the oil yield of oil-bearing shales. The oil shale is distilled in a closed test tube and the oil extracted with toluene. The optical density of the toluene extract is used in the estimation of oil content and is converted to percentage of oil by reference to a standard curve. This curve is obtained by relating the oil yields determined by the Fischer assay method to the optical density of the toluene extract of the oil evolved by the new procedure. The new method gives results similar to those obtained by the Fischer assay method in a much shorter time. The applicability of the new method to oil-bearing shale and phosphatic shale has been tested.

Sea-based Fuel Synthesis Work at NRL from FY02 to FY07 (October 2001 - October 2006)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-05

nearly a decade and involved every aspect of the development of a new liquid hydrocarbon from shale including mining, retorting , refining, performance...the end of each year’s effort. This was an attempt by Willauer and Hardy to obtain the necessary total funding package to accelerate the carbon

Ecological risks of shale oil and gas development to wildlife, aquatic resources and their habitats

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brittingham, Margaret C.; Maloney, Kelly O.; Farag, Aïda M.; Harper, David D.; Bowen, Zachary H.

2014-01-01

Technological advances in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have led to the exploration and exploitation of shale oil and gas both nationally and internationally. Extensive development of shale resources has occurred within the United States over the past decade, yet full build out is not expected to occur for years. Moreover, countries across the globe have large shale resources and are beginning to explore extraction of these resources. Extraction of shale resources is a multistep process that includes site identification, well pad and infrastructure development, well drilling, high-volume hydraulic fracturing and production; each with its own propensity to affect associated ecosystems. Some potential effects, for example from well pad, road and pipeline development, will likely be similar to other anthropogenic activities like conventional gas drilling, land clearing, exurban and agricultural development and surface mining (e.g., habitat fragmentation and sedimentation). Therefore, we can use the large body of literature available on the ecological effects of these activities to estimate potential effects from shale development on nearby ecosystems. However, other effects, such as accidental release of wastewaters, are novel to the shale gas extraction process making it harder to predict potential outcomes. Here, we review current knowledge of the effects of high-volume hydraulic fracturing coupled with horizontal drilling on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in the contiguous United States, an area that includes 20 shale plays many of which have experienced extensive development over the past decade. We conclude that species and habitats most at risk are ones where there is an extensive overlap between a species range or habitat type and one of the shale plays (leading to high vulnerability) coupled with intrinsic characteristics such as limited range, small population size, specialized habitat requirements, and high sensitivity to disturbance. Examples include core forest habitat and forest specialists, sagebrush habitat and specialists, vernal pond inhabitants and stream biota. We suggest five general areas of research and monitoring that could aid in development of effective guidelines and policies to minimize negative impacts and protect vulnerable species and ecosystems: (1) spatial analyses, (2) species-based modeling, (3) vulnerability assessments, (4) ecoregional assessments, and (5) threshold and toxicity evaluations.

Early diagenetic partial oxidation of organic matter and sulfides in the Middle Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian) Excello Shale Member of the Fort Scott Limestone and equivalents, northern Midcontinent region, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hatch, J.R.; Leventhal, M.S.

1997-01-01

A process of early diagenetic partial oxidation of organic matter and sulfides has altered the chemical composition of the Middle Pennsylvanian Excello Shale Member of the Fort Scott Limestone and equivalents in the northern Midcontinent region. This process was identified by comparison of organic carbon contents, Rock-Eval hydrogen indices, organic carbon ??13C and element compositions of core and surface mine samples of the Excello Shale Member with analyses of three other underlying and overlying organic-matter-rich marine shales (offshore shale lithofacies) from southern Iowa, northern Missouri, eastern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma. The end product of the partial oxidation process is shale with relatively low contents of hydrogen-poor, C13-enriched organic matter, lower contents of sulfur and sulfide-forming elements, and relatively unchanged contents of phosphorus and many trace elements (e.g. Cr, Ni, and V). However, because of lower organic carbon contents, element/organic carbon ratios are greatly increased. The partial oxidation process apparently took place during subaerial exposure of the overlying marine carbonate member (Blackjack Creek Member of the Fort Scott Limestone) following a marine regression when meteoric waters percolated down to the level of the Excello muds allowing oxidation of organic matter and sulfides. This hypothesis is supported by earlier workers, who have identified meteoric carbonate cements within, and soil horizons at the top of the Blackjack Creek Member. The period of oxidation is constrained in that organic matter and sulfides in the Little Osage Shale Member of the Fort Scott Limestone and equivalents (immediately overlying the Blackjack Creek Member) appear unaltered. Similar alteration of other shales in the Middle and Upper Pennsylvanian sections may be local to regional in extent and would depend on the extent and duration of the marine regression and be influenced by local variations in permeability and topography. The partial oxidation process has likely led to a redistribution of sulfur and sulfide-forming elements into other organic-rich lithologies in the section. The altered/oxidized shales are nongenerative with respect to hydrocarbon generation.

Ecological risks of shale oil and gas development to wildlife, aquatic resources and their habitats.

PubMed

Brittingham, Margaret C; Maloney, Kelly O; Farag, Aïda M; Harper, David D; Bowen, Zachary H

2014-10-07

Technological advances in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have led to the exploration and exploitation of shale oil and gas both nationally and internationally. Extensive development of shale resources has occurred within the United States over the past decade, yet full build out is not expected to occur for years. Moreover, countries across the globe have large shale resources and are beginning to explore extraction of these resources. Extraction of shale resources is a multistep process that includes site identification, well pad and infrastructure development, well drilling, high-volume hydraulic fracturing and production; each with its own propensity to affect associated ecosystems. Some potential effects, for example from well pad, road and pipeline development, will likely be similar to other anthropogenic activities like conventional gas drilling, land clearing, exurban and agricultural development and surface mining (e.g., habitat fragmentation and sedimentation). Therefore, we can use the large body of literature available on the ecological effects of these activities to estimate potential effects from shale development on nearby ecosystems. However, other effects, such as accidental release of wastewaters, are novel to the shale gas extraction process making it harder to predict potential outcomes. Here, we review current knowledge of the effects of high-volume hydraulic fracturing coupled with horizontal drilling on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in the contiguous United States, an area that includes 20 shale plays many of which have experienced extensive development over the past decade. We conclude that species and habitats most at risk are ones where there is an extensive overlap between a species range or habitat type and one of the shale plays (leading to high vulnerability) coupled with intrinsic characteristics such as limited range, small population size, specialized habitat requirements, and high sensitivity to disturbance. Examples include core forest habitat and forest specialists, sagebrush habitat and specialists, vernal pond inhabitants and stream biota. We suggest five general areas of research and monitoring that could aid in development of effective guidelines and policies to minimize negative impacts and protect vulnerable species and ecosystems: (1) spatial analyses, (2) species-based modeling, (3) vulnerability assessments, (4) ecoregional assessments, and (5) threshold and toxicity evaluations.

Kerogen extraction from subterranean oil shale resources

DOEpatents

Looney, Mark Dean; Lestz, Robert Steven; Hollis, Kirk; Taylor, Craig; Kinkead, Scott; Wigand, Marcus

2010-09-07

The present invention is directed to methods for extracting a kerogen-based product from subsurface (oil) shale formations, wherein such methods rely on fracturing and/or rubblizing portions of said formations so as to enhance their fluid permeability, and wherein such methods further rely on chemically modifying the shale-bound kerogen so as to render it mobile. The present invention is also directed at systems for implementing at least some of the foregoing methods. Additionally, the present invention is also directed to methods of fracturing and/or rubblizing subsurface shale formations and to methods of chemically modifying kerogen in situ so as to render it mobile.

Kerogen extraction from subterranean oil shale resources

DOEpatents

Looney, Mark Dean [Houston, TX; Lestz, Robert Steven [Missouri City, TX; Hollis, Kirk [Los Alamos, NM; Taylor, Craig [Los Alamos, NM; Kinkead, Scott [Los Alamos, NM; Wigand, Marcus [Los Alamos, NM

2009-03-10

The present invention is directed to methods for extracting a kerogen-based product from subsurface (oil) shale formations, wherein such methods rely on fracturing and/or rubblizing portions of said formations so as to enhance their fluid permeability, and wherein such methods further rely on chemically modifying the shale-bound kerogen so as to render it mobile. The present invention is also directed at systems for implementing at least some of the foregoing methods. Additionally, the present invention is also directed to methods of fracturing and/or rubblizing subsurface shale formations and to methods of chemically modifying kerogen in situ so as to render it mobile.

Production and precipitation of rare earth elements in acidic to alkaline coal mine discharges, Appalachian Basin, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, B. W.; Capo, R. C.; Hedin, B. C.; Wallrich, I. L. R.; Hedin, R. S.

2016-12-01

Abandoned coal mine discharges are a serious threat to ground and surface waters due to their high metal content and often high acidity. However, these discharges represent a potential source of rare earth elements (REE), many of which are considered to be critical resources. Trace element data from 18 coal mine drainage (CMD) sites within the Appalachian Basin suggest CMD is enriched in total REE by 1-4 orders of magnitude relative to concentrations expected in unaffected surface or ground waters. When normalized to the North American Shale Composite (NASC), the discharges generally show a pattern of enrichment in the middle REE, including several identified as critical resources (Nd, Eu, Dy, Tb). In contrast, shale, sandstone and coal samples from Appalachian Basin coal-bearing units have concentrations and patterns similar to NASC, indicating that the REE in CMD are fractionated during interaction with rock in the mine pool. The highest total REE contents (up to 2800 mg/L) are found in low-pH discharges (acid mine drainage, or AMD). A precipitous drop in REE concentration in CMD with pH ≥6.6 suggests adsorption or precipitation of REE in the mine pool at circumneutral pH. Precipitated solids from 21 CMD active and passive treatment sites in the Appalachian Basin, including Fe oxy-hydroxides, Ca-Mg lime slurries, and Si- and Al-rich precipitates, are enriched in total REE content relative to the average CMD discharges by about four orders of magnitude. Similar REE trends in the discharges and precipitates, including MREE enrichment, suggest minimal fractionation of REE during precipitation; direct comparisons over multiple seasonal cycles are needed to confirm this. Although the data are limited, Al-rich precipitates generally have high REE concentrations, while those in iron oxy-hydroxides tend to be lower. Based on the area of mined coal in the Appalachian Basin, estimated infiltration rates, and the mean REE flux from discharges analyzed in this study and that of Cravotta and Brady (2015, Appl. Geochem. 62, 108-130), we estimate that coal mine drainage outflows in this region generate approximately 450 metric tons of dissolved REE per year, a portion of which could be targeted for resource recovery during CMD treatment.

Carbon sequestration in depleted oil shale deposits

DOEpatents

Burnham, Alan K; Carroll, Susan A

2014-12-02

A method and apparatus are described for sequestering carbon dioxide underground by mineralizing the carbon dioxide with coinjected fluids and minerals remaining from the extraction shale oil. In one embodiment, the oil shale of an illite-rich oil shale is heated to pyrolyze the shale underground, and carbon dioxide is provided to the remaining depleted oil shale while at an elevated temperature. Conditions are sufficient to mineralize the carbon dioxide.

Stratigraphy and vertical hydraulic conductivity of the St. Francois Confining Unit in the Viburnum Trend and evaluation of the Unit in the Viburnum Trend and exploration areas, southeastern Missouri

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kleeschulte, Michael J.; Seeger, Cheryl M.

2003-01-01

The confining ability of the St. Francois confining unit (Derby-Doerun Dolomite and Davis Formation) was evaluated in ten townships (T. 31?35 N. and R. 01?02 W.) along the Viburnum Trend of southeastern Missouri. Vertical hydraulic conductivity data were compared to similar data collected during two previous studies 20 miles south of the Viburnum Trend, in two lead-zinc exploration areas that may be a southern extension of the Viburnum Trend. The surficial Ozark aquifer is the primary source of water for domestic and public-water supplies and major springs in southern Missouri. The St. Francois confining unit lies beneath the Ozark aquifer and impedes the movement of water between the Ozark aquifer and the underlying St. Francois aquifer (composed of the Bonneterre Formation and Lamotte Sandstone). The Bonneterre Formation is the primary host formation for lead-zinc ore deposits of the Viburnum Trend and potential host formation in the exploration areas. For most of the more than 40 years the mines have been in operation along the Viburnum Trend, about 27 million gallons per day were being pumped from the St. Francois aquifer for mine dewatering. Previous studies conducted along the Viburnum Trend have concluded that no large cones of depression have developed in the potentiometric surface of the Ozark aquifer as a result of mining activity. Because of similar geology, stratigraphy, and depositional environment between the Viburnum Trend and the exploration areas, the Viburnum Trend may be used as a pertinent, full-scale model to study and assess how mining may affect the exploration areas. Along the Viburnum Trend, the St. Francois confining unit is a complex series of dolostones, limestones, and shales that generally is 230 to 280 feet thick with a net shale thickness ranging from less than 25 to greater than 100 feet with the thickness increasing toward the west. Vertical hydraulic conductivity values determined from laboratory permeability tests were used to represent the St. Francois confining unit along the Viburnum Trend. The Derby-Doerun Dolomite and Davis Formation are statistically similar, but the Davis Formation would be the more hydraulically restrictive medium. The shale and carbonate values were statistically different. The median vertical hydraulic conductivity value for the shale samples was 62 times less than the carbonate samples. Consequently, the net shale thickness of the confining unit along the Viburnum Trend significantly affects the effective vertical hydraulic conductivity. As the percent of shale increases in a given horizon, the vertical hydraulic conductivity decreases. The range of effective vertical hydraulic conductivity for the confining unit in the Viburnum Trend was estimated to be a minimum of 2 x 10-13 ft/s (foot per second) and a maximum of 3 x 10-12 ft/s. These vertical hydraulic conductivity values are considered small and verify conclusions of previous studies that the confining unit effectively impedes the flow of ground water between the Ozark aquifer and the St. Francois aquifer along the Viburnum Trend. Previously-collected vertical hydraulic conductivity data for the two exploration areas from two earlier studies were combined with the data collected along the Viburnum Trend. The nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis statistical test shows the vertical hydraulic conductivity of the St. Francois confining unit along the Viburnum Trend, and west and east exploration areas are statistically different. The vertical hydraulic conductivity values generally are the largest in the Viburnum Trend and are smallest in the west exploration area. The statistical differences in these values do not appear to be attributed strictly to either the Derby-Doerun Dolomite or Davis Formation, but instead they are caused by the differences in the carbonate vertical hydraulic conductivity values at the three locations. The calculated effective vertical hydraulic conductivity range for the St. Franc

Vertical-Control Subsystem for Automatic Coal Mining

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griffiths, W. R.; Smirlock, M.; Aplin, J.; Fish, R. B.; Fish, D.

1984-01-01

Guidance and control system automatically positions cutting drums of double-ended longwall shearer so they follow coal seam. System determines location of upper interface between coal and shale and continuously adjusts cutting-drum positions, upward or downward, to track undulating interface. Objective to keep cutting edges as close as practicable to interface and thus extract as much coal as possible from seam.

78 FR 39313 - Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Enefit American Oil Utility...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-01

..., 8 miles of natural gas supply pipeline, 10 miles of oil product line, 29 miles of single or dual... commercial oil shale mining, retorting, and upgrading operation located in Uintah County, Utah. Approval or... 13X] Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Enefit American Oil Utility...

Radium and barium removal through blending hydraulic fracturing fluids with acid mine drainage.

PubMed

Kondash, Andrew J; Warner, Nathaniel R; Lahav, Ori; Vengosh, Avner

2014-01-21

Wastewaters generated during hydraulic fracturing of the Marcellus Shale typically contain high concentrations of salts, naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM), and metals, such as barium, that pose environmental and public health risks upon inadequate treatment and disposal. In addition, fresh water scarcity in dry regions or during periods of drought could limit shale gas development. This paper explores the possibility of using alternative water sources and their impact on NORM levels through blending acid mine drainage (AMD) effluent with recycled hydraulic fracturing flowback fluids (HFFFs). We conducted a series of laboratory experiments in which the chemistry and NORM of different mix proportions of AMD and HFFF were examined after reacting for 48 h. The experimental data combined with geochemical modeling and X-ray diffraction analysis suggest that several ions, including sulfate, iron, barium, strontium, and a large portion of radium (60-100%), precipitated into newly formed solids composed mainly of Sr barite within the first ∼ 10 h of mixing. The results imply that blending AMD and HFFF could be an effective management practice for both remediation of the high NORM in the Marcellus HFFF wastewater and beneficial utilization of AMD that is currently contaminating waterways in northeastern U.S.A.

Preliminary report on the Apex and Paymaster mines, Washington County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kinkel, Arthur R.

1951-01-01

The Apex and Paymaster mines in the Tutsagubet mining district, 25 miles southwest of St. George, Utah, are at an elevation of about 5,000 feet in the Beaver Dam Mountains. The ore was deposited in a steeply dipping fault zone which cuts a thick series of gently dipping limestones of Pennsylvanian age with minor interbedded shales and sandstones. The ore now consists primarily of copper oxides, but is reported to contain small quantities of lead and sine oxides. Complete oxidation extends to the 1,400 level of the Apex mine, the deepest level in this mine. Lead oxides are reported to have been more plentiful in the workings near surface, but the stoped area is now caved to the 1,330 level. The ore bodies probably formed largely as a filling in the fault fissure, and in crushed zones along the fault, with only minor replacement extending for short distances along the bedding. The sulfides oxidized essentially in place and migration of the oxidized copper ores is believed to be limited to a few feet. Additional exploration below the known ore shoots in the Apex and Paymaster mines and along the fissure between the two mines may disclose new ore bodies.

Composition of the Rex Chert and associated rocks of the Permian Phosphoria Formation: Soda Springs area, SE Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hein, James R.; McIntyre, Brandie; Perkins, Robert B.; Piper, David Z.; Evans, James

2002-01-01

This study, one in a series, reports bulk chemical and mineralogical compositions, as well as petrographic and outcrop descriptions of rocks collected from three measured outcrop sections of the Rex Chert member of the Phosphoria Formation in SE Idaho. The three measured sections were chosen from ten outcrops of Rex Chert that were described in the field. The Rex Chert overlies the Meade Peak Phosphatic Shale Member of the Phosphoria Formation, the source of phosphate ore in the region. Rex Chert removed as overburden comprises part of the material disposed in waste-rock piles during phosphate mining. It has been proposed that the chert be used to cap and isolate waste piles, thereby inhibiting the leaching of potentially toxic elements into the environment. It is also used to surface roads in the mining district. The rock samples studied here constitute a set of individual chert beds that are representative of each stratigraphic section sampled. The informally named cherty shale member that overlies the Rex Chert in measured section 1 was also described and sampled. The upper Meade Peak and the transition zone to the Rex Chert were described and sampled in section 7. The cherts are predominantly spicularite composed of granular and mosaic quartz, and sponge spicules, with various but minor amounts of other fossils and detrital grains. The cherty shale member and transition rocks between the Meade Peak and Rex Chert are siliceous siltstones and argillaceous cherts with ghosts of sponge spicules and somewhat more detrital grains than the chert. The overwhelmingly dominant mineral is quartz, although carbonate beds are rare in each section and are composed predominantly of calcite and dolomite in addition to quartz. Feldspar, mica, clay minerals, calcite, dolomite, and carbonate fluorapatite are minor to trace minerals in the chert. The mean concentrations of oxides and elements in the Rex Chert and the cherty shale member are dominated by SiO2, which averages 94.6%. Organic-carbon contents are generally very low in the chert, but are up to 1.8 wt. % in cherty shale member samples and up to 3.3% in samples from the transition between the Meade Peak and Rex Chert. Likewise, phosphate (P2O5) is generally low in the chert, but can be up to 3.1% in individual beds. Selenium concentrations in Rex Chert and cherty shale member samples vary from Q-mode factors are interpreted to represent the following rock and mineral components: chert-silica component consisting of Si (± Ba); phosphorite-phosphate component composed of P, Ca, As, Y, V, Cr, Sr, and La (± Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Li, Se, Nd, Hg); shale component composed of Al, Na, Zr, K, Ba, Li, and organic C (± Ti, Mg, Se, Ni, Fe, Sr, V, Mn, Zn); carbonate component (dolomite, calcite, silicified carbonates) composed of carbonate C, Mg, Ca, and Si (± Mn); tentatively organic matter-hosted elements (and/or sulfide-sulfate phases) composed of Cu (± organic C, Zn, Mn Si, Ni, Hg, and Li). Selenium shows a dominant association with the shale component, but correlations and Qmode factors also indicate that organic matter (within the shale component) and carbonate fluorapatite may host a portion of the Se. Consideration of larger numbers of factors in Qmode analysis indicates that native Se (a factor containing Se (± Ba)) may also comprise a minor component of the Se compliment.

Experimental Determination of the Fracture Toughness and Brittleness of the Mancos Shale, Utah.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandler, Mike; Meredith, Phil; Crawford, Brian

2013-04-01

The hydraulic fracturing of Gas-Shales has become a topic of interest since the US Shale Gas Revolution, and is increasingly being investigated across Europe. A significant issue during hydraulic fracturing is the risk of fractures propagating further than desired into aquifers or faults. This occured at Preese Hall, UK in April and May 2011 when hydraulic fractures propagated into an adjacent fault causing 2.3ML and 1.7ML earthquakes [1]. A rigorous understanding of how hydraulic fractures propagate under in-situ conditions is therefore important for treatment design, both to maximise gas accessed, and to minimise risks due to fracture overextension. Fractures will always propagate along the path of least resistance, but the direction and extent of this path is a complex relationship between the in-situ stress-field, the anisotropic mechanical properties of the rock, and the pore and fracturing pressures [2]. It is possible to estimate the anisotropic in-situ stress field using an isolated-section hydraulic fracture test, and the pore-pressure using well logs. However, the anisotropic mechanical properties of gas-shales remain poorly constrained, with a wide range of reported values. In particular, there is an extreme paucity of published data on the Fracture Toughness of soft sediments such as shales. Mode-I Fracture Toughness is a measure of a material's resistance to dynamic tensile fracture propagation. Defects such as pre-existing microcracks and pores in a material can induce high local stress concentrations, causing fracture propagation and material failure under substantially lower stress than its bulk strength. The mode-I stress intensity factor, KI, quantifies the concentration of stress at the crack tip. For linear elastic materials the Fracture Toughness is defined by the critical value of this stress intensity factor; KIc, beyond which rapid catastrophic crack growth occurs. However, rocks such as shales are relatively ductile and display significant non-linearity. This produces hysteresis during cyclic loading, allowing for the calculation of a brittleness coefficient using the residual displacement after successive loading cycles. This can then be used to define a brittleness corrected Fracture Toughness, KIcc. We report anisotropic KIcc values and a variety of supporting measurements made on the Mancos Shale in the three principle Mode-I crack orientations (Arrester, Divider and Short-Transverse) using a modified Short-Rod sample geometry. The Mancos is an Upper Cretaceous shale from western Colorado and eastern Utah with a relatively high siliclastic content for a gas target formation. The Short-Rod methodology involves the propagation of a crack through a triangular ligament in a chevron-notched cylindrical sample [3]. A very substantial anisotropy is observed in the loading curves and KIcc values for the three crack orientations, with the Divider orientation having KIcc values 25% higher than the other orientations. The measured brittleness for these Mancos shales is in the range 1.5-2.1; higher than for any other rocks we have found in the literature. This implies that the material is extremely non-linear. Increases in KIcc with increasing confining pressure are also investigated, as Shale Gas reservoirs occur at depths where confining pressure may be as high as 35MPa and temperature as high as 100oC. References [1] C.A. Green, P. Styles & B.J. Baptie, "Preese Hall Shale Gas Fracturing", Review & Recommendations for Induced Seismic Mitigation, 2012. [2] N.R. Warpinski & M.B. Smith, "Rock Mechanics and Fracture Geometry", Recent advances in Hydraulic Fracturing, SPE Monograms, Vol. 12, pp. 57-80, 1990. [3] F. Ouchterlony, "International Society for Rock Mechanics Commision on Testing Methods: Suggested Methods for Determining the Fracture Toughness of Rock", International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Science & Geomechanics Abstracts, Vol. 25, 1988.

Palynological and paleoecological assessment of a Pennsylvanian shale overlying the Danville Coal Member (VII) in Sullivan County Indiana

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Madigosky, S.R.

1987-01-01

Shale samples from three Upper Pennsylvanian assemblages overlying the Danville (no. 7) Coal Member in Sullivan County, Indiana were compared with respect to miospore content. Eight samples from each of the Hawthorn, Dugger and Minnehaha mines were chemically macerated and analyzed for pollen/spore content. A total of 108 species assigned to 40 genera were recovered. A comparison of the palynoflora from the three assemblages reveals 17 genera and 32 species found in common. The palynoflora is dominated by the following four genera: Lycospora, Laevigatosporites, Punctatisporites and Punctatosporites. Genera of secondary importance include: Spinosporites, Crassispora, Calamospora, Latosporites, Cyclogranisporites and Thymospora. Thesemore » findings are similar to other palynofloras of comparable age from the United States and Europe. Abundance data at each site from the three localities were analyzed using cluster analysis. This was achieved employing the Baroni-Urboni-Buser correlation coefficient (complete linkage, furthest neighbor strategy). This method uses presence-absence data to indicate association between sites. The uniformity in palynoflora observed between all sites is indicative of contemporaneous deposition which represents a regional flora. Percentage of miospore components assigned to previously established plant affinities were arranged by major plant groups. Results were found to be complementary and corroborative. Data from the three mines revealed an abundance of arborescent lycopods, ferns and sphenopsids with few gymnosperms. This is suggestive of current paleoenvironmental models which indicate a wet swamp regime. It is likely that the three areas in this study represent a small portion of a vast freshwater swamp located on the eastern periphery of the Illinois Coal Basin.« less

Combuston method of oil shale retorting

DOEpatents

Jones, Jr., John B.; Reeves, Adam A.

1977-08-16

A gravity flow, vertical bed of crushed oil shale having a two level injection of air and a three level injection of non-oxygenous gas and an internal combustion of at least residual carbon on the retorted shale. The injection of air and gas is carefully controlled in relation to the mass flow rate of the shale to control the temperature of pyrolysis zone, producing a maximum conversion of the organic content of the shale to a liquid shale oil. The parameters of the operation provides an economical and highly efficient shale oil production.

Simulated flow of groundwater and brine from a flooded salt mine in Livingston County, New York, and effects of remedial pumping on an overlying aquifer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yager, Richard M.; Miller, Todd S.; Kappel, William M.; Misut, Paul E.; Langevin, Christian D.; Parkhurst, David L.; deVries, M. Peter

2012-01-01

Two ceiling collapses in the Retsof salt mine near Geneseo in upstate New York in spring 1994 resulted in the upward propagation of two columns of rubble through 600 feet of overlying shale and carbonate bedrock. This upward propagation formed a hydraulic connection between the lower confined aquifer (LCA) and the mine and allowed water from the aquifer and bedrock fracture zones that intersected the rubble columns to flow into the mine at a rate of 18,000 gallons per minute (gal/min) . All salt mining ceased in September 1995, and the mine was completely flooded by January 1996. The flow of water from the lower confined aquifer into the mine caused widespread drawdowns, and water levels in the aquifer declined by as much as 400 feet near the collapse area and by more than 50 feet at wells 7 miles to the north and south. Within 3 to 4 weeks of the collapses, water levels in about a dozen domestic and industrial wells had declined severely, and some wells went dry. Water levels in at least 58 wells in the lower and middle confined aquifers were affected by mine flooding. Groundwater in the upper unconfined aquifer and surface water in streams were unaffected by water-level drawdown, but channels of the Genesee River and Beards Creek were altered by land subsidence related to the mine collapse. Water levels recovered from 1996 through 2006, but the mine is now filled with about 15 billion gallons of saturated halite brine. The weight of the overlying rock and sediment is expected to cause the salt beds to deform and fill the mine cavity during the next several hundred years; this in turn could displace as much as 80 percent of the brine and cause it to move upward through the rubble chimneys, rendering the LCA unusable as a source of water supply. Saline water was detected in the LCA in 2002 but was found to be derived primarily from fractures in the limestone and shale units between the mine and the LCA, rather than from the mine. In September 2006, the mine company began a brine-mitigation project that entailed pumping five wells finished in limestone and shale units within the collapse areas to alter the flow gradient and thereby prevent further movement of brine and saline water into the LCA. The pumped brine was routed to an onsite desalination plant. At the same time, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began a study in cooperation with the New York State Office of the Attorney General to construct numerical models to analyze the groundwater chemistry and delineate the directions of flow. Specific objectives of the study were to: * Assess the sources of salinity within the collapse area and identify the factors that control the movement and mixing of freshwater, saline waters from fracture zones, and brine; * Evaluate the likelihood that the pumping will induce anhydrite dissolution and lead to continued land subsidence; * Construct variable-density groundwater flow models to predict the effect of remedial pumping on salinity within the LCA; * Evaluate the effectiveness of remedial pumping in preventing the movement of saline water into the LCA; and * Predict the extent of brine migration 8 years after a hypothetical shutdown of all pumping in 2008. This report (1) summarizes the hydrogeologic setting and effects of mine flooding, (2) describes the geochemical and variable-density model simulations and their principal results, (3) discusses the implications of (a) continued pumping and desalination to protect the LCA and (b) a full shutdown of pumping after 2008, and (4) suggests further research that could lead to refinement of model predictions. Additional information may be found in Yager and others (2001 and 2009). These reports can be accessed at http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/pp1611/ and http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/pp1767/, respectively. A summary of simulation results can be accessed at http://ny.water.usgs.gov/projects/Coram/seawat/seawat.html.

Methods for minimizing plastic flow of oil shale during in situ retorting

DOEpatents

Lewis, Arthur E.; Mallon, Richard G.

1978-01-01

In an in situ oil shale retorting process, plastic flow of hot rubblized oil shale is minimized by injecting carbon dioxide and water into spent shale above the retorting zone. These gases react chemically with the mineral constituents of the spent shale to form a cement-like material which binds the individual shale particles together and bonds the consolidated mass to the wall of the retort. This relieves the weight burden borne by the hot shale below the retorting zone and thereby minimizes plastic flow in the hot shale. At least a portion of the required carbon dioxide and water can be supplied by recycled product gases.

Hydrology of the Ferron sandstone aquifer and effects of proposed surface-coal mining in Castle Valley, Utah

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lines, G.C.; Morrissey, D.J.

Coal in the Ferron Sandstone Member of the Mancos Shale of Cretaceous age has traditionally been mined by underground techniques in the Emery Coal Field in the southern end of Castle Valley in east-central Utah. However, approximately 99 million tons are recoverable by surface mining. Ground water in the Ferron is the sole source of supply for the town of Emery, but the aquifer is essentially untapped outside the Emery area. A three-dimensional digital-computer model was used to simulate ground-water flow in the Ferron sandstone aquifer in the Emery area. The model also was used to predict the effects ofmore » dewatering of a proposed surface mine on aquifer potentiometric surfaces and the base flow of streams. Discharge from the proposed surface mine is predicted to average about 0.3 cubic foot per second during the 15 years of mine operation. Dewatering of the mine would affect the potentiometric surface of all sections of the Ferron sanstone aquifer, but the greatest effects would be in the upper section. Modeling results indicate that, except for Christiansen Wash, the dewatering of the proposed surface mine would not affect the base flow of streams.« less

Ontonagon Harbor Operation and Maintenance Activities. Lake Superior.

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-08-01

St. Paul, Minnesota 55101 August 1975 FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT OPERATION AND MAINTENAN4CE ACTIVITIES ONTONAGON HARBDOR, MICHIGAN LAKE...SUPERIOR Responsible Office: St. Paul District, Corps of Engineers, 1135 U.S. Post Office and Custom House, St. Paul, Minnesota 55101 Telephone Number 612...Nonesuch shale is a finer siltstone containing recoverable copper deposits. Active mining is present at White Pine, 12 air miles southwest of Ontonagon

Assessment of water resources in lead-zinc mined areas in Cherokee County, Kansas, and adjacent areas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spruill, Timothy B.

1984-01-01

A study was conducted to evaluate water-resources problems related to abandoned lead and zinc mines in Cherokee County, Kansas, and adjacent areas in Missouri and Oklahoma. Past mining activities have caused changes in the hydrogeology of the area. Lead and zinc mining has caused discontinuities and perforations in the confining shale west of the Pennsylvanian-Mississippian geologic contact (referred to as the western area), which have created artificial ground-water recharge and discharge areas. Recharge to the shallow aquifer (rocks of Mississippian age) through collapses, shafts, and drill holes in the shale has caused the formation of a groundwater "mound" in the vicinity of the Picher Field in Kansas and Oklahoma. Discharge of mine-contaminated ground water to Tar Creek occurs in'Oklahoma from drill holes and shafts where the potentiometric surface of the shallow aquifer is above the land surface. Mining of ore in the shallow aquifer has resulted in extensive fracturing and removal of material, which has created highly transmissive zones and voids and increased ground-water storage properties of the aquifer. In the area east of the Pennsylvanian-Mississippian geologic contact (referred to as the eastern area), fractured rock and tailings on the land surface increased the amount of water available for infiltration to the shallow aquifer; in the western area, tailings on the impermeable shale created artificial, perched aquifer systems that slowly drain to surface streams.Pumping of the deep aquifer (rocks of Cambrian and Ordovician age) by towns and industries, which developed as a result of the mining industry, has resulted in a potential for downward movement of water from the shallow aquifer. The potential is greatest in Ottawa County, Oklahoma. Because of the large volume of water that may be transported from the shallow to the deep aquifer, open drill holes or casings present the greatest contamination hazard to water supplies in the deep aquifer.Mining allowed oxidation of ore deposits which, on saturation with water, resulted in poor-quality water that generally contains large concentrations of sulfate and trace metals. Water from mines in the eastern area contained dissolved-solids concentrations of less than 500 mg/L (milligrams per liter), a median pH of 3.9, sulfate concentrations that ranged between 98 and 290 mg/L, and median concentrations for zinc of 37,600 pg/L (micrograms per liter), for lead of 240 pg/L, for cadmium of 180 ug/L, for iron of 70 pg/L, for manganese of 240 pg/L, and for silica of 15 mg/L. Water from mines in the western area contained dissolved-solids concentrations of generally more than 500 mg/L, a median pH of 6.8, sulfate concentrations that ranged between 170 and 2,150 mg/L, and median concentrations for zinc of 3,200 pg/L, for lead of 0 pg/L (minimum detection limit is 10 pg/L), for cadmium of 6 pg/L, for iron of 840 pg/L, for manganese of 440 ug/L, and for silica of 11 mg/L.No conclusive evidence of lateral migration of water from the mines into domestic well-water supplies in the shallow aquifer was found in the study area in Kansas. Analyses of water from public-supply wells tapping the deep aquifer did not indicate contamination with trace metals, although chemical analyses from four of six wells exhibited increasing trends through time in sulfate concentrations. These increases probably reflect localized leakage of water from the shallow aquifer along corroded or leaky well casings.Effects of abandoned lead and zinc mines on tributaries of the Spring River in the eastern area are most severe in Short Creek. Compared with water samples from three other major streams in the eastern area, a sample collected from Short Creek, 2 miles west of Galena, Kansas, during August 1981, contained the largest concentrations of dissolved sulfate (240 mg/L), zinc (25,000 pg/L), cadmium (170 pg/L), manganese (1,700 ug/L), and the lowest pH (6.0). Concentrations of these constituents are due primarily to inflow of ground water from the breccia, mines, and to seepage from chat piles in the Short Creek basin. The largest concentrations of zinc and manganese in the Spring River during August 1981, were observed in analyses of samples collected below Short Creek. In the western area, drainage from tailings, which act as perched aquifers on the impervious Pennsylvanian shales, appeared to have little effect on water quality in Willow Creek during low-flow conditions but caused larger concentrations of dissolved zinc just after a wet period during June 1981. Drainage from tailings cause large concentrations of sulfate, zinc, and cadmium in Tar Creek in Kansas. Compared with four other major streams in the western area in Kansas, Tar Creek contained the largest low-flow concentrations of sulfate (910 mg/L), zinc (5,800 pg/L), and cadmium (40ug/L).

Mineral-Resource Assessment of Northern Nye County, Nevada - A Progress Report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ludington, Steve; John, David A.; Muntean, John L.; Hanson, Andrew D.; Castor, Stephen B.; Henry, Christopher D.; Wintzer, Niki; Cline, Jean S.; Simon, Adam C.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology (NBMG), which is a part of the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), have completed the first year of data collection and analysis in preparation for a new mineral- and energy-resource assessment of northern Nye County, Nevada. This report provides information about work completed before October 1, 2009. Existing data are being compiled, including geology, geochemistry, geophysics, and mineral-deposit information. Field studies are underway, which are primarily designed to address issues raised during the review of existing information. In addition, new geochemical studies are in progress, including reanalyzing existing stream-sediment samples with modern methods, and analyzing metalliferous black shales.

The water footprint of hydraulic fracturing in Sichuan Basin, China.

PubMed

Zou, Caineng; Ni, Yunyan; Li, Jian; Kondash, Andrew; Coyte, Rachel; Lauer, Nancy; Cui, Huiying; Liao, Fengrong; Vengosh, Avner

2018-07-15

Shale gas is likely to play a major role in China's transition away from coal. In addition to technological and infrastructural constraints, the main challenges to China's sustainable shale gas development are sufficient shale gas production, water availability, and adequate wastewater management. Here we present, for the first time, actual data of shale gas production and its water footprint from the Weiyuan gas field, one of the major gas fields in Sichuan Basin. We show that shale gas production rates during the first 12 months (24 million m 3 per well) are similar to gas production rates in U.S. shale basins. The amount of water used for hydraulic fracturing (34,000 m 3 per well) and the volume of flowback and produced (FP) water in the first 12 months (19,800 m 3 per well) in Sichuan Basin are also similar to the current water footprints of hydraulic fracturing in U.S. basins. We present salinity data of the FP water (5000 to 40,000 mgCl/L) in Sichuan Basin and the treatment operations, which include sedimentation, dilution with fresh water, and recycling of the FP water for hydraulic fracturing. We utilize the water use data, empirical decline rates of shale gas and FP water productions in Sichuan Basin to generate two prediction models for water use for hydraulic fracturing and FP water production upon achieving China's goals to generate 100 billion m 3 of shale gas by 2030. The first model utilizes the current water use and FP production data, and the second assumes a yearly 5% intensification of the hydraulic fracturing process. The predicted water use for hydraulic fracturing in 2030 (50-65 million m 3 per year), FP water production (50-55 million m 3 per year), and fresh water dilution of FP water (25 million m 3 per year) constitute a water footprint that is much smaller than current water consumption and wastewater generation for coal mining, but higher than those of conventional gas production in China. Given estimates for water availability in Sichuan Basin, our predictions suggest that water might not be a limiting factor for future large-scale shale gas development in Sichuan Basin. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nanoscale simulation of shale transport properties using the lattice Boltzmann method: Permeability and diffusivity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Li; Zhang, Lei; Kang, Qinjun

Here, porous structures of shales are reconstructed using the markov chain monte carlo (MCMC) method based on scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of shale samples from Sichuan Basin, China. Characterization analysis of the reconstructed shales is performed, including porosity, pore size distribution, specific surface area and pore connectivity. The lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) is adopted to simulate fluid flow and Knudsen diffusion within the reconstructed shales. Simulation results reveal that the tortuosity of the shales is much higher than that commonly employed in the Bruggeman equation, and such high tortuosity leads to extremely low intrinsic permeability. Correction of the intrinsicmore » permeability is performed based on the dusty gas model (DGM) by considering the contribution of Knudsen diffusion to the total flow flux, resulting in apparent permeability. The correction factor over a range of Knudsen number and pressure is estimated and compared with empirical correlations in the literature. We find that for the wide pressure range investigated, the correction factor is always greater than 1, indicating Knudsen diffusion always plays a role on shale gas transport mechanisms in the reconstructed shales. Specifically, we found that most of the values of correction factor fall in the slip and transition regime, with no Darcy flow regime observed.« less

Nanoscale simulation of shale transport properties using the lattice Boltzmann method: Permeability and diffusivity

DOE PAGES

Chen, Li; Zhang, Lei; Kang, Qinjun; ...

2015-01-28

Here, porous structures of shales are reconstructed using the markov chain monte carlo (MCMC) method based on scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of shale samples from Sichuan Basin, China. Characterization analysis of the reconstructed shales is performed, including porosity, pore size distribution, specific surface area and pore connectivity. The lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) is adopted to simulate fluid flow and Knudsen diffusion within the reconstructed shales. Simulation results reveal that the tortuosity of the shales is much higher than that commonly employed in the Bruggeman equation, and such high tortuosity leads to extremely low intrinsic permeability. Correction of the intrinsicmore » permeability is performed based on the dusty gas model (DGM) by considering the contribution of Knudsen diffusion to the total flow flux, resulting in apparent permeability. The correction factor over a range of Knudsen number and pressure is estimated and compared with empirical correlations in the literature. We find that for the wide pressure range investigated, the correction factor is always greater than 1, indicating Knudsen diffusion always plays a role on shale gas transport mechanisms in the reconstructed shales. Specifically, we found that most of the values of correction factor fall in the slip and transition regime, with no Darcy flow regime observed.« less

Nanoscale simulation of shale transport properties using the lattice Boltzmann method: permeability and diffusivity

PubMed Central

Chen, Li; Zhang, Lei; Kang, Qinjun; Viswanathan, Hari S.; Yao, Jun; Tao, Wenquan

2015-01-01

Porous structures of shales are reconstructed using the markov chain monte carlo (MCMC) method based on scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of shale samples from Sichuan Basin, China. Characterization analysis of the reconstructed shales is performed, including porosity, pore size distribution, specific surface area and pore connectivity. The lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) is adopted to simulate fluid flow and Knudsen diffusion within the reconstructed shales. Simulation results reveal that the tortuosity of the shales is much higher than that commonly employed in the Bruggeman equation, and such high tortuosity leads to extremely low intrinsic permeability. Correction of the intrinsic permeability is performed based on the dusty gas model (DGM) by considering the contribution of Knudsen diffusion to the total flow flux, resulting in apparent permeability. The correction factor over a range of Knudsen number and pressure is estimated and compared with empirical correlations in the literature. For the wide pressure range investigated, the correction factor is always greater than 1, indicating Knudsen diffusion always plays a role on shale gas transport mechanisms in the reconstructed shales. Specifically, we found that most of the values of correction factor fall in the slip and transition regime, with no Darcy flow regime observed. PMID:25627247

Geology of parts of the Johnny Gulch quadrangle, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Freeman, Val L.

1954-01-01

An area of about 35 square miles, situated about 30 miles southeast of Helena, Montana, was mapped during the summer of 1952 at a scale of l:24, 000. The area includes a part of the eastern foothills of the Elkhorn Mountains, and is underlain by sedimentary mad volcanic rocks of Cretaceous age that were intruded during late Cretaceous or early Tertiary time by several types of igneous rocks. The oldest rocks in the map area are the nonmarine sandstone, shale, and limestone of the Kootenai formation. These are overlain disconformably by the black shale siltstone, sandstone, and siliceous mudstone of the Colorado group that is subdivided into three map units; a lower black shale unit composed of black shale and silty shale with a basal clean sandstone, all of probable marine origin; a middle siliceous unit composed of sandstone, siltstone, and siliceous mudstone of both marine and nonmarine origin; and an upper black unit composed of black shale of marine origin. Conformably above the Colorado group are crystal lithic turfs of the Slim Sam formation; in places theme grade into and in other places are unconformably overlain by the Elkhorn Mountains volcanics composed of crystal tuff, breccia, flows, and bedded tuff of andesitic composition. The rocks of the Elkhorn Mountains volcanics and older formations have been intruded by diorite porphyry and related rocks and by hornblende quartz monzonite. The diorite porphyry and related rocks include hornblende diorite porphyry, hornblende augite diorite porphyry, augite diorite porphyry, and basalt. Resting with marked unconformity upon older rocks are volcanic sedimentary rocks of early Tertiary age that are locally overlain by thin rhyolite flows. Late Tertiary and Quaternary fans overlie the rhyolite flows. Alluvium, talus, and other mantle are present in small amounts in many parts of the area. The sedimentary rocks of the area mapped form a part of the east flank of a major anticline. A major north-south syncline to the north of map area is believed to have been deflected to the east of the area because of the rigidity of large irregular plutons of diorite porphyry. The location of the plutons may have been controlled by the initiation of the major syncline, by a postulated pre-intrusive fault, or by both. Most of the small-scale structural features are related to the emplacement of the plutons. During emplacement the intruded sediments yielded either by faulting or by folding; the deeper rocks failed by faulting and the shallower rocks failed by folding. The area contains deposits of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc, none of which are currently being mined; and a deposit of magnetite which is being mined for use in cement.

Application of petroleum demulsification technology to shale oil emulsions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robertson, R.E.

1983-01-01

Demulsification, the process of emulsion separation, of water-in-oil shale oil emulsions produced by several methods was accomplished using commercial chemical demulsifiers which are used typically for petroleum demulsification. The shale oil emulsions were produced from Green River shale by one in situ and three different above-ground retorts, an in situ high pressure/high temperature steam process, and by washing both retort-produced and hydrotreated shale oils.

Continuous TDEM for monitoring shale hydraulic fracturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Liang-Jun; Chen, Xiao-Xiong; Tang, Hao; Xie, Xing-Bing; Zhou, Lei; Hu, Wen-Bao; Wang, Zhong-Xin

2018-03-01

Monitoring and delineating the spatial distribution of shale fracturing is fundamentally important to shale gas production. Standard monitoring methods, such as time-lapse seismic, cross-well seismic and micro-seismic methods, are expensive, timeconsuming, and do not show the changes in the formation with time. The resistivities of hydraulic fracturing fluid and reservoir rocks were measured. The results suggest that the injection fluid and consequently the injected reservoir are characterized by very low resistivity and high chargeability. This allows using of the controlled-source electromagnetic method (CSEM) to monitor shale gas hydraulic fracturing. Based on the geoelectrical model which was proposed according to the well-log and seismic data in the test area the change rule of the reacted electrical field was studied to account for the change of shale resistivity, and then the normalized residual resistivity method for time lapse processing was given. The time-domain electromagnetic method (TDEM) was used to continuously monitor the shale gas fracturing at the Fulin shale gas field in southern China. A high-power transmitter and multi-channel transient electromagnetic receiver array were adopted. 9 h time series of Ex component of 224 sites which were laid out on the surface and over three fracturing stages of a horizontal well at 2800 m depth was recorded. After data processing and calculation of the normalized resistivity residuals, the changes in the Ex signal were determined and a dynamic 3D image of the change in resistivity was constructed. This allows modeling the spatial distribution of the fracturing fluid. The model results suggest that TDEM is promising for monitoring hydraulic fracturing of shale.

A comprehensive method for the fracability evaluation of shale combined with brittleness and stress sensitivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiaoqiong; Ge, Hongkui; Wang, Daobing; Wang, Jianbo; Chen, Hao

2017-12-01

An effective fracability evaluation on the fracture network is key to the whole process of shale gas exploitation. At present, neither a standard criteria nor a generally accepted evaluation method exist. Well log and laboratory results have shown that the commonly used brittleness index calculated from the mineralogy composition is not entirely consistent with that obtained from the elastic modulus of the rock, and is sometimes even contradictory. The brittle mineral reflects the brittleness of the rock matrix, and the stress sensitivity of the wave velocity reflects the development degree of the natural fracture system. They are both key factors in controlling the propagating fracture morphology. Thus, in this study, a novel fracability evaluation method of shale was developed combining brittleness and stress sensitivity. Based on this method, the fracability of three shale gas plays were evaluated. The cored cylindrical samples were loaded under uniaxial stress up to 30 MPa and the compressional wave velocities were obtained along the axis stress direction at each MPa stress. From the stress velocity evolution, the stress sensitivity coefficients could be obtained. Our results showed that the fracability of Niutitang shale is better than that of Lujiaping shale, and the fracability of Lujiaping shale is better than Longmaxi shale. This result is in good agreement with acoustic emission activity measurements. The new fracability evaluation method enables a comprehensive reflection of the characteristics of rock matrix brittleness and the natural fracture system. This work is valuable for the evaluation of hydraulic fracturing effects in unconventional oil and gas reservoirs in the future.

Geology, geochemistry, and genesis of the Greens Creek massive sulfide deposit, Admiralty Island, southeastern Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Taylor, Cliff D.; Johnson, Craig A.

2010-01-01

In 1996, a memorandum of understanding was signed by representatives of the U.S. Geological Survey and Kennecott Greens Creek Mining Company to initiate a cooperative applied research project focused on the Greens Creek massive sulfide deposit in southeastern Alaska. The goals of the project were consistent with the mandate of the U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Resources Program to maintain a leading role in national mineral deposits research and with the need of Kennecott Greens Creek Mining Company to further development of the Greens Creek deposit and similar deposits in Alaska and elsewhere. The memorandum enumerated four main research priorities: (1) characterization of protoliths for the wall rocks, and elucidation of their alteration histories, (2) determination of the ore mineralogy and paragenesis, including metal residences and metal zonation within the deposit, (3) determination of the ages of events important to ore formation using both geochronology and paleontology, and (4) development of computer models that would allow the deposit and its host rocks to be examined in detail in three dimensions. The work was carried out by numerous scientists of diverse expertise over a period of several years. The written results, which are contained in this Professional Paper, are presented by 21 authors: 13 from the U.S. Geological Survey, 4 from Kennecott Greens Creek Mining Company, 2 from academia, and 2 from consultants. The Greens Creek deposit (global resource of 24.2 million tons at an average grade of 13.9 percent zinc, 5.1 percent lead, 0.15 troy ounce per ton gold, and 19.2 troy ounces per ton silver at zero cutoff) formed in latest Triassic time during a brief period of rifting of the Alexander terrane. The deposit exhibits a range of syngenetic, diagenetic, and epigenetic features that are typical of volcanogenic (VMS), sedimentary exhalative (SEDEX), and Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) genetic models. In the earliest stages of rifting, formation of precious-metal-rich silica-barite-carbonate white ores began at low temperature in a shallow, subaqueous setting, probably a thin carbonate shelf on the flanks of the Alexander landmass. Epigenetic carbonate replacement textures in the footwall dolostones are overlain by stratiform silica-carbonate-barite-rich ores and indicate that early mineralization formed at and just beneath the paleo sea floor by mixing of a reduced, precious-metal-rich, base-metal-poor hydrothermal fluid with oxygenated seawater. As rifting intensified, the shelf was downfaulted and isolated as a graben. Isolation of the basin and onset of starved-basin shale sedimentation was concurrent with emplacement of mafic-ultramafic intrusives at shallow levels in the rift, resulting in an increasingly higher temperature and progressively more anoxic ore-forming environment. The formation of the main stage of massive sulfide ores began as the supply of bacterially reduced sulfur increased in the accumulating shales. As the main-stage mineralization intensified, shale sedimentation inundated the hydrothermal system, eventually forming a cap. Biogenic sulfate reduction supplied reduced sulfur to the base of the shales where mixing occurred with hot, base-metal-rich hydrothermal fluids. Ore deposition continued by destruction and epigenetic replacement of the early white ores in proximal areas and by inflation and diagenetic replacement of unlithified shale at the interface between the white ores and the base of the shale cap. Ore deposition waned as the shales became lithified and as the supply of bacterially reduced sulfur to the site of ore deposition ceased. The final stages of rifting resulted in the emplacement of mafic-ultramafic intrusive rocks into the Greens Creek system and extrusion of voluminous basaltic flows at the top of the Triassic section. Greenschist facies metamorphism during the Jurassic-Cretaceous accretion of the Alexander terrane to the continental margin resulted in recrystalli

Review of hydrofracking, the environmental pollution and some new methods may be used to skip the water in fracking process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, B.

2013-12-01

Shale gas is natural gas that is found trapped within shale formations. And it has become an increasingly important source of natural gas in the United States since start of this century. Because shales ordinarily have insufficient permeability to allow significant fluid flow to a well bore, so gas production in commercial quantities requires fractures to provide permeability. Usually, the shale gas boom is due to modern technology in hydraulic fracturing to create extensive artificial fractures around well bores. In the same time, horizontal drilling is often used with shale gas wells, to create maximum borehole surface area in contact with shale. However, the extraction and use of shale gas can affect the environment through the leaking of extraction into water supplies, and the pollution caused by improper processing of natural gas. The challenge to prevent pollution is that shale gas extractions varies widely even in the two wells that in the same project. What's more, the enormous amounts of water will be needed for drilling, while some of the largest sources of shale gas are found in deserts. So if we can find some technologies to substitute the water in the fracking process, we will not only solve the environmental problems, but also the water supply issues. There are already some methods that have been studied for this purpose, like the CO2 fracking process by Tsuyoshi Ishida et al. I will also propose our new method called air-pressure system for fracking the shales without using water in the fracking process at last.

Experimental analysis and application of the effect of stress on continental shale reservoir brittleness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Shuai; Lv, Dawei; Jin, Lin; Ding, Wenlong

2018-04-01

Hydraulic fracturing is an effective measure of reservoir modification for the development of shale gas. The evaluation of rock brittleness can provide a basis for the optimization of fracturing. In this paper, the effect of stress on the brittleness of shale is systematically analyzed by designing triaxial mechanics tests. The strain analysis method was used to evaluate the shale brittleness. The research indicates that, with the increase of effective confining pressure, the value of the brittleness index (B 1) decreases. There is a linear and positive correlation between the average reduction ratio of B 1 and the buried depth. The stress has a significant effect on the shale brittleness. Therefore, the rock brittleness can be overestimated without considering the influence of the buried depth or the stress of formation when using the mineral composition method. Being affected by the stress, when the brittle mineral content of the shale reservoir is 70%, 65%, 60%, and 55%, the lower limit depth of the shale gas development is 5000 m, 4400 m, 3000 m, and 1800 m, respectively. However, when the brittle mineral content of the shale is less than 50%, the brittleness index is less than 50% in all of the buried depths. In this case, the shale will not have any commercial development potential. The logging interpretation results of the brittleness index conducted with stress correction are more consistent with the real situation, and thus, this method can be better used to help the optimization of the fracturing intervals of shale gas.

Investigation of sorption interactions between oil shale principal mineral phases and organic compounds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bowen, J.M.

1988-09-01

The interactions between minerals representative of the bulk composition of oil shales and organic compounds that have been found in oil shale leachates were investigated. The method used to directly determine the type of interactions that could take place between organic compounds and oil shale mineral phases was Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) using several advanced detection methods, including diffuse reflectance (DRIFT) and photoacoustics (PAS). The minerals that were investigated include quartz, calcite, and dolomite, which are known to figure significantly in the composition of processed oil shales. The organic chemical compounds used were chosen from a list of compoundsmore » identified in spent oil shale leachates, and they include pyridine, phenol, p-cresol, and acetone. The sorption interactions for the study were prepared by exposing each of the minerals to the organic compounds by three different methods. These were vapor deposition, direct application, and immersion in an aqueous solution at pH 12. 41 refs., 3 figs., 4 tabs.« less

Description of the physical environment and coal-mining history of west-central Indiana, with emphasis on six small watersheds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Martin, Jeffrey D.; Crawford, Charles G.; Duwelius, R.F.; Renn, D.E.

1987-01-01

Information on the geology, geomorphology, soils, climate, hydrology, water use, land use, population, and coal mining history of Clay, Owen, Sullivan, and Vigo Counties in Indiana is summarized. Site-specific information is given on the morphology , geology, soils, land use, coal mining history, and hydrologic instrumentation of the six watersheds which are each less than 3 sq mi in area. The Wabash, White, and Eel Rivers are the major drainages in west-central Indiana. Average annual precipitation is about 39.5 in/yr and average annual runoff is about 13 in/yr. The most productive aquifers are confined or unconfined outwash aquifers located along the major rivers. Bedrock aquifers are regionally insignificant but are the sole source of groundwater for areas that lack outwash, alluvium, or sand and gravel lenses in till. Indiana has more than 17 billion short tons of recoverable coal reserves; about 11% can be mined by surface methods. Almost half of Indiana 's surface reserves are in Clay, Owen, Sullivan, and Vigo Counties. More than 50,000 acres in west-central Indiana have been disturbed by surface coal mining from 1941 through 1980. Big Slough and Hooker Creek are streams that drain unmined, agricultural watersheds. Row-crop corn and soybeans are the principal crops. Soils are moderately well drained silt loams, and the watersheds well developed dendritic drainage systems. Unnamed tributaries drain mined and reclaimed watersheds. Ridges of mine spoil have been graded to a gently rolling topography. Soils are well drained and consist of 6 to 12 inches of silt-loam topsoil that was stockpiled and then replaced over shale and sandstone fragments of the graded mine spoil. Grasses and legumes form the vegetative cover in each watershed. Pond Creek and an unnamed tributary to Big Branch are streams that drain mined and unreclaimed watersheds. Soils are very well drained shaly silty loams that have formed on steeply sloping banks. Both watersheds contain numerous impoundments of water and have enclosed areas that do not contribute surface runoff to streamflow. The ridges of mine spoil are covered with pine trees, but much of the soil surface is devoid of vegetation. (Lantz-PTT)

Solar retorting of oil shale

DOEpatents

Gregg, David W.

1983-01-01

An apparatus and method for retorting oil shale using solar radiation. Oil shale is introduced into a first retorting chamber having a solar focus zone. There the oil shale is exposed to solar radiation and rapidly brought to a predetermined retorting temperature. Once the shale has reached this temperature, it is removed from the solar focus zone and transferred to a second retorting chamber where it is heated. In a second chamber, the oil shale is maintained at the retorting temperature, without direct exposure to solar radiation, until the retorting is complete.

Geologic and hydrologic considerations for various concepts of high-level radioactive waste disposal in conterminous United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ekren, E.B.; Dinwiddie, G.A.; Mytton, J.W.; Thordarson, William; Weir, J.E.; Hinrichs, E.N.; Schroder, L.J.

1974-01-01

The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate and identify which geohydrologic environments in conterminous United States are best suited for various concepts or methods of underground disposal of high-level radioactive wastes and to establish geologic and hydrologic criteria that are pertinent to high-level waste disposal. The unproven methods of disposal include (1) a very deep drill hole (30,000-50,000 ft or 9,140-15,240 m), (2) a matrix of (an array of multiple) drill holes (1,000-20,000 ft or 305-6,100 m), (3) a mined chamber (1,000-10,000 ft or 305-3,050 m), (4) a cavity with separate manmade structures (1,000-10,000 ft or 305-3,050 m), and (5) an exploded cavity (2,000-20,000 ft or 610-6,100 m) o The geohydrologic investigation is made on the presumption that the concepts or methods of disposal are technically feasible. Field and laboratory experiments in the future may demonstrate whether or not any of the methods are practical and safe. All the conclusions drawn are tentative pending experimental confirmation. The investigation focuses principally on the geohydrologic possibilities of several methods of disposal in rocks other than salt. Disposal in mined chambers in salt is currently under field investigation, and this disposal method has been intensely investigated and evaluated by various workers under the sponsorship of the Atomic Energy Commission. Of the various geohydrologic factors that must be considered in the selection of optimum waste-disposal sites, the most important is hydrologic isolation to assure that the wastes will be safely contained within a small radius of the emplacement zone. To achieve this degree of hydrologic isolation, the host rock for the wastes must have very low permeability and the site must be virtually free of faults. In addition, the locality should be in (1) an area of low seismic risk where the possibility of large earthquakes rupturing the emplacement zone is very low, (2) where the possibility- of flooding by rise is very low, (3) where a possible return of glacial or pluvial climate will not cause potentially hazardous changes in surface- or ground-water regimens, and (4) where danger of exhumation by erosion is nil. The geographic location for an optimum site is one that is far removed from major drainages, lakes, and oceans, where population density is low, and where the topographic relief is gentle in order to avoid steep surface-water drainage gradients that would allow rapid distribution of contaminants in case of accident. The most suitable medium for the unproven deep drill-hole, matrix-holes, and exploded-cavity methods appears to be crystalline rocks, either intrusive igneous or metamorphic because of their potentially low permeabilities and high mechanical strengths. Salt (either in thick beds or stable domes), tuff, and possibly shale appear to be suitable for mined chambers and cavities with separate manmade structures. Salt appears to be suitable because of its very low permeability, high thermal conductivity, and natural plasticity. Tuff and shale appear suitable because of their very low permeabilities and high ion-exchange capacities. Sedimentary rocks other than shale and volcanic rocks, exclusive of tuff, are considered to be generally unsuitable for waste emplacement because of their potentially high permeabilities. Areas that appear to satisfy most geohydrologic requirements for the deep drill hole and the matrix holes include principally (1) the stable continental interior where the sedimentary cover is thin or absent, (2) the shield area of the North-Central States, and (3) the metamorphic belt of Eastern United States--primarily the Piedmont. These areas are possibly suitable also for the exploded cavity and the mined chamber because the possibility of finding rock with very- permeability at depths from 1,000? feet (305? m) to 20,000 feet (6,100 m) appears to be high. The Basin and Range province of Western United States, particula

Yellowcake National Park

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dagget, D.

Exploration for and mining of uranium ore is going on within 10 miles of the Grand Canyon National Park. The current rush started in 1980, when a Denver-based company, Energy Fuels Nuclear, took over a claim in Hack Canyon and uncovered a very rich deposit of uranium ore. Recent explorations have resulted in some 1300 claims in the area around the Grand Canyon, many of them in the Arizona Strip, the land between the Canyon and Utah. The center of current controversy is the 1872 Mining Law. Replacement of the law with a leasing system similar to that used formore » leasable minerals such as coal, oil shale, oil and gas, potash, and phosphate is advocated. 1 figure.« less

Groundwater vulnerability to onshore unconventional and conventional hydrocarbon activities in England

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loveless, Sian; Bloomfield, John; Ward, Rob; Davey, Ian; Hart, Alwyn

2016-04-01

In the last five years there has been a renewed interest in onshore oil and gas in England as new extraction technologies and continued energy demand have allowed for the development of less accessible resources. Until now, shale gas has received most attention in England although exploration licences have also been granted for coal bed methane and mine gas in addition to more conventional hydrocarbon resources. While there is some interest in underground coal gasification there are currently no licences granted. Potential impacts on groundwater from shale gas operations have been well publicised. Hazards include contamination from spills or leaks of frack-fluids and returned water, at the surface, through leaky wells or via subsurface pathways from the source rock, and the availability of water resources. Groundwater is an important resource in England, providing an average of 31% of water resources in England and Wales, and up to 100% in some areas of south-east England. In its role as the environmental regulator the Environment Agency must manage the risks associated with these hazards, and those associated with other onshore oil and gas activities, so that they are minimised. Here we focus on the groundwater contamination risk from source rocks though subsurface pathways. Despite the abundant literature emerging from the North American continent there remain great uncertainties as to the risk. These uncertainties are amplified when translated to Europe due to significant policy and geological differences. Research from North America indicates that risk is influenced by the exploitation and well completion methods and the geological setting, including: pre-existing fracture and fault networks; stress regime; petrological and rheological properties of the rock between the source and groundwater receptor and the distance between the source and receptors. A joint British Geological Survey/ EA project - iHydrogeology (http://www.bgs.ac.uk/research/groundwater/shaleGas/iHydrogeology.html) - identified key shale units and Principal Aquifers (http://apps.environment-agency.gov.uk/wiyby/117020.aspx) in England and Wales. The BGS GB3D model (Mathers et al., 2014) was used to produce maps of these and the separation distance between aquifer-shale pairs. The latter maps show large variations across the country and even within basins for the aquifer-shale pairs. For example, the separation distance between the Bowland shale and Triassic sandstone aquifer varies between < 200 m to > 1,500 m. However it is not yet clear what constitutes a safe separation distance. Due to the geological variability across England a current project (3DGWV) will address the need to assess risk and uncertainties both conceptually and on a more site-specific scale. The method above will be extended to other onshore hydrocarbons. Conceptual models of these source releases and pathways will be compared in the context of English geology. Another important outcome of the ihydrogeology project was the recognition that the definition of groundwater bodies with respect to the Water Framework Directive might need to be redefined in a UK context, taking into account these new, 3D risks. In addition to this work the BGS and EA are also conducting one of the first comprehensive baseline monitoring studies in potential shale gas areas and a project looking at the impacts of abandoned wells. Reference: Mathers, et al. (2014). GB3D-a framework for the bedrock geology of Great Britain. Geoscience Data Journal, 1(1), 30-42.

Laboratory characterization of shale pores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nur Listiyowati, Lina

2018-02-01

To estimate the potential of shale gas reservoir, one needs to understand the characteristics of pore structures. Characterization of shale gas reservoir microstructure is still a challenge due to ultra-fine grained micro-fabric and micro level heterogeneity of these sedimentary rocks. The sample used in the analysis is a small portion of any reservoir. Thus, each measurement technique has a different result. It raises the question which methods are suitable for characterizing pore shale. The goal of this paper is to summarize some of the microstructure analysis tools of shale rock to get near-real results. The two analyzing pore structure methods are indirect measurement (MIP, He, NMR, LTNA) and direct observation (SEM, TEM, Xray CT). Shale rocks have a high heterogeneity; thus, it needs multiscale quantification techniques to understand their pore structures. To describe the complex pore system of shale, several measurement techniques are needed to characterize the surface area and pore size distribution (LTNA, MIP), shapes, size and distribution of pore (FIB-SEM, TEM, Xray CT), and total porosity (He pycnometer, NMR). The choice of techniques and methods should take into account the purpose of the analysis and also the time and budget.

Development of Porosity Measurement Method in Shale Gas Reservoir Rock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siswandani, Alita; Nurhandoko, BagusEndar B.

2016-08-01

The pore scales have impacts on transport mechanisms in shale gas reservoirs. In this research, digital helium porosity meter is used for porosity measurement by considering real condition. Accordingly it is necessary to obtain a good approximation for gas filled porosity. Shale has the typical effective porosity that is changing as a function of time. Effective porosity values for three different shale rocks are analyzed by this proposed measurement. We develop the new measurement method for characterizing porosity phenomena in shale gas as a time function by measuring porosity in a range of minutes using digital helium porosity meter. The porosity of shale rock measured in this experiment are free gas and adsorbed gas porosoty. The pressure change in time shows that porosity of shale contains at least two type porosities: macro scale porosity (fracture porosity) and fine scale porosity (nano scale porosity). We present the estimation of effective porosity values by considering Boyle-Gay Lussaac approximation and Van der Waals approximation.

Wellbore stability in oil and gas drilling with chemical-mechanical coupling.

PubMed

Yan, Chuanliang; Deng, Jingen; Yu, Baohua

2013-01-01

Wellbore instability in oil and gas drilling is resulted from both mechanical and chemical factors. Hydration is produced in shale formation owing to the influence of the chemical property of drilling fluid. A new experimental method to measure diffusion coefficient of shale hydration is given, and the calculation method of experimental results is introduced. The diffusion coefficient of shale hydration is measured with the downhole temperature and pressure condition, then the penetration migrate law of drilling fluid filtrate around the wellbore is calculated. Furthermore, the changing rules of shale mechanical properties affected by hydration and water absorption are studied through experiments. The relationships between shale mechanical parameters and the water content are established. The wellbore stability model chemical-mechanical coupling is obtained based on the experimental results. Under the action of drilling fluid, hydration makes the shale formation softened and produced the swelling strain after drilling. This will lead to the collapse pressure increases after drilling. The study results provide a reference for studying hydration collapse period of shale.

Wellbore Stability in Oil and Gas Drilling with Chemical-Mechanical Coupling

PubMed Central

Deng, Jingen

2013-01-01

Wellbore instability in oil and gas drilling is resulted from both mechanical and chemical factors. Hydration is produced in shale formation owing to the influence of the chemical property of drilling fluid. A new experimental method to measure diffusion coefficient of shale hydration is given, and the calculation method of experimental results is introduced. The diffusion coefficient of shale hydration is measured with the downhole temperature and pressure condition, then the penetration migrate law of drilling fluid filtrate around the wellbore is calculated. Furthermore, the changing rules of shale mechanical properties affected by hydration and water absorption are studied through experiments. The relationships between shale mechanical parameters and the water content are established. The wellbore stability model chemical-mechanical coupling is obtained based on the experimental results. Under the action of drilling fluid, hydration makes the shale formation softened and produced the swelling strain after drilling. This will lead to the collapse pressure increases after drilling. The study results provide a reference for studying hydration collapse period of shale. PMID:23935430

Water demands for expanding energy development

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, G.H.; Wood, Leonard A.

1974-01-01

Water is used in producing energy for mining and reclamation of mined lands, onsite processing, transportation, refining, and conversion of fuels to other forms of energy. In the East, South, Midwest, and along the seacoasts, most water problems are related to pollution rather than to water supply. West of about the 100th meridian, however, runoff is generally less than potential diversions, and energy industries must compete with other water users. Water demands for extraction of coal, oil shale, uranium, and oil and gas are modest, although large quantities of water are used in secondary recovery operations for oil. The only significant use of water for energy transportation, aside from in-stream navigation use, is for slurry lines. Substantial quantities of water are required in the retorting and the disposal of spent oil shale. The conversion of coal to synthetic gas or oil or to electric power and the generation of electric power with nuclear energy require large quantities of water, mostly for cooling. Withdrawals for cooling of thermal-electric plants is by far the largest category of water use in energy industry, totaling about 170 billion gallons (644 million m3) per day in 1970. Water availability will dictate the location and design of energy-conversion facilities, especially in water deficient areas of the West.

Oil shale potential of the Heath and Tyler formations, Central Montana

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cox, W.E.; Cole, G.A.

The units in the middle of the Heath formation below the gypsum beds were found to have the highest oil yields. That interval was generally 25 to 50 ft (7.6 to 15.2 m) thick. The upper portion of the Heath formation yielded as much as 9.8 gal/ton in section 9, and 14.9 gal/ton in section 10. The Tyler formation was determined to have very low oil potential, with the maximum yield being 2.2 gal/ton. The instability of some of the Heath slopes could present problems in the mining of oil shale. Specific stratigraphic horizons in which zones of high andmore » low oil and metal contents occur would be extremely difficult to map in areas where the units have been displaced by landslide movement.« less

Assessment of In-Place Oil Shale Resources of the Green River Formation, Piceance Basin, Western Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Ronald C.; Mercier, Tracey J.; Brownfield, Michael E.; Pantea, Michael P.; Self, Jesse G.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently completed a reassessment of in-place oil shale resources, regardless of richness, in the Eocene Green River Formation in the Piceance Basin, western Colorado. A considerable amount of oil-yield data has been collected after previous in-place assessments were published, and these data were incorporated into this new assessment. About twice as many oil-yield data points were used, and several additional oil shale intervals were included that were not assessed previously for lack of data. Oil yields are measured using the Fischer assay method. The Fischer assay method is a standardized laboratory test for determining the oil yield from oil shale that has been almost universally used to determine oil yields for Green River Formation oil shales. Fischer assay does not necessarily measure the maximum amount of oil that an oil shale can produce, and there are retorting methods that yield more than the Fischer assay yield. However, the oil yields achieved by other technologies are typically reported as a percentage of the Fischer assay oil yield, and thus Fischer assay is still considered the standard by which other methods are compared.

A novel energy-efficient pyrolysis process: self-pyrolysis of oil shale triggered by topochemical heat in a horizontal fixed bed.

PubMed

Sun, You-Hong; Bai, Feng-Tian; Lü, Xiao-Shu; Li, Qiang; Liu, Yu-Min; Guo, Ming-Yi; Guo, Wei; Liu, Bao-Chang

2015-02-06

This paper proposes a novel energy-efficient oil shale pyrolysis process triggered by a topochemical reaction that can be applied in horizontal oil shale formations. The process starts by feeding preheated air to oil shale to initiate a topochemical reaction and the onset of self-pyrolysis. As the temperature in the virgin oil shale increases (to 250-300°C), the hot air can be replaced by ambient-temperature air, allowing heat to be released by internal topochemical reactions to complete the pyrolysis. The propagation of fronts formed in this process, the temperature evolution, and the reaction mechanism of oil shale pyrolysis in porous media are discussed and compared with those in a traditional oxygen-free process. The results show that the self-pyrolysis of oil shale can be achieved with the proposed method without any need for external heat. The results also verify that fractured oil shale may be more suitable for underground retorting. Moreover, the gas and liquid products from this method were characterised, and a highly instrumented experimental device designed specifically for this process is described. This study can serve as a reference for new ideas on oil shale in situ pyrolysis processes.

A Novel Energy-Efficient Pyrolysis Process: Self-pyrolysis of Oil Shale Triggered by Topochemical Heat in a Horizontal Fixed Bed

PubMed Central

Sun, You-Hong; Bai, Feng-Tian; Lü, Xiao-Shu; Li, Qiang; Liu, Yu-Min; Guo, Ming-Yi; Guo, Wei; Liu, Bao-Chang

2015-01-01

This paper proposes a novel energy-efficient oil shale pyrolysis process triggered by a topochemical reaction that can be applied in horizontal oil shale formations. The process starts by feeding preheated air to oil shale to initiate a topochemical reaction and the onset of self-pyrolysis. As the temperature in the virgin oil shale increases (to 250–300°C), the hot air can be replaced by ambient-temperature air, allowing heat to be released by internal topochemical reactions to complete the pyrolysis. The propagation of fronts formed in this process, the temperature evolution, and the reaction mechanism of oil shale pyrolysis in porous media are discussed and compared with those in a traditional oxygen-free process. The results show that the self-pyrolysis of oil shale can be achieved with the proposed method without any need for external heat. The results also verify that fractured oil shale may be more suitable for underground retorting. Moreover, the gas and liquid products from this method were characterised, and a highly instrumented experimental device designed specifically for this process is described. This study can serve as a reference for new ideas on oil shale in situ pyrolysis processes. PMID:25656294

Effects of retorting factors on combustion properties of shale char. 3. Distribution of residual organic matters.

PubMed

Han, Xiangxin; Jiang, Xiumin; Cui, Zhigang; Liu, Jianguo; Yan, Junwei

2010-03-15

Shale char, formed in retort furnaces of oil shale, is classified as a dangerous waste containing several toxic compounds. In order to retort oil shale to produce shale oil as well as treat shale char efficiently and in an environmentally friendly way, a novel kind of comprehensive utilization system was developed to use oil shale for shale oil production, electricity generation (shale char fired) and the extensive application of oil shale ash. For exploring the combustion properties of shale char further, in this paper organic matters within shale chars obtained under different retorting conditions were extracted and identified using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method. Subsequently, the effects of retorting factors, including retorting temperature, residence time, particle size and heating rate, were analyzed in detail. As a result, a retorting condition with a retorting temperature of 460-490 degrees C, residence time of <40 min and a middle particle size was recommended for both keeping nitrogenous organic matters and aromatic hydrocarbons in shale char and improving the yield and quality of shale oil. In addition, shale char obtained under such retorting condition can also be treated efficiently using a circulating fluidized bed technology with fractional combustion. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Oil shale as an energy source in Israel

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fainberg, V.; Hetsroni, G.

1996-01-01

Reserves, characteristics, energetics, chemistry, and technology of Israeli oil shales are described. Oil shale is the only source of energy and the only organic natural resource in Israel. Its reserves of about 12 billion tons will be enough to meet Israel`s requirements for about 80 years. The heating value of the oil shale is 1,150 kcal/kg, oil yield is 6%, and sulfur content of the oil is 5--7%. A method of oil shale processing, providing exhaustive utilization of its energy and chemical potential, developed in the Technion, is described. The principal feature of the method is a two-stage pyrolysis ofmore » the oil shale. As a result, gas and aromatic liquids are obtained. The gas may be used for energy production in a high-efficiency power unit, or as a source for chemical synthesis. The liquid products can be an excellent source for production of chemicals.« less

Recovery technologies for building materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karu, Veiko; Nurme, Martin; Valgma, Ingo

2015-04-01

Mining industry provides building materials for construction. Civil engineers have settled the quality parameters for construction materials. When we produce high quality building materials from carbonate rock (limestone, dolostone), then the estimated waste share is 25% to 30%, depending on crushing principles and rock quality. The challenge is to find suitable technology for waste recovery. During international mining waste related cooperation project MIN-NOVATION (www.min-novation.eu), partners mapped possibilities for waste recovery in mining industry and pointed out good examples and case studies. One example from Estonia showed that when we produce limestone aggregate, then we produce up to 30% waste material (fines with size 0-4mm). This waste material we can see as secondary raw material for building materials. Recovery technology for this fine grained material has been achieved with CDE separation plant. During the process the plant washes out minus 63 micron material from the limestone fines. This technology allows us to use 92% of all limestone reserves. By-product from 63 microns to 4 mm we can use as filler in concrete or as fine limestone aggregate for building or building materials. MIN-NOVATION project partners also established four pilot stations to study other mineral waste recovery technologies and solutions. Main aims on this research are to find the technology for recovery of mineral wastes and usage for new by-products from mineral mining waste. Before industrial production, testing period or case studies are needed. This research is part of the study of Sustainable and environmentally acceptable Oil shale mining No. 3.2.0501.11-0025 http://mi.ttu.ee/etp and the project B36 Extraction and processing of rock with selective methods - http://mi.ttu.ee/separation; http://mi.ttu.ee/miningwaste/

[Effect of near infrared spectrum on the precision of PLS model for oil yield from oil shale].

PubMed

Wang, Zhi-Hong; Liu, Jie; Chen, Xiao-Chao; Sun, Yu-Yang; Yu, Yang; Lin, Jun

2012-10-01

It is impossible to use present measurement methods for the oil yield of oil shale to realize in-situ detection and these methods unable to meet the requirements of the oil shale resources exploration and exploitation. But in-situ oil yield analysis of oil shale can be achieved by the portable near infrared spectroscopy technique. There are different correlativities of NIR spectrum data formats and contents of sample components, and the different absorption specialities of sample components shows in different NIR spectral regions. So with the proportioning samples, the PLS modeling experiments were done by 3 formats (reflectance, absorbance and K-M function) and 4 regions of modeling spectrum, and the effect of NIR spectral format and region to the precision of PLS model for oil yield from oil shale was studied. The results show that the best data format is reflectance and the best modeling region is combination spectral range by PLS model method and proportioning samples. Therefore, the appropriate data format and the proper characteristic spectral region can increase the precision of PLS model for oil yield form oil shale.

Integrated geostatistics for modeling fluid contacts and shales in Prudhoe Bay

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Perez, G.; Chopra, A.K.; Severson, C.D.

1997-12-01

Geostatistics techniques are being used increasingly to model reservoir heterogeneity at a wide range of scales. A variety of techniques is now available with differing underlying assumptions, complexity, and applications. This paper introduces a novel method of geostatistics to model dynamic gas-oil contacts and shales in the Prudhoe Bay reservoir. The method integrates reservoir description and surveillance data within the same geostatistical framework. Surveillance logs and shale data are transformed to indicator variables. These variables are used to evaluate vertical and horizontal spatial correlation and cross-correlation of gas and shale at different times and to develop variogram models. Conditional simulationmore » techniques are used to generate multiple three-dimensional (3D) descriptions of gas and shales that provide a measure of uncertainty. These techniques capture the complex 3D distribution of gas-oil contacts through time. The authors compare results of the geostatistical method with conventional techniques as well as with infill wells drilled after the study. Predicted gas-oil contacts and shale distributions are in close agreement with gas-oil contacts observed at infill wells.« less

Method of rubblization for in-situ oil shale processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, Lien C. (Inventor)

1985-01-01

A method that produces a uniformly rubblized oil shale bed of desirable porosity for underground, in-situ heat extraction of oil. Rubblization is the generation of rubble of various sized fragments. The method uses explosive loadings lying at different levels in adjacent holes and detonation of the explosives at different levels in sequence to achieve the fracturing and the subsequent expansion of the fractured oil shale into excavated rooms both above and below the hole pattern.

Assessment of water resources in lead-zinc mined areas in Cherokee County, Kansas, and adjacent areas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spruill, Timothy B.

1987-01-01

A study was conducted to evaluate water-resources problems related to abandoned lead and zinc mines in Cherokee County, Kansas, and adjacent areas in Missouri and Oklahoma. Past mining activities have caused changes in the hydrogeology of the area. Lead and zinc mining has caused discontinuities and perforations in the confining shale west of the Pennsylvanian-Mississippian geologic contact (referred to as the western area), which have created artificial ground-water recharge and discharge areas. Recharge to the shallow aquifer (rocks of Mississippian age) through collapses, shafts, and drill holes in the shale has caused the formation of a ground-water 'mound' in the vicinity of the Picher Field in Kansas and Oklahoma. Discharge of mine-contaminated ground water to Tar Creek occurs in Oklahoma from drill holes and shafts where the potentiometric surface of the shallow aquifer is above the land surface. Mining of ore in the shallow aquifer has resulted in extensive fracturing and removal of material, which has created highly transmissive zones and voids and increased ground-water storage properties of the aquifer. In the area east of the Pennsylvanian-Mississippian geologic contact (referred to as the eastern area), fractured rock and tailings on the land surface increased the amount of water available for infiltration to the shallow aquifer; in the western area, tailings on the impermeable shale created artificial, perched aquifer systems that slowly drain to surface streams. Pumping of the deep aquifer (rocks of Cambrian and Ordovician age) by towns and industries, which developed as a result of the mining industry, has resulted in a potential for downward movement of water from the shallow aquifer. The potential is greatest in Ottawa County, Oklahoma. Because of the large volume of water that may be transported from the shallow to the deep aquifer, open drill holes or casings present the greatest contamination hazard to water supplies in the deep aquifer. Mining allowed oxidation of ore deposits which, on saturation with water, resulted in poor-quality water that generally contains large concentrations of sulfate and trace metals. Water from mines in the eastern area contained dissolved-solids concentrations of less than 500 mg/L (milligrams per liter), a median pH of 3.9, sulfate concentrations that ranged between 98 and 290 mg/L, and median concentrations for zinc of 37,600 micrograms/L (micrograms per liter), for lead of 240 micrograms/L, for cadmium of 180 micrograms/L, for iron of 70 micrograms/L, for manganese of 240 micrograms/L, and for silica of 15 mg/L. Water from mines in the western area contained dissolved-solids concentrations of generally more than 500 mg/L, a median pH of 6.8, sulfate concentrations that ranged between 170 and 2,150 mg/L, and median concentrations for zinc of 3,200 micrograms/L, for lead of 0 micrograms/L (minimum detection limit is 10 micrograms/L), for cadmium of 6 micrograms/L, for iron of 840 micrograms/L, for manganese of 440 micrograms/L, and for silica of 11 mg/L. No conclusive evidence of lateral migration of water from the mines into domestic well-water supplies in the shallow aquifer was found in the study area in Kansas. Analyses of water from public-supply wells tapping the deep aquifer did not indicate contamination with trace metals, although chemical analyses from four of six wells exhibited increasing trends through time in sulfate concentrations. These increases probably reflect localized leakage of water from the shallow aquifer along corroded or leaky well casings. Effects of abandoned lead and zinc mines on tributaries of the Spring River in the eastern area are most severe in Short Creek. Compared with water samples from three other major streams in the eastern area, a sample collected from Short Creek, 2 miles west of Galena, Kansas, during August 1981, contained the largest concentrations of dissolved sulfate (240 mg/L), zinc (25,000 micrograms/L), ca

Applications and benefits of technology in naturally fractured, low permeability reservoirs with special emphasis on results from GRI`s devonian shale and berea sand research in the appalachian basin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jochen, J.E.; Hopkins, C.W.

1993-12-31

;Contents: Naturally fractured reservoir description; Geologic considerations; Shale-specific log model; Stress profiles; Berea reasearch; Benefits analysis; Summary of technologies; Novel well test methods; Natural fracture identification; Reverse drilling; Production data analysis; Fracture treatment quality control; Novel core analysis methods; and Shale well cleanouts.

Solid fossil-fuel recovery by electrical induction heating in situ - A proposal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fisher, S.

1980-04-01

A technique, termed electrical induction heating, is proposed for in situ processes of energy production from solid fossil fuels, such as bitumen production from underground distillation of oil sand; oil by underground distillation of oil shale; petroleum from heavy oil by underground mobilization of heavy oil, from either residues of conventional liquid petroleum deposits or new deposits of viscous oil; methane and coal tar from lignite and coal deposits by underground distillation of coal; and generation of electricity by surface combustion of low calorific-value gas from underground coke gasification by combustion of the organic residue left from the underground distillation of coal by induction heating. A method of surface distillation of mined coking coal by induction heating to produce coke, methane, and coal tar is also proposed.

Massive sulfide exploration models of the Iberian Pyrite Belt Neves Corvo mine region, based in a 3D geological, geophysical and geochemical ProMine study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inverno, Carlos; Matos, João Xavier; Rosa, Carlos; Mário Castelo-Branco, José; Granado, Isabel; Carvalho, João; João Baptista, Maria; Represas, Patrícia; Pereira, Zélia; Oliveira, Tomás; Araujo, Vitor

2013-04-01

The Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB) hosts one of the largest concentrations of massive sulfides in the Earth's crust. This highly productive VMS belt contains more than 85 massive sulfide deposits, totalling an estimate of 1600 Mt of massive ore and about 250 Mt of stockwork ore (Leistel et al., 1998; Oliveira et al., 2005; Tornos, 2006). Included in the South Portuguese Zone the IPB is represented by the Phyllite-Quartzite Group (PQG) composed of shales and quartzites of late Devonian age followed by the Volcanic-Sedimentary Complex (VSC) a submarine succession of sediments and felsic and basic volcanic rocks (late Famennian-late Viséan age). Above the IPB a turbidite sedimentary unit occurs being represented by the Baixo Alentejo Flysch Group (BAFG). The ore deposits are hosted by felsic volcanic rocks and sediments that are dominant in the lower part of the VSC succession. The Neves Corvo (ProMine, EU FP7) project area is focused on the Neves Corvo deposit, an active copper mine. The project area is located between the Messejana Fault and the Portuguese/Spanish border which has been selected for the 3D geological and geophysical modelling study, based on high exploration potential of the Neves Corvo area (Oliveira et al. 2006, Relvas et al. 2006, Pereira et al. 2008, Rosa et al. 2008, Matos et al. 2011, Oliveira et al. 2013). In this study existing LNEG and AGC geological, geophysical and geochemistry databases were considered. New surveys were done: i) - A physical volcanology and palynostratigraphic age data study and log of the Cotovio drill-hole core (1,888 m, drilled by AGC). ii) - Interpretation of 280 km of Squid TEM performed by AGC. Based on the TEM data, significant conductors have been identified related with: shallow conductive cover, graphitic shale, black shale and sulphide mineralizations. The most important TEM conductors are related with the Neves Corvo massive sulphides lenses (1-10 Ωm). iii) - Ground and residual gravimetry studies including superficial directional derivatives to obtain the various directions of the late-Variscan faults, the main overthrusts and lithological structures. iv) - Detailed palynological sediment dating; v) - A seismic survey was conducted in the vicinities of the Neves Corvo mine totalling 82 km of profiles with target depth of over 10 km. A 3D regional model has been constructed for the selected IPB area using GoCAD, integrating the most critical information of the follow geological units: the lower unit BAFG Mértola Formation, the VSC, the Neves Corvo ores and the PQG. It incorporated surface regional geological maps, 168 drill-hole geological logs throughout the area, structural and tectonic data, former seismic sections, where available, and a digital terrain model. Chemical data from 42 selected drill-holes in order to outline in 3D the Cu distribution in the area. The results have already indicated new important guidelines for VHMS exploration and new regional correlations with the Neves Corvo mining area. The 3D modelling study was essential to the detail understanding of the complex IPB geological structures observed in the south of Portugal.

Application of binomial-edited CPMG to shale characterization

USGS Publications Warehouse

Washburn, Kathryn E.; Birdwell, Justin E.

2014-01-01

Unconventional shale resources may contain a significant amount of hydrogen in organic solids such as kerogen, but it is not possible to directly detect these solids with many NMR systems. Binomial-edited pulse sequences capitalize on magnetization transfer between solids, semi-solids, and liquids to provide an indirect method of detecting solid organic materials in shales. When the organic solids can be directly measured, binomial-editing helps distinguish between different phases. We applied a binomial-edited CPMG pulse sequence to a range of natural and experimentally-altered shale samples. The most substantial signal loss is seen in shales rich in organic solids while fluids associated with inorganic pores seem essentially unaffected. This suggests that binomial-editing is a potential method for determining fluid locations, solid organic content, and kerogen–bitumen discrimination.

Molecular characterization and comparison of shale oils generated by different pyrolysis methods using FT-ICR mass spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jin, J.M.; Kim, S.; Birdwell, J.E.

2011-01-01

Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT ICR-MS) was applied in the analysis of shale oils generated using two different pyrolysis systems under laboratory conditions meant to simulate surface and in situ oil shale retorting. Significant variations were observed in the shale oils, particularly the degree of conjugation of the constituent molecules. Comparison of FT ICR-MS results to standard oil characterization methods (API gravity, SARA fractionation, gas chromatography-flame ionization detection) indicated correspondence between the average Double Bond Equivalence (DBE) and asphaltene content. The results show that, based on the average DBE values and DBE distributions of the shale oils examined, highly conjugated species are enriched in samples produced under low pressure, high temperature conditions and in the presence of water.

METHOD OF CHEMICAL ANALYSIS FOR OIL SHALE WASTES

EPA Science Inventory

Several methods of chemical analysis are described for oil shale wastewaters and retort gases. These methods are designed to support the field testing of various pollution control systems. As such, emphasis has been placed on methods which are rapid and sufficiently rugged to per...

Tectonic setting of Jurassic basins in Central Mongolia: Insights from the geochemistry of Tsagaan-Ovoo oil shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erdenetsogt, B. O.; Hong, S. K.; Choi, J.; Odgerel, N.; Lee, I.; Ichinnorov, N.; Tsolmon, G.; Munkhnasan, B.

2017-12-01

Tsagaan-Ovoo syncline hosting Lower-Middle Jurassic oil shale is a part of Saikhan-Ovoo the largest Jurassic sedimentary basin in Central Mongolia. It is generally accepted that early Mesozoic basins are foreland basins. In total, 18 oil shale samples were collected from an open-pit mine. The contents of organic carbon, and total nitrogen and their isotopic compositions as well as major element concentrations were analyzed. The average TOC content is 12.4±1.2 %, indicating excellent source rock potential. C/N ratios show an average of 30.0±1.2, suggesting terrestrial OM. The average value of δ15N is +3.9±0.2‰, while that of δ13Corg is -25.7±0.1‰. The isotopic compositions argue for OM derived dominantly from land plant. Moreover, changes in δ15N values of analyzed samples reflect variations in algal OM concentration of oil shale. The lowest δ15N value (+2.5‰) was obtained from base section, representing the highest amount of terrestrial OM, whereas higher δ15N values (up to +5.2‰) are recorded at top section, reflecting increased amount of algal OM. On the other hand, changes in δ15N value may also represent changes in redox state of water column in paleolake. The oil shale at bottom of section with low δ15N value was accumulated under oxic condition, when the delivery of land plant OM was high. With increase in subsidence rate through time, lake was deepened and water column was depleted in oxygen probably due to extensive phytoplankton growth, which results increase in algae derived OM contents as well as bulk δ15N of oil shale. The average value of CAI for Tsagan-Ovoo oil shale is 81.6±1.3, reflecting intensive weathering in the source area. The plotted data on A-CN-K diagram displays that oil shale was sourced mainly from Early Permian granodiorite and diorite, which are widely distributed around Tsagaan-Ovoo syncline. To infer tectonic setting, two multi-dimensional discrimination diagrams were used. The results suggest that the tectonic setting of Tsagaan-Ovoo syncline, in which the studied oil shale was deposited, was continental rift. This finding contradicts with generally accepted contractile deformation during early Mesozoic in Mongolia and China. Further detailed study is required to decipher the tectonic settings of central Mongolian Jurassic basins.

GIS-and Web-based Water Resource Geospatial Infrastructure for Oil Shale Development

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, Wei; Minnick, Matthew; Geza, Mengistu

2012-09-30

The Colorado School of Mines (CSM) was awarded a grant by the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Department of Energy (DOE) to conduct a research project en- titled GIS- and Web-based Water Resource Geospatial Infrastructure for Oil Shale Development in October of 2008. The ultimate goal of this research project is to develop a water resource geo-spatial infrastructure that serves as “baseline data” for creating solutions on water resource management and for supporting decisions making on oil shale resource development. The project came to the end on September 30, 2012. This final project report will report the key findings frommore » the project activity, major accomplishments, and expected impacts of the research. At meantime, the gamma version (also known as Version 4.0) of the geodatabase as well as other various deliverables stored on digital storage media will be send to the program manager at NETL, DOE via express mail. The key findings from the project activity include the quantitative spatial and temporal distribution of the water resource throughout the Piceance Basin, water consumption with respect to oil shale production, and data gaps identified. Major accomplishments of this project include the creation of a relational geodatabase, automated data processing scripts (Matlab) for database link with surface water and geological model, ArcGIS Model for hydrogeologic data processing for groundwater model input, a 3D geological model, surface water/groundwater models, energy resource development systems model, as well as a web-based geo-spatial infrastructure for data exploration, visualization and dissemination. This research will have broad impacts of the devel- opment of the oil shale resources in the US. The geodatabase provides a “baseline” data for fur- ther study of the oil shale development and identification of further data collection needs. The 3D geological model provides better understanding through data interpolation and visualization techniques of the Piceance Basin structure spatial distribution of the oil shale resources. The sur- face water/groundwater models quantify the water shortage and better understanding the spatial distribution of the available water resources. The energy resource development systems model reveals the phase shift of water usage and the oil shale production, which will facilitate better planning for oil shale development. Detailed descriptions about the key findings from the project activity, major accomplishments, and expected impacts of the research will be given in the sec- tion of “ACCOMPLISHMENTS, RESULTS, AND DISCUSSION” of this report.« less

Discards beneficiation in South Africa

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Horsfall, D.W.

1995-08-01

The intergrown nature of most South African coals means that in beneficiating them, the preparation engineer rarely has the easy task of carrying out a simple separation between good coal and high density shale or stone. Apart from de-shaling operations, all beneficiation entails rejecting, not only adventitious stone but a large percentage of high ash but strongly combustible middlings material. Typically, a coal preparation plant can only recover about 70-80% of the heat in the run-of-mine coal. The other 20-30% ends up on the discard heap. Over the last decade, extensive studies were carried out to establish the extend tomore » which that discarded heat may be recoverable in marketable grades of coal. Detailed washability studies were carried out on four mines which between them produce almost 60% of the total make of discards. Computer simulations allowed different flowsheet configurations to be assessed to give rewashed coal of various calorific values. The flowsheets were also subjected to factorial establishment of budget capital and operating costs. Finally some initial work was carried out on the potential markets for such products. This paper is concise account of the results of the study for one major mine. Please note that the paper is based almost wholly on the evaluation carried out for the Energy Branch of the Department of Mineral and Energy Affairs (DMEA). The actual work was executed by the van Eck and Lurie Division of E L Bateman and Co. The writer chaired the Beneficiation Sub-Committee set up by the DMEA to oversee and guide the work, and in that capacity was closely connected with the study as it evolved. Other acknowledgements are given at the end of the paper.« less

Pacific Northwest Laboratory annual report for 1980 to the DOE Assistant Secretary for Environment. Part 5. Environmental assessment, control, health and safety

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baalman, R.W.; Hays, I.D.

1981-02-01

Pacific Northwest Laboratory's (PNL) 1980 annual report to the DOE Assistant Secretary for Environment describes research in environment, health, and safety conducted during fiscal year 1980. Part 5 includes technology assessments for natural gas, enhanced oil recovery, oil shale, uranium mining, magnetic fusion energy, solar energy, uranium enrichment and industrial energy utilization; regional analysis studies of environmental transport and community impacts; environmental and safety engineering for LNG, oil spills, LPG, shale oil waste waters, geothermal liquid waste disposal, compressed air energy storage, and nuclear/fusion fuel cycles; operational and environmental safety studies of decommissioning, environmental monitoring, personnel dosimetry, and analysis ofmore » criticality safety; health physics studies; and epidemiological studies. Also included are an author index, organization of PNL charts and distribution lists of the annual report, along with lists of presentations and publications. (DLS)« less

Oxygen transport and pyrite oxidation in unsaturated coal-mine spoil

USGS Publications Warehouse

Guo, Weixing; Cravotta, Charles A.

1996-01-01

An understanding of the mechanisms of oxygen (02) transport in unsaturated mine spoil is necessary to design and implement effective measures to exclude 02 from pyritic materials and to control the formation of acidic mine drainage. Partial pressure of oxygen (Po2) in pore gas, chemistry of pore water, and temperature were measured at different depths in unsaturated spoil at two reclaimed surface coal mines in Pennsylvania. At mine 1, where spoil was loose, blocky sandstone, Po2 changed little with depth, decreasing from 21 volume percent (vol%) at the ground surface to a minimum of about 18 vol% at 10 m depth. At mine 2, where spoil was compacted, friable shale, Po2 decreased to less than 2 vol% at depth of about 10 m. Although pore-water chemistry and temperature data indicate that acid-forming reactions were active at both mines, the pore-gas data indicate that mechanisms for 0 2 transport were different at each mine. A numerical model was developed to simulate 02 transport and pyrite oxidation in unsaturated mine spoil. The results of the numerical simulations indicate that differences in 02 transport at the two mines can be explained by differences in the air permeability of spoil. Po2 changes little with depth if advective transport of 02 dominates as at mine 1, but decreases greatly with depth if diffusive transport of 02 dominates, as in mine 2. Model results also indicate that advective transport becomes significant if the air permeability of spoil is greater than 10-9 m2, which is expected for blocky sandstone spoil. In the advective-dominant system, thermally-induced convective air flow, as a consequence of the exothermic oxidation of pyrite, supplies the 02 to maintain high Po2 within the deep unsaturated zone.

Paleozoic shale gas resources in the Sichuan Basin, China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Potter, Christopher J.

2018-01-01

The Sichuan Basin, China, is commonly considered to contain the world’s most abundant shale gas resources. Although its Paleozoic marine shales share many basic characteristics with successful United States gas shales, numerous geologic uncertainties exist, and Sichuan Basin shale gas production is nascent. Gas retention was likely compromised by the age of the shale reservoirs, multiple uplifts and orogenies, and migration pathways along unconformities. High thermal maturities raise questions about gas storage potential in lower Paleozoic shales. Given these uncertainties, a new look at Sichuan Basin shale gas resources is advantageous. As part of a systematic effort to quantitatively assess continuous oil and gas resources in priority basins worldwide, the US Geological Survey (USGS) completed an assessment of Paleozoic shale gas in the Sichuan Basin in 2015. Three organic-rich marine Paleozoic shale intervals meet the USGS geologic criteria for quantitative assessment of shale gas resources: the lower Cambrian Qiongzhusi Formation, the uppermost Ordovician Wufeng through lowermost Silurian Longmaxi Formations (currently producing shale gas), and the upper Permian Longtan and Dalong Formations. This study defined geologically based assessment units and calculated probabilistic distributions of technically recoverable shale gas resources using the USGS well productivity–based method. For six assessment units evaluated in 2015, the USGS estimated a mean value of 23.9 tcf (677 billion cubic meters) of undiscovered, technically recoverable shale gas. This result is considerably lower than volumes calculated in previous shale gas assessments of the Sichuan Basin, highlighting a need for caution in this geologically challenging setting.

Determination of maximal amount of minor gases adsorbed in a shale sample by headspace gas chromatography.

PubMed

Zhang, Chun-Yun; Hu, Hui-Chao; Chai, Xin-Sheng; Pan, Lei; Xiao, Xian-Ming

2014-02-07

In this paper, we present a novel method for determining the maximal amount of ethane, a minor gas species, adsorbed in a shale sample. The method is based on the time-dependent release of ethane from shale samples measured by headspace gas chromatography (HS-GC). The study includes a mathematical model for fitting the experimental data, calculating the maximal amount gas adsorbed, and predicting results at other temperatures. The method is a more efficient alternative to the isothermal adsorption method that is in widespread use today. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Organoporosity Evaluation of Shale: A Case Study of the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Shale in Southeast Chongqing, China

PubMed Central

Chen, Fangwen; Lu, Shuangfang; Ding, Xue

2014-01-01

The organopores play an important role in determining total volume of hydrocarbons in shale gas reservoir. The Lower Silurian Longmaxi Shale in southeast Chongqing was selected as a case to confirm the contribution of organopores (microscale and nanoscale pores within organic matters in shale) formed by hydrocarbon generation to total volume of hydrocarbons in shale gas reservoir. Using the material balance principle combined with chemical kinetics methods, an evaluation model of organoporosity for shale gas reservoirs was established. The results indicate that there are four important model parameters to consider when evaluating organoporosity in shale: the original organic carbon (w(TOC0)), the original hydrogen index (I H0), the transformation ratio of generated hydrocarbon (F(R o)), and the organopore correction coefficient (C). The organoporosity of the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Shale in the Py1 well is from 0.20 to 2.76%, and the average value is 1.25%. The organoporosity variation trends and the residual organic carbon of Longmaxi Shale are consistent in section. The residual organic carbon is indicative of the relative levels of organoporosity, while the samples are in the same shale reservoirs with similar buried depths. PMID:25184155

Experimental investigations of the wettability of clays and shales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borysenko, Artem; Clennell, Ben; Sedev, Rossen; Burgar, Iko; Ralston, John; Raven, Mark; Dewhurst, David; Liu, Keyu

2009-07-01

Wettability in argillaceous materials is poorly understood, yet it is critical to hydrocarbon recovery in clay-rich reservoirs and capillary seal capacity in both caprocks and fault gouges. The hydrophobic or hydrophilic nature of clay-bearing soils and sediments also controls to a large degree the movement of spilled nonaqueous phase liquids in the subsurface and the options available for remediation of these pollutants. In this paper the wettability of hydrocarbons contacting shales in their natural state and the tendencies for wettability alteration were examined. Water-wet, oil-wet, and mixed-wet shales from wells in Australia were investigated and were compared with simplified model shales (single and mixed minerals) artificially treated in crude oil. The intact natural shale samples (preserved with their original water content) were characterized petrophysically by dielectric spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance, plus scanning electron, optical and fluorescence microscopy. Wettability alteration was studied using spontaneous imbibition, pigment extraction, and the sessile drop method for contact angle measurement. The mineralogy and chemical compositions of the shales were determined by standard methods. By studying pure minerals and natural shales in parallel, a correlation between the petrophysical properties, and wetting behavior was observed. These correlations may potentially be used to assess wettability in downhole measurements.

Environmental Assessment Report. Saxon Harbor Operation and Maintenance Activities and Harbor Related Shoreline Erosion, Iron County, Wisconsin.

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-05-01

Extensive deposits of low-grade ore ( taconite ) remain in the county, and redevelopment of mining in Iron County is a possibility, utilizing modern technology...shale-derived sediments at the advent of the continental glaciation. The resistant sides of the trough (the present Minnesota shore, the Keweenaw...glacier retreated, a high terminal moraine associated with high ground on the Minnesota and Hichigan sides allowed a glacial lake to develop. The

Maps showing industrial mineral resources of the Joplin 1 degree by 2 degrees Quadrangle, Kansas and Missouri

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grisafe, David A.; Rueff, Ardel W.

1991-01-01

This map is part of a folio of maps of the Joplin 1° X 2° quadrangle, Kansas and Missouri prepared under the Conterminuous United States Mineral Assessment Program (CUSMAP). Other publications in this folio to date include U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-2125-A (Erickson and others, 1990). Additional maps showing various geologic aspects of the Joplin quadrangle will be published as U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Maps bearing this same serial number with different letter suffixes (MF-2125-C, -D, and so on). The industrial mineral resources of the Joplin 1° X 2° quadrangle are crushed stone, dimension stone, clay and shale, construction sand and gravel (including chat, or chert-rich tailings from metal mines), and asphaltic sandstone. At present only crushed stone, clay and shale, and construction sand and gravel are of economic importance; the remainder are considered hypothetical resources. The value of industrial mineral production during 1987, the most recent year of complete data as supplied by the U.S. Bureau of Mines, was nearly $25,600,000. In terms of finished products such as cement and brick, the value is several times that amount. Figure 1 shows the annual value of industrial mineral production within the quadrangle from 1960 through 1987.

Enrichment of rare earth elements as environmental tracers of contamination by acid mine drainage in salt marshes: a new perspective.

PubMed

Delgado, Joaquín; Pérez-López, Rafael; Galván, Laura; Nieto, José Miguel; Boski, Tomasz

2012-09-01

Rare earth elements (REE) were analyzed in surface sediments from the Guadiana Estuary (SW Iberian Pyrite Belt). NASC (North American Shale Composite) normalized REE patterns show clearly convex curvatures in middle-REE (MREE) with respect to light- and heavy-REE, indicating acid-mixing processes between fluvial waters affected by acid mine drainage (AMD) and seawater. However, REE distributions in the mouth (closer to the coastal area) show slightly LREE-enriched and flat patterns, indicating saline-mixing processes typical of the coastal zone. NASC-normalized ratios (La/Gd and La/Yb) do not discriminate between both mixing processes in the estuary. Instead, a new parameter (E(MREE)) has been applied to measure the curvature in the MREE segment. The values of E(MREE)>0 are indicative of acid signatures and their spatial distribution reveal the existence of two decantation zones from flocculation processes related to drought periods and flood events. Studying REE fractionation through the E(MREE) may serve as a good proxy for AMD-pollution in estuarine environments in relation to the traditional methods. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organic-rich shale lithofacies geophysical prediction: A case study in the fifth organic-matter-rich interval of Paleogene Hetaoyuan Formation, Biyang Depression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fei, S.; Xinong, X.

2017-12-01

The fifth organic-matter-rich interval (ORI 5) in the He-third Member of the Paleogene Hetaoyuan Formation is believed to be the main exploration target for shale oil in Biyang Depression, eastern China. An important part of successful explorating and producing shale oil is to identify and predict organic-rich shale lithofacies with different reservoir capacities and rock geomechanical properties, which are related to organic matter content and mineral components. In this study, shale lithofacies are defined by core analysis data, well-logging and seismic data, and the spatial-temporal distribution of various lithologies are predicted qualitatively by seismic attribute technology and quantitatively by geostatistical inversion analysis, and the prediction results are confirmed by the logging data and geological background. ORI 5 is present in lacustrine expanding system tract and can be further divided into four parasequence sets based on the analysis of conventional logs, TOC content and wavelet transform. Calcareous shale, dolomitic shale, argillaceous shale, silty shale and muddy siltstone are defined within ORI 5, and can be separated and predicted in regional-scale by root mean square amplitude (RMS) analysis and wave impedance. The results indicate that in the early expansion system tract, dolomitic shale and calcareous shale widely developed in the study area, and argillaceous shale, silty shale, and muddy siltstone only developed in periphery of deep depression. With the lake level rising, argillaceous shale and calcareous shale are well developed, and argillaceous shale interbeded with silty shale or muddy siltstone developed in deep or semi-deep lake. In the late expansion system tract, argillaceous shale is widely deposited in the deepest depression, calcareous shale presented band distribution in the east of the depression. Actual test results indicate that these methods are feasible to predict the spatial distribution of shale lithofacies.

Comparison of formation mechanism of fresh-water and salt-water lacustrine organic-rich shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Senhu

2017-04-01

Based on the core and thin section observation, major, trace and rare earth elements test, carbon and oxygen isotopes content analysis and other geochemical methods, a detailed study was performed on formation mechanism of lacustrine organic-rich shale by taking the middle Permian salt-water shale in Zhungaer Basin and upper Triassic fresh-water shale in Ordos Basin as the research target. The results show that, the middle Permian salt-water shale was overall deposited in hot and dry climate. Long-term reductive environment and high biological abundance due to elevated temperature provides favorable conditions for formation and preservation of organic-rich shale. Within certain limits, the hotter climate, the organic-richer shale formed. These organic-rich shale was typically distributed in the area where palaeosalinity is relatively high. However, during the upper Triassic at Ordos Basin, organic-rich shale was formed in warm and moist environment. What's more, if the temperature, salinity or water depth rises, the TOC in shale decreases. In other words, relatively low temperature and salinity, stable lake level and strong reducing conditions benefits organic-rich shale deposits in fresh water. In this sense, looking for high-TOC shale in lacustrine basin needs to follow different rules depends on the palaeoclimate and palaeoenvironment during sedimentary period. There is reason to believe that the some other factors can also have significant impact on formation mechanism of organic-rich shale, which increases the complexity of shale oil and gas prediction.

Detailed description of oil shale organic and mineralogical heterogeneity via fourier transform infrared mircoscopy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Washburn, Kathryn E.; Birdwell, Justin E.; Foster, Michael; Gutierrez, Fernando

2015-01-01

Mineralogical and geochemical information on reservoir and source rocks is necessary to assess and produce from petroleum systems. The standard methods in the petroleum industry for obtaining these properties are bulk measurements on homogenized, generally crushed, and pulverized rock samples and can take from hours to days to perform. New methods using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy have been developed to more rapidly obtain information on mineralogy and geochemistry. However, these methods are also typically performed on bulk, homogenized samples. We present a new approach to rock sample characterization incorporating multivariate analysis and FTIR microscopy to provide non-destructive, spatially resolved mineralogy and geochemistry on whole rock samples. We are able to predict bulk mineralogy and organic carbon content within the same margin of error as standard characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD) and total organic carbon (TOC) analysis. Validation of the method was performed using two oil shale samples from the Green River Formation in the Piceance Basin with differing sedimentary structures. One sample represents laminated Green River oil shales, and the other is representative of oil shale breccia. The FTIR microscopy results on the oil shales agree with XRD and LECO TOC data from the homogenized samples but also give additional detail regarding sample heterogeneity by providing information on the distribution of mineral phases and organic content. While measurements for this study were performed on oil shales, the method could also be applied to other geological samples, such as other mudrocks, complex carbonates, and soils.

Distribution and geochemical characterization of coalbed gases at excavation fields at natural analogue site area Velenje Basin, Slovenia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanduč, Tjaša; Žigon, Stojan; Grassa, Fausto; Sedlar, Jerneja; Zadnik, Ivo; Zavšek, Simon

2016-04-01

Unconventional gas resources, including coal bed methane and shale gas, are a growing part of the global energy mix, which has changed the economic and strategic picture for gas consuming and producing countries, including the USA, China and Australia that, together are responsible for around half the currently recoverable unconventional gas resources. However, CBM production was often hindered by low permeability and mineralization in cleats and fractures, necessitating the development of cost effective horizontal drilling and completion techniques. Geochemical and isotopic monitoring of coalbed gases at excavation fields in Velenje Basin started in year 2000, with the aim to obtain better insights into the origin of coalbed gases. Results from active excavation fields in the mining areas Pesje and Preloge in the year period 2014-2015 are presented in this study. Composition and isotopic composition of coalbed gases were determined with mass - spectrometric methods. The chemical (methane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen) and isotopic composition of carbon in methane and carbon dioxide in the Velenje Basin vary and depend on the composition of the source of coalbed gas before excavation, advancement of the working face, depth of the longwall face, pre-mining activity and newly mined activity. The basic gas components determined in excavation fields are carbon dioxide and methane. Knowledge of the stable isotope geochemistry of coal bed and shale gas and the related production water is essential to determine not only gas origins but also the dominant methanogenic pathway in the case of microbial gas. Concentrations of methane at active excavation fields are changing from 1.8 to 63.9 %, concentrations of carbon dioxide are changing from 36.1 to 98.2% and CDMI (Carbon Dioxide Methane Index) index from 0.2 to 100 %. Isotopic composition of carbon dioxide is changing from -11.0 to -1.9‰ , isotopic composition of methane from -71.8 to -43.3‰ , isotopic composition of deuterium in methane from -343.9 to -223.1‰ , respectively. Further, these characteristics of methane have been compared with those observed in other coal sedimentary basins worldwide. The isotopic compositions of carbon and hydrogen in methane in the excavation fields show its biogenic origin, while a high Carbon Dioxide Methane Index (CDMI index) indicates the bacterial and endogenic origin of carbon dioxide.

Hydrology and subsidence potential of proposed coal-lease tracts in Delta County, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brooks, Tom

1983-01-01

Potential subsidence from underground coal mining and associated hydrologic impacts were investigated at two coal-lease tracts in Delta County, Colorado. Alteration of existing flow systems could affect water users in the surrounding area. The Mesaverde Formation transmits little ground water because of the neglibile transmissivity of the 1,300 feet of fine-grained sandstone, coal , and shale comprising the formation. The transmissivities of coal beds within the lower Mesaverde Formation ranged from 1.5 to 16.7 feet squared per day, and the transmissivity of the upper Mesaverde Formation, based on a single test, was 0.33 foot squared per day. Transmissivities of the alluvium ranged from 108 to 230 feet squared per day. The transmissivity of unconsolidated Quaternary deposits, determined from an aquifer test, was about 1,900 feet squared per day. Mining beneath Stevens Gulch and East Roatcap Creek could produce surface expressions of subsidence. Subsidence fractures could partly drain alluvial valley aquifers or streamflow in these mines. (USGS)

Characterising the vertical separation of shale-gas source rocks and aquifers across England and Wales (UK)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loveless, Sian E.; Bloomfield, John P.; Ward, Robert S.; Hart, Alwyn J.; Davey, Ian R.; Lewis, Melinda A.

2018-03-01

Shale gas is considered by many to have the potential to provide the UK with greater energy security, economic growth and jobs. However, development of a shale gas industry is highly contentious due to environmental concerns including the risk of groundwater pollution. Evidence suggests that the vertical separation between exploited shale units and aquifers is an important factor in the risk to groundwater from shale gas exploitation. A methodology is presented to assess the vertical separation between different pairs of aquifers and shales that are present across England and Wales. The application of the method is then demonstrated for two of these pairs—the Cretaceous Chalk Group aquifer and the Upper Jurassic Kimmeridge Clay Formation, and the Triassic sandstone aquifer and the Carboniferous Bowland Shale Formation. Challenges in defining what might be considered criteria for `safe separation' between a shale gas formation and an overlying aquifer are discussed, in particular with respect to uncertainties in geological properties, aquifer extents and determination of socially acceptable risk levels. Modelled vertical separations suggest that the risk of aquifer contamination from shale exploration will vary greatly between shale-aquifer pairs and between regions and this will need to be considered carefully as part of the risk assessment and management for any shale gas development.

Ground-water resources and potential hydrologic effects of surface coal mining in the northern Powder River basin, southeastern Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Slagle, Steven E.; Lewis, Barney D.; Lee, Roger W.

1985-01-01

The shallow ground-water system in the northern Powder River Basin consists of Upper Cretaceous to Holocene aquifers overlying the Bearpaw Shale--namely, the Fox Hills Sandstone; Hell Creek, Fort Union, and Wasatch Formations; terrace deposits; and alluvium. Ground-water flow above the Bearpaw Shale can be divided into two general flow patterns. An upper flow pattern occurs in aquifers at depths of less than about 200 feet and occurs primarily as localized flow controlled by the surface topography. A lower flow pattern occurs in aquifers at depths from about 200 to 1,200 feet and exhibits a more regional flow, which is generally northward toward the Yellowstone River with significant flow toward the Powder and Tongue Rivers. The chemical quality of water in the shallow ground-water system in the study area varies widely, and most of the ground water does not meet standards for dissolved constituents in public drinking water established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Water from depths less than 200 feet generally is a sodium sulfate type having an average dissolved-solids concentration of 2,100 milligrams per liter. Sodium bicarbonate water having an average dissolved-solids concentration of 1,400 milligrams per liter is typical from aquifers in the shallow ground-water system at depths between 200 and 1,200 feet. Effects of surface coal mining on the water resources in the northern Powder River Basin are dependent on the stratigraphic location of the mine cut. Where the cut lies above the water-yielding zone, the effects will be minimal. Where the mine cut intersects a water-ielding zone, effects on water levels and flow patterns can be significant locally, but water levels and flow patterns will return to approximate premining conditions after mining ceases. Ground water in and near active and former mines may become more mineralized, owing to the placement of spoil material from the reducing zone in the unsaturated zone where the minerals are subject to oxidation. Regional effects probably will be small because of the limited areal extent of ground-water flow systems where mining is feasible. Results of digital models are presented to illustrate the effects of varying hydraulic properties on water-level changes resulting from mine dewatering. The model simulations were designed to depict maximum-drawdown situations. One simulation indicates that after 20 years of continuous dewatering of an infinite, homogeneous, isotropic aquifer that is 10 feet thick and has an initial potentiometric surface 10 feet above the top of the aquifer, water-level declines greater than 1 foot would generally be limited to within 7.5 miles of the center of the mine excavation; declines greater than 2 feet to within about 6 miles; declines greater than 5 feet to within about 3.7 miles; declines greater than 10 feet to within about 1.7 miles; and declines greater than 15 feet to within 1.2 miles.

GEE CREEK WILDERNESS, TENNESSEE.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Epstein, Jack B.; Gazdik, Gertrude C.

1984-01-01

On the basis of geologic, geochemical, and mine and prospect surveys, it was determined that the Gee Creek Wilderness, Tennessee has little promise for the occurrence of mineral resources. Iron ore was formerly mined, but the deposits are small, have a high phosphorous content, and are inaccessible. Shale, suitable for brick or lightweight aggregate, and sandstone, which could be utilized for crushed stone or sand, are found in the area, but are also found in areas closer to potential markets. The geologic setting precludes the presence of oil and gas resources in the surface rocks, but the possibility of finding natural gas at depth below the rocks exposed in the area cannot be discounted. Geophysical exploration would be necessary to define the local structure in rocks at depth to properly evaluate the potential of the area for gas.

Oil shale derived pollutant control materials and methods and apparatuses for producing and utilizing the same

DOEpatents

Boardman, Richard D.; Carrington, Robert A.

2010-05-04

Pollution control substances may be formed from the combustion of oil shale, which may produce a kerogen-based pyrolysis gas and shale sorbent, each of which may be used to reduce, absorb, or adsorb pollutants in pollution producing combustion processes, pyrolysis processes, or other reaction processes. Pyrolysis gases produced during the combustion or gasification of oil shale may also be used as a combustion gas or may be processed or otherwise refined to produce synthetic gases and fuels.

Maps showing selected geology and phosphate resources of the Snowdrift Mountain quadrangle, Bear Lake and Caribou Counties, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Derkey, Pamela Dunlap; Paul, Ken; Johnston, Bea; Palmer, Pamela; Zamanek, Alexander; Fakourbayat, Mahasti; Hovland, R.D.

1985-01-01

This report summarizes information on the thickness grade, lateral continuity, phosphate resources, and ownership of phosphate bearing units in the Meade Park Phosphatic Shale Member of the Phosphoria Formation in the Snowdrift Mountain quadrangle. This report is one of a series of quadrangle reports prepared by the Idaho Bureau of Mines and Geology under U.S. Geological Survey cost-sharing contract #14-08-0001-17925 to calculate phosphate resources in southeastern Idaho (fig.1).

JAMES RIVER FACE WILDERNESS, VIRGINIA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, C. Ervin; Gazdik, Gertrude C.

1984-01-01

A mineral survey concluded that the James River Face Wilderness, Virginia, had little promise for the occurrence of metallic mineral resources. Two major rock units in the area do contain large nonmetallic mineral resources of quartzite and shale that have been mined for silica products and for brick and expanded aggregate, respectively. Because large deposits of the same material are more easily available in nearby areas, demand for the deposits within the wilderness is highly unlikely. No energy resources were identified in the course of this study.

Source and Assessment of Metal Pollution at Khetri Copper Mine Tailings and Neighboring Soils, Rajasthan, India.

PubMed

Punia, Anita; Siddaiah, N Siva; Singh, Saurabh K

2017-11-01

We present here the results of the study on metal pollution by identifying source, abundance and distribution in soil and tailings of Khetri copper complex (KCC) mines, Rajasthan India. The region is highly contaminated by copper (Cu) with higher values in the soil near overburden material (1224 mg/kg) and tailings (111 mg/kg). The average Cu (231 mg/kg) concentration of soil is ~9, 5 and 32 times higher than upper crust, world average shale (WAS) and local background soil (LS), respectively. However this reaches to ~82, 46 and 280 times higher in case of tailing when compared. The correlation and principal component analysis for soil reveals that the source of Cu, Zn, Co, Ni, Mn and Fe is mining and Pb and Cd could be result of weathering of parent rocks and other anthropogenic activities. The source for Cr in soil is both mining activities and weathering of parent rocks. The values of index of geo-accumulation (I geo ) and pollution load index for soil using LS as background are higher compared to values calculated using WAS. The metal rich sulphide bearing overburden material as well as tailings present in the open environment at KCC mines region warrants a proper management to minimize their impact on the environment.

Characterization of oil shale, isolated kerogen, and post-pyrolysis residues using advanced 13 solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cao, Xiaoyan; Birdwell, Justin E.; Chappell, Mark A.; Li, Yuan; Pignatello, Joseph J.; Mao, Jingdong

2013-01-01

Characterization of oil shale kerogen and organic residues remaining in postpyrolysis spent shale is critical to the understanding of the oil generation process and approaches to dealing with issues related to spent shale. The chemical structure of organic matter in raw oil shale and spent shale samples was examined in this study using advanced solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Oil shale was collected from Mahogany zone outcrops in the Piceance Basin. Five samples were analyzed: (1) raw oil shale, (2) isolated kerogen, (3) oil shale extracted with chloroform, (4) oil shale retorted in an open system at 500°C to mimic surface retorting, and (5) oil shale retorted in a closed system at 360°C to simulate in-situ retorting. The NMR methods applied included quantitative direct polarization with magic-angle spinning at 13 kHz, cross polarization with total sideband suppression, dipolar dephasing, CHn selection, 13C chemical shift anisotropy filtering, and 1H-13C long-range recoupled dipolar dephasing. The NMR results showed that, relative to the raw oil shale, (1) bitumen extraction and kerogen isolation by demineralization removed some oxygen-containing and alkyl moieties; (2) unpyrolyzed samples had low aromatic condensation; (3) oil shale pyrolysis removed aliphatic moieties, leaving behind residues enriched in aromatic carbon; and (4) oil shale retorted in an open system at 500°C contained larger aromatic clusters and more protonated aromatic moieties than oil shale retorted in a closed system at 360°C, which contained more total aromatic carbon with a wide range of cluster sizes.

Updated methods for assessing the impacts of nearby gas drilling and production on neighborhood air quality and human health.

PubMed

Olaguer, Eduardo P; Erickson, Matthew; Wijesinghe, Asanga; Neish, Brad; Williams, Jeff; Colvin, John

2016-02-01

An explosive growth in natural gas production within the last decade has fueled concern over the public health impacts of air pollutant emissions from oil and gas sites in the Barnett and Eagle Ford shale regions of Texas. Commonly acknowledged sources of uncertainty are the lack of sustained monitoring of ambient concentrations of pollutants associated with gas mining, poor quantification of their emissions, and inability to correlate health symptoms with specific emission events. These uncertainties are best addressed not by conventional monitoring and modeling technology, but by increasingly available advanced techniques for real-time mobile monitoring, microscale modeling and source attribution, and real-time broadcasting of air quality and human health data over the World Wide Web. The combination of contemporary scientific and social media approaches can be used to develop a strategy to detect and quantify emission events from oil and gas facilities, alert nearby residents of these events, and collect associated human health data, all in real time or near-real time. The various technical elements of this strategy are demonstrated based on the results of past, current, and planned future monitoring studies in the Barnett and Eagle Ford shale regions. Resources should not be invested in expanding the conventional air quality monitoring network in the vicinity of oil and gas exploration and production sites. Rather, more contemporary monitoring and data analysis techniques should take the place of older methods to better protect the health of nearby residents and maintain the integrity of the surrounding environment.

Methods for synthesis of some jarosites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Driscoll, Rhonda; Leinz, Reinhard

2005-01-01

Experimental procedures in this report summarize attempts to synthesize potassium-, hydronium-, sodium-, and mixed-composition (hydronium-bearing) jarosites. After experimentation, some acceptable combinations of chemical and physical factors were found to routinely synthesize chemically different jarosites, which were used as part of a characterization study of some natural and synthetic jarosites. Jarosite is a sulfate mineral that is common in geologic settings where iron sulfide minerals such as pyrite or marcasite are subject to oxidative weathering. The presence of jarosite is a hallmark of acidic conditions. Jarosite forms as a secondary mineral in weathered sulfidic ores, coal mine wastes, on oxidizing mine wastes, and in streams affected by acid mine drainage. Jarosite also forms in acid-sulfate soils, as an alteration product of sulfidic shales, and in hydrothermal environments. Because of its important role in earth surface processes, the USGS is conducting mineralogical, geochemical, and remote sensing studies to characterize natural jarosites and to elucidate its stability range and conditions of formation. The presence of jarosite is not limited to the Earth. The recent identification of jarosite in the rocks at the Meridiani Planum on Mars has given planetary geologists reason to think that jarosite may be evidence of relict lacustrine (lake systems) or hydrothermal (water enriched magma emanations) systems on the Martian surface. USGS scientists are currently developing jarosite detection systems that can be placed on orbiting spectrometers. One day these systems may guide Mars landers to sites abundant in jarosite, sites most likely to have sheltered ancient Martian life.

Multiscale study for stochastic characterization of shale samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tahmasebi, Pejman; Javadpour, Farzam; Sahimi, Muhammad; Piri, Mohammad

2016-03-01

Characterization of shale reservoirs, which are typically of low permeability, is very difficult because of the presence of multiscale structures. While three-dimensional (3D) imaging can be an ultimate solution for revealing important complexities of such reservoirs, acquiring such images is costly and time consuming. On the other hand, high-quality 2D images, which are widely available, also reveal useful information about shales' pore connectivity and size. Most of the current modeling methods that are based on 2D images use limited and insufficient extracted information. One remedy to the shortcoming is direct use of qualitative images, a concept that we introduce in this paper. We demonstrate that higher-order statistics (as opposed to the traditional two-point statistics, such as variograms) are necessary for developing an accurate model of shales, and describe an efficient method for using 2D images that is capable of utilizing qualitative and physical information within an image and generating stochastic realizations of shales. We then further refine the model by describing and utilizing several techniques, including an iterative framework, for removing some possible artifacts and better pattern reproduction. Next, we introduce a new histogram-matching algorithm that accounts for concealed nanostructures in shale samples. We also present two new multiresolution and multiscale approaches for dealing with distinct pore structures that are common in shale reservoirs. In the multiresolution method, the original high-quality image is upscaled in a pyramid-like manner in order to achieve more accurate global and long-range structures. The multiscale approach integrates two images, each containing diverse pore networks - the nano- and microscale pores - using a high-resolution image representing small-scale pores and, at the same time, reconstructing large pores using a low-quality image. Eventually, the results are integrated to generate a 3D model. The methods are tested on two shale samples for which full 3D samples are available. The quantitative accuracy of the models is demonstrated by computing their morphological and flow properties and comparing them with those of the actual 3D images. The success of the method hinges upon the use of very different low- and high-resolution images.

77 FR 5833 - Notice of Availability of the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Allocation of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-06

... of the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Allocation of Oil Shale and Tar Sands... of Oil Shale and Tar Sands Resources on Lands Administered by the BLM in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming... preferred method of commenting. Mail: Addressed to: Oil Shale and Tar Sands Resources Draft Programmatic EIS...

Getty to tap heavy oil in diatomite

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Williams, B.

1982-01-18

Getty Oil Co. has launched a test program in California to mine a huge deposit of diatomaceous earth. The company will run side by side pilot plants incorporating 2 state-of-the-art extraction processes to extract virtually 100% of the heavy oil contained in the mined material. Economic success of either extraction process would lead to development of a commercial scale mine and plant to yield as much as 20,000 bpd of heavy oil during the next half century. More important success of the Getty project could serve as a springboard for development of other tight, shallow diatomite, oil shale, and tarmore » sands deposits hitherto thought uneconomic. The target is ca 380 million bbl of recoverable 14 to 17 gravity oil locked in tight, shallow diatomite deposits in McKittrick field. That is more than the 218 million bbl of cumulative production from the entire field since its discovery more than 80 yr ago. Although open pit mining of diatomite eventually will cover a 2.5-mile by one-mile surface area, going as deep as 1200 ft, extensive backfilling and reclamation work will leave the landscape restored.« less

Decaking of coal or oil shale during pyrolysis in the presence of iron oxides

DOEpatents

Khan, M. Rashid

1989-01-01

A method for producing a fuel from the pyrolysis of coal or oil shale in the presence of iron oxide in an inert gas atmosphere. The method includes the steps of pulverizing feed coal or oil shale, pulverizing iron oxide, mixing the pulverized feed and iron oxide, and heating the mixture in a gas atmosphere which is substantially inert to the mixture so as to form a product fuel, which may be gaseous, liquid and/or solid. The method of the invention reduces the swelling of coals, such as bituminous coal and the like, which are otherwise known to swell during pyrolysis.

76 FR 21003 - Notice of Intent To Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Possible Land...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-14

... Allocation of Oil Shale and Tar Sands Resources on Lands Administered by the Bureau of Land Management in... to prepare a Programmatic EIS for Allocation of Oil Shale and Tar Sands Resources on Lands... following methods: Web site: http://blm.gov/st5c . Mail: BLM Oil Shale and Tar Sands Resources Leasing...

Comparative study on direct burning of oil shale and coal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammad, Ahmad; Al Asfar, Jamil

2017-07-01

A comparative study of the direct burning processes of oil shale and coal in a circulating fluidized bed (CFB) was done in this study using ANSYS Fluent software to solve numerically the governing equations of continuity, momentum, energy and mass diffusion using finite volume method. The model was built based on an existing experimental combustion burner unit. The model was validated by comparing the theoretical results of oil shale with proved experimental results from the combustion unit. It was found that the temperature contours of the combustion process showed that the adiabatic flame temperature was 1080 K for oil shale compared with 2260 K for coal, while the obtained experimental results of temperatures at various locations of burner during the direct burning of oil shale showed that the maximum temperature reached 962 K for oil shale. These results were used in economic and environmental analysis which show that oil shale may be used as alternative fuel for coal in cement industry in Jordan.

Deliberating the perceived risks, benefits, and societal implications of shale gas and oil extraction by hydraulic fracturing in the US and UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Merryn; Partridge, Tristan; Harthorn, Barbara Herr; Pidgeon, Nick

2017-04-01

Shale gas and oil production in the US has increased rapidly in the past decade, while interest in prospective development has also arisen in the UK. In both countries, shale resources and the method of their extraction (hydraulic fracturing, or 'fracking') have been met with opposition amid concerns about impacts on water, greenhouse gas emissions, and health effects. Here we report the findings of a qualitative, cross-national deliberation study of public perceptions of shale development in UK and US locations not yet subject to extensive shale development. When presented with a carefully calibrated range of risks and benefits, participants' discourse focused on risks or doubts about benefits, and potential impacts were viewed as inequitably distributed. Participants drew on direct, place-based experiences as well as national contexts in deliberating shale development. These findings suggest that shale gas development already evokes a similar 'signature' of risk across the US and UK.

Injection-induced earthquakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellsworth, William L.

2013-01-01

Earthquakes in unusual locations have become an important topic of discussion in both North America and Europe, owing to the concern that industrial activity could cause damaging earthquakes. It has long been understood that earthquakes can be induced by impoundment of reservoirs, surface and underground mining, withdrawal of fluids and gas from the subsurface, and injection of fluids into underground formations. Injection-induced earthquakes have, in particular, become a focus of discussion as the application of hydraulic fracturing to tight shale formations is enabling the production of oil and gas from previously unproductive formations. Earthquakes can be induced as part of the process to stimulate the production from tight shale formations, or by disposal of wastewater associated with stimulation and production. Here, I review recent seismic activity that may be associated with industrial activity, with a focus on the disposal of wastewater by injection in deep wells; assess the scientific understanding of induced earthquakes; and discuss the key scientific challenges to be met for assessing this hazard.

Development of measures to improve technologies of energy recovery from gaseous wastes of oil shale processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tugov, A. N.; Ots, A.; Siirde, A.; Sidorkin, V. T.; Ryabov, G. A.

2016-06-01

Prospects of the use of oil shale are associated with its thermal processing for the production of liquid fuel, shale oil. Gaseous by-products, such as low-calorie generator gas with a calorific value up to 4.3MJ/m3 or semicoke gas with a calorific value up to 56.57 MJ/m3, are generated depending on the oil shale processing method. The main methods of energy recovery from these gases are either their cofiring with oil shale in power boilers or firing only under gaseous conditions in reconstructed or specially designed for this fuel boilers. The possible use of gaseous products of oil shale processing in gas-turbine or gas-piston units is also considered. Experiments on the cofiring of oil shale gas and its gaseous processing products have been carried out on boilers BKZ-75-39FSl in Kohtla-Järve and on the boiler TP-101 of the Estonian power plant. The test results have shown that, in the case of cofiring, the concentration of sulfur oxides in exhaust gases does not exceed the level of existing values in the case of oil shale firing. The low-temperature corrosion rate does not change as compared to the firing of only oil shale, and, therefore, operation conditions of boiler back-end surfaces do not worsen. When implementing measures to reduce the generation of NO x , especially of flue gas recirculation, it has been possible to reduce the emissions of nitrogen oxides in the whole boiler. The operation experience of the reconstructed boilers BKZ-75-39FSl after their transfer to the firing of only gaseous products of oil shale processing is summarized. Concentrations of nitrogen and sulfur oxides in the combustion products of semicoke and generator gases are measured. Technical solutions that made it possible to minimize the damage to air heater pipes associated with the low-temperature sulfur corrosion are proposed and implemented. The technological measures for burners of new boilers that made it possible to burn gaseous products of oil shale processing with low emissions of nitrogen oxides are developed.

Updated methodology for nuclear magnetic resonance characterization of shales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Washburn, Kathryn E.; Birdwell, Justin E.

2013-08-01

Unconventional petroleum resources, particularly in shales, are expected to play an increasingly important role in the world's energy portfolio in the coming years. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), particularly at low-field, provides important information in the evaluation of shale resources. Most of the low-field NMR analyses performed on shale samples rely heavily on standard T1 and T2 measurements. We present a new approach using solid echoes in the measurement of T1 and T1-T2 correlations that addresses some of the challenges encountered when making NMR measurements on shale samples compared to conventional reservoir rocks. Combining these techniques with standard T1 and T2 measurements provides a more complete assessment of the hydrogen-bearing constituents (e.g., bitumen, kerogen, clay-bound water) in shale samples. These methods are applied to immature and pyrolyzed oil shale samples to examine the solid and highly viscous organic phases present during the petroleum generation process. The solid echo measurements produce additional signal in the oil shale samples compared to the standard methodologies, indicating the presence of components undergoing homonuclear dipolar coupling. The results presented here include the first low-field NMR measurements performed on kerogen as well as detailed NMR analysis of highly viscous thermally generated bitumen present in pyrolyzed oil shale.

Updated methodology for nuclear magnetic resonance characterization of shales

USGS Publications Warehouse

Washburn, Kathryn E.; Birdwell, Justin E.

2013-01-01

Unconventional petroleum resources, particularly in shales, are expected to play an increasingly important role in the world’s energy portfolio in the coming years. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), particularly at low-field, provides important information in the evaluation of shale resources. Most of the low-field NMR analyses performed on shale samples rely heavily on standard T1 and T2 measurements. We present a new approach using solid echoes in the measurement of T1 and T1–T2 correlations that addresses some of the challenges encountered when making NMR measurements on shale samples compared to conventional reservoir rocks. Combining these techniques with standard T1 and T2 measurements provides a more complete assessment of the hydrogen-bearing constituents (e.g., bitumen, kerogen, clay-bound water) in shale samples. These methods are applied to immature and pyrolyzed oil shale samples to examine the solid and highly viscous organic phases present during the petroleum generation process. The solid echo measurements produce additional signal in the oil shale samples compared to the standard methodologies, indicating the presence of components undergoing homonuclear dipolar coupling. The results presented here include the first low-field NMR measurements performed on kerogen as well as detailed NMR analysis of highly viscous thermally generated bitumen present in pyrolyzed oil shale.

Decaking of coal or oil shale during pyrolysis in the presence of iron oxides

DOEpatents

Rashid Khan, M.

1988-05-05

A method for producing a fuel from the pyrolysis of coal or oil shale in the presence of iron oxide in an inert gas atmosphere is described. The method includes the steps of pulverizing feed coal or oil shale, pulverizing iron oxide, mixing the pulverized feed and iron oxide, and heating the mixture in a gas atmosphere which is substantially inert to the mixture so as to form a product fuel, which may be gaseous, liquid and/or solid. The method of the invention reduces the swelling of coals, such as bituminous coal and the like, which are otherwise known to swell during pyrolysis. 4 figs., 8 tabs.

Major and trace elements in Mahogany zone oil shale in two cores from the Green River Formation, piceance basin, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tuttle, M.L.; Dean, W.E.; Parduhn, N.L.

1983-01-01

The Parachute Creek Member of the lacustrine Green River Formation contains thick sequences of rich oil-shale. The richest sequence and the richest oil-shale bed occurring in the member are called the Mahogany zone and the Mahogany bed, respectively, and were deposited in ancient Lake Uinta. The name "Mahogany" is derived from the red-brown color imparted to the rock by its rich-kerogen content. Geochemical abundance and distribution of eight major and 18 trace elements were determined in the Mahogany zone sampled from two cores, U. S. Geological Survey core hole CR-2 and U. S. Bureau of Mines core hole O1-A (Figure 1). The oil shale from core hole CR-2 was deposited nearer the margin of Lake Uinta than oil shale from core hole O1-A. The major- and trace-element chemistry of the Mahogany zone from each of these two cores is compared using elemental abundances and Q-mode factor modeling. The results of chemical analyses of 44 CR-2 Mahogany samples and 76 O1-A Mahogany samples are summarized in Figure 2. The average geochemical abundances for shale (1) and black shale (2) are also plotted on Figure 2 for comparison. The elemental abundances in the samples from the two cores are similar for the majority of elements. Differences at the 95% probability level are higher concentrations of Ca, Cu, La, Ni, Sc and Zr in the samples from core hole CR-2 compared to samples from core hole O1-A and higher concentrations of As and Sr in samples from core hole O1-A compared to samples from core hole CR-2. These differences presumably reflect slight differences in depositional conditions or source material at the two sites. The Mahogany oil shale from the two cores has lower concentrations of most trace metals and higher concentrations of carbonate-related elements (Ca, Mg, Sr and Na) compared to the average shale and black shale. During deposition of the Mahogany oil shale, large quantities of carbonates were precipitated resulting in the enrichment of carbonate-related elements and dilution of most trace elements as pointed out in several previous studies. Q-mode factor modeling is a statistical method used to group samples on the basis of compositional similarities. Factor end-member samples are chosen by the model. All other sample compositions are represented by varying proportions of the factor end-members and grouped as to their highest proportion. The compositional similarities defined by the Q-mode model are helpful in understanding processes controlling multi-element distributions. The models for each core are essentially identical. A four-factor model explains 70% of the variance in the CR-2 data and 64% of the O1-A data (the average correlation coefficients are 0. 84 and 0. 80, respectively). Increasing the number of factors above 4 results in the addition of unique instead of common factors. Table I groups the elements based on high factor-loading scores (the amount of influence each element has in defining the model factors). Similar elemental associations are found in both cores. Elemental abundances are plotted as a function of core depth using a five-point weighted moving average of the original data to smooth the curve (Figure 3 and 4). The plots are grouped according to the four factors defined by the Q-mode models and show similar distributions for elements within the same factor. Factor 1 samples are rich in most trace metals. High oil yield and the presence of illite characterize the end-member samples for this factor (3, 4) suggesting that adsorption of metals onto clay particles or organic matter is controlling the distribution of the metals. Precipitation of some metals as sulfides is possible (5). Factor 2 samples are high in elements commonly associated with minerals of detrital or volcanogenic origin. Altered tuff beds and lenses are prevalent within the Mahogany zone. The CR-2 end-member samples for this factor contain analcime (3) which is an alteration product within the tuff beds of the Green River Formation. Th

Molecular Imaging of Kerogen and Minerals in Shale Rocks across Micro- and Nano- Scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, Z.; Bechtel, H.; Sannibale, F.; Kneafsey, T. J.; Gilbert, B.; Nico, P. S.

2016-12-01

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is a reliable and non-destructive quantitative method to evaluate mineralogy and kerogen content / maturity of shale rocks, although it is traditionally difficult to assess the organic and mineralogical heterogeneity at micrometer and nanometer scales due to the diffraction limit of the infrared light. However, it is truly at these scales that the kerogen and mineral content and their formation in share rocks determines the quality of shale gas reserve, the gas flow mechanisms and the gas production. Therefore, it's necessary to develop new approaches which can image across both micro- and nano- scales. In this presentation, we will describe two new molecular imaging approaches to obtain kerogen and mineral information in shale rocks at the unprecedented high spatial resolution, and a cross-scale quantitative multivariate analysis method to provide rapid geochemical characterization of large size samples. The two imaging approaches are enhanced at nearfield respectively by a Ge-hemisphere (GE) and by a metallic scanning probe (SINS). The GE method is a modified microscopic attenuated total reflectance (ATR) method which rapidly captures a chemical image of the shale rock surface at 1 to 5 micrometer resolution with a large field of view of 600 X 600 micrometer, while the SINS probes the surface at 20 nm resolution which provides a chemically "deconvoluted" map at the nano-pore level. The detailed geochemical distribution at nanoscale is then used to build a machine learning model to generate self-calibrated chemical distribution map at micrometer scale with the input of the GE images. A number of geochemical contents across these two important scales are observed and analyzed, including the minerals (oxides, carbonates, sulphides), the organics (carbohydrates, aromatics), and the absorbed gases. These approaches are self-calibrated, optics friendly and non-destructive, so they hold the potential to monitor shale gas flow at real time inside the micro- or nano- pore network, which is of great interest for optimizing the shale gas extraction.

Integrating SANS and fluid-invasion methods to characterize pore structure of typical American shale oil reservoirs.

PubMed

Zhao, Jianhua; Jin, Zhijun; Hu, Qinhong; Jin, Zhenkui; Barber, Troy J; Zhang, Yuxiang; Bleuel, Markus

2017-11-13

An integration of small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), low-pressure N 2 physisorption (LPNP), and mercury injection capillary pressure (MICP) methods was employed to study the pore structure of four oil shale samples from leading Niobrara, Wolfcamp, Bakken, and Utica Formations in USA. Porosity values obtained from SANS are higher than those from two fluid-invasion methods, due to the ability of neutrons to probe pore spaces inaccessible to N 2 and mercury. However, SANS and LPNP methods exhibit a similar pore-size distribution, and both methods (in measuring total pore volume) show different results of porosity and pore-size distribution obtained from the MICP method (quantifying pore throats). Multi-scale (five pore-diameter intervals) inaccessible porosity to N 2 was determined using SANS and LPNP data. Overall, a large value of inaccessible porosity occurs at pore diameters <10 nm, which we attribute to low connectivity of organic matter-hosted and clay-associated pores in these shales. While each method probes a unique aspect of complex pore structure of shale, the discrepancy between pore structure results from different methods is explained with respect to their difference in measurable ranges of pore diameter, pore space, pore type, sample size and associated pore connectivity, as well as theoretical base and interpretation.

Organic petrology of subbituminous carbonaceous shale samples from Chalaw, Kabul Province, Afghanistan: Considerations for paleoenvironment and energy resource potential

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hackley, P.C.; SanFilipo, J.R.; Azizi, G.P.; Davis, P.A.; Starratt, S.W.

2010-01-01

Neogene (?) subbituminous carbonaceous shale deposits from Chalaw, Afghanistan, were investigated through organic petrology techniques and standard coal analyses to determine paleoenvironment and potential for resource utilization. The Chalaw deposit, approximately 30. km southeast of Kabul, currently is exploited for brick making and domestic heating and cooking. Three multiple-bench channel samples of the mined bed at Chalaw were collected and evaluated. The presence of significant huminite (ranging from 0.2 to 59.0. vol.%, mineral-inclusive basis) is suggestive of a terrestrial lignin-rich precursor plant material. Measured reflectance values of 0.38-0.55% indicate subbituminous rank. This rank suggests burial depths of approximately 1500. m and maximum temperatures of approximately 50. ??C. Structured liptinite macerals generally are absent except for some fluorescing morphologies interpreted to be poorly-preserved root cork suberinite. Sponge spicule bioliths including gemmoscleres and megascleres are common. These petrographic observations, in addition to high mineral matter content (33 to >95 vol%), medium to high sulfur content (2.1-11.5. wt.%, dry basis; db), and the presence of common gastropod? shell fragments and an aragonite-needle chalk bed are consistent with, but not directly indicative of, a marginal marine or estuarine mangrove depositional environment. However, additional data are necessary to confirm this hypothesis and deposition in a freshwater environment cannot be ruled out at this time.Commercial-scale development and utilization of the Chalaw deposit as a thermal fuel resource may be possible using a fluidized bed combustion system which could accept the low-quality mine product currently produced. Samples examined herein contain high-ash yield (45-90. wt.%, db), high total moisture content (17-39. wt.%), low calorific value (980-6860. Btu/lb, m,mmf), and have poor agglomerating properties (FSI=0), consistent with fuels utilized in fluidized bed combustors. However, delineation of the extent of the deposit through field investigation will be necessary to make a quantified resource estimate for mine planning. ?? 2009.

Military jet fuel from shale oil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coppola, E. N.

1980-01-01

Investigations leading to a specification for aviation turbine fuel produced from whole crude shale oil are described. Refining methods involving hydrocracking, hydrotreating, and extraction processes are briefly examined and their production capabilities are assessed.

Characterization of nanoporous shales with gas sorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joewondo, N.; Prasad, M.

2017-12-01

The understanding of the fluid flow in porous media requires the knowledge of the pore system involved. Fluid flow in fine grained shales falls under different regime than transport regime in conventional reservoir due to the different average pore sizes in the two materials; the average pore diameter of conventional sandstones is on the micrometer scale, while of shales can be as small as several nanometers. Mercury intrusion porosimetry is normally used to characterize the pores of conventional reservoir, however with increasingly small pores, the injection pressure required to imbibe the pores becomes infinitely large due to surface tension. Characterization of pores can be expressed by a pore size distribution (PSD) plot, which reflects distribution of pore volume or surface area with respect to pore size. For the case of nanoporous materials, the surface area, which serves as the interface between the rock matrix and fluid, becomes increasingly large and important. Physisorption of gas has been extensively studied as a method of nanoporous solid characterization (particularly for the application of catalysis, metal organic frameworks, etc). The PSD is obtained by matching the experimental result to the calculated theoretical result (using Density Functional Theory (DFT), a quantum mechanics based modelling method for molecular scale interactions). We present the challenges and experimental result of Nitrogen and CO2 gas sorption on shales with various mineralogy and the interpreted PSD obtained by DFT method. Our result shows significant surface area contributed by the nanopores of shales, hence the importance of surface area measurements for the characterization of shales.

Preliminary report on the clay mineralogy of the Upper Devonian Shales in the southern and middle Appalachian Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hosterman, John W.; Loferski, Patricia J.

1978-01-01

The distribution of kaolinite in parts of the Devonian shale section is the most significant finding of this work. These shales are composed predominately of 2M illite and illitic mixed-layer clay with minor amounts of chlorite and kaolinite. Preliminary data indicate that kaolinite, the only allogenic clay mineral, is present in successively older beds of the Ohio Shale from south to north in the southern and middle parts of the Appalachian basin. This trend in the distribution of kaolinite shows a paleocurrent direction to the southwest. Three well-known methods of preparing the clay fraction for X-ray diffraction analysis were tested and evaluated. Kaolinite was not identified in two of the methods because of layering due to differing settling rates of the clay minerals. It is suggested that if one of the two settling methods of sample preparation is used, the clay film be thin enough for the X-ray beam to penetrate the entire thickness of clay.

Experimental study of CO2 effect on shale mechanical properties in the processes of complete strain-stress and post-failure tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y.; Ji, J.; Li, M.

2017-12-01

CO2 enhanced shale gas recovery has proved to be one of the most efficient methods to extract shale gas, and represent a mutually beneficial approach to mitigate greenhouse gas emission into the atmosphere. During the processes of most CO2 enhanced shale gas recovery, liquid CO2 is injected into reservoirs, fracturing the shale, making competitive adsorption with shale gas and displacing the shale gas at multi-scale to the production well. Hydraulic and mechanical coupling actions between the shale and fluid media are expected to play important roles in affecting fracture propagation, CO2 adsorption and shale gas desorption, multi-scale fluid flow, plume development, and CO2 storage. In this study, four reservoir shale samples were selected to carry out triaxial compression experiments of complete strain-stress and post failure tests. Two fluid media, CO2 and N2, were used to flow through the samples and produce the pore pressure. All of the above four compression experiments were conducted under the same confining and pore pressures, and loaded the axial pressure with the same loading path. Permeability, strain-stress, and pore volumetric change were measured and recorded over time. The results show that, compared to N2, CO2 appeared to lower the peak strength and elastic modulus of shale samples, and increase the permeability up two to six orders of magnitudes after the sample failure. Furthermore, the shale samples were dilated by CO2 much more than N2, and retained the volume of CO2 2.6 times more than N2. Results from this study indicate that the CO2 can embrittle the shale formation so as to form fracture net easily to enhance the shale gas recovery. Meanwhile, part of the remaining CO2 might be adsorbed on the surface of shale matrix and the rest of the CO2 be in the pore and fracture spaces, implying that CO2 can be effectively geo-stored in the shale formation.

National Coal Quality Inventory (NACQI)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robert Finkelman

2005-09-30

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted the National Coal Quality Inventory (NaCQI) between 1999 and 2005 to address a need for quality information on coals that will be mined during the next 20-30 years. Collaboration between the USGS, State geological surveys, universities, coal burning utilities, and the coal mining industry plus funding support from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) permitted collection and submittal of coal samples for analysis. The chemical data (proximate and ultimate analyses; major, minor and trace element concentrations) for 729 samples of raw or prepared coal, coal associated shale,more » and coal combustion products (fly ash, hopper ash, bottom ash and gypsum) from nine coal producing States are included. In addition, the project identified a new coal reference analytical standard, to be designated CWE-1 (West Elk Mine, Gunnison County, Colorado) that is a high-volatile-B or high-volatile-A bituminous coal with low contents of ash yield and sulfur, and very low, but detectable contents of chlorine, mercury and other trace elements.« less

Integration of remote sensing and surface geophysics in the detection of faults

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, P. L.; Shuchman, R. A.; Wagner, H.; Ruskey, F.

1977-01-01

Remote sensing was included in a comprehensive investigation of the use of geophysical techniques to aid in underground mine placement. The primary objective was to detect faults and slumping, features which, due to structural weakness and excess water, cause construction difficulties and safety hazards in mine construction. Preliminary geologic reconnaissance was performed on a potential site for an underground oil shale mine in the Piceance Creek Basin of Colorado. LANDSAT data, black and white aerial photography and 3 cm radar imagery were obtained. LANDSAT data were primarily used in optical imagery and digital tape forms, both of which were analyzed and enhanced by computer techniques. The aerial photography and radar data offered supplemental information. Surface linears in the test area were located and mapped principally from LANDSAT data. A specific, relatively wide, linear pointed directly toward the test site, but did not extend into it. Density slicing, ratioing, and edge enhancement of the LANDSAT data all indicated the existence of this linear. Radar imagery marginally confirmed the linear, while aerial photography did not confirm it.

Apparatus and method for igniting an in situ oil shale retort

DOEpatents

Chambers, Carlon C.

1981-01-01

A method and apparatus for conducting such method are disclosed for igniting a fragmented permeable mass of formation particles in an in situ oil shale retort. The method is conducted by forming a hole through unfragmented formation to the fragmented mass. An oxygen-containing gas is introduced into the hole. A fuel is introduced into a portion of the hole spaced apart from the fragmented mass. The fuel and oxygen-containing gas mix forming a combustible mixture which is ignited for establishing a combustion zone in a portion of the hole spaced apart from the fragmented mass. The hot gas generated in the combustion zone is conducted from the hole into the fragmented mass for heating a portion of the fragmented mass above an ignition temperature of oil shale.

Numerical simulation and fracture identification of dual laterolog in organic shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maojin, Tan; Peng, Wang; Qiong, Liu

2012-09-01

Fracture is one of important spaces in shale oil and shale gas reservoirs, and fractures identification and evaluation are an important part in organic shale interpretation. According to the fractured shale gas reservoir, a physical model is set up to study the dual laterolog logging responses. First, based on the principle of dual laterolog, three-dimensional finite element method (FEM) is used to simulate the dual laterolog responses in various formation models with different fractures widths, different fracture numbers, different fractures inclination angle. All the results are extremely important for the fracture identification and evaluation in shale reservoirs. Appointing to different base rock resistivity models, the fracture models are constructed respectively through a number of numerical simulation, and the fracture porosity can be calculated by solving the corresponding formulas. A case study about organic shale formation is analyst and discussed, and the fracture porosity is calculated from dual laterolog. The fracture evaluation results are also be validated right by Full borehole Micro-resistivity Imaging (FMI). So, in case of the absence of borehole resistivity imaging log, the dual laterolog resistivity can be used to estimate the fracture development.

Modeling an exhumed basin: A method for estimating eroded overburden

USGS Publications Warehouse

Poelchau, H.S.

2001-01-01

The Alberta Deep Basin in western Canada has undergone a large amount of erosion following deep burial in the Eocene. Basin modeling and simulation of burial and temperature history require estimates of maximum overburden for each gridpoint in the basin model. Erosion can be estimated using shale compaction trends. For instance, the widely used Magara method attempts to establish a sonic log gradient for shales and uses the extrapolation to a theoretical uncompacted shale value as a first indication of overcompaction and estimation of the amount of erosion. Because such gradients are difficult to establish in many wells, an extension of this method was devised to help map erosion over a large area. Sonic A; values of one suitable shale formation are calibrated with maximum depth of burial estimates from sonic log extrapolation for several wells. This resulting regression equation then can be used to estimate and map maximum depth of burial or amount of erosion for all wells in which this formation has been logged. The example from the Alberta Deep Basin shows that the magnitude of erosion calculated by this method is conservative and comparable to independent estimates using vitrinite reflectance gradient methods. ?? 2001 International Association for Mathematical Geology.

Multiscale model reduction for shale gas transport in poroelastic fractured media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akkutlu, I. Yucel; Efendiev, Yalchin; Vasilyeva, Maria; Wang, Yuhe

2018-01-01

Inherently coupled flow and geomechanics processes in fractured shale media have implications for shale gas production. The system involves highly complex geo-textures comprised of a heterogeneous anisotropic fracture network spatially embedded in an ultra-tight matrix. In addition, nonlinearities due to viscous flow, diffusion, and desorption in the matrix and high velocity gas flow in the fractures complicates the transport. In this paper, we develop a multiscale model reduction approach to couple gas flow and geomechanics in fractured shale media. A Discrete Fracture Model (DFM) is used to treat the complex network of fractures on a fine grid. The coupled flow and geomechanics equations are solved using a fixed stress-splitting scheme by solving the pressure equation using a continuous Galerkin method and the displacement equation using an interior penalty discontinuous Galerkin method. We develop a coarse grid approximation and coupling using the Generalized Multiscale Finite Element Method (GMsFEM). GMsFEM constructs the multiscale basis functions in a systematic way to capture the fracture networks and their interactions with the shale matrix. Numerical results and an error analysis is provided showing that the proposed approach accurately captures the coupled process using a few multiscale basis functions, i.e. a small fraction of the degrees of freedom of the fine-scale problem.

Impacts of Coal Seam Gas (Coal Bed Methane) Extraction on Water Resources in Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Post, David

2015-04-01

While extraction of methane from shale gas deposits has been the principal source of the recent expansion of the industry in the United States and Europe, in Australia extraction of methane from coal bed methane deposits (termed 'coal seam gas' in Australia) has been the focus to date. The two sources of methane share many of the same characteristics including the potential requirement for hydraulic fracturing. However as coal seam gas deposits generally occur at shallower depths than shale gas the potential impacts of extraction and hydraulic fracturing on surface and groundwater resources may be of even greater concern for coal seam gas than for shale gas. In Australia an Independent Expert Scientific Committee (IESC) has been established to provide scientific advice to federal and state government regulators on the impact that coal seam gas and large coal mining developments may have on water resources. This advice is provided to enable decisions to be informed by the best available science about the potential water-related impacts associated with these developments. To support this advice the Australian Government Department of the Environment has implemented a three-year programme of research termed 'bioregional assessments' to investigate these potential impacts. A bioregional assessment is defined as a scientific analysis of the ecology, hydrology, geology and hydrogeology of a bioregion with explicit assessment of the potential direct, indirect and cumulative impacts of coal seam gas and large coal mining development on water resources. These bioregional assessments are currently being carried out across large portions of eastern Australia underlain by coal reserves. Further details of the program and results to date can be found at http://www.bioregionalassessments.gov.au. In this presentation the methodology for undertaking bioregional assessments will be described and the application of this methodology to six priority bioregions in eastern Australia will be detailed. Results of the programme to date will be provided (being nearly two years into the three-year study) with a focus on the preliminary results of numerical groundwater modelling. Once completed this modelling will be used to evaluate the impacts of the depressurisation of coal seams on aquifers and associated ecological, economic and socio-cultural water-dependent assets.

Multivariate analysis relating oil shale geochemical properties to NMR relaxometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Birdwell, Justin E.; Washburn, Kathryn E.

2015-01-01

Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometry has been used to provide insight into shale composition by separating relaxation responses from the various hydrogen-bearing phases present in shales in a noninvasive way. Previous low-field NMR work using solid-echo methods provided qualitative information on organic constituents associated with raw and pyrolyzed oil shale samples, but uncertainty in the interpretation of longitudinal-transverse (T1–T2) relaxometry correlation results indicated further study was required. Qualitative confirmation of peaks attributed to kerogen in oil shale was achieved by comparing T1–T2 correlation measurements made on oil shale samples to measurements made on kerogen isolated from those shales. Quantitative relationships between T1–T2 correlation data and organic geochemical properties of raw and pyrolyzed oil shales were determined using partial least-squares regression (PLSR). Relaxometry results were also compared to infrared spectra, and the results not only provided further confidence in the organic matter peak interpretations but also confirmed attribution of T1–T2 peaks to clay hydroxyls. In addition, PLSR analysis was applied to correlate relaxometry data to trace element concentrations with good success. The results of this work show that NMR relaxometry measurements using the solid-echo approach produce T1–T2 peak distributions that correlate well with geochemical properties of raw and pyrolyzed oil shales.

Residents’ Self-Reported Health Effects and Annoyance in Relation to Air Pollution Exposure in an Industrial Area in Eastern-Estonia

PubMed Central

Idavain, Jane; Pindus, Mihkel; Orru, Kati; Kesanurm, Kaisa; Lang, Aavo; Tomasova, Jelena

2018-01-01

Eastern Estonia has large oil shale mines and industrial facilities mainly focused on electricity generation from oil shale and shale oil extraction, which produce high air pollution emissions. The “Study of the health impact of the oil shale sector—SOHOS” was aimed at identifying the impacts on residents’ health and annoyance due to the industrial processing. First, a population-wide survey about health effects and annoyance was carried out. Second, the total and oil shale sectors’ emitted concentrations of benzene, phenol, and PM2.5 were modelled. Third, the differences between groups were tested and relationships between health effects and environmental pollution studied using multiple regression analysis. Compared to the control groups from non-industrial areas in Tartu or Lääne-Viru, residents of Ida-Viru more frequently (p < 0.05) reported wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, asthma attacks, a long-term cough, hypertension, heart diseases, myocardial infarction, stroke, and diabetes. All health effects except asthma were reported more frequently among non-Estonians. People living in regions with higher levels of PM2.5, had significantly higher odds (p < 0.05) of experiencing chest tightness (OR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.02–1.26), shortness of breath (1.16, 1.03–1.31) or an asthma attack (1.22, 1.04–1.42) during the previous year. People living in regions with higher levels of benzene had higher odds of experiencing myocardial infarction (1.98, 1.11–3.53) and with higher levels of phenol chest tightness (1.44, 1.03–2.00), long-term cough (1.48, 1.06–2.07) and myocardial infarction (2.17, 1.23–3.83). The prevalence of adverse health effects was also higher among those who had been working in the oil shale sector. Next to direct health effects, up to a quarter of the residents of Ida-Viru County were highly annoyed about air pollution. Perceived health risk from air pollution increased the odds of being annoyed. Annoyed people in Ida-Viru had significantly higher odds of experiencing respiratory symptoms during the last 12 months, e.g., wheezing (2.30, 1.31–4.04), chest tightness (2.88, 1.91–4.33 or attack of coughing (1.99, 1.34–2.95). PMID:29393920

Residents' Self-Reported Health Effects and Annoyance in Relation to Air Pollution Exposure in an Industrial Area in Eastern-Estonia.

PubMed

Orru, Hans; Idavain, Jane; Pindus, Mihkel; Orru, Kati; Kesanurm, Kaisa; Lang, Aavo; Tomasova, Jelena

2018-02-02

Eastern Estonia has large oil shale mines and industrial facilities mainly focused on electricity generation from oil shale and shale oil extraction, which produce high air pollution emissions. The "Study of the health impact of the oil shale sector-SOHOS" was aimed at identifying the impacts on residents' health and annoyance due to the industrial processing. First, a population-wide survey about health effects and annoyance was carried out. Second, the total and oil shale sectors' emitted concentrations of benzene, phenol, and PM 2.5 were modelled. Third, the differences between groups were tested and relationships between health effects and environmental pollution studied using multiple regression analysis. Compared to the control groups from non-industrial areas in Tartu or Lääne-Viru, residents of Ida-Viru more frequently ( p < 0.05) reported wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, asthma attacks, a long-term cough, hypertension, heart diseases, myocardial infarction, stroke, and diabetes. All health effects except asthma were reported more frequently among non-Estonians. People living in regions with higher levels of PM 2.5 , had significantly higher odds ( p < 0.05) of experiencing chest tightness (OR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.02-1.26), shortness of breath (1.16, 1.03-1.31) or an asthma attack (1.22, 1.04-1.42) during the previous year. People living in regions with higher levels of benzene had higher odds of experiencing myocardial infarction (1.98, 1.11-3.53) and with higher levels of phenol chest tightness (1.44, 1.03-2.00), long-term cough (1.48, 1.06-2.07) and myocardial infarction (2.17, 1.23-3.83). The prevalence of adverse health effects was also higher among those who had been working in the oil shale sector. Next to direct health effects, up to a quarter of the residents of Ida-Viru County were highly annoyed about air pollution. Perceived health risk from air pollution increased the odds of being annoyed. Annoyed people in Ida-Viru had significantly higher odds of experiencing respiratory symptoms during the last 12 months, e.g., wheezing (2.30, 1.31-4.04), chest tightness (2.88, 1.91-4.33 or attack of coughing (1.99, 1.34-2.95).

Method for forming an in situ oil shale retort with horizontal free faces

DOEpatents

Ricketts, Thomas E.; Fernandes, Robert J.

1983-01-01

A method for forming a fragmented permeable mass of formation particles in an in situ oil shale retort is provided. A horizontally extending void is excavated in unfragmented formation containing oil shale and a zone of unfragmented formation is left adjacent the void. An array of explosive charges is formed in the zone of unfragmented formation. The array of explosive charges comprises rows of central explosive charges surrounded by a band of outer explosive charges which are adjacent side boundaries of the retort being formed. The powder factor of each outer explosive charge is made about equal to the powder factor of each central explosive charge. The explosive charges are detonated for explosively expanding the zone of unfragmented formation toward the void for forming the fragmented permeable mass of formation particles having a reasonably uniformly distributed void fraction in the in situ oil shale retort.

Inorganic carbon and fossil organic carbon are source of bias for quantification of sequestered carbon in mine spoil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vindušková, Olga; Frouz, Jan

2016-04-01

Carbon sequestration in mine soils has been studied as a possibility to mitigate the rising atmospheric CO2 levels and to improve mine soil quality (Vindu\\vsková and Frouz, 2013). Moreover, these soils offer an unique opportunity to study soil carbon dynamics using the chronosequence approach (using a set of sites of different age on similar parent material). However, quantification of sequestered carbon in mine soils is often complicated by fossil organic carbon (e.g., from coal or kerogen) or inorganic carbon present in the spoil. We present a methodology for quantification of both of these common constituents of mine soils. Our recommendations are based on experiments done on post-mining soils in Sokolov basin, Czech Republic. Here, fossil organic carbon is present mainly as kerogen Type I and II and represents 2-6 wt.% C in these soils. Inorganic carbon in these soils is present mainly as siderite (FeCO3), calcite (CaCO3), and dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2). All of these carbonates are often found in the overburden of coal seams thus being a common constituent of post-mining soils in the world. Vindu\\vsková O, Frouz J, 2013. Soil carbon accumulation after open-cast coal and oil shale mining in Northern Hemisphere: a quantitative review. ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCES, 69: 1685-1698. Vindu\\vsková O, Dvořáček V, Prohasková A, Frouz J. 2014. Distinguishing recent and fossil organic matter - A critical step in evaluation of post-mining soil development - using near infrared spectroscopy. ECOLOGICAL ENGINEERING. 73: 643-648. Vindu\\vsková O, Sebag D, Cailleau G, Brus J, Frouz J. 2015. Methodological comparison for quantitative analysis of fossil and recently derived carbon in mine soils with high content of aliphatic kerogen. ORGANIC GEOCHEMISTRY, 89-90:14-22.

DOLLY SODS WILDERNESS, WEST VIRGINIA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Englund, Kenneth J.; Hill, James J.

1984-01-01

Coal, the principal mineral resource of the Dolly Sods Wilderness, West Virginia is in at least seven beds of low- to medium-volatile bituminous rank. Of these beds, four are of sufficient thickness, quality, and extent to contain demonstrated coal resources which are estimated to total about 15. 5 million short tons in areas of substantiated coal resource potential. A Small-scale development of the coal resources of the Dolly Sods Wilderness has been by several shallow adits which provided fuel for locomotives during early logging operations and by a one truck mine. All mine entries are now abandoned. Peat, shale, clay, and sandstone, occur in the area but because of remoteness of markets and inaccessability they are not classified as resources in this report. Natural gas may occur in rocks underlying the area, but because of a lack of subsurface information an estimate of resource potential has not been made. No evidence of metallic-mineral resources was found during this investigation.

Mineralogical characterization of strata of the Meade Peak phosphatic shale member of the Permian Phosphoria Formation: channel and individual rock samples of measured section J and their relationship to measured sections A and B, central part of Rasmussen Ridge, Caribou County, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knudsen, A.C.; Gunter, M.E.; Herring, J.R.; Grauch, R.I.

2002-01-01

The Permian Phosphoria Formation of southeastern Idaho hosts one of the largest phosphate deposits in the world. Despite the economic significance of this Formation, the fine-grained nature of the phosphorite has discouraged detailed mineralogical characterization and quantification studies. Recently, selenium and other potentially toxic trace elements in mine wastes have drawn increased attention to this formation, and motivated additional study. This study uses powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), with Rietveld quantification software, to quantify and characterize the mineralogy of composite channel samples and individual samples collected from the stratigraphic sections measured by the U.S. Geological Survey in the Meade Peak Member of the Permian Phosphoria Formation at the Enoch Valley mine on Rasmussen Ridge, approximately 15 miles northeast of Soda Springs, Idaho.

A study on the Jordanian oil shale resources and utilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakhrieh, Ahmad; Hamdan, Mohammed

2012-11-01

Jordan has significant oil shale deposits occurring in 26 known localities. Geological surveys indicate that the existing deposits underlie more than 60% of Jordan's territory. The resource consists of 40 to 70 billion tones of oil shale, which may be equivalent to more than 5 million tones of shale oil. Since the 1960s, Jordan has been investigating economical and environmental methods for utilizing oil shale. Due to its high organic content, is considered a suitable source of energy. This paper introduces a circulating fluidized bed combustor that simulates the behavior of full scale municipal oil shale combustors. The inside diameter of the combustor is 500 mm, the height is 3000 mm. The design of the CFB is presented. The main parameters which affect the combustion process are elucidated in the paper. The size of the laboratory scale fluidized bed reactor is 3 kW, which corresponds to a fuel-feeding rate of approximately 1.5 kg/h.

Shale characterization on Barito field, Southeast Kalimantan for shale hydrocarbon exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sumotarto, T. A.; Haris, A.; Riyanto, A.; Usman, A.

2017-07-01

Exploration and exploitation in Indonesia now are still focused on conventional hydrocarbon energy than unconventional hydrocarbon energy such as shale gas. Tanjung Formation is a source rock of Barito Basin located in South Kalimantan that potentially as shale hydrocarbon. In this research, integrated methods using geochemical analysis, mineralogy, petrophysical analysis and seismic interpretation has been applied to explore the shale hydrocarbon potential in Barito Field for Tanjung formation. The first step is conducting geochemical and mineralogy analysis to the shale rock sample. Our analysis shows that the organic richness is ranging from 1.26-5.98 wt.% (good to excellent) with the depth of early mature window of 2170 m. The brittleness index is in an average of 0.44-0.56 (less Brittle) and Kerogen type is classified into II/III type that potentially produces oil and gas. The second step is continued by performing petrophysical analysis, which includes Total Organic Carbon (TOC) calculation and brittleness index continuously. The result has been validated with a laboratory measurement that obtained a good correlation. In addition, seismic interpretation based on inverted acoustic impedance is applied to map the distributions of shale hydrocarbon potential. Our interpretation shows that shale hydrocarbon potential is localized in the eastern and southeastern part of the study area.

Method for closing a drift between adjacent in situ oil shale retorts

DOEpatents

Hines, Alex E.

1984-01-01

A row of horizontally spaced-apart in situ oil shale retorts is formed in a subterranean formation containing oil shale. Each row of retorts is formed by excavating development drifts at different elevations through opposite side boundaries of a plurality of retorts in the row of retorts. Each retort is formed by explosively expanding formation toward one or more voids within the boundaries of the retort site to form a fragmented permeable mass of formation particles containing oil shale in each retort. Following formation of each retort, the retort development drifts on the advancing side of the retort are closed off by covering formation particles within the development drift with a layer of crushed oil shale particles having a particle size smaller than the average particle size of oil shale particles in the adjacent retort. In one embodiment, the crushed oil shale particles are pneumatically loaded into the development drift to pack the particles tightly all the way to the top of the drift and throughout the entire cross section of the drift. The closure between adjacent retorts provided by the finely divided oil shale provides sufficient resistance to gas flow through the development drift to effectively inhibit gas flow through the drift during subsequent retorting operations.

Oil shale resources of the Uinta Basin, Utah and Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2010-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently completed a comprehensive assessment of in-place oil in oil shales of the Eocene Green River Formation of the Uinta Basin of eastern Utah and western Colorado. The oil shale interval was subdivided into eighteen roughly time-stratigraphic intervals, and each interval was assessed for variations in gallons per ton, barrels per acre, and total barrels in each township. The Radial Basis Function extrapolation method was used to generate isopach and isoresource maps, and to calculate resources. The total inplace resource for the Uinta Basin is estimated at 1.32 trillion barrels. This is only slightly lower than the estimated 1.53 trillion barrels for the adjacent Piceance Basin, Colorado, to the east, which is thought to be the richest oil shale deposit in the world. However, the area underlain by oil shale in the Uinta Basin is much larger than that of the Piceance Basin, and the average gallons per ton and barrels per acre values for each of the assessed oil shale zones are significantly lower in the depocenter in the Uinta Basin when compared to the Piceance Basin. These relations indicate that the oil shale resources in the Uinta Basin are of lower grade and are more dispersed than the oil shale resources of the Piceance Basin.

Geochemical Analysis for Sedimentary Emerald Mineralization in Western Emerald belt, Colombia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nino Vasquez, Gabriel Felipe; Song, Sheng-Rong

2017-04-01

1Gabriel Felipe Nino Vasquez and 1Sheng-Rong Song 1Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University Colombia hosts a large quantity of mineral resources due to its complex tectonic arrangement, and emerald deposits are one of the most representatives for the country. Emeralds in Colombia occur mainly in black shale, and are located in eastern Andes Cordillera with two parallel belts separated by approximately 130 Km: the Western belt (WB) and the Eastern belt (EB). The geological, mineralogical and tectonic features from these belts are quite similar (Buenaventura 2002). Previous researchers concluded that emeralds in Colombia came from hydrothermal sedimentary processes without any magmatic influence, and suggested that the source of Cr, V and Be (which are important components of the beryl) was the host rock. According to their results, the process which allowed the shale to release these cations was the metasomatism (albitization and carbonization), which was resulted from the interaction between the rocks and the alkaline brines. Fractures and fault planes originated by these tectonic movements were fulfilled by enriched fluids, which they allowed emeralds and the other minerals precipitation with decreasing alkalinity and pressure (Giuliani et al. 1994). However, there were several pitfalls of conclusions drawn from previous researches. Firstly, Cr and V were widely distributed and come from mafic and ultramafic rocks, and Be was mostly found in pegmatites, finding these elements in sedimentary rocks suggest that probably the ultramafic rocks occurred not far from the deposits. Secondly, there was an inconsistency in the estimated temperatures of emeralds formation, i.e. temperature of hydrothermal sedimentary deposits was only 200° C, while laboratory analysis showed that the formation of emeralds was higher than 300° C. Therefore, there might still be an allocthonus influence on emerald formation that significantly increases the temperature. This research is going to contribute information in order to clarify these inconsistencies, We have done the O and C isotopes in calcite and S isotope in pyrite and shale from different mines along the (WB) in order to determine the main fluid source of the mineralization. Selected samples will also be analyzed with EDS, RAMAN and ICP-MS methods to obtain the exact compositions of elements with extremely low concentrations in host rock, metazomatized host rock and mineralization (productive and not productive veins); the main purpose is to measure how strong were the fluid-rock interaction to leach elements out from the black shale. Thin sections from the altered shale and vein have been analyzed with the purpose of identify paragenesis and microstructures in the mineralization. Finally, we would like to gather the results from different sectors and compare it with the previous studies.

Co-treatment of abandoned mine drainage and Marcellus Shale flowback water for use in hydraulic fracturing.

PubMed

He, Can; Zhang, Tieyuan; Vidic, Radisav D

2016-11-01

Flowback water generated during shale gas extraction in Pennsylvania is mostly reused for hydraulic fracturing operation. Abandoned mine drainage (AMD), one of the most widespread threats to water quality in Pennsylvania, can potentially serve as a make-up water source to enable flowback water reuse. This study demonstrated co-treatment of flowback water and AMD produced in northeastern Pennsylvania in a pilot-scale system consisting of rapid mix reactor, flocculation tank and sedimentation tank. Sulfate concentration in the finished water can be controlled at a desired level (i.e., below 100 mg/L) by adjusting the ratio of flowback water and AMD in the influent. Fe 3+ contained in the AMD can serve as a coagulant to enhance the removal of suspended solids, during which Fe 2+ is co-precipitated and the total iron is reduced to a desirable level. Solid waste generated in this process (i.e., barite) will incorporate over 99% of radium present in the flowback water, which offers the possibility to control the fate of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) brought to the surface by unconventional gas extraction. Sludge recirculation in the treatment process can be used to increase the size of barite particles formed by mixing flowback water and AMD to meet specifications for use as a weighting agent in drilling fluid. This alternative management approach for NORM can be used to offset the treatment cost and promote flowback water reuse, reduce environmental impacts of AMD and reduce pressure on fresh water sources. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of water quality in surface water and shallow groundwater: a case study of a rare earth mining area in southern Jiangxi Province, China.

PubMed

Hao, Xiuzhen; Wang, Dengjun; Wang, Peiran; Wang, Yuxia; Zhou, Dongmei

2016-01-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the quality of surface water and shallow groundwater near a rare earth mining area in southern Jiangxi Province, China. Water samples from paddy fields, ponds, streams, wells, and springs were collected and analyzed. The results showed that water bodies were characterized by low pH and high concentrations of total nitrogen (total N), ammonium nitrogen (NH4 (+)-N), manganese (Mn), and rare earth elements (REEs), which was likely due to residual chemicals in the soil after mining activity. A comparison with the surface water standard (State Environmental Protection Administration & General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of China GB3838, 2002) and drinking water sanitary standard (Ministry of Health & National Standardization Management Committee of China GB5749, 2006) of China revealed that 88 % of pond and stream water samples investigated were unsuitable for agricultural use and aquaculture water supply, and 50 % of well and spring water samples were unsuitable for drinking water. Moreover, significant cerium (Ce) negative and heavy REEs enrichment was observed after the data were normalized to the Post-Archean Australian Shales (PAAS). Principal component analysis indicated that the mining activity had a more significant impact on local water quality than terrace field farming and poultry breeding activities. Moreover, greater risk of water pollution and adverse effects on local residents' health was observed with closer proximity to mining sites. Overall, these findings indicate that effective measures to prevent contamination of surrounding water bodies from the effects of mining activity are needed.

Radionuclides and trace metals in Canadian moose near uranium mines: comparison of radiation doses and food chain transfer with cattle and caribou.

PubMed

Thomas, Patricia; Irvine, James; Lyster, Jane; Beaulieu, Rhys

2005-05-01

Tissues from 45 moose and 4 cattle were collected to assess the health of country foods near uranium mines in northern Saskatchewan. Bone, liver, kidney, muscle and rumen contents were analyzed for uranium, radium-226 (226Ra), lead-210 (210Pb), and polonium-210 (210Po). Cesium-137 (137Cs), potassium-40 (40K), and 27 trace metals were also measured in some tissues. Within the most active mining area, Po in liver and muscle declined significantly with distance from tailings, possibly influenced by nearby natural uranium outcrops. Moose from this area had significantly higher 226Ra, 210Pb, 210Po, and 137Cs in some edible soft tissues vs. one control area. However, soil type and diet may influence concentrations as much as uranium mining activities, given that a) liver levels of uranium, 226Ra, and 210Po were similar to a second positive control area with mineral-rich shale hills and b) 210Po was higher in cattle kidneys than in all moose. Enhanced food chain transfer from rumen contents to liver was found for selenium in the main mining area and for copper, molybdenum and cadmium in moose vs. cattle. Although radiological doses to moose in the main mining area were 2.6 times higher than doses to control moose or cattle, low moose intakes yielded low human doses (0.0068 mSv y(-1)), a mere 0.3% of the dose from intake of caribou (2.4 mSv y(-1)), the dietary staple in the area.

Mixed integer simulation optimization for optimal hydraulic fracturing and production of shale gas fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, J. C.; Gong, B.; Wang, H. G.

2016-08-01

Optimal development of shale gas fields involves designing a most productive fracturing network for hydraulic stimulation processes and operating wells appropriately throughout the production time. A hydraulic fracturing network design-determining well placement, number of fracturing stages, and fracture lengths-is defined by specifying a set of integer ordered blocks to drill wells and create fractures in a discrete shale gas reservoir model. The well control variables such as bottom hole pressures or production rates for well operations are real valued. Shale gas development problems, therefore, can be mathematically formulated with mixed-integer optimization models. A shale gas reservoir simulator is used to evaluate the production performance for a hydraulic fracturing and well control plan. To find the optimal fracturing design and well operation is challenging because the problem is a mixed integer optimization problem and entails computationally expensive reservoir simulation. A dynamic simplex interpolation-based alternate subspace (DSIAS) search method is applied for mixed integer optimization problems associated with shale gas development projects. The optimization performance is demonstrated with the example case of the development of the Barnett Shale field. The optimization results of DSIAS are compared with those of a pattern search algorithm.

A novel method for the determination of adsorption partition coefficients of minor gases in a shale sample by headspace gas chromatography.

PubMed

Zhang, Chun-Yun; Hu, Hui-Chao; Chai, Xin-Sheng; Pan, Lei; Xiao, Xian-Ming

2013-10-04

A novel method has been developed for the determination of adsorption partition coefficient (Kd) of minor gases in shale. The method uses samples of two different sizes (masses) of the same material, from which the partition coefficient of the gas can be determined from two independent headspace gas chromatographic (HS-GC) measurements. The equilibrium for the model gas (ethane) was achieved in 5h at 120°C. The method also involves establishing an equation based on the Kd at higher equilibrium temperature, from which the Kd at lower temperature can be calculated. Although the HS-GC method requires some time and effort, it is simpler and quicker than the isothermal adsorption method that is in widespread use today. As a result, the method is simple and practical and can be a valuable tool for shale gas-related research and applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A lithology identification method for continental shale oil reservoir based on BP neural network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Luo; Fuqiang, Lai; Zheng, Dong; Weixu, Xia

2018-06-01

The Dongying Depression and Jiyang Depression of the Bohai Bay Basin consist of continental sedimentary facies with a variable sedimentary environment and the shale layer system has a variety of lithologies and strong heterogeneity. It is difficult to accurately identify the lithologies with traditional lithology identification methods. The back propagation (BP) neural network was used to predict the lithology of continental shale oil reservoirs. Based on the rock slice identification, x-ray diffraction bulk rock mineral analysis, scanning electron microscope analysis, and the data of well logging and logging, the lithology was divided with carbonate, clay and felsic as end-member minerals. According to the core-electrical relationship, the frequency histogram was then used to calculate the logging response range of each lithology. The lithology-sensitive curves selected from 23 logging curves (GR, AC, CNL, DEN, etc) were chosen as the input variables. Finally, the BP neural network training model was established to predict the lithology. The lithology in the study area can be divided into four types: mudstone, lime mudstone, lime oil-mudstone, and lime argillaceous oil-shale. The logging responses of lithology were complicated and characterized by the low values of four indicators and medium values of two indicators. By comparing the number of hidden nodes and the number of training times, we found that the number of 15 hidden nodes and 1000 times of training yielded the best training results. The optimal neural network training model was established based on the above results. The lithology prediction results of BP neural network of well XX-1 showed that the accuracy rate was over 80%, indicating that the method was suitable for lithology identification of continental shale stratigraphy. The study provided the basis for the reservoir quality and oily evaluation of continental shale reservoirs and was of great significance to shale oil and gas exploration.

Effects of Salinity and Confining Pressure on Hydration-Induced Fracture Propagation and Permeability of Mancos Shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Shifeng; Sheng, James J.

2017-11-01

Low-salinity water imbibition was considered an enhanced recovery method in shale oil/gas reservoirs due to the resulting hydration-induced fractures, as observed at ambient conditions. To study the effect of confining pressure and salinity on hydration-induced fractures, time-elapsed computerized tomography (CT) was used to obtain cross-sectional images of shale cores. Based on the CT data of these cross-sectional images, cut faces parallel to the core axial in the middle of the core and 3D fracture images were also reconstructed. To study the effects of confining pressure and salinity on shale pore fluid flowing, shale permeability was measured with Nitrogen (N2), distilled water, 4% KCl solution, and 8% KCl solution. With confining pressures increased to 2 MPa or more, either in distilled water or in KCl solutions of different salinities, fractures were observed to close instead to propagate at the end of the tests. The intrinsic permeabilities of #1 and #2 Mancos shale cores were 60.0 and 7000 nD, respectively. When tested with distilled water, the permeability of #1 shale sample with 20.0 MPa confining pressure loaded, and #2 shale sample with 2.5 MPa confining pressure loaded, decreased to 0.45 and 15 nD, respectively. Using KCl can partly mitigate shale permeability degradation. Compared to 4% KCl, 8% KCl can decrease more permeability damage. From this point of view, high salinity KCl solution should be required for the water-based fracturing fluid.

The optimized log interpretation method and sweet-spot prediction of gas-bearing shale reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Maojin; Bai, Ze; Xu, Jingjing

2017-04-01

Shale gas is one of the most important unconventional oil and gas resources, and its lithology and reservoir type are both different from conventional reservoirs [1,2]. "Where are shale reservoirs" "How to determine the hydrocarbon potential" "How to evaluate the reservoir quality", these are some key problems in front of geophysicists. These are sweet spots prediction and quantitative evaluation. As we known, sweet spots of organic shale include geological sweet spot and engineering sweet spot. Geophysical well logging can provide a lot of in-site formation information along the borehole, and all parameters describing the sweet spots of organic shale are attained by geophysical log interpretation[2]. Based on geological and petrophysical characteristics of gas shale, the log response characteristics of gas shales are summarized. Geological sweet spot includes hydrocarbon potential, porosity, fracture, water saturation and total gas content, which can be calculated by using wireline logs[3]. Firstly, the based-logging hydrocarbon potential evaluation is carried out, and the RBF neural network method is developed to estimate the total organic carbon content (TOC), which was proved more effective and suitable than empirical formula and ΔlogR methods [4]. Next, the optimized log interpretation is achieved by using model-searching, and the mineral concentrations of kerogen, clay, feldspar and pyrite and porosity are calculated. On the other hand, engineering sweet spot of shale refers to the rock physical properties and rock mechanism parameters. Some elastic properties including volume module, shear modulus and Poisson's ratio are correspondingly determined from log interpretation, and the brittleness index (BI), effective stress and pore pressure are also estimated. BI is one of the most important engineering sweet spot parameters. A large number of instances show that the summarized log responses can accurately identify the gas-bearing shale, and the proposed RBF method for TOC prediction has more suitable and flexibility. The mineral contents and porosity from the optimized log interpretation are in good agreement with core XRD experiment and other core experiments. In some polite wells of Jiaoshiba area, china, some parameters in Wufeng-Longmaxi formation are calculated, and geological and engineering sweet spots are finally determined. For the best sweet spot, TOC is about 6%, the porosity is about 8%,the volume of kerogen is about 3%, total gas content is 8m3/t, and the brittleness index is about 90%, and the minimum and maximum horizon stress are about 30MPa and 45 MPa. Therefore, the optimized log interpretation provide an important support for sweet spots prediction and quantitative evaluation of shale gas. References: [1] Sondergeld CH, Ambrose RJ, Rai CS, Moncrieff J. Micro-structure studies of gas shales: in SPE 2012; 131771: 150-166. [2] Ellis D V, Singer J M. 2012. Well Logging for Earth Scientists (2rd edition): Springer Press. [3]Fertl W H, Chillngar G V. 1988. Total organic carbon content determined from well logs: SPE formation evaluation, 407-419. [4] Tan M J, Liu Q, and Zhang S. 2002. A dynamic adaptive radial basis function approach for total organic carbon content prediction in organic shale. Geophysics, 2013, 78(6): 445-459. Acknowledgments: This paper is sponsored by National Natural Science Foundation of China (U1403191, 41172130), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (292015209), and National Major Projects "Development of Major Oil& Gas Fields and Coal Bed Methane" (2016ZX05014-001).

Self-cementing properties of oil shale solid heat carrier retorting residue.

PubMed

Talviste, Peeter; Sedman, Annette; Mõtlep, Riho; Kirsimäe, Kalle

2013-06-01

Oil shale-type organic-rich sedimentary rocks can be pyrolysed to produce shale oil. The pyrolysis of oil shale using solid heat carrier (SHC) technology is accompanied by large amount of environmentally hazardous solid residue-black ash-which needs to be properly landfilled. Usage of oil shale is growing worldwide, and the employment of large SHC retorts increases the amount of black ash type of waste, but little is known about its physical and chemical properties. The objectives of this research were to study the composition and self-cementing properties of black ash by simulating different disposal strategies in order to find the most appropriate landfilling method. Three disposal methods were simulated in laboratory experiment: hydraulic disposal with and without grain size separation, and dry dumping of moist residue. Black ash exhibited good self-cementing properties with maximum compressive strength values of >6 MPa after 90 days. About 80% of strength was gained in 30 days. However, the coarse fraction (>125 µm) did not exhibit any cementation, thus the hydraulic disposal with grain size separation should be avoided. The study showed that self-cementing properties of black ash are governed by the hydration of secondary calcium silicates (e.g. belite), calcite and hydrocalumite.

Shale-oil-recovery systems incorporating ore beneficiation. Final report.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weiss, M.A.; Klumpar, I.V.; Peterson, C.R.

This study analyzed the recovery of oil from oil shale by use of proposed systems which incorporate beneficiation of the shale ore (that is concentration of the kerogen before the oil-recovery step). The objective was to identify systems which could be more attractive than conventional surface retorting of ore. No experimental work was carried out. The systems analyzed consisted of beneficiation methods which could increase kerogen concentrations by at least four-fold. Potentially attractive low-enrichment methods such as density separation were not examined. The technical alternatives considered were bounded by the secondary crusher as input and raw shale oil as output.more » A sequence of ball milling, froth flotation, and retorting concentrate is not attractive for Western shales compared to conventional ore retorting; transporting the concentrate to another location for retorting reduces air emissions in the ore region but cost reduction is questionable. The high capital and energy cost s results largely from the ball milling step which is very inefficient. Major improvements in comminution seem achievable through research and such improvements, plus confirmation of other assumptions, could make high-enrichment beneficiation competitive with conventional processing. 27 figures, 23 tables.« less

Molecular characterization and comparison of shale oils generated by different pyrolysis methods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Birdwell, Justin E.; Jin, Jang Mi; Kim, Sunghwan

2012-01-01

Shale oils generated using different laboratory pyrolysis methods have been studied using standard oil characterization methods as well as Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) with electrospray ionization (ESI) and atmospheric photoionization (APPI) to assess differences in molecular composition. The pyrolysis oils were generated from samples of the Mahogany zone oil shale of the Eocene Green River Formation collected from outcrops in the Piceance Basin, Colorado, using three pyrolysis systems under conditions relevant to surface and in situ retorting approaches. Significant variations were observed in the shale oils, particularly the degree of conjugation of the constituent molecules and the distribution of nitrogen-containing compound classes. Comparison of FT-ICR MS results to other oil characteristics, such as specific gravity; saturate, aromatic, resin, asphaltene (SARA) distribution; and carbon number distribution determined by gas chromatography, indicated correspondence between higher average double bond equivalence (DBE) values and increasing asphaltene content. The results show that, based on the shale oil DBE distributions, highly conjugated species are enriched in samples produced under low pressure, high temperature conditions, and under high pressure, moderate temperature conditions in the presence of water. We also report, for the first time in any petroleum-like substance, the presence of N4 class compounds based on FT-ICR MS data. Using double bond equivalence and carbon number distributions, structures for the N4 class and other nitrogen-containing compounds are proposed.

The Search for Biosignatures on Mars: Using Predictive Geology to Optimize Exploration Targets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oehler, Dorothy Z.; Allen, Carlton C.

2011-01-01

Predicting geologic context from satellite data is a method used on Earth for exploration in areas with limited ground truth. The method can be used to predict facies likely to contain organic-rich shales. Such shales concentrate and preserve organics and are major repositories of organic biosignatures on Earth [1]. Since current surface conditions on Mars are unfavorable for development of abundant life or for preservation of organic remains of past life, the chances are low of encountering organics in surface samples. Thus, focusing martian exploration on sites predicted to contain organic-rich shales would optimize the chances of discovering evidence of life, if it ever existed on that planet.

New Energy Landscapes of Pennsylvania: Forests to Farms to Fracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Deborah A.

This dissertation adds to the literature on energy needed by industry, government, and citizens for decision-making. The pursuit to access or create new energy resources spawns new landscapes of energy in the early 21st century. The combination of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling technologies---popularly called "fracking"---enables entry into previously inaccessible natural gas reserves such as the Marcellus shale much of which lies beneath Pennsylvania. Although this unconventional method offers a promising source of domestic energy and job growth, the potential for negative impacts raises concerns and questions. The questions include: What is the controversy about fracking in Pennsylvania? What are the impacts of fracking? What costs is Pennsylvania paying as it shifts to shale gas extraction? Are there activities taking place or material signs that point to the emerging new landscapes? Are the individuals and organizations that resist shale gas extraction---the so-called "Green Forces"---and others who live within the region of development more or less attuned to these costs? A mixed methods approach consists of landscape and stakeholder analyses including visual examination of GIS-generated maps, satellite images, and photos taken in the field specifically from four counties: Washington, Warren, McKean, and Bradford. Research captures stakeholders' voices across the public, government, and private sectors at different scales. A stakeholder matrix facilitates data organization and analysis. Data include 114 individual statements from an EPA Public Meeting, texts from 40 online-newspaper articles or blogs, and face-to-face interviews or focus group participation of 36 individuals. Further data come from a public health conference, industry convention, and public protest. The new energy landscape covers spaces in Pennsylvania where oil and gas development previously had not been present. It obscures as well as exposes the legacy of past energy landscapes such as clear-cut forests, coal mining, and conventional drilling that linger in forests, in the minds of older residents, and photos of the past. Contest ensues between "green forces" and industry that utilize different tools for land use control. Differences surface between what the oil and gas industry knew before, and what it is learning in the early 21st century. The magnitude of shale gas technology includes larger and more sophisticated machinery, higher pressured fracking, increased material amounts, varied land use, and impact on public infrastructure. Cultural differences occur between Texan gas field workers and local Pennsylvanians generated by different physical geography, climate, and regulatory framework. Further findings demonstrate a wide gap in communication between those of differing ideologies. Some stakeholders show up in the matrix as "omitted" from decision-making including small businesses and conventional drillers, public health sector professionals, and water well drillers. Other findings show an unwillingness to share in the costs of energy development. Interviewees explain the costs that they endure as the country pursues energy security, while others outside of Pennsylvania take in only the benefits. Over time, society conforms as a new "normal" is formed. All of this takes place while the world is watching Pennsylvania evolve through the early stages and unknown outcomes of shale gas extraction.

A novel approach for acid mine drainage pollution biomonitoring using rare earth elements bioaccumulated in the freshwater clam Corbicula fluminea.

PubMed

Bonnail, Estefanía; Pérez-López, Rafael; Sarmiento, Aguasanta M; Nieto, José Miguel; DelValls, T Ángel

2017-09-15

Lanthanide series have been used as a record of the water-rock interaction and work as a tool for identifying impacts of acid mine drainage (lixiviate residue derived from sulphide oxidation). The application of North-American Shale Composite-normalized rare earth elements patterns to these minority elements allows determining the origin of the contamination. In the current study, geochemical patterns were applied to rare earth elements bioaccumulated in the soft tissue of the freshwater clam Corbicula fluminea after exposure to different acid mine drainage contaminated environments. Results show significant bioaccumulation of rare earth elements in soft tissue of the clam after 14 days of exposure to acid mine drainage contaminated sediment (ΣREE=1.3-8μg/gdw). Furthermore, it was possible to biomonitor different degrees of contamination based on rare earth elements in tissue. The pattern of this type of contamination describes a particular curve characterized by an enrichment in the middle rare earth elements; a homologous pattern (E MREE =0.90) has also been observed when applied NASC normalization in clam tissues. Results of lanthanides found in clams were contrasted with the paucity of toxicity studies, determining risk caused by light rare earth elements in the Odiel River close to the Estuary. The current study purposes the use of clam as an innovative "bio-tool" for the biogeochemical monitoring of pollution inputs that determines the acid mine drainage networks affection. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mineralogical controls on mobility of rare earth elements in acid mine drainage environments.

PubMed

Soyol-Erdene, T O; Valente, T; Grande, J A; de la Torre, M L

2018-08-01

Rare earth elements (REE) were analyzed in river waters, acid mine waters, and extracts of secondary precipitates collected in the Iberian Pyrite Belt. The obtained concentrations of the REE in river water and mine waters (acid mine drainage - AMD) were in the range of 0.57 μg/L (Lu) and 2579 μg/L (Ce), which is higher than previously reported in surface waters from the Iberian Pyrite Belt, but are comparable with previous findings from AMD worldwide. Total REE concentrations in river waters were ranged between 297 μg/L (Cobica River) and 7032 μg/L (Trimpancho River) with an average of 2468 μg/L. NASC (North American Shale Composite) normalized REE patterns for river and acid mine waters show clear convex curvatures in middle-REE (MREE) with respect to light- and heavy-REE. During the dissolution experiments of AMD-precipitates, heavy-REE and middle-REE generate the most enriched patterns in the solution. A small number of precipitates did not display MREE enrichment (an index Gd n /Lu n  < 1.0) in NASC normalized pattern and produced relatively lower REE concentrations in extracts. Additionally, very few samples, which mainly contained aluminum sulfates, e.g., pickeringite and alunogen, displayed light-REE enrichment relative to heavy-REE (HREE). In general, the highest retention of REE occurs in samples enriched in magnesium (epsomite or hexahydrite) and aluminum sulfates, mainly pickeringite. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Low-Temperature Extraction of Oil From Shale

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Compton, L. E.

1985-01-01

Technique increases recovery and energy efficiency. Advantages of method greater product yield and, because of the relatively low temperatures, minimal gas formation, smaller amounts of char byproduct, and less carbonate-rock decomposition. Up to 94 percent by weight of organic material in shale extracted.

Ultraviolet laser-induced lateral photovoltaic response in anisotropic black shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miao, Xinyang; Zhu, Jing; Zhao, Kun; Yue, Wenzheng

2017-12-01

The anisotropy of shale has significant impact on oil and gas exploration and engineering. In this paper, a-248 nm ultraviolet laser was employed to assess the anisotropic lateral photovoltaic (LPV) response of shale. Anisotropic angle-depending voltage signals were observed with different peak amplitudes ( V p) and decay times. We employed exponential models to explain the charge carrier transport in horizontal and vertical directions. Dependences of the laser-induced LPV on the laser spot position were observed. Owing to the Dember effect and the layered structure of shale, V p shows an approximately linear dependence with the laser-irradiated position for the 0° shale sample but nonlinearity for the 45° and 90° ones. The results demonstrate that the laser-induced voltage method is very sensitive to the structure of materials, and thus has a great potential in oil and gas reservoir characterization.

Gas seal for an in situ oil shale retort and method of forming thermal barrier

DOEpatents

Burton, III, Robert S.

1982-01-01

A gas seal is provided in an access drift excavated in a subterranean formation containing oil shale. The access drift is adjacent an in situ oil shale retort and is in gas communication with the fragmented permeable mass of formation particles containing oil shale formed in the in situ oil shale retort. The mass of formation particles extends into the access drift, forming a rubble pile of formation particles having a face approximately at the angle of repose of fragmented formation. The gas seal includes a temperature barrier which includes a layer of heat insulating material disposed on the face of the rubble pile of formation particles and additionally includes a gas barrier. The gas barrier is a gas-tight bulkhead installed across the access drift at a location in the access drift spaced apart from the temperature barrier.

Shale gas characterization based on geochemical and geophysical analysis: Case study of Brown shale, Pematang formation, Central Sumatra Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haris, A.; Nastria, N.; Soebandrio, D.; Riyanto, A.

2017-07-01

Geochemical and geophysical analyses of shale gas have been carried out in Brown Shale, Middle Pematang Formation, Central Sumatra Basin. The paper is aimed at delineating the sweet spot distribution of potential shale gas reservoir, which is based on Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Maturity level data, and combined with TOC modeling that refers to Passey and Regression Multi Linear method. We used 4 well data, side wall core and 3D pre-stack seismic data. Our analysis of geochemical properties is based on well log and core data and its distribution are constrained by a framework of 3D seismic data, which is transformed into acoustic impedance. Further, the sweet spot of organic-rich shale is delineated by mapping TOC, which is extracted from inverted acoustic impedance. Our experiment analysis shows that organic materials contained in the formation of Middle Pematang Brown Shale members have TOC range from 0.15 to 2.71 wt.%, which is classified in the quality of poor to very good. In addition, the maturity level of organic material is ranging from 373°C to 432°C, which is indicated by vitrinite reflectance (Ro) of 0.58. In term of kerogen type, this Brown shale formation is categorized as kerogen type of II I III, which has the potential to generate a mixture of gasIoil on the environment.

The organic geochemical characterization: An indication of type of kerogen and maturity of early - Mid Jurassic shale in the Blue Nile formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shoieba, Monera Adam; Sum, Chow Weng; Abidin, Nor Syazwani Zainal; Bhattachary, Swapan Kumar

2018-06-01

The heterogeneity and complexity of shale gas has become clear as the development of unconventional resources have improved. The Blue Nile Basin, is one of the many Mesozoic rift basins in Sudan associated with the Central African Rift System (CARS). It is located in the eastern part of the Republic of Sudan and has been the major focus for shale gas exploration due to the hydrocarbon found in the basin. But so far no success of discovery has been achieved because the shale gas potentiality of the study area is still unknown. The objective of this study is to assess the type of kerogen and maturity of the shale samples from the Blue Nile Formation within the Blue Nile Basin. This was done by employing organic geochemical methods such as pyrolysis gas chromatography (Py-GC) and petrographic analysis such as vitrinite reflectance (Ro%). Ten representative shale samples from TW-1 well in the Blue Nile Formation have been used to assess the quality of the source rock. Pyrolysis GC analysis indicate that all the selected shale samples contain Type II kerogen that produces oil and gas. The Blue Nile Formation possesses vitrinite reflectance (Ro%) of 0.60-0.65%, indicating that the shale samples are mature in the oil window.

Feasibility Assessment of CO2 Sequestration and Enhanced Recovery in Gas Shale Reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vermylen, J. P.; Hagin, P. N.; Zoback, M. D.

2008-12-01

CO2 sequestration and enhanced methane recovery may be feasible in unconventional, organic-rich, gas shale reservoirs in which the methane is stored as an adsorbed phase. Previous studies have shown that organic-rich, Appalachian Devonian shales adsorb approximately five times more carbon dioxide than methane at reservoir conditions. However, the enhanced recovery and sequestration concept has not yet been tested for gas shale reservoirs under realistic flow and production conditions. Using the lessons learned from previous studies on enhanced coalbed methane (ECBM) as a starting point, we are conducting laboratory experiments, reservoir modeling, and fluid flow simulations to test the feasibility of sequestration and enhanced recovery in gas shales. Our laboratory work investigates both adsorption and mechanical properties of shale samples to use as inputs for fluid flow simulation. Static and dynamic mechanical properties of shale samples are measured using a triaxial press under realistic reservoir conditions with varying gas saturations and compositions. Adsorption is simultaneously measured using standard, static, volumetric techniques. Permeability is measured using pulse decay methods calibrated to standard Darcy flow measurements. Fluid flow simulations are conducted using the reservoir simulator GEM that has successfully modeled enhanced recovery in coal. The results of the flow simulation are combined with the laboratory results to determine if enhanced recovery and CO2 sequestration is feasible in gas shale reservoirs.

The Drenchwater deposit, Alaska: An example of a natural low pH environment resulting from weathering of an undisturbed shale-hosted Zn-Pb-Ag deposit

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graham, G.E.; Kelley, K.D.

2009-01-01

The Drenchwater shale-hosted Zn-Pb-Ag deposit and the immediate vicinity, on the northern flank of the Brooks Range in north-central Alaska, is an ideal example of a naturally low pH system. The two drainages, Drenchwater and False Wager Creeks, which bound the deposit, differ in their acidity and metal contents. Moderately acidic waters with elevated concentrations of metals (pH ??? 4.3, Zn ??? 1400 ??g/L) in the Drenchwater Creek drainage basin are attributed to weathering of an exposed base-metal-rich massive sulfide occurrence. Stream sediment and water chemistry data collected from False Wager Creek suggest that an unexposed base-metal sulfide occurrence may account for the lower pH (2.7-3.1) and very metal-rich waters (up to 2600 ??g/L Zn, ??? 260 ??g/L Cu and ???89 ??g/L Tl) collected at least 2 km upstream of known mineralized exposures. These more acidic conditions produce jarosite, schwertmannite and Fe-hydroxides commonly associated with acid-mine drainage. The high metal concentrations in some water samples from both streams naturally exceed Alaska state regulatory limits for freshwater aquatic life, affirming the importance of establishing base-line conditions in the event of human land development. The studies at the Drenchwater deposit demonstrate that poor water quality can be generated through entirely natural weathering of base-metal occurrences, and, possibly unmineralized black shale.

Heterogeneity of shale documented by micro-FTIR and image analysis.

PubMed

Chen, Yanyan; Mastalerz, Maria; Schimmelmann, Arndt

2014-12-01

In this study, four New Albany Shale Devonian and Mississippian samples, with vitrinite reflectance [Ro ] values ranging from 0.55% to 1.41%, were analyzed by micro-FTIR mapping of chemical and mineralogical properties. One additional postmature shale sample from the Haynesville Shale (Kimmeridgian, Ro = 3.0%) was included to test the limitation of the method for more mature substrates. Relative abundances of organic matter and mineral groups (carbonates, quartz and clays) were mapped across selected microscale regions based on characteristic infrared peaks and demonstrated to be consistent with corresponding bulk compositional percentages. Mapped distributions of organic matter provide information on the organic matter abundance and the connectivity of organic matter within the overall shale matrix. The pervasive distribution of organic matter mapped in the New Albany Shale sample MM4 is in agreement with this shale's high total organic carbon abundance relative to other samples. Mapped interconnectivity of organic matter domains in New Albany Shale samples is excellent in two early mature shale samples having Ro values from 0.55% to 0.65%, then dramatically decreases in a late mature sample having an intermediate Ro of 1.15% and finally increases again in the postmature sample, which has a Ro of 1.41%. Swanson permeabilities, derived from independent mercury intrusion capillary pressure porosimetry measurements, follow the same trend among the four New Albany Shale samples, suggesting that micro-FTIR, in combination with complementary porosimetric techniques, strengthens our understanding of porosity networks. In addition, image processing and analysis software (e.g. ImageJ) have the capability to quantify organic matter and total organic carbon - valuable parameters for highly mature rocks, because they cannot be analyzed by micro-FTIR owing to the weakness of the aliphatic carbon-hydrogen signal. © 2014 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2014 Royal Microscopical Society.

Brief history of the Office of Energy Research and Development: Federal Energy Office/Federal Energy Administration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hibbard, W.R. Jr.

A number of Important Issues in energy research and development which warrant special attention by the Energy Research and Development Office (ERDO) are identified and examined. Six matters considered to be of sufficient weight to be labeled Important Issues are: nuclear reactor siting policy: nuclear energy centers; the development of solar electric power; exploitation of western oil shale; improvements in mining technology for coal; assuring uranium fuel supplies; and automotive energy systems. The environmental issue is treated separately. Actions that ERDO can take to help resolve the issues are discussed.

Deployment Area Selection and Land Withdrawal/Acquisition. M-X/MPS (M-X/Multiple Protective Shelter) Environmental Technical Report. Mining and Geology.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-10-02

found in the Uinta Basin . Major production in Utah comes from the Four Corners area on the Colorado plateau. Geothermal resources are abundant in...upper Uinta Basin ; the Pineview Field in Summit County; and the Greater Aneth Field in the Four Corners region of southeastern Utah. In 1976, some 82...area. About 3,000 sq mi (7,800 sq km) in the Uinta Basin in northeastern Utah is underlain by oil shale 15 ft (4.5 m) thick and averaging at least 15

MOUNT NAOMI ROADLESS AREA, UTAH AND IDAHO.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dover, James H.; Bigsby, Philip R.

1984-01-01

Geologic, geophysical, and geochemical surveys, and an examination of mines and prospects were made in the Mount Naomi Roadless Area, Utah and Idaho. No significant precious-metal, base-metal, other trace-metal, or uranium anomalies are apparent in the geochemical data from the Mount Naomi Roadless Area, and no exploration targets were detected. However, a belt of probable resource potential for stratabound copper, lead, and zinc occurrences exists on the west side of the area in limestone and shale. The possibility that oil and gas concentration lie deeply buried beneath the roadless area cannot be evaluated from available data.

Investigation of the physico-chemical and mechanical properties of hard brittle shales from the Shahejie Formation in the Nanpu Sag, northern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiangjun, Liu; Jian, Xiong; Lixi, Liang; Yi, Ding

2017-06-01

With increasing demand for energy and advances in exploration and development technologies, more attention is being devoted to exploration and development of deep oil and gas reservoirs. The Nanpu Sag contains huge reserves in deep oil and gas reservoirs and is a promising area. In this paper, the physico-chemical and mechanical properties of hard brittle shales from the Shahejie Formation in the Nanpu Sag in the Bohai Bay Basin of northern China were investigated using a variety of methods, including x-ray diffraction analysis, cation exchange capacity (CEC) analysis, contact angle measurements, scanning electron microscope observations, immersion experiments, ultrasonic testing and mechanical testing. The effects of the physico-chemical properties of the shales on wellbore instability were observed, and the effects of hydration of the shales on wellbore instability were also examined. The results show that the major mineral constituents of the investigated shales are quartz and clay minerals. The clay mineral contents range from 25.33% to 52.03%, and the quartz contents range from 20.03% to 46.45%. The clay minerals do not include montmorillonite, but large amounts of mixed-layer illite/smectite were observed. The CEC values of the shales range from 90 to 210 mmol kg-1, indicating that the shales are partly hydrated. The wettability of the shales is strongly water-wetted, indicating that water would enter the shales due to the capillary effect. Hydration of hard brittle shales can generate cracks, leading to changes in microstructure and increases in the acoustic value, which could generate damage in the shales and reduce their strength. With increasing hydration time, the shale hydration effect gradually becomes stronger, causing an increase in the range of the acoustic travel time and decreases in the ranges of cohesion and internal friction angles. For the hard brittle shales of the Nanpu Sag, drilling fluid systems should aim to enhance sealing ability, decrease drilling fluid filter loss and increase the amount of clay-hydration inhibitor used.

“Multi-temperature” method for high-pressure sorption measurements on moist shales

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gasparik, Matus; Ghanizadeh, Amin; Gensterblum, Yves

2013-08-15

A simple and effective experimental approach has been developed and tested to study the temperature dependence of high-pressure methane sorption in moist organic-rich shales. This method, denoted as “multi-temperature” (short “multi-T”) method, enables measuring multiple isotherms at varying temperatures in a single run. The measurement of individual sorption isotherms at different temperatures takes place in a closed system ensuring that the moisture content remains constant. The multi-T method was successfully tested for methane sorption on an organic-rich shale sample. Excess sorption isotherms for methane were measured at pressures of up to 25 MPa and at temperatures of 318.1 K, 338.1more » K, and 348.1 K on dry and moisture-equilibrated samples. The measured isotherms were parameterized with a 3-parameter Langmuir-based excess sorption function, from which thermodynamic sorption parameters (enthalpy and entropy of adsorption) were obtained. Using these, we show that by taking explicitly into account water vapor as molecular species in the gas phase with temperature-dependent water vapor pressure during the experiment, more meaningful results are obtained with respect to thermodynamical considerations. The proposed method can be applied to any adsorbent system (coals, shales, industrial adsorbents) and any supercritical gas (e.g., CH{sub 4}, CO{sub 2}) and is particularly suitable for sorption measurements using the manometric (volumetric) method.« less

Assessing Radium Activity in Shale Gas Produced Brine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, W.; Hayes, K. F.; Ellis, B. R.

2015-12-01

The high volumes and salinity associated with shale gas produced water can make finding suitable storage or disposal options a challenge, especially when deep well brine disposal or recycling for additional well completions is not an option. In such cases, recovery of commodity salts from the high total dissolved solids (TDS) of the brine wastewater may be desirable, yet the elevated concentrations of the naturally occurring radionuclides such as Ra-226 and Ra-228 in produced waters (sometimes substantially greater than the EPA limit of 5 pCi/L) may concentrate during these steps and limit salt recovery options. Therefore, assessing the potential presence of these Ra radionuclides in produced water from shale gas reservoir properties is desirable. In this study, we seek to link U and Th content within a given shale reservoir to the expected Ra content of produced brine by accounting for secular equilibrium within the rock and subsequent release to Ra to native brines. Produced brine from a series of Antrim shale wells and flowback from a single Utica-Collingwood shale well in Michigan were sampled and analyzed via ICP-MS to measure Ra content. Gamma spectroscopy was used to verify the robustness of this new Ra analytical method. Ra concentrations were observed to be up to an order of magnitude higher in the Antrim flowback water samples compared to those collected from the Utica-Collingwood well. The higher Ra content in Antrim produced brines correlates well with higher U content in the Antrim (19 ppm) relative to the Utica-Collingwood (3.5 ppm). We also observed an increase in Ra activity with increasing TDS in the Antrim samples. This Ra-TDS relationship demonstrates the influence of competing divalent cations in controlling Ra mobility in these clay-rich reservoirs. In addition, we will present a survey of geochemical data from other shale gas plays in the U.S. correlating shale U, Th content with produced brine Ra content. A goal of this study is to develop a method to predict the expected Ra activity in shale gas produced brines on a regional or play-specific basis in an effort to guide wastewater management practices or optimize regional treatment strategies.

Experimental study on the influence of slickwater on shale permeability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhonghua; Bai, Baojun; Zhang, Zheyu; Tang, Jing; Zeng, Shunpeng; Li, Xiaogang

2018-02-01

There are two diametrically opposite views of the influence of slickwater on shale permeability among scholars at home and abroad. We used the shale outcrops rock samples from the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in Sichuan Basin. The permeability of these dry samples before and after immersion in different solution systems were tested by pulse attenuation method. The experimental results show that the impregnation of different slickwater components and standard salt solution can promote the increase of the permeability of shale samples. The stress sensitivity of shale samples after liquid immersion is medium weak to weak. The sample stress sensitivity is weak after soaked by the synergist solution and Drag reducing agent solution, and the sensitivity of the sample stress is medium weak after immersed by the standard saline solution, defoamer solution and antiswelling solution; The Ki/K0 of the shale sample after liquid immersion on σi/σ0 is consistent with the exponential stress sensitive evaluation model. With the increase of soaking time, the increase of sample permeability increases first and then decreases.

Modified Standard Penetration Test–based Drilled Shaft Design Method for Weak Rocks (Phase 2 Study)

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-12-15

In this project, Illinois-specific design procedures were developed for drilled shafts founded in weak shale or rock. In particular, a modified standard penetration test was developed and verified to characterize the in situ condition of weak shales ...

Total arsenic and selenium analysis in Marcellus shale, high-salinity water, and hydrofracture flowback wastewater.

PubMed

Balaba, Ronald S; Smart, Ronald B

2012-11-01

Trace levels of arsenic and selenium can be toxic to living organisms yet their quantitation in high ionic strength or high salinity aqueous media is difficult due to the matrix interferences which can either suppress or enhance the analyte signal. A modified thiol cotton fiber (TCF) method employing lower flow rates and centrifugation has been used to remove the analyte from complex aqueous media and minimize the matrix interferences. This method has been tested using a USGS (SGR-1b) certified reference shale. It has been used to analyze Marcellus shale samples following microwave digestion as well as spiked samples of high salinity water (HSW) and flow back wastewater (WRF6) obtained from an actual gas well drilling operation. Quantitation of arsenic and selenium is carried out by graphite furnace atomic spectroscopy (GFAAS). Extraction of arsenic and selenium from Marcellus shale exposed to HSW and WRF6 for varying lengths of time is also reported. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of elemental composition of shale rocks by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanghapi, Hervé K.; Jain, Jinesh; Bol'shakov, Alexander; Lopano, Christina; McIntyre, Dustin; Russo, Richard

2016-08-01

In this study laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is used for elemental characterization of outcrop samples from the Marcellus Shale. Powdered samples were pressed to form pellets and used for LIBS analysis. Partial least squares regression (PLS-R) and univariate calibration curves were used for quantification of analytes. The matrix effect is substantially reduced using the partial least squares calibration method. Predicted results with LIBS are compared to ICP-OES results for Si, Al, Ti, Mg, and Ca. As for C, its results are compared to those obtained by a carbon analyzer. Relative errors of the LIBS measurements are in the range of 1.7 to 12.6%. The limits of detection (LODs) obtained for Si, Al, Ti, Mg and Ca are 60.9, 33.0, 15.6, 4.2 and 0.03 ppm, respectively. An LOD of 0.4 wt.% was obtained for carbon. This study shows that the LIBS method can provide a rapid analysis of shale samples and can potentially benefit depleted gas shale carbon storage research.

Properties of Silurian shales from the Barrandian Basin, Czech Republic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weishauptová, Zuzana; Přibyl, Oldřich; Sýkorová, Ivana

2017-04-01

Although shale gas-bearing deposits have a markedly lower gas content than coal deposits, great attention has recently been paid to shale gas as a new potential source of fossil energy. Shale gas extraction is considered to be quite economical, despite the lower sorption capacity of shales, which is only about 10% of coal sorption capacities The selection of a suitable locality for extracting shale gas requires the sorption capacity of the shale to be determined. The sorption capacity is determined in the laboratory by measuring the amount of methane absorbed in a shale specimen at a pressure and a temperature corresponding to in situ conditions, using high pressure sorption. According to the principles of reversibility of adsorption/desorption, this amount should be roughly related to the amount of gas released by forced degassing. High pressure methane sorption isotherms were measured on seven representative samples of Silurian shales from the Barrandian Basin, Czech Republic. Excess sorption measurements were performed at a temperature of 45oC and at pressures up to 15 MPa on dry samples, using a manometric method. Experimental methane high-pressure isotherms were fitted to a modified Langmuir equation. The maximum measured excess sorption parameter and the Langmuir sorption capacity parameter were used to study the effect of TOC content, organic maturity, inorganic components and porosity on the methane sorption capacity. The studied shale samples with random reflectance of graptolite 0.56 to 1.76% had a very low TOC content and dominant mineral fractions. Illite was the prevailing clay mineral. The sample porosity ranged from 4.6 to 18.8%. In most samples, the micropore volumes were markedly lower than the meso- and macropore volumes. In the Silurian black shales, the occurrence of fractures parallel with the original sedimentary bending was highly significant. A greater proportion of fragments of carbonaceous particles of graptolites and bitumens in the Barrandian Silurian shales had a smooth surface without pores. No relation has been proven between TOC-normalized excess sorption capacities or the TOC-normalized Langmuir sorption capacities and thermal maturation of the shales. The methane sorption capacities of shale samples show a positive correlation with TOC and a positive correlation with the clay content. The highest sorption capacity was observed in shale samples with the highest percentage of micropores, indicating that the micropore volume in the organic matter and clay minerals is a principal factor affecting the sorption capacity of the shale samples.

Modified Lipid Extraction Methods for Deep Subsurface Shale

PubMed Central

Akondi, Rawlings N.; Trexler, Ryan V.; Pfiffner, Susan M.; Mouser, Paula J.; Sharma, Shikha

2017-01-01

Growing interest in the utilization of black shales for hydrocarbon development and environmental applications has spurred investigations of microbial functional diversity in the deep subsurface shale ecosystem. Lipid biomarker analyses including phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) and diglyceride fatty acids (DGFAs) represent sensitive tools for estimating biomass and characterizing the diversity of microbial communities. However, complex shale matrix properties create immense challenges for microbial lipid extraction procedures. Here, we test three different lipid extraction methods: modified Bligh and Dyer (mBD), Folch (FOL), and microwave assisted extraction (MAE), to examine their ability in the recovery and reproducibility of lipid biomarkers in deeply buried shales. The lipid biomarkers were analyzed as fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) with the GC-MS, and the average PL-FAME yield ranged from 67 to 400 pmol/g, while the average DG-FAME yield ranged from 600 to 3,000 pmol/g. The biomarker yields in the intact phospholipid Bligh and Dyer treatment (mBD + Phos + POPC), the Folch, the Bligh and Dyer citrate buffer (mBD-Cit), and the MAE treatments were all relatively higher and statistically similar compared to the other extraction treatments for both PLFAs and DGFAs. The biomarker yields were however highly variable within replicates for most extraction treatments, although the mBD + Phos + POPC treatment had relatively better reproducibility in the consistent fatty acid profiles. This variability across treatments which is associated with the highly complex nature of deeply buried shale matrix, further necessitates customized methodological developments for the improvement of lipid biomarker recovery. PMID:28790998

Tertiary geology and oil-shale resources of the Piceance Creek basin between the Colorado and White Rivers, northwestern Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Donnell, John R.

1961-01-01

The area of the Piceance Creek basin between the Colorado and White Rivers includes approximately 1,600 square miles and is characterized by an extensive plateau that rises 1,000 to more than 4,000 feet above the surrounding lowlands. Relief is greatest in Naval Oil-Shale Reserves Nos. 1 and 3 near the south margin of the area, where the spectacular Roan Cliffs tower above the valley of the Colorado River. The oldest rocks exposed in the mapped area are sandstone, shale, and coal beds of the Mesaverde group of Late Cretaceous age, which crop out along the east margin of the area. Overlying the Mesaverde is an unnamed sequence of dark-colored sandstone and shale, Paleocene in age. The Ohio Creek conglomerate, composed of black and red chert and quartzite pebbles in a white sandstone matrix, is probably the basal unit in the Paleocene sequence. The Wasatch formation of early Eocene age overlies the Paleocene sedimentary rocks. It is composed of brightly colored shale, lenticular beds of sandstone, and a few thin beds of fresh-water limestone. The Kasatch formation interfingers with and is overlain by the Green River formation of middle Eocene age. The Green River formation has been divided into the Douglas Creek, Garden Gulch, Anvil Points, Parachute Creek, and Evacuation Creek members. The basal and uppermost members, the Douglas Creek and Evacuation Creek, respectively, are predominantly sandy units. The two middle members, the Garden Gulch and Parachute Creek, are composed principally of finer clastic rocks. The Anvil Points member is present only on the southeast, east, and northeast margins of the area. It is a nearshore facies composed principally of sandstone and is the equivalent of the Douglas Creek, Garden Gulch, and the lower part of the Parachute Creek members. All of the richer exposed oil-shale beds are found in the Parachute Creek member, which is divided into two oil-shale zones by a series of low-grade oilshale beds. The upper oil-shale zone has several key beds and zones which can be traced throughout most of the mapped area. One of these, the Mahogany ledge or zone, is a group of very rich oil-shale beds at the base of the upper oil-shale zone. Drilling for oil and gas in the northeastern part of the area has revealed rich oil-shale zones in the Garden Gulch member also.Local unconformities within and at the base of the Evacuation Creek member are exposed at several places along Piceance Creek and at one place near the mouth of Yellow Creek; otherwise, the rock sequence is conformable. The mapped area is the major part of a large syncline, modified by numerous smaller structural features. Fractures, probably associated genetically with the minor structural features, are present in the central part of the area. These fractures are high-angle normal faults with small displacement. They occur in pairs with the intervening block downdropped. Two sets of joints are prominent, one trending northwest and the other northeast. The joint systems control the drainage pattern in the south-central part of the area. More than 20,000 feet of sedimentary rocks underlies the area. Many of the formations yield oil or gas in northwestern Colorado, northeastern Utah, and southwestern Wyoming. The Piceance Creek gas field, in which gas occurs in the Douglas Creek member of the Green River formation, is the largest oil or gas field discovered thus far within the area. About 7,000 million barrels of oil is contained in oil shale that yields an average of 45 gallons per ton from a continuous sequence 5 or more feet thick in the Mahogany zone. Oil shale in the Mahogany zone and adjacent beds that yields an average of 30 gallons of oil per ton from a continuous sequence 15 or more feet thick contains about 91,000 million barrels of oil. Similar shale in deeper zones in the northern part of the area, for which detailed estimates have not been prepared, are now known to contain at least an additional 72,000 million barrels of oil. Oil shale in a sequence 15 or more feet thick that yields an average of 25 gallons of oil per ton contains about 154,000 million barrels of oil in the Mahogany zone and adjacent beds; such shale in deeper zones in the northern part of the area probably contains at least an additional 157,000 million barrels of oil, although detailed estimates were not made. Oil shale in a sequence greater than 15 feet thick that yields an average of 15 gallons of oil per ton contains more than 900,000 million barrels of oil. These estimates of the oil content of the deposit do not take into account any loss in mining or processing of the shale.

Transport and geotechnical properties of porous media with applications to retorted oil shale. Volume 4. Appendix D. Temperature and toe erosion effects on spent oil shale embankment stability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chang, N.Y.; Wu, T.H.

1986-01-01

To evaluate the engineering property of spent shale at elevated temperatures, high temperature triaxial cells were designed and manufactured. The cells were then used in the test program designed to provide the physical and engineering properties of spent shale (TOSCO-II) at elevated temperatures. A series of consolidated drained triaxial tests were conducted at high temperatures. Duncan-Chang hyperbolic model was adopted to simulate the laboratory stress versus strain behavior of spent shale at various temperatures. This model provides very good fit to the laboratory stress-strain-volumetric strain characteristics of spent shale at various temperatures. The parameters of this model were then formulatedmore » as functions of temperatures and the Duncan-Chang model was implemented in a finite element analysis computer code for predicting the stress-deformation behavior of large spent shale embankments. Modified Bishop method was also used in analyzing the stability of spent shale embankments. The stability of three different spent shale embankments at three different temperatures were investigated in the study. Additionally the stability of embankments with different degrees of toe erosion was also studied. Results of this study indicated that (1) the stress-strain-strength properties of soils are affected by temperature variation; (2) the stress-strain-strength behavior of spent shale can be simulated by Duncan-Chang hyperbolic model, (3) the factor of safety of embankment slope decreases with rising temperatures; (4) the embankment deformation increases with rising temperatures; and (5) the toe erosion induced by floods causes the embankment slope to become less stable. It is strongly recommended, to extend this study to investigate the effect of internal seepage on the stability of large spent shale embankment. 68 refs., 53 figs., 16 tabs.« less

Assessment of in-place oil shale resources of the Green River Formation, Greater Green River Basin in Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, R.C.; Mercier, T.J.; Brownfield, M.E.

2011-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently (2011) completed an assessment of in-place oil shale resources, regardless of grade, in the Eocene Green River Formation of the Greater Green River Basin in southwestern Wyoming, northwestern Colorado, and northeastern Utah. Green River Formation oil shale also is present in the Piceance Basin of western Colorado and in the Uinta Basin of eastern Utah and western Colorado, and the results of these assessments are published separately. No attempt was made to estimate the amount of oil that is economically recoverable because there has not yet been an economic method developed to recover the oil from Green River Formation oil shale.

Distribution of Hydroxyl Groups in Kukersite Shale Oil: Quantitative Determination Using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Baird, Zachariah Steven; Oja, Vahur; Järvik, Oliver

2015-05-01

This article describes the use of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy to quantitatively measure the hydroxyl concentrations among narrow boiling shale oil cuts. Shale oil samples were from an industrial solid heat carrier retort. Reference values were measured by titration and were used to create a partial least squares regression model from FT-IR data. The model had a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.44 wt% OH. This method was then used to study the distribution of hydroxyl groups among more than 100 shale oil cuts, which showed that hydroxyl content increased with the average boiling point of the cut up to about 350 °C and then leveled off and decreased.

Jet fuels from synthetic crudes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Antoine, A. C.; Gallagher, J. P.

1977-01-01

An investigation was conducted to determine the technical problems in the conversion of a significant portion of a barrel of either a shale oil or a coal synthetic crude oil into a suitable aviation turbine fuel. Three syncrudes were used, one from shale and two from coal, chosen as representative of typical crudes from future commercial production. The material was used to produce jet fuels of varying specifications by distillation, hydrotreating, and hydrocracking. Attention is given to process requirements, hydrotreating process conditions, the methods used to analyze the final products, the conditions for shale oil processing, and the coal liquid processing conditions. The results of the investigation show that jet fuels of defined specifications can be made from oil shale and coal syncrudes using readily available commercial processes.

[Application of wavelet transform and neural network in the near-infrared spectrum analysis of oil shale].

PubMed

Li, Su-Yi; Ji, Yan-Ju; Liu, Wei-Yu; Wang, Zhi-Hong

2013-04-01

In the present study, an innovative method is proposed, employing both wavelet transform and neural network, to analyze the near-infrared spectrum data in oil shale survey. The method entails using db8 wavelet at 3 levels decomposition to process raw data, using the transformed data as the input matrix, and creating the model through neural network. To verify the validity of the method, this study analyzes 30 synthesized oil shale samples, in which 20 samples are randomly selected for network training, the other 10 for model prediction, and uses the full spectrum and the wavelet transformed spectrum to carry out 10 network models, respectively. Results show that the mean speed of the full spectrum neural network modeling is 570.33 seconds, and the predicted residual sum of squares (PRESS) and correlation coefficient of prediction are 0.006 012 and 0.843 75, respectively. In contrast, the mean speed of the wavelet network modeling method is 3.15 seconds, and the mean PRESS and correlation coefficient of prediction are 0.002 048 and 0.953 19, respectively. These results demonstrate that the wavelet neural network modeling method is significantly superior to the full spectrum neural network modeling method. This study not only provides a new method for more efficient and accurate detection of the oil content of oil shale, but also indicates the potential for applying wavelet transform and neutral network in broad near-infrared spectrum analysis.

A new method for calculation of water saturation in shale gas reservoirs using V P -to-V S ratio and porosity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Kun; Sun, Jianmeng; Zhang, Hongpan; Liu, Haitao; Chen, Xiangyang

2018-02-01

Total water saturation is an important parameter for calculating the free gas content of shale gas reservoirs. Owing to the limitations of the Archie formula and its extended solutions in zones rich in organic or conductive minerals, a new method was proposed to estimate total water saturation according to the relationship between total water saturation, V P -to-V S ratio and total porosity. Firstly, the ranges of the relevant parameters in the viscoelastic BISQ model in shale gas reservoirs were estimated. Then, the effects of relevant parameters on the V P -to-V S ratio were simulated based on the partially saturated viscoelastic BISQ model. These parameters were total water saturation, total porosity, permeability, characteristic squirt-flow length, fluid viscosity and sonic frequency. The simulation results showed that the main factors influencing V P -to-V S ratio were total porosity and total water saturation. When the permeability and the characteristic squirt-flow length changed slightly for a particular shale gas reservoir, their influences could be neglected. Then an empirical equation for total water saturation with respect to total porosity and V P -to-V S ratio was obtained according to the experimental data. Finally, the new method was successfully applied to estimate total water saturation in a sequence formation of shale gas reservoirs. Practical applications have shown good agreement with the results calculated by the Archie model.

Quantification of Organic richness through wireline logs: a case study of Roseneath shale formation, Cooper basin, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Maqsood; Iqbal, Omer; Kadir, Askury Abd

2017-10-01

The late Carboniferous-Middle Triassic, intracratonic Cooper basin in northeastern South Australia and southwestern Queensland is Australia's foremost onshore hydrocarbon producing region. The basin compromises Permian carbonaceous shale like lacustrine Roseneath and Murteree shale formation which is acting as source and reservoir rock. The source rock can be distinguished from non-source intervals by lower density, higher transit time, higher gamma ray values, higher porosity and resistivity with increasing organic content. In current dissertation we have attempted to compare the different empirical approaches based on density relation and Δ LogR method through three overlays of sonic/resistivity, neutron/resistivity and density/resistivity to quantify Total organic content (TOC) of Permian lacustrine Roseneath shale formation using open hole wireline log data (DEN, GR, CNL, LLD) of Encounter 1 well. The TOC calculated from fourteen density relations at depth interval between 3174.5-3369 meters is averaged 0.56% while TOC from sonic/resistivity, neutron/resistivity and density/resistivity yielded an average value of 3.84%, 3.68%, 4.40%. The TOC from average of three overlay method is yielded to 3.98%. According to geochemical report in PIRSA the Roseneath shale formation has TOC from 1 - 5 wt %.There is unpromising correlations observed for calculated TOC from fourteen density relations and measured TOC on samples. The TOC from average value of three overlays using Δ LogR method showed good correlation with measured TOC on samples.

Cross-Scale Molecular Analysis of Chemical Heterogeneity in Shale Rocks

DOE PAGES

Hao, Zhao; Bechtel, Hans A.; Kneafsey, Timothy; ...

2018-02-07

The organic and mineralogical heterogeneity in shale at micrometer and nanometer spatial scales contributes to the quality of gas reserves, gas flow mechanisms and gas production. Here, we demonstrate two molecular imaging approaches based on infrared spectroscopy to obtain mineral and kerogen information at these mesoscale spatial resolutions in large-sized shale rock samples. The first method is a modified microscopic attenuated total reflectance measurement that utilizes a large germanium hemisphere combined with a focal plane array detector to rapidly capture chemical images of shale rock surfaces spanning hundreds of micrometers with micrometer spatial resolution. The second method, synchrotron infrared nano-spectroscopy,more » utilizes a metallic atomic force microscope tip to obtain chemical images of micrometer dimensions but with nanometer spatial resolution. This chemically "deconvoluted" imaging at the nano-pore scale is then used to build a machine learning model to generate a molecular distribution map across scales with a spatial span of 1000 times, which enables high-throughput geochemical characterization in greater details across the nano-pore and micro-grain scales and allows us to identify co-localization of mineral phases with chemically distinct organics and even with gas phase sorbents. Finally, this characterization is fundamental to understand mineral and organic compositions affecting the behavior of shales.« less

Cross-Scale Molecular Analysis of Chemical Heterogeneity in Shale Rocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hao, Zhao; Bechtel, Hans A.; Kneafsey, Timothy

The organic and mineralogical heterogeneity in shale at micrometer and nanometer spatial scales contributes to the quality of gas reserves, gas flow mechanisms and gas production. Here, we demonstrate two molecular imaging approaches based on infrared spectroscopy to obtain mineral and kerogen information at these mesoscale spatial resolutions in large-sized shale rock samples. The first method is a modified microscopic attenuated total reflectance measurement that utilizes a large germanium hemisphere combined with a focal plane array detector to rapidly capture chemical images of shale rock surfaces spanning hundreds of micrometers with micrometer spatial resolution. The second method, synchrotron infrared nano-spectroscopy,more » utilizes a metallic atomic force microscope tip to obtain chemical images of micrometer dimensions but with nanometer spatial resolution. This chemically "deconvoluted" imaging at the nano-pore scale is then used to build a machine learning model to generate a molecular distribution map across scales with a spatial span of 1000 times, which enables high-throughput geochemical characterization in greater details across the nano-pore and micro-grain scales and allows us to identify co-localization of mineral phases with chemically distinct organics and even with gas phase sorbents. Finally, this characterization is fundamental to understand mineral and organic compositions affecting the behavior of shales.« less

Yesterday's forest, tomorrow's savannah? Legacies in the man-made hills of Appalachia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ross, M. R. V.; Nippgen, F.; McGlynn, B. L.; Bernhardt, E. S.

2017-12-01

Mountaintop removal coal mines have converted more than 6,000 km2 of the steep forested valleys of Central Appalachian into a landscape of rolling hills covered by shrubby grasslands. These landscapes were created as a byproduct of extracting shallow coal seams from beneath hundreds of meters of overlying bedrock. Once broken apart by explosives, this excess rock overburden is deposited into valley fills and incorporated into reconstructed ridges. The landscapes left behind after mining are flattened and overlies highly fractured fill material that can be 100-fold deeper than natural soil. This fractured bedrock material can store 2-10 years worth of average precipitation, where any stored water is in contact with a reactive mix of unweathered carbonate bedrock and pyrite rich coal and shale residues. As a result, mountaintop mined watersheds have novel hydrologic and biogeochemical regimes with increases in baseflow and extremely rapid weathering that increases salinity by 10-25-fold. To date, little research has characterized the longevity of these impacts. We employed a combination of remote sensing and hydrologic watershed monitoring approaches to examine the long-term and linked changes in vegetation, hydrology, and water quality in a post-mine landscapes that were constructed between 1990 and 2016. We find that forest recovery on mountaintop mines progresses at half the rate of forest regrowth following clearcutting with persistent low canopy-height sections, consistent more with grasslands than forests. These vegetative changes are associated with decreases in runoff ratios as mines age and water moves through flatter, vegetated landscapes. However, vegetation change appears to be uncoupled from biogeochemical processes, with saline mine drainage persisting for decades, even as vegetation regrows. Our work suggests that time-since-mining of a watershed does not predict downstream water quality, while total valley fill volume remains a strong predictor of mean salinity and total weathering rates. This research highlights the importance of understanding how deep changes to a landscape alters the basic hydrology and biogeochemistry over years to decades.

Mineral content prediction for unconventional oil and gas reservoirs based on logging data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maojin, Tan; Youlong, Zou; Guoyue

2012-09-01

Coal bed methane and shale oil &gas are both important unconventional oil and gas resources, whose reservoirs are typical non-linear with complex and various mineral components, and the logging data interpretation model are difficult to establish for calculate the mineral contents, and the empirical formula cannot be constructed due to various mineral. The radial basis function (RBF) network analysis is a new method developed in recent years; the technique can generate smooth continuous function of several variables to approximate the unknown forward model. Firstly, the basic principles of the RBF is discussed including net construct and base function, and the network training is given in detail the adjacent clustering algorithm specific process. Multi-mineral content for coal bed methane and shale oil &gas, using the RBF interpolation method to achieve a number of well logging data to predict the mineral component contents; then, for coal-bed methane reservoir parameters prediction, the RBF method is used to realized some mineral contents calculation such as ash, volatile matter, carbon content, which achieves a mapping from various logging data to multimineral. To shale gas reservoirs, the RBF method can be used to predict the clay content, quartz content, feldspar content, carbonate content and pyrite content. Various tests in coalbed and gas shale show the method is effective and applicable for mineral component contents prediction

Inventory of Shale Formations in the US, Including Geologic, Hydrological, and Mechanical Characteristics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dobson, Patrick; Houseworth, James

2013-11-22

The objective of this report is to build upon previous compilations of shale formations within many of the major sedimentary basins in the US by developing GIS data delineating isopach and structural depth maps for many of these units. These data are being incorporated into the LANL digital GIS database being developed for determining host rock distribution and depth/thickness parameters consistent with repository design. Methods were developed to assess hydrological and geomechanical properties and conditions for shale formations based on sonic velocity measurements.

Influence of Mineralogy, Pressure, Temperature and Stress on Mechanical roperties of shale Rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrmann, J.; Rybacki, E.; Sone, H.; Dresen, G. H.

2017-12-01

The production of hydrocarbons from unconventional reservoirs, like tight shale plays increased tremendously over the past decade. Hydraulic fracturing is a common method to increase the productivity of a well drilled in these reservoirs. Unfortunately, the production rate decreases over time presumably due to fracture healing. The healing rate induced by proppant embedment depends on pressure (p), temperature (T), stress (σ) - conditions and on shale composition. To improve understanding of the influence of these parameters on fracture healing, we conducted constant strain rate experiments (p = 50 - 100 MPa, T = 50 - 125 °C, ɛ/t = 5 * 10-4 - 5 * 10-6 s-1) on porous ( 8 %), quartz - rich ( 72 vol %) Bowland shale (UK) and on low porosity ( 3 %), clay - rich ( 33 vol %) Posidonia shale (GER), deformed perpendicular to bedding and with as-is water content. Bowland shale showed mainly brittle behaviour with predominantly elastic deformation before failure and a high strength (280 - 350 MPa). In contrast, Posidonia shale deformed semibrittle with pronounced inelastic deformation and low peak strength (165 - 220 MPa). For both shale rocks, static Young's moduli vary between 12 - 18 GPa. In addition, we performed a series of constant stress tests on both shales at p = 30 - 115 MPa, T = 75 - 150 °C and σ = 160 - 450 MPa. Samples showed transient (primary) creep with increasing strain rates for increasing temperature and stress and decreasing pressure. An empirical power law in the form of ɛ = A*tm is used to describe the observed relation between inelastic strain (ɛ) and time (t), where the constant A is mainly affected by temperature and stress and the exponent m accounts for the influence of pressure. Compared to quartz - rich, strong Bowland shale, the creep behaviour of clay - rich, weak Posidonia shale is much more sensitive to changes in pressure, temperature and stress. Electron microscopy suggests that creep was mainly accommodated by deformation of weak phases (TOC, clay, mica). Our results suggest a low fracture healing rate of Bowland shale, whereas fractures within the Posidonia formation tend to close faster.

Mineral resources of Elko County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Roscoe Maurice

1976-01-01

Of the 66 named mining districts in Elko County, 56 have been productive of one or more of 19 different commodities: 11 metals--copper, gold, silver, lead, zinc, mercury, tungsten, manganese, iron, uranium, and antimony; 8 nonmetals--sand and gravel, stone, barite, diatomite, gems, oil shale, volcanic ash, and clay. In addition to the commodities produced, at least 5 others--beryllium, molybdenum, tin, phosphorite, and petroleum, occur in amounts sufficient to warrant exploration. The other districts have been explored, but no production has been recorded. Total value-when-sold of production recorded through 1969 was nearly $91 million; actual production was considerably greater, especially if sand and gravel, barite, and other nonmetallic products before 1953 are included. In value of metals produced, the five highest districts are Mountain City ($26 million), Tuscarora ($11 million), Jarbidge ($10 million), Aura ($6 million), and Railroad (nearly $5 million). The Rio Tinto copper mine in the Mountain City district yielded $21 million. Of the 17 districts that produced nonmetallic minerals, Bootstrap .is the largest producer, containing the Rossi mine, one of the two largest barite mines in the United States. Most of /he metals produced name from veins and replacement deposits in limestone or dolomite near granitic stocks; exceptions are manganese and mercury, which are not associated with known or inferred stocks; mercury is further excepted because it occurs in volcanic rocks, as do a few deposits of the major metals. The largest deposit--the Rio Tinto lode--was a combination of fissure filling and replacement along a bedding plane shear zone 150 ft wide and 1,200 ft long in carbonaceous shale of the Valmy Formation; this deposit is apparently older than the Mountain City stock and its mineralization may be related to Paleozoic mafic volcanism later than a major thrust fault, inferred to underlie the area at a depth of about 5,000 ft. Most of the nonmetallic minerals mined were sedimentary bedded deposits, but mica was mined from pegmatite deposits, and turquoise from both placer and hydrothermal deposits. The largest known reserves of metals (1973) are of porphyry copper in the Dolly Varden district and gold in the Bootstrap district. Reserves of barite also are presumed to be large. The greatest potential for future production of metals, notably copper and gold, appears to be in the known districts or extensions of them and peripheral to deposits that are related to known or concealed plutons and thrust faults. Potential resources in deposits too low in grade to be worked profitably at the present time include all commodities that have been produced and, in addition, known, deposits of beryllium, molybdenum, tin, and phosphorite. Speculative resources in undiscovered deposits may reasonably be predicted to include all known commodities as well as others that are unsuspected. Petroleum may yet be produced from the Elko Formation and geothermal energy from the Ruby Valley and Elko areas.

Rock physics model-based prediction of shear wave velocity in the Barnett Shale formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Zhiqi; Li, Xiang-Yang

2015-06-01

Predicting S-wave velocity is important for reservoir characterization and fluid identification in unconventional resources. A rock physics model-based method is developed for estimating pore aspect ratio and predicting shear wave velocity Vs from the information of P-wave velocity, porosity and mineralogy in a borehole. Statistical distribution of pore geometry is considered in the rock physics models. In the application to the Barnett formation, we compare the high frequency self-consistent approximation (SCA) method that corresponds to isolated pore spaces, and the low frequency SCA-Gassmann method that describes well-connected pore spaces. Inversion results indicate that compared to the surroundings, the Barnett Shale shows less fluctuation in the pore aspect ratio in spite of complex constituents in the shale. The high frequency method provides a more robust and accurate prediction of Vs for all the three intervals in the Barnett formation, while the low frequency method collapses for the Barnett Shale interval. Possible causes for this discrepancy can be explained by the fact that poor in situ pore connectivity and low permeability make well-log sonic frequencies act as high frequencies and thus invalidate the low frequency assumption of the Gassmann theory. In comparison, for the overlying Marble Falls and underlying Ellenburger carbonates, both the high and low frequency methods predict Vs with reasonable accuracy, which may reveal that sonic frequencies are within the transition frequencies zone due to higher pore connectivity in the surroundings.

Appraisal of transport and deformation in shale reservoirs using natural noble gas tracers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heath, Jason E.; Kuhlman, Kristopher L.; Robinson, David G.

2015-09-01

This report presents efforts to develop the use of in situ naturally-occurring noble gas tracers to evaluate transport mechanisms and deformation in shale hydrocarbon reservoirs. Noble gases are promising as shale reservoir diagnostic tools due to their sensitivity of transport to: shale pore structure; phase partitioning between groundwater, liquid, and gaseous hydrocarbons; and deformation from hydraulic fracturing. Approximately 1.5-year time-series of wellhead fluid samples were collected from two hydraulically-fractured wells. The noble gas compositions and isotopes suggest a strong signature of atmospheric contribution to the noble gases that mix with deep, old reservoir fluids. Complex mixing and transport of fracturingmore » fluid and reservoir fluids occurs during production. Real-time laboratory measurements were performed on triaxially-deforming shale samples to link deformation behavior, transport, and gas tracer signatures. Finally, we present improved methods for production forecasts that borrow statistical strength from production data of nearby wells to reduce uncertainty in the forecasts.« less

The effect of maturation on the configuration of pristane in sediments and petroleum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patience, R. L.; Rowland, S. J.; Maxwell, J. R.

1978-01-01

The absolute stereochemistry of pristane in a sample of contemporary marine zooplankton, Messel shale (Germany) and Djatibarang (Java) crude has been determined by gas chromatographic methods. The relative stereochemistry in Irati shale (Brazil), Green River (U.S.) crude, Halibut (Australia) crude has also been determined, and confirmed for a sample of the Green River shale. The stereoisomer distributions indicate a loss of stereospecificity of the phytol-derived 6(R), 10(S) pristane with increasing geological maturation. For example, the least mature geological sample, the Eocene Messel shale, contains solely the 6(R), 10(S) isomer, whereas a mature sample, Djatibarange crude, contains 50% of the 6(R), 10(S) isomer and 25% of each of the 6(R), 10(R) and 6(S), 10(S) isomers.

Experimental investigation on the coupled effect of effective stress and gas slippage on the permeability of shale.

PubMed

Yang, Diansen; Wang, Wei; Chen, Weizhong; Wang, Shugang; Wang, Xiaoqiong

2017-03-17

Permeability is one of the most important parameters to evaluate gas production in shale reservoirs. Because shale permeability is extremely low, gas is often used in the laboratory to measure permeability. However, the measured apparent gas permeability is higher than the intrinsic permeability due to the gas slippage effect, which could be even more dominant for materials with nanopores. Increasing gas pressure during tests reduces gas slippage effect, but it also decreases the effective stress which in turn influences the permeability. The coupled effect of gas slippage and effective stress on shale permeability remains unclear. Here we perform laboratory experiments on Longmaxi shale specimens to explore the coupled effect. We use the pressure transient method to measure permeability under different stress and pressure conditions. Our results reveal that the apparent measured permeability is controlled by these two competing effects. With increasing gas pressure, there exists a pressure threshold at which the dominant effect on permeability switches from gas slippage to effective stress. Based on the Klinkenberg model, we propose a new conceptual model that incorporates both competing effects. Combining microstructure analysis, we further discuss the roles of stress, gas pressure and water contents on gas permeability of shale.

BIRDSEYE, NEPHI, AND SANTAQUIN ROADLESS AREAS, UTAH.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sorensen, Martin L.; Korzeb, Stanley L.

1984-01-01

The results of a mineral-resource appraisal of the Birdseye, Nephi, And Santaquin Roadless Areas in Utah indicate several areas with probable or substantiated mineral-resource potential. The Eva mine in the Santaquin Roadless Area contains small, demonstrated resources of lead-zinc-silver ore. A probable resource potential for lead, zinc, and silver deposits exists in the area around the Eva mine, and elsewhere in the Birdseye, Nephi, and Santaquin Roadless Areas where Mississipian and Cambrian carbonate rocks occur. A substantiated potential for gypsum is recognized in the southwest corner of the Nephi Roadless Area and a probable resource potential in adjacent areas underlain by the Jurassic Arapien Shale. There are limestone resources for use in cement and smelter flux in the Nephi and Santaquin Roadless Areas, but similar limestone occurs abundantly outside the area. The potential for oil and gas resources cannot be assessed from available data. There are no indications of coal or geothermal resources in the roadless areas.

Conversion of Coal Mine Gas to LNG

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

This project evolved from a 1995, DOE-NETL competitive solicitation for practical CMM capture and utilization concepts. Appalachian Pacific was one of three companies selected to proceed with the construction and operation of a cost-shared demonstration plant. In the course of trying to proceed with this demonstration plant, AP examined several liquefaction technologies, discussed obtaining rights to coal mine methane with a number of coal companies, explored marketing potential with a wide variety of customers in many sections of the United States, studied in great detail the impact of a carbon credit exchange, and developed a suite of analytical tools withmore » which to evaluate possible project options. In the end, the newness of the product, reluctance on the part of the coal companies to venture away from time tested practices, difficulty with obtaining financing, the failure of a carbon credit market to develop and the emergence of shale derived gas production prevented a demonstration plant from being built.« less

High-resolution seismic reflection to delineate shallow gas in Eastern Kansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, R.D.; Watney, W.L.; Begay, D.K.; Xia, J.

2000-01-01

Unique amplitude characteristics of shallow gas sands within Pennsylvanian clastic-carbonate dominated sequences are discernible on high-resolution seismic reflection data in eastern Kansas. Upward grading sequences of sand into shale represent a potential gas reservoir with a low-impedence acoustic contrast at the base of the encasing layer. The gas sand and encasing shale, which define the gas reservoir studied here, are part of an erosional incised valley where about 30 m of carbonates and shale have been replaced by sandstone and shale confined to the incised valley. These consolidated geologic settings would normally possess high impedence gas sand reservoirs as defined by abrupt contacts between the gas sand and encasing shale. Based orr core and borehole logs, the gas sand studied here grades from sand into shale in a fashion analogous to that observed in classic low-impedance environments. Amplitude and phase characteristics of high-resolution seismic data across this approximately 400-m wide gas sand are indicative of a low-impedance reservoir. Shot gathers possess classic amplitude with offsett-dependent characteristics which are manifeted on the stacked section as "bright spots." Dominant Frequencies of around 120 Hz allow detection of several reflectors within the 30+ meters of sand/shale that make up this localized gas-rich incised valley fill. The gradational nature of the trapping mechanism observed in this gas reservoir would make detection with conventional seismic reflection methods unlikely.

Hydrocarbon potential of Upper Devonian black shale, eastern Kentucky

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnston, I.M.; Frankie, W.T.; Moody, J.R.

The gas-producing Upper Devonian black shales of eastern Kentucky represent cycles of organic units alternating with less-organic units that were dominated by an influx of clastics from a northeastern source. This pattern of sedimentation is typical throughout the southern Appalachian basin in areas basinal to, yet still influenced by, the Catskill delta to the northwest. These black shales, which thin westward onto the Cincinnati arch, dip eastward into the Appalachian basin. To evaluate the future gas potential of Devonian shale, a data base has been compiled, consisting of specific geologic and engineering information from 5920 Devonian shale wells in Letcher,more » Knott, Floyd, Martin, and Pike Counties, Kentucky. The first successful gas completion in eastern Kentucky was drilled in Martin County in 1901. Comparison of initial open-flow potential (IP) and long-term production data for these wells demonstrates that higher IP values generally indicate wells of higher production potential. Areas of higher IP are aligned linearly, and these lineaments are interpreted to be related to fracture systems within the Devonian shale. These fractures may be basement influenced. Temperature log analyses indicate that the greatest number of natural gas shows occur in the lower Huron Member of the Ohio Shale. Using both the temperature log to indicate gas shows and the gamma-ray log to determine the producing unit is a workable method for selecting the interval for treatment.« less

CO2 Sequestration within Spent Oil Shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foster, H.; Worrall, F.; Gluyas, J.; Morgan, C.; Fraser, J.

2013-12-01

Worldwide deposits of oil shales are thought to represent ~3 trillion barrels of oil. Jordanian oil shale deposits are extensive and of high quality, and could represent 100 billion barrels of oil, leading to much interest and activity in the development of these deposits. The exploitation of oil shales has raised a number of environmental concerns including: land use, waste disposal, water consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions. The dry retorting of oil shales can overcome a number of the environmental impacts, but this leaves concerns over management of spent oil shale and CO2 production. In this study we propose that the spent oil shale can be used to sequester CO2 from the retorting process. Here we show that by conducting experiments using high pressure reaction facilities, we can achieve successful carbonation of spent oil shale. High pressure reactor facilities in the Department of Earth Sciences, Durham University, are capable of reacting solids with a range of fluids up to 15 MPa and 350°C, being specially designed for research with supercritical fluids. Jordanian spent oil shale was reacted with high pressure CO2 in order to assess whether there is potential for sequestration. Fresh and reacted materials were then examined by: Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) methods. Jordanian spent oil shale was found to sequester up to 5.8 wt % CO2, on reacting under supercritical conditions, which is 90% of the theoretical carbonation. Jordanian spent oil shale is composed of a large proportion of CaCO3, which on retorting decomposes, forming CaSO4 and Ca-oxides which are the focus of carbonation reactions. A factorially designed experiment was used to test different factors on the extent of carbonation, including: pressure; temperature; duration; and the water content. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) techniques were then used to determine the significance of each of these. Results show that the duration; temperature; pressure; and the interactions between these significantly affect the extent of carbonation. Reactions carried out for at least 4 hours show significantly more carbonation than those under supercritical conditions for 2 hours or less. However, reacting for 24 hours does not show a significant increase in the extent of reaction, indicating that the reaction has reached equilibrium within a few hours. Maximum carbonation occurred within 4 hours, at higher temperatures and pressures of 80°C and 100 bar although results also show that there is a significant amount of carbonation achieved within 30 minutes, at 40°C and 70 bar. The magnitude of the CO2 sequestration achieved was sufficient that it could lower CO2 emissions by up to 30 kg CO2 /bbl, thereby bringing the emissions from oil shale processing in line with those from conventional oil extraction methods. The determination of optimum conditions to allow for: maximum carbonation, oil recovery and sufficient calcination, is also of importance and is currently under investigation.

Development of a sintering process for recycling oil shale fly ash and municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash into glass ceramic composite

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Zhikun; Zhang, Lei; Li, Aimin, E-mail: leeam@dlut.edu.cn

Highlights: • Glass ceramic composite is prepared from oil shale fly ash and MSWI bottom ash. • A novel method for the production of glass ceramic composite is presented. • It provides simple route and lower energy consumption in terms of recycling waste. • The vitrified slag can promote the sintering densification process of glass ceramic. • The performances of products decrease with the increase of oil shale fly ash content. - Abstract: Oil shale fly ash and municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash are industrial and municipal by-products that require further treatment before disposal to avoid polluting the environment.more » In the study, they were mixed and vitrified into the slag by the melt-quench process. The obtained vitrified slag was then mixed with various percentages of oil shale fly ash and converted into glass ceramic composites by the subsequent sintering process. Differential thermal analysis was used to study the thermal characteristics and determine the sintering temperatures. X-ray diffraction analysis was used to analyze the crystalline phase compositions. Sintering shrinkage, weight loss on ignition, density and compressive strength were tested to determine the optimum preparation condition and study the co-sintering mechanism of vitrified amorphous slag and oil shale fly ash. The results showed the product performances increased with the increase of sintering temperatures and the proportion of vitrified slag to oil shale fly ash. Glass ceramic composite (vitrified slag content of 80%, oil shale fly ash content of 20%, sintering temperature of 1000 °C and sintering time of 2 h) showed the properties of density of 1.92 ± 0.05 g/cm{sup 3}, weight loss on ignition of 6.14 ± 0.18%, sintering shrinkage of 22.06 ± 0.6% and compressive strength of 67 ± 14 MPa. The results indicated that it was a comparable waste-based material compared to previous researches. In particular, the energy consumption in the production process was reduced compared to conventional vitrification and sintering method. Chemical resistance and heavy metals leaching results of glass ceramic composites further confirmed the possibility of its engineering applications.« less

Identification Method of Mud Shale Fractures Base on Wavelet Transform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Weixu; Lai, Fuqiang; Luo, Han

2018-01-01

In recent years, inspired by seismic analysis technology, a new method for analysing mud shale fractures oil and gas reservoirs by logging properties has emerged. By extracting the high frequency attribute of the wavelet transform in the logging attribute, the formation information hidden in the logging signal is extracted, identified the fractures that are not recognized by conventional logging and in the identified fracture segment to show the “cycle jump”, “high value”, “spike” and other response effect is more obvious. Finally formed a complete wavelet denoising method and wavelet high frequency identification fracture method.

delta 15N and non-carbonate delta 13C values for two petroleum source rock reference materials and a marine sediment reference material

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dennen, Kristin O.; Johnson, Craig A.; Otter, Marshall L.; Silva, Steven R.; Wandless, Gregory A.

2006-01-01

Samples of United States Geological Survey (USGS) Certified Reference Materials USGS Devonian Ohio Shale (SDO-1), and USGS Eocene Green River Shale (SGR-1), and National Research Council Canada (NRCC) Certified Marine Sediment Reference Material (PACS-2), were sent for analysis to four separate analytical laboratories as blind controls for organic rich sedimentary rock samples being analyzed from the Red Dog mine area in Alaska. The samples were analyzed for stable isotopes of carbon (delta13Cncc) and nitrogen (delta15N), percent non-carbonate carbon (Wt % Cncc) and percent nitrogen (Wt % N). SDO-1, collected from the Huron Member of the Ohio Shale, near Morehead, Kentucky, and SGR-1, collected from the Mahogany zone of the Green River Formation are petroleum source rocks used as reference materials for chemical analyses of sedimentary rocks. PACS-2 is modern marine sediment collected from the Esquimalt, British Columbia harbor. The results presented in this study are, with the exceptions noted below, the first published for these reference materials. There are published information values for the elemental concentrations of 'organic' carbon (Wt % Corg measured range is 8.98 - 10.4) and nitrogen (Wt % Ntot 0.347 with SD 0.043) only for SDO-1. The suggested values presented here should be considered 'information values' as defined by the NRCC Institute for National Measurement Reference Materials and should be useful for the analysis of 13C, 15N, C and N in organic material in sedimentary rocks.

Perspective usage estimation of Volga region combustible shale as a power generating fuel alternative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korolev, E.; Barieva, E.; Eskin, A.

2018-05-01

A comprehensive study of combustible shale, common within Tatarstan and Ulyanovsk region, is carried out. The rocks physicochemical parameters are found to meet the power generating fuels requirements. The predictive estimate of ash products properties of combustible shale burning is held. Minding furnace process technology it is necessary to know mineral and organic components behavior when combustible shale is burnt. Since the first will determine slagging properties of energy raw materials, the second – its calorific value. In consideration of this the main research methods were X-ray, thermal and X-ray fluorescence analyses. Summing up the obtained results, we can draw to the following conclusions: 1. The combustible shale in Tatarstan and the Ulyanovsk region has predominantly low calorific value (Qb d = 5-9 MJ/kg). In order to enhance its efficiency and to reduce cost it is possible to conduct rocks burning together with some other organic or organic mineral power generating fuels. 2. High ash content (Ad = 60-80%) that causes a high external ballast content in shale implies the appropriateness of using this fuel resource next to its exploitation site. The acceptable distance to a consumer will reduce unproductive transportation charges for large ash and moisture masses. 3. The performed fuel ash components characteristics, as well as the yield and volatiles composition allow us to specify the basic parameters for boiler units, designed for the Volga combustible shale burning. 4. The noncombustible residual components composition shows that shale ash can be used in manufacture of materials of construction.

Shale gas activity and increased rates of sexually transmitted infections in Ohio, 2000–2016

PubMed Central

Humeau, Zoe; Elliott, Elise G.; Warren, Joshua L.; Niccolai, Linda M.

2018-01-01

Background The growing shale gas (“fracking”) industry depends on a mobile workforce, whose influx could have social impacts on host communities. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can increase through sexual mixing patterns associated with labor migration. No prior studies have quantified the relationship between shale gas activity and rates of three reportable STIs: chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Methods We conducted a longitudinal, ecologic study from 2000–2016 in Ohio, situated in a prolific shale gas region in the United States (US). Data on reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis by county and year were obtained from the Ohio Department of Health. All 88 counties were classified as none, low, and high shale gas activity in each year, using data from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Annual rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated from mixed-effects Poisson regression models evaluating the relationship between shale gas activity and reported annual STI rates while adjusting for secular trends and potential confounders obtained from the US Census. Results Compared to counties with no shale gas activity, counties with high activity had 21% (RR = 1.21; 95%CI = 1.08–1.36) increased rates of chlamydia and 19% (RR = 1.27; 95%CI 0.98–1.44) increased rates of gonorrhea, respectively. No association was observed for syphilis. Conclusion This first report of a link between shale gas activity and increased rates of both chlamydia and gonorrhea may inform local policies and community health efforts. PMID:29570712

Oil-source correlations between the Mississippian Heath Shales and the reservoired oils in the Pennsylvanian Tyler Sands, Montana

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cole, G.A.; Drozd, R.J.; Daniel, J.A.

The Mississippi Heath Formation exposed in Fergus County, central Montana, is comprised predominantly of nearshore, marine, black, calcareous shales and carbonates with minor anhydrite and coal beds. The black shales and limestones have been considered as sources for shale oil via Fischer Assay and pyrolysis analysis. These shales are potential source units for the oils reservoired in the overlying Pennsylvanian Tyler Formation sands located 50 mi (80 km) to the east of the Fergus County Heath sediment studied. Heath Formation rocks from core holes were selectively sampled in 2-ft increments and analyzed for their source rock characteristics. Analyses include percentmore » total organic carbon (%TOC), Rock-Eval pyrolysis, pyrolysis-gas chromatography, and characterization of the total soluble extracts using carbon isotopes and gas chromatography-mass Spectrometry. Results indicated that the Heath was an excellent potential source unit that contained oil-prone, organic-rich (maximum of 17.6% TOC), calcareous, black shale intervals. The Heath and Tyler formations also contained intervals dominated by gas-prone, organic-rich shales of terrestrial origin. Three oils from the Tyler Formation sands in Musselshell and Rosebud counties were characterized by similar methods as the extracts. The oils were normally mature, moderate API gravity, moderate sulfur, low asphaltene crudes. Oil to source correlations between the Heath shale extracts and the oils indicated the Heath was an excellent candidate source rock for the Tyler reservoired oils. Conclusions were based on excellent matches between the carbon isotopes of the oils and the kerogen-kerogen pyrolyzates, and from the biomarkers.« less

Statistical evaluation of the impact of shale gas activities on ozone pollution in North Texas.

PubMed

Ahmadi, Mahdi; John, Kuruvilla

2015-12-01

Over the past decade, substantial growth in shale gas exploration and production across the US has changed the country's energy outlook. Beyond its economic benefits, the negative impacts of shale gas development on air and water are less well known. In this study the relationship between shale gas activities and ground-level ozone pollution was statistically evaluated. The Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area in north-central Texas was selected as the study region. The Barnett Shale, which is one the most productive and fastest growing shale gas fields in the US, is located in the western half of DFW. Hourly meteorological and ozone data were acquired for fourteen years from monitoring stations established and operated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The area was divided into two regions, the shale gas region (SGR) and the non-shale gas (NSGR) region, according to the number of gas wells in close proximity to each monitoring site. The study period was also divided into 2000-2006 and 2007-2013 because the western half of DFW has experienced significant growth in shale gas activities since 2007. An evaluation of the raw ozone data showed that, while the overall trend in the ozone concentration was down over the entire region, the monitoring sites in the NSGR showed an additional reduction of 4% in the annual number of ozone exceedance days than those in the SGR. Directional analysis of ozone showed that the winds blowing from areas with high shale gas activities contributed to higher ozone downwind. KZ-filtering method and linear regression techniques were used to remove the effects of meteorological variations on ozone and to construct long-term and short-term meteorologically adjusted (M.A.) ozone time series. The mean value of all M.A. ozone components was 8% higher in the sites located within the SGR than in the NSGR. These findings may be useful for understanding the overall impact of shale gas activities on the local and regional ozone pollution. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The 'North American shale composite' - Its compilation, major and trace element characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gromet, L. P.; Dymek, R. F.; Haskin, L. A.; Korotev, R. L.

1984-01-01

North American shale composite (NASC) major element composition and compilation are presented, together with rare earth element (REE) redeterminations obtained by high precision analytical methods. The major element composition of the NASC compares closely with other average shale compositions, and significant portions of the REE and some other trace elements are contained in minor phases. The uneven REE distribution in NASC powder appears to yield the heterogeneity in analyzed aliquants. REE distributions of detrital sediments may to some extent be dependent on their minor mineral assemblages and the sedimentological factors controlling these assemblages.

Estimating emissions of toxic hydrocarbons from natural gas production sites in the Barnett Shale region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marrero, J. E.; Townsend-Small, A.; Lyon, D. R.; Tsai, T.; Meinardi, S.; Blake, D. R.

2015-12-01

Throughout the past decade, shale gas operations have moved closer to urban centers and densely populated areas, contributing to growing public concerns regarding exposure to hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). These HAPs include gases like hexane, 1,3-butadiene and BTEX compounds, which can cause minor health effects from short-term exposure or possibly cancer due to prolonged exposure. During the Barnett Shale Coordinated Campaign in October, 2013, ground-based whole air samples revealed enhancements in several of these toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) downwind of natural gas well pads and compressor stations. Two methods were used to estimate the emission rate of several HAPs in the Barnett Shale. The first method utilized CH4 flux measurements derived from the Picarro Mobile Flux Plane (MFP) and taken concurrently with whole air samples, while the second used a CH4 emissions inventory developed for the Barnett Shale region. From these two approaches, the regional emission estimate for benzene (C6H6) ranged from 48 ± 16 to 84 ± 26 kg C6H6 hr-1. A significant regional source of atmospheric benzene is evident, despite measurement uncertainty and limited number of samples. The extent to which these emission rates equate to a larger public health risk is unclear, but is of particular interest as natural gas productions continues to expand.

Mining geology of the Pond Creek seam, Pikeville Formation, Middle Pennsylvanian, in part of the Eastern Kentucky Coal Field, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Greb, S.F.; Popp, J.T.

1999-01-01

The Pond Creek seam is one of the leading producers of coal in the Eastern Kentucky Coal Field. The geologic factors that affect mining were investigated in several underground mines and categorized in terms of coal thickness, coal quality, and roof control. The limits of mining and thick coal are defined by splitting along the margin of the coal body. Within the coal body, local thickness variation occurs because of (1) leader coal benches filling narrow, elongated depressions, (2) rider coal benches coming near to or merging with the main bench, (3) overthrust coal benches being included along paleochannel margins, (4) cutouts occuring beneath paleochannels, and (5) very hard and unusual rock partings occuring along narrow, elongated trends. In the study area, the coal is mostly mined as a compliance product: sulfur contents are less than 1% and ash yields are less than 10%. Local increases in sulfur occur beneath sandstones, and are inferred to represent post-depositional migration of fluids through porous sands into the coal. Run-of-mine quality is also affected by several mine-roof conditions and trends of densely concentrated rock partings, which lead to increased in- and out-of-seam dilution and overall ash content of the mined coal. Roof control is largely a function of a heterolithic facies mosaic of coastal-estuarine origin, regional fracture trends, and unloading stress related to varying mine depth beneath the surface. Lateral variability of roof facies is the rule in most mines. The largest falls occur beneath modern valleys and parallel fractures, along paleochannel margins, within tidally affected 'stackrock,' and beneath rider coals. Shale spalling, kettlebottoms, and falls within other more isolated facies also occur. Many of the lithofacies, and falls related to bedding weaknesses within or between lithofacies, occur along northeast-southwest trends, which can be projected in advance of mining. Fracture-related falls occur independently of lithofacies trends along northwest-southeast trends, especially beneath modern valleys where overburden thickness decreases sharply. Differentiating roof falls related to these trends can aid in predicting roof quality in advance of mining.The Pond Creek-Lower Elkhorn seam has been an important exploration target because it typically has very low sulfur contents and ash yields. Geologic research in several large Pond Creek mines suggested variability in roof quality and coal thickness. Due to mine access, geologic problems encountered during mining are documented and described.

Geology of the Powder River Basin, Wyoming and Montana, with reference to subsurface disposal of radioactive wastes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beikman, Helen M.

1962-01-01

The Powder River Basin is a structural and topographic basin occupying an area of about 20,000 square miles in northeastern Wyoming arid southeastern Montana. The Basin is about 230 miles long in a northwest-southeast direction and is about 100 miles wide. It is bounded on three sides by mountains in which rocks of Precambrian age are exposed. The Basin is asymmetrical with a steep west limb adjacent to the Bighorn Mountains and a gentle east limb adjacent to the Black Hills. Sedimentary rocks within the Basin have a maximum thickness of about 18,000 feet and rocks of every geologic period are represented. Paleozoic rocks are about 2,500 feet thick and consist of marine bonate rocks and sandstone; Mesozoic rocks are about 9,500 feet thick and consist of both marine and nonmarine siltstone and sandstone; and Cenozoic rocks are from 4,000 to 6,000 feet thick and consist of coal-bearing sandstone and shale. Radioactive waste could be stored in the pore space of permeable sandstone or in shale where space could be developed. Many such rock units that could be used for storing radioactive wastes are present within the Powder River Basin. Permeable sandstone beds that may be possible reservoirs for storage of radioactive waste are present throughout the Powder River Basin. These include sandstone beds in the Flathead Sandstone and equivalent strata in the Deadwood Formation, the Tensleep Sandstone and equivalent strata in the Minnelusa Formation and the Sundance Formation in rocks of pre-Cretaceous age. However, most of the possible sandstone reservoirs are in rocks of Cretaceous age and include sandstone beds in the Fall River, Lakota, Newcastle, Frontier, Cody, and Mesaverde Formations. Problems of containment of waste such as clogging of pore space and chemical incompatibility would have to be solved before a particular sandstone unit could be selected for waste disposal. Several thick sequences of impermeable shale such as those in the Skull Creek, Mowry, Frontier, Belle Fourche, Cody, Lewis, and Pierre Formations, occur in rocks of Cretaceous age in the Basin. Limited storage space for liquid waste might be developed in impermeable shale by fracturing the shale and space for calcined or fused waste could be developed by mining cavities.

Multicomponent seismic reservoir characterization of a steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) heavy oil project, Athabasca oil sands, Alberta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schiltz, Kelsey Kristine

Steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) is an in situ heavy oil recovery method involving the injection of steam in horizontal wells. Time-lapse seismic analysis over a SAGD project in the Athabasca oil sands deposit of Alberta reveals that the SAGD steam chamber has not developed uniformly. Core data confirm the presence of low permeability shale bodies within the reservoir. These shales can act as barriers and baffles to steam and limit production by prohibiting steam from accessing the full extent of the reservoir. Seismic data can be used to identify these shale breaks prior to siting new SAGD well pairs in order to optimize field development. To identify shale breaks in the study area, three types of seismic inversion and a probabilistic neural network prediction were performed. The predictive value of each result was evaluated by comparing the position of interpreted shales with the boundaries of the steam chamber determined through time-lapse analysis. The P-impedance result from post-stack inversion did not contain enough detail to be able to predict the vertical boundaries of the steam chamber but did show some predictive value in a spatial sense. P-impedance from pre-stack inversion exhibited some meaningful correlations with the steam chamber but was misleading in many crucial areas, particularly the lower reservoir. Density estimated through the application of a probabilistic neural network (PNN) trained using both PP and PS attributes identified shales most accurately. The interpreted shales from this result exhibit a strong relationship with the boundaries of the steam chamber, leading to the conclusion that the PNN method can be used to make predictions about steam chamber growth. In this study, reservoir characterization incorporating multicomponent seismic data demonstrated a high predictive value and could be useful in evaluating future well placement.

Method of design for vertical oil shale retorting vessels and retorting therewith

DOEpatents

Reeves, Adam A.

1978-01-03

A method of designing the gas flow parameters of a vertical shaft oil shale retorting vessel involves determining the proportion of gas introduced in the bottom of the vessel and into intermediate levels in the vessel to provide for lateral distribution of gas across the vessel cross section, providing mixing with the uprising gas, and determining the limiting velocity of the gas through each nozzle. The total quantity of gas necessary for oil shale treatment in the vessel may be determined and the proportion to be injected into each level is then determined based on the velocity relation of the orifice velocity and its feeder manifold gas velocity. A limitation is placed on the velocity of gas issuing from an orifice by the nature of the solid being treated, usually physical tests of gas velocity impinging the solid.

Lithostratigraphical correlation of the Neoproterozoic Roan Supergroup from Shaba (Zaire) and Zambia, in the central African copper-cobalt metallogenic province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cailteux, J.; Binda, P. L.; Katekesha, W. M.; Kampunzu, A. B.; Intiomale, M. M.; Kapenda, D.; Kaunda, C.; Ngongo, K.; Tshiauka, T.; Wendorff, M.

1994-11-01

New data on the lower Katangan sequences in Shaba (Zaire) and Zambia, collected during the 1989 and 1990 UNESCO-sponsored Geotraverses, reveal an important development on friction breccias throughout the Zambian Copperbelt, which still remains poorly documented, and shows that the Zairean and Zambian facies of the Roan Supergroup can be correlated in detail. As in Zaire, the deformation of Katangan terranes during the Lufilian orogeny produced important friction breccias in Zambia. Such breccias occur mostly between the upper part of the Lower Roan Supergroup and the Mwashya Group (R-4): above the shale with grit (RL3) at Konkola and Mindola, or within the Upper Roan Dolomite at Chambishi South, Muliashi and Nchanga. At Mufulira, a typical fragment of Shaba Mines Group was observed within a major heterogeneous tectonic breccia. This situation is similar to that reported at Kipapila (Kimpe) and Lubembe in Zaire, both located on the same tectonic trend as Mufulira. However, a continuous stratigraphical succession can be observed in Zambia from the basal unconformity to the Mwashya Group. Strong lithological similarities were found, formation by formation, between the Roan sequences of Zambia and Zaire. In particular, the complete Mines Group of Zaire (R-2) and the units from the RL6 to the RL4 in Zambia were deposited under comparable conditions of sedimentation and show a similar and correlatable evolution of lithologies. Furthermore, the overlying Dipeta Group (R-3) of Zaire and the RL3, RU2/RU1 of Zambia, are equally comparable. Above the Upper Roan Dolomite, Lower Mwashya dolomitic rocks, identical with the ones of Shaba, have been noted to occur in Zambia in stratigraphical continuity with the typical black shales of the Upper Mwashya. The correlation between the coarse clastics of the Zambian footwall (RL7) and the red dolomitic argillites and sandstones of the Zairean R.A.T. (Roches Argillo Talqueuses: R-1) remains uncertain. However these two sequences show some similarities suggesting a lateral facies change from high-energy siliciclastic sedimentation in Zambia, to quieter, less clastic and more carbonate rich sedimentation in Zaire. In agreement with the proposed lithostratigraphical correlation, volcanic and pyroclastic rocks, occurring both in Zaire and Zambia in the Lower Mwashya, testify to a major period of igneous activity in the region. Intrusive rocks found in the Zambian Roan Group and in the Zairean Dipeta Group can probably be attributed to the same episode of magmatism. Finally it can be shown that several copper-cobalt orebodies are found at the same lithostratigraphical position in Zambia and Zaire: the Zambian ore shale corresponds to the classical Shaba orebodies at the base of the Mines Group (R-2), the Nchanga upper orebody to the lower R-2.3 mineralization and the Zambian RL3 anomalous copper occurrences to those of the R-3.1.2 Dipeta unit.

Converting oil shale to liquid fuels: energy inputs and greenhouse gas emissions of the Shell in situ conversion process.

PubMed

Brandt, Adam R

2008-10-01

Oil shale is a sedimentary rock that contains kerogen, a fossil organic material. Kerogen can be heated to produce oil and gas (retorted). This has traditionally been a CO2-intensive process. In this paper, the Shell in situ conversion process (ICP), which is a novel method of retorting oil shale in place, is analyzed. The ICP utilizes electricity to heat the underground shale over a period of 2 years. Hydrocarbons are produced using conventional oil production techniques, leaving shale oil coke within the formation. The energy inputs and outputs from the ICP, as applied to oil shales of the Green River formation, are modeled. Using these energy inputs, the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the ICP are calculated and are compared to emissions from conventional petroleum. Energy outputs (as refined liquid fuel) are 1.2-1.6 times greater than the total primary energy inputs to the process. In the absence of capturing CO2 generated from electricity produced to fuel the process, well-to-pump GHG emissions are in the range of 30.6-37.1 grams of carbon equivalent per megajoule of liquid fuel produced. These full-fuel-cycle emissions are 21%-47% larger than those from conventionally produced petroleum-based fuels.

Experimental investigation on the coupled effect of effective stress and gas slippage on the permeability of shale

PubMed Central

Yang, Diansen; Wang, Wei; Chen, Weizhong; Wang, Shugang; Wang, Xiaoqiong

2017-01-01

Permeability is one of the most important parameters to evaluate gas production in shale reservoirs. Because shale permeability is extremely low, gas is often used in the laboratory to measure permeability. However, the measured apparent gas permeability is higher than the intrinsic permeability due to the gas slippage effect, which could be even more dominant for materials with nanopores. Increasing gas pressure during tests reduces gas slippage effect, but it also decreases the effective stress which in turn influences the permeability. The coupled effect of gas slippage and effective stress on shale permeability remains unclear. Here we perform laboratory experiments on Longmaxi shale specimens to explore the coupled effect. We use the pressure transient method to measure permeability under different stress and pressure conditions. Our results reveal that the apparent measured permeability is controlled by these two competing effects. With increasing gas pressure, there exists a pressure threshold at which the dominant effect on permeability switches from gas slippage to effective stress. Based on the Klinkenberg model, we propose a new conceptual model that incorporates both competing effects. Combining microstructure analysis, we further discuss the roles of stress, gas pressure and water contents on gas permeability of shale. PMID:28304395

Practical measures for reducing the risk of environmental contamination in shale energy production.

PubMed

Ziemkiewicz, Paul; Quaranta, John D; McCawley, Michael

2014-07-01

Gas recovery from shale formations has been made possible by advances in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technology. Rapid adoption of these methods has created a surge in natural gas production in the United States and increased public concern about its environmental and human health effects. We surveyed the environmental literature relevant to shale gas development and studied over fifteen well sites and impoundments in West Virginia to evaluate pollution caused by air emissions, light and noise during drilling. Our study also characterized liquid and solid waste streams generated by drilling and hydraulic fracturing and evaluated the integrity of impoundments used to store fluids produced by hydraulic fracturing. While most shale gas wells are completed with little or no environmental contamination, we found that many of the problems associated with shale gas development resulted from inattention to accepted engineering practices such as impoundment construction, improper liner installation and a lack of institutional controls. Recommendations are provided based on the literature and our field studies. They will address not all but a great many of the deficiencies that result in environmental release of contaminants from shale gas development. We also identified areas where new technologies are needed to fully address contaminant releases to air and water.

Carbon Dioxide Sealing Capacity: Textural or Compositional Controls?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cranganu, Constantin; Soleymani, Hamidreza; Sadiqua, Soleymani

2013-11-30

This research project is aiming to assess the carbon dioxide sealing capacity of most common seal-rocks, such as shales and non-fractured limestones, by analyzing the role of textural and compositional parameters of those rocks. We hypothesize that sealing capacity is controlled by textural and/or compositional pa-rameters of caprocks. In this research, we seek to evaluate the importance of textural and compositional parameters affecting the sealing capacity of caprocks. The conceptu-al framework involves two testable end-member hypotheses concerning the sealing ca-pacity of carbon dioxide reservoir caprocks. Better understanding of the elements controlling sealing quality will advance our knowledge regarding the sealingmore » capacity of shales and carbonates. Due to relatively low permeability, shale and non-fractured carbonate units are considered relatively imper-meable formations which can retard reservoir fluid flow by forming high capillary pres-sure. Similarly, these unites can constitute reliable seals for carbon dioxide capture and sequestration purposes. This project is a part of the comprehensive project with the final aim of studying the caprock sealing properties and the relationship between microscopic and macroscopic characteristics of seal rocks in depleted gas fields of Oklahoma Pan-handle. Through this study we examined various seal rock characteristics to infer about their respective effects on sealing capacity in special case of replacing reservoir fluid with super critical carbon dioxide (scCO{sub 2}). To assess the effect of textural and compositional properties on scCO{sub 2} maximum reten-tion column height we collected 30 representative core samples in caprock formations in three counties (Cimarron, Texas, Beaver) in Oklahoma Panhandle. Core samples were collected from various seal formations (e.g., Cherokee, Keys, Morrowan) at different depths. We studied the compositional and textural properties of the core samples using several techniques. Mercury Injection Porosimetry (MIP), Scanning Electron Microsco-py SEM, and Sedigraph measurements are used to assess the pore-throat-size distribu-tion, sorting, texture, and grain size of the samples. Also, displacement pressure at 10% mercury saturation (Pd) and graphically derived threshold pressure (Pc) were deter-mined by MIP technique. SEM images were used for qualitative study of the minerals and pores texture of the core samples. Moreover, EDS (Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spec-trometer), BET specific surface area, and Total Organic Carbon (TOC) measurements were performed to study various parameters and their possible effects on sealing capaci-ty of the samples. We found that shales have the relatively higher average sealing threshold pressure (Pc) than carbonate and sandstone samples. Based on these observations, shale formations could be considered as a promising caprock in terms of retarding scCO{sub 2} flow and leak-age into above formations. We hypothesized that certain characteristics of shales (e.g., 3 fine pore size, pore size distribution, high specific surface area, and strong physical chemical interaction between wetting phase and mineral surface) make them an effi-cient caprock for sealing super critical CO{sub 2}. We found that the displacement pressure at 10% mercury saturation could not be the ultimate representative of the sealing capacity of the rock sample. On the other hand, we believe that graphical method, introduced by Cranganu (2004) is a better indicator of the true sealing capacity. Based on statistical analysis of our samples from Oklahoma Panhandle we assessed the effects of each group of properties (textural and compositional) on maximum supercriti-cal CO{sub 2} height that can be hold by the caprock. We conclude that there is a relatively strong positive relationship (+.40 to +.69) between supercritical CO{sub 2} column height based on Pc and hard/ soft mineral content index (ratio of minerals with Mohs hardness more than 5 over minerals with Mohs hardness less than 5) in both shales and limestone samples. Average median pore radius and porosity display a strong negative correlation with supercritical CO{sub 2} retention column height. Also, increasing bulk density is positive-ly correlated with the supercritical CO{sub 2} retention column height. One of the most im-portant factors affecting sealing capacity and consequently the height of supercritical CO{sub 2} column is sorting of the pore throats. We observed a strong positive correlation be-tween pore throat sorting and height of CO{sub 2} retention column, especially in shales. This correlation could not be observed in limestone samples. It suggests that the pore throat sorting is more controlling the sealing capacity in shales and shales with well sorted pore throats are the most reliable lithology as seal. We observed that Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area shows a very strong correlation with CO{sub 2} retention column height in limestone samples while BET surface area did not display significant correlation in shales. Pore structure based on SEM mi-crographs exhibits strong correlation with CO{sub 2} retention column height in limestones. Both intercrystalline and vuggy structures have negative correlations while intergranu-lar texture has positive correlation in limestone with respect to CO{sub 2} retention column height. Textural effects observed on SEM micrographs did not show statistically signifi-cant correlation with supercritical CO{sub 2} retention column height in shale samples. Finally, we showed that increasing hard/soft mineral index is strongly correlated with the displacement pressure in limestone samples. Vuggy texture displays a relatively strong and negative correlation with displacement pressure values at 10% mercury satu-ration in shale samples.« less

Filter materials for metal removal from mine drainage--a review.

PubMed

Westholm, Lena Johansson; Repo, Eveliina; Sillanpää, Mika

2014-01-01

A large number of filter materials, organic and inorganic, for removal of heavy metals in mine drainage have been reviewed. Bark, chitin, chitosan, commercial ion exchangers, dairy manure compost, lignite, peat, rice husks, vegetal compost, and yeast are examples of organic materials, while bio-carbons, calcareous shale, dolomite, fly ash, limestone, olivine, steel slag materials and zeolites are examples of inorganic materials. The majority of these filter materials have been investigated in laboratory studies, based on various experimental set-ups (batch and/or column tests) and different conditions. A few materials, for instance steel slag materials, have also been subjects to field investigations under real-life conditions. The results from these investigations show that steel slag materials have the potential to remove heavy metals under different conditions. Ion exchange has been suggested as the major metal removal mechanisms not only for steel slag but also for lignite. Other suggested removal mechanisms have also been identified. Adsorption has been suggested important for activated carbon, precipitation for chitosan and sulphate reduction for olivine. General findings indicate that the results with regard to metal removal vary due to experimental set ups, composition of mine drainage and properties of filter materials and the discrepancies between studies renders normalisation of data difficult. However, the literature reveals that Fe, Zn, Pb, Hg and Al are removed to a large extent. Further investigations, especially under real-life conditions, are however necessary in order to find suitable filter materials for treatment of mine drainage.

Using SEM Analysis on Ion-Milled Shale Surface to Determine Shale-Fracturing Fluid Interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, J.; Mickler, P. J.; Nicot, J. P.

2014-12-01

It is important to document and assess shale-fluid interaction during hydraulic fracturing (HF) in order to understand its impact on flowback water chemistry and rock property. A series of autoclave experiments were conducted to react shale samples from major oil and gas shales with synthetic HF containing various additives. To better determine mineral dissolution and precipitation at the rock-fluid interface, ion-milling technique was applied to create extremely flat rock surfaces that were examined before and after the autoclave experiments using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) detectors. This method is able to reveal a level of detail not observable on broken surface or mechanically polished surface. It allows direct comparison of the same mineral and organic matter particles before and after the reaction experiments. Minerals undergone dissolution and newly precipitated materials are readily determined by comparing to the exact locations before reaction. The dissolution porosity and the thickness of precipitates can be quantified by tracing and measuring the geometry of the pores and precipitates. Changes in porosity and permeability were confirmed by mercury intrusion capillary tests.

Geochemical variations of rare earth elements in Marcellus shale flowback waters and multiple-source cores in the Appalachian Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noack, C.; Jain, J.; Hakala, A.; Schroeder, K.; Dzombak, D. A.; Karamalidis, A.

2013-12-01

Rare earth elements (REE) - encompassing the naturally occurring lanthanides, yttrium, and scandium - are potential tracers for subsurface groundwater-brine flows and geochemical processes. Application of these elements as naturally occurring tracers during shale gas development is reliant on accurate quantitation of trace metals in hypersaline brines. We have modified and validated a liquid-liquid technique for extraction and pre-concentration of REE from saline produced waters from shale gas extraction wells with quantitative analysis by ICP-MS. This method was used to analyze time-series samples of Marcellus shale flowback and produced waters. Additionally, the total REE content of core samples of various strata throughout the Appalachian Basin were determined using HF/HNO3 digestion and ICP-MS analysis. A primary goal of the study is to elucidate systematic geochemical variations as a function of location or shale characteristics. Statistical testing will be performed to study temporal variability of inter-element relationships and explore associations between REE abundance and major solution chemistry. The results of these analyses and discussion of their significance will be presented.

Visual classification of very fine-grained sediments: Evaluation through univariate and multivariate statistics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hohn, M. Ed; Nuhfer, E.B.; Vinopal, R.J.; Klanderman, D.S.

1980-01-01

Classifying very fine-grained rocks through fabric elements provides information about depositional environments, but is subject to the biases of visual taxonomy. To evaluate the statistical significance of an empirical classification of very fine-grained rocks, samples from Devonian shales in four cored wells in West Virginia and Virginia were measured for 15 variables: quartz, illite, pyrite and expandable clays determined by X-ray diffraction; total sulfur, organic content, inorganic carbon, matrix density, bulk density, porosity, silt, as well as density, sonic travel time, resistivity, and ??-ray response measured from well logs. The four lithologic types comprised: (1) sharply banded shale, (2) thinly laminated shale, (3) lenticularly laminated shale, and (4) nonbanded shale. Univariate and multivariate analyses of variance showed that the lithologic classification reflects significant differences for the variables measured, difference that can be detected independently of stratigraphic effects. Little-known statistical methods found useful in this work included: the multivariate analysis of variance with more than one effect, simultaneous plotting of samples and variables on canonical variates, and the use of parametric ANOVA and MANOVA on ranked data. ?? 1980 Plenum Publishing Corporation.

Comparing Laser Desorption Ionization and Atmospheric Pressure Photoionization Coupled to Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry To Characterize Shale Oils at the Molecular Level

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cho, Yunjo; Jin, Jang Mi; Witt, Matthias; Birdwell, Justin E.; Na, Jeong-Geol; Roh, Nam-Sun; Kim, Sunghwan

2013-01-01

Laser desorption ionization (LDI) coupled to Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) was used to analyze shale oils. Previous work showed that LDI is a sensitive ionization technique for assessing aromatic nitrogen compounds, and oils generated from Green River Formation oil shales are well-documented as being rich in nitrogen. The data presented here demonstrate that LDI is effective in ionizing high-double-bond-equivalent (DBE) compounds and, therefore, is a suitable method for characterizing compounds with condensed structures. Additionally, LDI generates radical cations and protonated ions concurrently, the distribution of which depends upon the molecular structures and elemental compositions, and the basicity of compounds is closely related to the generation of protonated ions. This study demonstrates that LDI FT-ICR MS is an effective ionization technique for use in the study of shale oils at the molecular level. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that LDI FT-ICR MS has been applied to shale oils.

A dual-porosity model for simulating solute transport in oil shale

USGS Publications Warehouse

Glover, K.C.

1987-01-01

A model is described for simulating three-dimensional groundwater flow and solute transport in oil shale and associated geohydrologic units. The model treats oil shale as a dual-porosity medium by simulating flow and transport within fractures using the finite-element method. Diffusion of solute between fractures and the essentially static water of the shale matrix is simulated by including an analytical solution that acts as a source-sink term to the differential equation of solute transport. While knowledge of fracture orientation and spacing is needed to effectively use the model, it is not necessary to map the locations of individual fractures. The computer program listed in the report incorporates many of the features of previous dual-porosity models while retaining a practical approach to solving field problems. As a result the theory of solute transport is not extended in any appreciable way. The emphasis is on bringing together various aspects of solute transport theory in a manner that is particularly suited to the unusual groundwater flow and solute transport characteristics of oil shale systems. (Author 's abstract)

Metal contamination of agricultural soils in the copper mining areas of Singhbhum shear zone in India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giri, Soma; Singh, Abhay Kumar; Mahato, Mukesh Kumar

2017-06-01

The study was intended to investigate the heavy metal contamination in the agricultural soils of the copper mining areas in Singhbhum shear zone, India. The total concentrations of the metals were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICPMS). Pollution levels were assessed by calculating enrichment factor (EF), geo-accumulation index (I_geo), contamination factors (CF), pollution load index ( PLI), Nemerow index and ecological risk index (RI). The metal concentrations in the soil samples exceeded the average shale values for almost all the metals. Principal component analysis resulted in extraction of three factors explaining 82.6% of the data variability and indicated anthropogenic contribution of Cu, Ni, Co, Cr, Mn and Pb. The EF and I_geo values indicated very high contamination with respect to Cu followed by As and Zn in the agricultural soils. The values of PLI, RI and Nemerow index, which considered the overall effect of all the studied metals on the soils, revealed that 50% of the locations were highly polluted with respect to metals. The pollution levels varied with the proximity to the copper mining and processing units. Consequently, the results advocate the necessity of periodic monitoring of the agricultural soils of the area and development of proper management strategies to reduce the metal pollution.

Multi-physics and multi-scale characterization of shale anisotropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarout, J.; Nadri, D.; Delle Piane, C.; Esteban, L.; Dewhurst, D.; Clennell, M. B.

2012-12-01

Shales are the most abundant sedimentary rock type in the Earth's shallow crust. In the past decade or so, they have attracted increased attention from the petroleum industry as reservoirs, as well as more traditionally for their sealing capacity for hydrocarbon/CO2 traps or underground waste repositories. The effectiveness of both fundamental and applied shale research is currently limited by (i) the extreme variability of physical, mechanical and chemical properties observed for these rocks, and by (ii) the scarce data currently available. The variability in observed properties is poorly understood due to many factors that are often irrelevant for other sedimentary rocks. The relationships between these properties and the petrophysical measurements performed at the field and laboratory scales are not straightforward, translating to a scale dependency typical of shale behaviour. In addition, the complex and often anisotropic micro-/meso-structures of shales give rise to a directional dependency of some of the measured physical properties that are tensorial by nature such as permeability or elastic stiffness. Currently, fundamental understanding of the parameters controlling the directional and scale dependency of shale properties is far from complete. Selected results of a multi-physics laboratory investigation of the directional and scale dependency of some critical shale properties are reported. In particular, anisotropic features of shale micro-/meso-structures are related to the directional-dependency of elastic and fluid transport properties: - Micro-/meso-structure (μm to cm scale) characterization by electron microscopy and X-ray tomography; - Estimation of elastic anisotropy parameters on a single specimen using elastic wave propagation (cm scale); - Estimation of the permeability tensor using the steady-state method on orthogonal specimens (cm scale); - Estimation of the low-frequency diffusivity tensor using NMR method on orthogonal specimens (<μm scale). For each of the above properties, leading-edge experimental techniques have been associated with novel interpretation tools. In this contribution, these experimental and interpretation methods are described. Relationships between the measured properties and the corresponding micro-/meso-structural features are discussed. For example, P-wave velocity was measured along 100 different propagation paths on a single cylindrical shale specimen using miniature ultrasonic transducers. Assuming that (i) the elastic tensor of this shale is transversely isotropic; and (i) the sample has been cored perfectly perpendicular to the bedding plane (symmetry plane is horizontal), Thomsen's anisotropy parameters inverted from the measured velocities are: - P-wave velocity along the symmetry axis (perpendicular to the bedding plane) αo=3.45km/s; - P-wave anisotropy ɛ=0.12; - Parameter controlling the wave front geometry δ=0.058. A novel inversion algorithm allows for recovering these parameters without assuming a priori a horizontal bedding (symmetry) plane. The inversion of the same data set using this algorithm yields (i) αo=3.23km/s, ɛ=0.25 and δ=0.18, and (ii) the elastic symmetry axis is inclined of ω=30° with respect to the specimen's axis. Such difference can have strong impact on field applications (AVO, ray tracing, tomography).

Biological markers from Green River kerogen decomposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burnham, A. K.; Clarkson, J. E.; Singleton, M. F.; Wong, C. M.; Crawford, R. W.

1982-07-01

Isoprenoid and other carbon skeletons that are formed in living organisms and preserved essentially intact in ancient sediments are often called biological markers. The purpose of this paper is to develop improved methods of using isoprenoid hydrocarbons to relate petroleum or shale oil to its source rock. It is demonstrated that most, but not all, of the isoprenoid hydrocarbon structures are chemically bonded in kerogen (or to minerals) in Green River oil shale. The rate constant for thermally producing isoprenoid, cyclic, and aromatic hydrocarbons is substantially greater than for the bulk of shale oil. This may be related to the substantial quantity of CO 2 which is evolved coincident with the isoprenoid hydrocarbons but prior to substantial oil evolution. Although formation of isoprenoid alkenes is enhanced by rapid heating and high pyrolysis temperatures, the ratio of isoprenoid alkenes plus alkanes to normal alkenes plus alkanes is independent of heating rate. High-temperature laboratory pyrolysis experiments can thus be used to predict the distribution of aliphatic hydrocarbons in low temperature processes such as in situ shale oil production and perhaps petroleum formation. Finally, we demonstrate that significant variation in biological marker ratios occurs as a function of stratigraphy in the Green River formation. This information, combined with methods for measuring process yield from oil composition, enables one to relate time-dependent processing conditions to the corresponding time-dependent oil yield in a vertical modified- in situ retort even if there is a substantial and previously undetermined delay in drainage of shale oil from the retort.

Modeling the Relative GHG Emissions of Conventional and Shale Gas Production

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Recent reports show growing reserves of unconventional gas are available and that there is an appetite from policy makers, industry, and others to better understand the GHG impact of exploiting reserves such as shale gas. There is little publicly available data comparing unconventional and conventional gas production. Existing studies rely on national inventories, but it is not generally possible to separate emissions from unconventional and conventional sources within these totals. Even if unconventional and conventional sites had been listed separately, it would not be possible to eliminate site-specific factors to compare gas production methods on an equal footing. To address this difficulty, the emissions of gas production have instead been modeled. In this way, parameters common to both methods of production can be held constant, while allowing those parameters which differentiate unconventional gas and conventional gas production to vary. The results are placed into the context of power generation, to give a ″well-to-wire″ (WtW) intensity. It was estimated that shale gas typically has a WtW emissions intensity about 1.8–2.4% higher than conventional gas, arising mainly from higher methane releases in well completion. Even using extreme assumptions, it was found that WtW emissions from shale gas need be no more than 15% higher than conventional gas if flaring or recovery measures are used. In all cases considered, the WtW emissions of shale gas powergen are significantly lower than those of coal. PMID:22085088

Modeling the relative GHG emissions of conventional and shale gas production.

PubMed

Stephenson, Trevor; Valle, Jose Eduardo; Riera-Palou, Xavier

2011-12-15

Recent reports show growing reserves of unconventional gas are available and that there is an appetite from policy makers, industry, and others to better understand the GHG impact of exploiting reserves such as shale gas. There is little publicly available data comparing unconventional and conventional gas production. Existing studies rely on national inventories, but it is not generally possible to separate emissions from unconventional and conventional sources within these totals. Even if unconventional and conventional sites had been listed separately, it would not be possible to eliminate site-specific factors to compare gas production methods on an equal footing. To address this difficulty, the emissions of gas production have instead been modeled. In this way, parameters common to both methods of production can be held constant, while allowing those parameters which differentiate unconventional gas and conventional gas production to vary. The results are placed into the context of power generation, to give a ″well-to-wire″ (WtW) intensity. It was estimated that shale gas typically has a WtW emissions intensity about 1.8-2.4% higher than conventional gas, arising mainly from higher methane releases in well completion. Even using extreme assumptions, it was found that WtW emissions from shale gas need be no more than 15% higher than conventional gas if flaring or recovery measures are used. In all cases considered, the WtW emissions of shale gas powergen are significantly lower than those of coal.

Detection of early changes in lung cell cytology by flow-systems analysis techniques. Progress report, January 1--December 31, 1978. [Resulting from exposure to toxic agents associated with production and use of synthetic fuels from oil shale and coal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steinkamp, J.A.; Wilson, J.S.; Svitra, Z.V.

1979-02-01

This report summarizes ongoing experiments to develop cytological and biochemical indicators for measuring damage to respiratory tract cells of experimental animals exposed by inhalation to environmental toxic agents. The specific goal is to apply flow cytometric methods to analyze and detect changes in lung epithelium as a function of exposure to toxic agents associated with the production and utilization of synthetic fuels from oil shale and coal. During the past 6 months, hamsters were exposed to raw and spent oil shale particulates, silica dust, and ozone, and DNA content measurements were performed on lung cell samples. Although initial shale exposuresmore » did not yield the expected results, recent data show atypical changes in DNA content per cell distributions. Ozone exposures also were expanded to include DNA measurements and cytology, ranging up to 72 h postexposure. Progress was achieved in developing a new method for quantitating pulmonary macrophage phagocytosis in rats using micron-sized fluorescent spheres. New methods for determining alkaline phosphatase, DNA content, and protein also were under development. Plans are to continue developing cytological and biochemical markers for measuring atypical cellular changes, including macrophage function, and to emphasize exposing experimental animals to particulates and gaseous agents for studying dose-damage relationships.« less

Method for loading explosive laterally from a borehole

DOEpatents

Ricketts, Thomas E.

1981-01-01

There is provided a method for forming an in situ oil shale retort in a subterranean formation containing oil shale. At least one void is excavated in the formation, leaving zones of unfragmented formation adjacent the void. An array of main blastholes is formed in the zone of unfragmented formation and at least one explosive charge which is shaped for forming a high velocity gas jet is placed into a main blasthole with the axis of the gas jet extending transverse to the blasthole. The shaped charge is detonated for forming an auxiliary blasthole in the unfragmented formation adjacent a side wall of the main blasthole. The auxiliary blasthole extends laterally away from the main blasthole. Explosive is placed into the main blasthole and into the auxiliary blasthole and is detonated for explosively expanding formation towards the free face for forming a fragmented permeable mass of formation particles in the in situ oil shale retort.

Vitrinite equivalent reflectance of Silurian black shales from the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smolarek, Justyna; Marynowski, Leszek; Spunda, Karol; Trela, Wiesław

2014-12-01

A number of independent methods have been used to measure the thermal maturity of Silurian rocks from the Holy Cross Mountains in Poland. Black shales are characterized by diverse TOC values varying from 0.24-7.85%. Having calculated vitrinite equivalent reflectance using three different formulas, we propose that the most applicable values for the Silurian rocks are those based on Schmidt et al. (2015) equation. Based on this formula, the values range from % 0.71 VReqvVLR (the vitrinite equivalent reflectance of the vitrinite-like macerals) to % 1.96 VReqvVLR. Alternative, complementary methods including Rock Eval pyrolysis and parameters based on organic compounds (CPI, Pr/n-C17, Ph/n-C18, MPI1, and MDR) from extracts did not prove adequate as universal thermal maturity indicators. We have confirmed previous suggestions that Llandovery shales are the most likely Silurian source rocks for the generation of hydrocarbons in the HCM.

Analyses of geological and hydrodynamic controls on methane emissions experienced in a Lower Kittanning coal mine

PubMed Central

Karacan, C. Özgen; Goodman, Gerrit V.R.

2015-01-01

This paper presents a study assessing potential factors and migration paths of methane emissions experienced in a room-and-pillar mine in Lower Kittanning coal, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. Methane emissions were not excessive at idle mining areas, but significant methane was measured during coal mining and loading. Although methane concentrations in the mine did not exceed 1% limit during operation due to the presence of adequate dilution airflow, the source of methane and its migration into the mine was still a concern. In the course of this study, structural and depositional properties of the area were evaluated to assess complexity and sealing capacity of roof rocks. Composition, gas content, and permeability of Lower Kittanning coal, results of flotation tests, and geochemistry of groundwater obtained from observation boreholes were studied to understand the properties of coal and potential effects of old abandoned mines within the same area. These data were combined with the data obtained from exploration boreholes, such as depths, elevations, thicknesses, ash content, and heat value of coal. Univariate statistical and principal component analyses (PCA), as well as geostatistical simulations and co-simulations, were performed on various spatial attributes to reveal interrelationships and to establish area-wide distributions. These studies helped in analyzing groundwater quality and determining gas-in-place (GIP) of the Lower Kittanning seam. Furthermore, groundwater level and head on the Lower Kittanning coal were modeled and flow gradients within the study area were examined. Modeling results were interpreted with the structural geology of the Allegheny Group of formations above the Lower Kittanning coal to understand the potential source of gas and its migration paths. Analyses suggested that the source of methane was likely the overlying seams such as the Middle and Upper Kittanning coals and Freeport seams of the Allegheny Group. Simulated ground-water water elevations, gradients of groundwater flow, and the presence of recharge and discharge locations at very close proximity to the mine indicated that methane likely was carried with groundwater towards the mine entries. Existing fractures within the overlying strata and their orientation due to the geologic conditions of the area, and activation of slickensides between shale and sandstones due to differential compaction during mining, were interpreted as the potential flow paths. PMID:26478644

Water intensity assessment of shale gas resources in the Wattenberg field in northeastern Colorado.

PubMed

Goodwin, Stephen; Carlson, Ken; Knox, Ken; Douglas, Caleb; Rein, Luke

2014-05-20

Efficient use of water, particularly in the western U.S., is an increasingly important aspect of many activities including agriculture, urban, and industry. As the population increases and agriculture and energy needs continue to rise, the pressure on water and other natural resources is expected to intensify. Recent advances in technology have stimulated growth in oil and gas development, as well as increasing the industry's need for water resources. This study provides an analysis of how efficiently water resources are used for unconventional shale development in Northeastern Colorado. The study is focused on the Wattenberg Field in the Denver-Julesberg Basin. The 2000 square mile field located in a semiarid climate with competing agriculture, municipal, and industrial water demands was one of the first fields where widespread use of hydraulic fracturing was implemented. The consumptive water intensity is measured using a ratio of the net water consumption and the net energy recovery and is used to measure how efficiently water is used for energy extraction. The water and energy use as well as energy recovery data were collected from 200 Noble Energy Inc. wells to estimate the consumptive water intensity. The consumptive water intensity of unconventional shale in the Wattenberg is compared with the consumptive water intensity for extraction of other fuels for other energy sources including coal, natural gas, oil, nuclear, and renewables. 1.4 to 7.5 million gallons is required to drill and hydraulically fracture horizontal wells before energy is extracted in the Wattenberg Field. However, when the large short-term total freshwater-water use is normalized to the amount of energy produced over the lifespan of a well, the consumptive water intensity is estimated to be between 1.8 and 2.7 gal/MMBtu and is similar to surface coal mining.

Crack classification and evolution in anisotropic shale during cyclic loading tests by acoustic emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Miaomiao; Tan, Chengxuan; Meng, Jing; Yang, Baicun; Li, Yuan

2017-08-01

Characterization and evolution of the cracking mode in shale formation is significant, as fracture networks are an important element in shale gas exploitation. In this study we determine the crack modes and evolution in anisotropic shale under cyclic loading using the acoustic emission (AE) parameter-analysis method based on the average frequency and RA (rise-time/amplitude) value. Shale specimens with bedding-plane orientations parallel and perpendicular to the axial loading direction were subjected to loading cycles with increasing peak values until failure occurred. When the loading was parallel to the bedding plane, most of the cracks at failure were shear cracks, while tensile cracks were dominant in the specimens that were loaded normal to the bedding direction. The evolution of the crack mode in the shale specimens observed in the loading-unloading sequence except for the first cycle can be divided into three stages: (I) no or several cracks (AE events) form as a result of the Kaiser effect, (II) tensile and shear cracks increase steadily at nearly equal proportions, (III) tensile cracks and shear cracks increase abruptly, with more cracks forming in one mode than in the other. As the dominant crack motion is influenced by the bedding, the failure mechanism is discussed based on the evolution of the different crack modes. Our conclusions can increase our understanding of the formation mechanism of fracture networks in the field.

Worldwide occurrences of arsenic in ground water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nordstrom, D. Kirk

2002-01-01

Numerous aquifers worldwide carry soluble arsenic at concentrations greater than the World Health Organization--and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency--recommended drinking water standard of 10 mg per liter. Sources include both natural (black shales, young sediments with low flushing rates, gold mineralization, and geothermal environments) and anthropogenic (mining activities, livestock feed additives, pesticides, and arsenic trioxide wastes and stockpiles). Increased solubility and mobility of arsenic is promoted by high pH (>8.5), competing oxyanions, and reducing conditions. In this Policy Forum, Nordstrom argues that human health risks from arsenic in ground water can be minimized by incorporating hydrogeochemical knowledge into water management decisions and by more careful monitoring for arsenic in geologically high-risk areas.

Geologic map of the Lower Valley quadrangle, Caribou County, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oberlindacher, H. Peter; Hovland, R. David; Miller, Susan T.; Evans, James G.; Miller, Robert J.

2018-04-05

The Lower Valley 7.5-minute quadrangle, located in the core of the Southeast Idaho Phosphate Resource Area, includes Mississippian to Triassic marine sedimentary rocks, Pliocene to Pleistocene basalt, and Tertiary to Holocene surficial deposits. The Mississippian to Triassic marine sedimentary sequence was deposited on a shallow shelf between an emergent craton to the east and the Antler orogenic belt to the west. The Meade Peak Phosphatic Shale Member of the Permian Phosphoria Formation hosts high-grade deposits of phosphate that were the subject of geologic studies through much of the 20th century. Open-pit mining of the phosphate has been underway within and near the Lower Valley quadrangle for several decades.

Capillary pressure – saturation relationships for gas shales measured using a water activity meter

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Donnelly, B.; Perfect, E.; McKay, L. D.

Hydraulic fracturing of gas shale formations involves pumping a large volume of fracking fluid into a hydrocarbon reservoir to fracture the rock and thus increase its permeability. The majority of the fracking fluid introduced is never recovered and the fate of this lost fluid, often called “leak off,” has become the source of much debate. Information on the capillary pressure – saturation relationship for each wetting phase is needed to simulate leak off using numerical reservoir models. The petroleum industry commonly employs air – water capillary pressure – saturation curves to predict these relationships for mixed wet reservoirs. Traditional methodsmore » of measuring this curve are unsuitable for gas shales due to high capillary pressures associated with the small pores present. Still, a possible alternative method is the water activity meter which is used widely in the soil sciences for such measurements. However, its application to lithified material has been limited. Here, this study utilized a water activity meter to measure air – water capillary pressures (ranging from 1.3 to 219.6 MPa) at several water saturation levels in both the wetting and drying directions. Water contents were measured gravimetrically. Seven types of gas producing shale with different porosities (2.5–13.6%) and total organic carbon contents (0.4–13.5%) were investigated. Nonlinear regression was used to fit the resulting capillary pressure – water saturation data pairs for each shale type to the Brooks and Corey equation. Data for six of the seven shale types investigated were successfully fitted (median R 2 = 0.93), indicating this may be a viable method for parameterizing capillary pressure – saturation relationships for inclusion in numerical reservoir models. As expected, the different shale types had statistically different Brooks and Corey parameters. However, there were no significant differences between the Brooks and Corey parameters for the wetting and drying measurements, suggesting that hysteresis may not need to be taken into account in leak off simulations.« less

Capillary pressure – saturation relationships for gas shales measured using a water activity meter

DOE PAGES

Donnelly, B.; Perfect, E.; McKay, L. D.; ...

2016-05-10

Hydraulic fracturing of gas shale formations involves pumping a large volume of fracking fluid into a hydrocarbon reservoir to fracture the rock and thus increase its permeability. The majority of the fracking fluid introduced is never recovered and the fate of this lost fluid, often called “leak off,” has become the source of much debate. Information on the capillary pressure – saturation relationship for each wetting phase is needed to simulate leak off using numerical reservoir models. The petroleum industry commonly employs air – water capillary pressure – saturation curves to predict these relationships for mixed wet reservoirs. Traditional methodsmore » of measuring this curve are unsuitable for gas shales due to high capillary pressures associated with the small pores present. Still, a possible alternative method is the water activity meter which is used widely in the soil sciences for such measurements. However, its application to lithified material has been limited. Here, this study utilized a water activity meter to measure air – water capillary pressures (ranging from 1.3 to 219.6 MPa) at several water saturation levels in both the wetting and drying directions. Water contents were measured gravimetrically. Seven types of gas producing shale with different porosities (2.5–13.6%) and total organic carbon contents (0.4–13.5%) were investigated. Nonlinear regression was used to fit the resulting capillary pressure – water saturation data pairs for each shale type to the Brooks and Corey equation. Data for six of the seven shale types investigated were successfully fitted (median R 2 = 0.93), indicating this may be a viable method for parameterizing capillary pressure – saturation relationships for inclusion in numerical reservoir models. As expected, the different shale types had statistically different Brooks and Corey parameters. However, there were no significant differences between the Brooks and Corey parameters for the wetting and drying measurements, suggesting that hysteresis may not need to be taken into account in leak off simulations.« less

Alligator ridge district, East-Central Nevada: Carlin-type gold mineralization at shallow depths

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nutt, C.J.; Hofstra, A.H.

2003-01-01

Carlin-type deposits in the Alligator Ridge mining district are present sporadically for 40 km along the north-striking Mooney Basin fault system but are restricted to a 250-m interval of Devonian to Mississippian strata. Their age is bracketed between silicified ca. 45 Ma sedimentary rocks and unaltered 36.5 to 34 Ma volcanic rocks. The silicification is linked to the deposits by its continuity with ore-grade silicification in Devonian-Mississippian strata and by its similar ??18O values (_e1???17???) and trace element signature (As, Sb, Tl, Hg). Eocene reconstruction indicates that the deposits formed at depths of ???300 to 800 m. In comparison to most Carlin-type gold deposits, they have lower Au/Ag, Au grades, and contained Au, more abundant jasperoid, and textural evidence from deposition of an amorphous silica precursor in jasperoid. These differences most likely result from their shallow depth of formation. The peak fluid temperature (_e1???230??C) and large ??18OH2O value shift from the meteroric water line (_e1???20???) suggest that ore fluids were derived from depths of 8 km or more. A magnetotelluric survey indicates that the Mooney Basin fault system penetrates to mid-crustal depths. Deep circulation of meteoric water along the Mooney Basin fault system may have been in response to initial uplift of the East Humboldt-Ruby Mountains metamorphic core complex; convection also may have been promoted by increased heat flow associated with large magnitude extension in the core complex and regional magmatism. Ore fluids ascended along the fault system until they encountered impermeable Devonian and Mississippian shales, at which point they moved laterally through permeable strata in the Devonian Guilmette Formation, Devonian-Mississippian Pilot Shale, Mississippian Joana Limestone, and Mississippian Chainman Shale toward erosional windows where they ascended into Eocene fluvial conglomerates and lake sediments. Most gold precipitated by sulfidation of host-rock Fe and mixing with local ground water in zones of lateral fluid flow in reactive strata, such as the Lower Devonian-Mississippian Pilot Shale.

Upper Paleozoic Marine Shale Characteristics and Exploration Prospects in the Northwestern Guizhong Depression, South China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Zhenhong; Yao, Genshun; Lou, Zhanghua; Jin, Aimin; Zhu, Rong; Jin, Chong; Chen, Chao

2018-05-01

Multiple sets of organic-rich shales developed in the Upper Paleozoic of the northwestern Guizhong Depression in South China. However, the exploration of these shales is presently at a relatively immature stage. The Upper Paleozoic shales in the northwestern Guizhong Depression, including the Middle Devonian Luofu shale, the Nabiao shale, and the Lower Carboniferous Yanguan shale, were investigated in this study. Mineral composition analysis, organic matter analysis (including total organic carbon (TOC) content, maceral of kerogen and the vitrinite reflection (Ro)), pore characteristic analysis (including porosity and permeability, pore type identification by SEM, and pore size distribution by nitrogen sorption), methane isothermal sorption test were conducted, and the distribution and thickness of the shales were determined, Then the characteristics of the two target shales were illustrated and compared. The results show that the Upper Paleozoic shales have favorable organic matter conditions (mainly moderate to high TOC content, type I and II1 kerogen and high to over maturity), good fracability potential (brittleness index (BI) > 40%), multiple pore types, stable distribution and effective thickness, and good methane sorption capacity. Therefore, the Upper Paleozoic shales in the northern Guizhong Depression have good shale gas potential and exploration prospects. Moreover, the average TOC content, average BI, thickness of the organic-rich shale (TOC > 2.0 wt%) and the shale gas resources of the Middle Devonian shales are better than those of the Lower Carboniferous shale. The Middle Devonian shales have better shale gas potential and exploration prospects than the Lower Carboniferous shales.

LLNL Input to SNL L2 MS: Report on the Basis for Selection of Disposal Options

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sutton, M; Blink, J A; Halsey, W G

2011-03-02

This mid-year deliverable has two parts. The first part is a synopsis of J. Blink's interview of the former Nevada Attorney General, Frankie Sue Del Papa, which was done in preparation for the May 18-19, 2010 Legal and Regulatory Framework Workshop held in Albuquerque. The second part is a series of sections written as input for the SNL L2 Milestone M21UF033701, due March 31, 2011. Disposal of high-level radioactive waste is categorized in this review into several categories. Section II discusses alternatives to geologic disposal: space, ice-sheets, and an engineered mountain or mausoleum. Section III discusses alternative locations for minedmore » geologic disposal: islands, coastlines, mid-continent, and saturated versus unsaturated zone. Section IV discusses geologic disposal alternatives other than emplacement in a mine: well injection, rock melt, sub-seabed, and deep boreholes in igneous or metamorphic basement rock. Finally, Secton V discusses alternative media for mined geologic disposal: basalt, tuff, granite and other igneous/metamorphic rock, alluvium, sandstone, carbonates and chalk, shale and clay, and salt.« less

Opportunities for Fundamental University-Based Research in Energy and Resource Recovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zoback, M. D.; Hitzman, M.; Tester, J. W.

2012-12-01

In this talk we present, from a university perspective, a few examples of fundamental research needs related to improved energy and resource recovery. One example of such a research need is related to the fact that it is not widely recognized that meeting domestic and worldwide energy needs with renewables such as wind and solar will be materials intensive. If widely deployed, the elements required by renewable technologies will be needed in significant quantities and shortage of these "energy critical elements" could significantly inhibit the adoption of otherwise game changing energy technologies. It is imperative to better understand the geology, metallurgy, and mining engineering of critical mineral deposits if we are to sustainably develop these new technologies. Unfortunately, there is currently no consensus among federal and state agencies, the national and international mining industry, the public, and the U.S. academic community regarding the importance of economic geology in the context of securing sufficient energy critical elements to undertake large-scale renewable energy development. Another option for transitioning away from our current hydrocarbon-based energy system to non-carbon based sources, is geothermal energy - from both conventional hydrothermal resources and enhanced or engineered geothermal systems (EGS). Although geothermal energy is currently used for both electric and non-electric applications worldwide from conventional hydrothermal resources and in ground source heat pumps, most of the emphasis in the US has been generating electricity. To this end, there is a need for research, development and demonstration in five important areas - estimating the magnitude and distribution of recoverable geothermal resources, establishing requirements for extracting and utilizing energy from EGS reservoirs the including drilling, reservoir design and stimulation, exploring end use options for district heating, electricity generation and co-generation, evaluating environmental impacts and tradeoffs (from dealing with water and land use to seismic risk) and projecting costs for EGS supplied electricity as a function of invested funds in research and development and deployment in evolving energy markets Finally, the shale gas revolution that has been underway in North America for the past few years has been of unprecedented scale and importance. As such resources are beginning to be developed globally, there is a critical need for fundamental research on such questions as how shale properties affect the success of stimulation, the importance of seismic and aseismic deformation mechanisms during reservoir stimulation, the factors that affect ultimate recovery and the development of methodologies that minimize the environmental impact of shale gas development.

Oil shale processing as a source of aquatic pollution: monitoring of the biologic effects in caged and feral freshwater fish.

PubMed Central

Tuvikene, A; Huuskonen, S; Koponen, K; Ritola, O; Mauer, U; Lindström-Seppä, P

1999-01-01

The biologic effects of the oil shale industry on caged rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) as well as on feral perch (Perca fluviatilis) and roach (Rutilus rutilus) were studied in the River Narva in northeast Estonia. The River Narva passes the oil shale mining and processing area and thus receives elevated amounts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heavy metals, and sulfates. The effects of the chemical load were monitored by measuring cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A)-dependent monooxygenase (MO) activities [7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase and aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH)] as well as conjugation enzyme activities [glutathione S-transferase (GST) and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase] in the liver of fish. CYP1A induction was further studied by detecting the amount and occurrence of the CYP1A protein. Histopathology of tissues (liver, kidney, spleen, and intestine) and the percentage of micronuclei in fish erythrocytes were also determined. Selected PAHs and heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Hg, and Pb) were measured from fish muscle and liver. In spite of the significant accumulation of PAHs, there was no induction of MO activities in any studied fish species. When compared to reference samples, AHH activities were even decreased in feral fish at some of the exposed sites. Detection of CYP1A protein content and the distribution of the CYP1A enzyme by immunohistochemistry also did not show extensive CYP1A induction. Instead, GST activities were significantly increased at exposed sites. Detection of histopathology did not reveal major changes in the morphology of tissues. The micronucleus test also did not show any evidence of genotoxicity. Thus, from the parameters studied, GST activity was most affected. The lack of catalytic CYP1A induction in spite of the heavy loading of PAHs was not studied but has been attributed to the elevated content of other compounds such as heavy metals, some of which can act as inhibitors for MOs. Another possible explanation of this lack of induction is that through adaptation processes the fish could have lost some of their sensitivity to PAHs. Either complex pollution caused by oil shale processing masked part of the harmful effects measured in this study, or oil shale industry did not have any severe effects on fish in the River Narva. Our study illustrates the difficulties in estimating risk in cases where there are numerous various contaminants affecting the biota. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 PMID:10464075

Temporal-resolved characterization of laser-induced plasma for spectrochemical analysis of gas shales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Tao; Zhang, Yong; Zhang, Ming; He, Yi; Yu, Qiaoling; Duan, Yixiang

2016-07-01

Optical emission of laser ablation plasma on a shale target surface provides sensitive laser-induced breakdown spectrometry (LIBS) detection of major, minor or trace elements. An exploratory study for the characterization of the plasma induced on shale materials was carried out with the aim to trigger a crucial step towards the quantitative LIBS measurement. In this work, the experimental strategies that optimize the plasma generation on a pressed shale pellet surface are presented. The temporal evolution properties of the plasma induced by ns Nd:YAG laser pulse at the fundamental wavelength in air were investigated using time-resolved space-integrated optical emission spectroscopy. The electron density as well as the temperatures of the plasma were diagnosed as functions of the decay time for the bulk plasma analysis. In particular, the values of time-resolved atomic and ionic temperatures of shale elements, such as Fe, Mg, Ca, and Ti, were extracted from the well-known Boltzmann or Saha-Boltzmann plot method. Further comparison of these temperatures validated the local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) within specific interval of the delay time. In addition, the temporal behaviors of the signal-to-noise ratio of shale elements, including Si, Al, Fe, Ca, Mg, Ba, Li, Ti, K, Na, Sr, V, Cr, and Ni, revealed the coincidence of their maximum values with LIBS LTE condition in the time frame, providing practical implications for an optimized LIBS detection of shale elements. Analytical performance of LIBS was further evaluated with the linear calibration procedure for the most concerned trace elements of Sr, V, Cr, and Ni present in different shales. Their limits of detection obtained are elementally dependent and can be lower than tens of parts per million with the present LIBS experimental configurations. However, the occurrence of saturation effect for the calibration curve is still observable with the increasing trace element content, indicating that, due to the complex composition of shale materials, the omnipresent "matrix effect" is still a great challenging for the performance of quantitative LIBS measurement even in the framework of the LTE approach.

Shale Fracture Analysis using the Combined Finite-Discrete Element Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carey, J. W.; Lei, Z.; Rougier, E.; Knight, E. E.; Viswanathan, H.

2014-12-01

Hydraulic fracturing (hydrofrac) is a successful method used to extract oil and gas from highly carbonate rocks like shale. However, challenges exist for industry experts estimate that for a single $10 million dollar lateral wellbore fracking operation, only 10% of the hydrocarbons contained in the rock are extracted. To better understand how to improve hydrofrac recovery efficiencies and to lower its costs, LANL recently funded the Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project: "Discovery Science of Hydraulic Fracturing: Innovative Working Fluids and Their Interactions with Rocks, Fractures, and Hydrocarbons". Under the support of this project, the LDRD modeling team is working with the experimental team to understand fracture initiation and propagation in shale rocks. LANL's hybrid hydro-mechanical (HM) tool, the Hybrid Optimization Software Suite (HOSS), is being used to simulate the complex fracture and fragment processes under a variety of different boundary conditions. HOSS is based on the combined finite-discrete element method (FDEM) and has been proven to be a superior computational tool for multi-fracturing problems. In this work, the comparison of HOSS simulation results to triaxial core flooding experiments will be presented.

Fluoride content of clay minerals and argillaceous earth materials

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thomas, Josephus; Glass, H.D.; White, W.A.; Trandel, R.M.

1977-01-01

A reliable method, utilizing a fluoride ion-selective electrode, is described for the determination of fluoride in clays and shales. Interference by aluminum and iron is minimal. The reproducibility of the method is about ±5% at different levels of fluoride concentration.Data are presented for various clay minerals and for the <2-µm fractions of marine and nonmarine clays and shales. Fluoride values range from 44 ppm (0.0044%) for nontronite from Colfax, WA, to 51,800 ppm (5.18%) for hectorite from Hector, CA. In general, clays formed under hydrothermal conditions are relatively high in fluoride content, provided the hydrothermal waters are high in fluoride content. Besides hectorite, dickite from Ouray, CO, was found to contain more than 50 times as much fluoride (6700 ppm) as highly crystalline geode kaolinite (125 ppm). The clay stratum immediately overlying a fluorite mineralized zone in southern Illinois was found to have a higher fluoride content than the same stratum in a nonmineralized zone approximately 1 mile away. Nonmarine shales in contact with Australian coals were found to be lower in fluoride content than were marine shales in contact with Illinois coals.It is believed that, in certain instances, peak shifts on DTA curves of similar clay minerals are the result of significant differences in their fluoride content.

Adequacy of Current State Setbacks for Directional High-Volume Hydraulic Fracturing in the Marcellus, Barnett, and Niobrara Shale Plays

PubMed Central

Haley, Marsha; McCawley, Michael; Epstein, Anne C.; Arrington, Bob; Bjerke, Elizabeth Ferrell

2016-01-01

Background: There is an increasing awareness of the multiple potential pathways leading to human health risks from hydraulic fracturing. Setback distances are a legislative method to mitigate potential risks. Objectives: We attempted to determine whether legal setback distances between well-pad sites and the public are adequate in three shale plays. Methods: We reviewed geography, current statutes and regulations, evacuations, thermal modeling, air pollution studies, and vapor cloud modeling within the Marcellus, Barnett, and Niobrara Shale Plays. Discussion: The evidence suggests that presently utilized setbacks may leave the public vulnerable to explosions, radiant heat, toxic gas clouds, and air pollution from hydraulic fracturing activities. Conclusions: Our results suggest that setbacks may not be sufficient to reduce potential threats to human health in areas where hydraulic fracturing occurs. It is more likely that a combination of reasonable setbacks with controls for other sources of pollution associated with the process will be required. Citation: Haley M, McCawley M, Epstein AC, Arrington B, Bjerke EF. 2016. Adequacy of current state setbacks for directional high-volume hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus, Barnett, and Niobrara Shale Plays. Environ Health Perspect 124:1323–1333; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1510547 PMID:26895553

Shale Gas Boom or Bust? Estimating US and Global Economically Recoverable Resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brecha, R. J.; Hilaire, J.; Bauer, N.

2014-12-01

One of the most disruptive energy system technological developments of the past few decades is the rapid expansion of shale gas production in the United States. Because the changes have been so rapid there are great uncertainties as to the impacts of shale production for medium- and long-term energy and climate change mitigation policies. A necessary starting point for incorporating shale resources into modeling efforts is to understand the size of the resource, how much is technically recoverable (TRR), and finally, how much is economically recoverable (ERR) at a given cost. To assess production costs of shale gas, we combine top-down data with detailed bottom-up information. Studies solely based on top-down approaches do not adequately account for the heterogeneity of shale gas deposits and are unlikely to appropriately estimate extraction costs. We design an expedient bottom-up method based on publicly available US data to compute the levelized costs of shale gas extraction. Our results indicate the existence of economically attractive areas but also reveal a dramatic cost increase as lower-quality reservoirs are exploited. Extrapolating results for the US to the global level, our best estimate suggests that, at a cost of 6 US$/GJ, only 39% of the technically recoverable resources reported in top-down studies should be considered economically recoverable. This estimate increases to about 77% when considering optimistic TRR and estimated ultimate recovery parameters but could be lower than 12% for more pessimistic parameters. The current lack of information on the heterogeneity of shale gas deposits as well as on the development of future production technologies leads to significant uncertainties regarding recovery rates and production costs. Much of this uncertainty may be inherent, but for energy system planning purposes, with or without climate change mitigation policies, it is crucial to recognize the full ranges of recoverable quantities and costs.

Multilayer geospatial analysis of water availability for shale resources development in Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galdeano, C.; Cook, M. A.; Webber, M. E.

2017-08-01

Mexico’s government enacted an energy reform in 2013 that aims to foster competitiveness and private investment throughout the energy sector value chain. As part of this reform, it is expected that extraction of oil and gas via hydraulic fracturing will increase in five shale basins (e.g. Burgos, Sabinas, Tampico, Tuxpan, and Veracruz). Because hydraulic fracturing is a water-intensive activity, it is relevant to assess the potential water availability for this activity in Mexico. This research aims to quantify the water availability for hydraulic fracturing in Mexico and identify its spatial distribution along the five shale basins. The methodology consisted of a multilayer geospatial analysis that overlays the water availability in the watersheds and aquifers with the different types of shale resources areas (e.g. oil and associated gas, wet gas and condensate, and dry gas) in the five shale basins. The aquifers and watersheds in Mexico are classified in four zones depending on average annual water availability. Three scenarios were examined based on different impact level on watersheds and aquifers from hydraulic fracturing. For the most conservative scenario analyzed, the results showed that the water available could be used to extract between 8.15 and 70.42 Quadrillion British thermal units (Quads) of energy in the typical 20-30 year lifetime of the hydraulic fracturing wells that could be supplied with the annual water availability overlaying the shale areas, with an average across estimates of around 18.05 Quads. However, geographic variation in water availability could represent a challenge for extracting the shale reserves. Most of the water available is located closer to the Gulf of Mexico, but the areas with the larger recoverable shale reserves coincide with less water availability in Northern Mexico. New water management techniques (such as recycling and re-use), more efficient fracturing methods, shifts in usage patterns, or other water sources need to be identified to allocate water for hydraulic fracturing without affecting current users (e.g. municipal, irrigation, industrial, and environmental flows).

Geology and Ore Deposits of the Uncompahgre (Ouray) Mining District, Southwestern Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burbank, Wilbur Swett; Luedke, Robert G.

2008-01-01

The Uncompahgre mining district, part of the Ouray mining district, includes an area of about 15 square miles (mi2) on the northwestern flank of the San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado from which ores of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc have had a gross value of $14 to 15 million. Bedrock within the district ranges in age from Proterozoic to Cenozoic. The oldest or basement rocks, the Uncompahgre Formation of Proterozoic age, consist of metamorphic quartzite and slate and are exposed in a small erosional window in the southern part of the district. Overlying those rocks with a profound angular unconformity are Paleozoic marine sedimentary rocks consisting mostly of limestones and dolomites and some shale and sandstone that are assigned to the Elbert Formation and Ouray Limestone, both of Devonian age, and the Leadville Limestone of Mississippian age. These units are, in turn, overlain by rocks of marine transitional to continental origin that are assigned to the Molas and Hermosa Formations of Pennsylvanian age and the Cutler Formation of Permian age; these three formations are composed predominantly of conglomerates, sandstones, and shales that contain interbedded fossiliferous limestones within the lower two-thirds of the sequence. The overlying Mesozoic strata rest also on a pronounced angular unconformity upon the Paleozoic section. This thick Mesozoic section, of which much of the upper part was eroded before the region was covered by rocks of Tertiary age, consists of the Dolores Formation of Triassic age, the Entrada Sandstone, Wanakah Formation, and Morrison Formation all of Jurassic age, and the Dakota Sandstone and Mancos Shale of Cretaceous age. These strata dominantly consist of shales, mudstones, and sandstones and minor limestones, breccias, and conglomerates. In early Tertiary time the region was beveled by erosion and then covered by a thick deposit of volcanic rocks of mid-Tertiary age. These volcanic rocks, assigned to the San Juan Formation, are chiefly tuff breccias of intermediate composition, which were deposited as extensive volcaniclastic aprons around volcanic centers to the east and south of the area. The Ouray area, in general, exhibits the typical effects of a minimum of three major uplifts of the ancestral San Juan Mountains. The earliest of these uplifts, with accompanying deformation and erosion, occurred within the Proterozoic, and the other two occurred at the close, respectively, of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic. The last event, known as the Laramide orogeny, locally was accompanied by extensive intrusion of igneous rocks of dominantly intermediate composition. Domal uplifts of the ancestral mountains resulted in peripheral monoclinal folds, plunging anticlines radial to the central core of the mountain mass, faults, and minor folds. The principal ore deposits of the Uncompahgre district were associated with crosscutting and laccolithic intrusions of porphyritic granodiorite formed during the Laramide (Late Cretaceous to early Tertiary) orogeny. The ores were deposited chiefly in the Paleozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary strata having an aggregate thickness of about 4,500 feet (ft) and occur beneath the early Tertiary unconformity, which in places truncated some of the uppermost deposits. A few ore deposits of late Tertiary age occur also in the sedimentary rocks near the southern margin of the district, but are restricted mostly to the overlying volcanic rocks. Ore deposits in the Uncompahgre district range from low-grade, contact-metamorphic through pyritic base-metal bodies containing silver and gold tellurides and native gold to silver-bearing lead-zinc deposits, and are zoned about the center of intrusive activity, a stock in an area referred to as The Blowout. Ore deposition within the Uncompahgre district was largely controlled by structural trends and axes of uplift established mainly in the late Paleozoic phase of deformation, but also in part by structural lin

Assessing the utility of FIB-SEM images for shale digital rock physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelly, Shaina; El-Sobky, Hesham; Torres-Verdín, Carlos; Balhoff, Matthew T.

2016-09-01

Shales and other unconventional or low permeability (tight) reservoirs house vast quantities of hydrocarbons, often demonstrate considerable water uptake, and are potential repositories for fluid sequestration. The pore-scale topology and fluid transport mechanisms within these nanoporous sedimentary rocks remain to be fully understood. Image-informed pore-scale models are useful tools for studying porous media: a debated question in shale pore-scale petrophysics is whether there is a representative elementary volume (REV) for shale models? Furthermore, if an REV exists, how does it differ among petrophysical properties? We obtain three dimensional (3D) models of the topology of microscale shale volumes from image analysis of focused ion beam-scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) image stacks and investigate the utility of these models as a potential REV for shale. The scope of data used in this work includes multiple local groups of neighboring FIB-SEM images of different microscale sizes, corresponding core-scale (milli- and centimeters) laboratory data, and, for comparison, series of two-dimensional (2D) cross sections from broad ion beam SEM images (BIB-SEM), which capture a larger microscale field of view than the FIB-SEM images; this array of data is larger than the majority of investigations with FIB-SEM-derived microscale models of shale. Properties such as porosity, organic matter content, and pore connectivity are extracted from each model. Assessments of permeability with single phase, pressure-driven flow simulations are performed in the connected pore space of the models using the lattice-Boltzmann method. Calculated petrophysical properties are compared to those of neighboring FIB-SEM images and to core-scale measurements of the sample associated with the FIB-SEM sites. Results indicate that FIB-SEM images below ∼5000 μm3 volume (the largest volume analyzed) are not a suitable REV for shale permeability and pore-scale networks; i.e. field of view is compromised at the expense of detailed, but often unconnected, nanopore morphology. Further, we find that it is necessary to acquire several local FIB-SEM or BIB-SEM images and correlate their extracted geometric properties to improve the likelihood of achieving representative values of porosity and organic matter volume. Our work indicates that FIB-SEM images of microscale volumes of shale are a qualitative tool for petrophysical and transport analysis. Finally, we offer alternatives for quantitative pore-scale assessments of shale.

Introduction to special section: China shale gas and shale oil plays

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jiang, Shu; Zeng, Hongliu; Zhang, Jinchuan; Fishman, Neil; Bai, Baojun; Xiao, Xianming; Zhang, Tongwei; Ellis, Geoffrey S.; Li, Xinjing; Richards-McClung, Bryony; Cai, Dongsheng; Ma, Yongsheng

2015-01-01

Even though China shale gas and shale oil exploration is still in an early stage, limited data are already available. We are pleased to have selected eight high-quality papers from fifteen submitted manuscripts for this timely section on the topic of China shale gas and shale oil plays. These selected papers discuss various subject areas including regional geology, resource potentials, integrated and multidisciplinary characterization of China shale reservoirs (geology, geophysics, geochemistry, and petrophysics) China shale property measurement using new techniques, case studies for marine, lacustrine, and transitional shale deposits in China, and hydraulic fracturing. One paper summarizes the regional geology and different tectonic and depositional settings of the major prospective shale oil and gas plays in China. Four papers concentrate on the geology, geochemistry, reservoir characterization, lithologic heterogeneity, and sweet spot identification in the Silurian Longmaxi marine shale in the Sichuan Basin in southwest China, which is currently the primary focus of shale gas exploration in China. One paper discusses the Ordovician Salgan Shale in the Tarim Basin in northwest China, and two papers focus on the reservoir characterization and hydraulic fracturing of Triassic lacustrine shale in the Ordos Basin in northern China. Each paper discusses a specific area.

A review of the organic geochemistry of shales

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ho, P.C.; Meyer, R.E.

1987-06-01

Shale formations have been suggested as a potential site for a high level nuclear waste repository. As a first step in the study of the possible interaction of nuclides with the organic components of the shales, literature on the identification of organic compounds from various shales of the continent of the United States has been reviewed. The Green River shale of the Cenozoic era is the most studied shale followed by the Pierre shale of the Mesozoic era and the Devonian black shale of the Paleozoic era. Organic compounds that have been identified from these shales are hydrocarbons, fatty acids,more » fatty alcohols, steranes, terpanes, carotenes, carbohydrates, amino acids, and porphyrins. However, these organic compounds constitute only a small fraction of the organics in shales and the majority of the organic compounds in shales are still unidentified.« less

Assessment of potential shale-oil and shale-gas resources in Silurian shales of Jordan, 2014

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schenk, Christopher J.; Pitman, Janet K.; Charpentier, Ronald R.; Klett, Timothy R.; Tennyson, Marilyn E.; Mercier, Tracey J.; Nelson, Philip H.; Brownfield, Michael E.; Pawlewicz, Mark J.; Wandrey, Craig J.

2014-01-01

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated means of 11 million barrels of potential shale-oil and 320 billion cubic feet of shale-gas resources in Silurian shales of Jordan.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

To evaluate the potential of the Devonian shale as a source of natural gas, the US Department of Energy (DOE) has undertaken the Eastern Gas Shales Project (EGSP). The EGSP is designed not only to identify the resource, but also to test improved methods of inducing permeability to facilitate gas drainage, collection, and production. The ultimate goal of this project is to increase the production of gas from the eastern shales through advanced exploration and exploitation techniques. The purpose of this report is to inform the general public and interested oil and gas operators about EGSP results as they pertainmore » to the Devonian gas shales of the Appalachian basin in Pennsylvania. Geologic data and interpretations are summarized and areas where the accumulation of gas may be large enough to justify commercial production are outlined. Because the data presented in this report are generalized and not suitable for evaluation of specific sites for exploration, the reader should consult the various reports cited for more detail and discussion of the data, concepts, and interpretations presented.« less

Recycling of Ammonia Wastewater During Vanadium Extraction from Shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Qihua; Zhang, Yimin; Liu, Tao; Huang, Jing

2018-03-01

In the vanadium metallurgical industry, massive amounts of ammonia hydroxide or ammonia salt are added during the precipitation process to obtain V2O5; therefore, wastewater containing a high level of NH4 + is generated, which poses a serious threat to environmental and hydrologic safety. In this article, a novel process was developed to recycle ammonia wastewater based on a combination of ammonia wastewater leaching and crystallization during vanadium extraction from shale. The effects of the NH4 + concentration, temperature, time and liquid-to-solid ratio on the leaching efficiencies of vanadium, aluminum and potassium were investigated, and the results showed that 93.2% of vanadium, 86.3% of aluminum and 96.8% of potassium can be leached from sulfation-roasted shale. Subsequently, 80.6% of NH4 + was separated from the leaching solution via cooling crystallization. Vanadium was recovered via a combined method of solvent extraction, precipitation and calcination. Therefore, ammonia wastewater was successfully recycled during vanadium extraction from shale.

Method for attenuating seismic shock from detonating explosive in an in situ oil shale retort

DOEpatents

Studebaker, Irving G.; Hefelfinger, Richard

1980-01-01

In situ oil shale retorts are formed in formation containing oil shale by excavating at least one void in each retort site. Explosive is placed in a remaining portion of unfragmented formation within each retort site adjacent such a void, and such explosive is detonated in a single round for explosively expanding formation within the retort site toward such a void for forming a fragmented permeable mass of formation particles containing oil shale in each retort. This produces a large explosion which generates seismic shock waves traveling outwardly from the blast site through the underground formation. Sensitive equipment which could be damaged by seismic shock traveling to it straight through unfragmented formation is shielded from such an explosion by placing such equipment in the shadow of a fragmented mass in an in situ retort formed prior to the explosion. The fragmented mass attenuates the velocity and magnitude of seismic shock waves traveling toward such sensitive equipment prior to the shock wave reaching the vicinity of such equipment.

A Theoretical Investigation of Radial Lateral Wells with Shockwave Completion in Shale Gas Reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shan, Jia

As its role in satisfying the energy demand of the U.S. and as a clean fuel has become more significant than ever, the shale gas production in the U.S. has gained increasing momentum over recent years. Thus, effective and environmentally friendly methods to extract shale gas are critical. Hydraulic fracturing has been proven to be efficient in the production of shale gas. However, environmental issues such as underground water contamination and high usage of water make this technology controversial. A potential technology to eliminate the environmental issues concerning water usage and contamination is to use blast fracturing, which uses explosives to create fractures. It can be further aided by HEGF and multi-pulse pressure loading technology, which causes less crushing effect near the wellbore and induces longer fractures. Radial drilling is another relatively new technology that can bypass damage zones due to drilling and create a larger drainage area through drilling horizontal wellbores. Blast fracturing and radial drilling both have the advantage of cost saving. The successful combination of blast fracturing and radial drilling has a great potential for improving U.S. shale gas production. An analytical productivity model was built in this study, considering linear flow from the reservoir rock to the fracture face, to analyze factors affecting shale gas production from radial lateral wells with shockwave completion. Based on the model analyses, the number of fractures per lateral is concluded to be the most effective factor controlling the productivity index of blast-fractured radial lateral wells. This model can be used for feasibility studies of replacing hydraulic fracturing by blast fracturing in shale gas well completions. Prediction of fracture geometry is recommended for future studies.

Measurements of Methane Emissions and Volatile Organic Compounds from Shale Gas Operations in the Marcellus Shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omara, M.; Subramanian, R.; Sullivan, M.; Robinson, A. L.; Presto, A. A.

2014-12-01

The Marcellus Shale is the most expansive shale gas reserve in play in the United States, representing an estimated 17 to 29 % of the total domestic shale gas reserves. The rapid and extensive development of this shale gas reserve in the past decade has stimulated significant interest and debate over the climate and environmental impacts associated with fugitive releases of methane and other pollutants, including volatile organic compounds. However, the nature and magnitude of these pollutant emissions remain poorly characterized. This study utilizes the tracer release technique to characterize total fugitive methane release rates from natural gas facilities in southwestern Pennsylvania and West Virginia that are at different stages of development, including well completion flowbacks and active production. Real-time downwind concentrations of methane and two tracer gases (acetylene and nitrous oxide) released onsite at known flow rates were measured using a quantum cascade tunable infrared laser differential absorption spectrometer (QC-TILDAS, Aerodyne, Billerica, MA) and a cavity ring down spectrometer (Model G2203, Picarro, Santa Clara, CA). Evacuated Silonite canisters were used to sample ambient air during downwind transects of methane and tracer plumes to assess volatile organic compounds (VOCs). A gas chromatograph with a flame ionization detector was used to quantify VOCs following the EPA Method TO-14A. A preliminary assessment of fugitive emissions from actively producing sites indicated that methane leak rates ranged from approximately 1.8 to 6.2 SCFM, possibly reflecting differences in facility age and installed emissions control technology. A detailed comparison of methane leak rates and VOCs emissions with recent published literature for other US shale gas plays will also be discussed.

Reaction rate kinetics for in situ combustion retorting of Michigan Antrim oil shale

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rostam-Abadi, M.; Mickelson, R.W.

1984-01-01

The intrinsic reaction rate kinetics for the pyrolysis of Michigan Antrim oil shale and the oxidation of the carbonaceous residue of this shale have been determined using a thermogravimetric analysis method. The kinetics of the pyrolysis reaction were evaluated from both isothermal and nonisothermal rate data. The reaction was found to be second-order with an activation energy of 252.2 kJ/mole, and with a frequency factor of 9.25 ?? 1015 sec-1. Pyrolysis kinetics were not affected by heating rates between 0.01 to 0.67??K/s. No evidence of any reactions among the oil shale mineral constituents was observed at temperatures below 1173??K. However, it was found that the presence of pyrite in oil shale reduces the primary devolatilization rate of kerogen and increases the amount of residual char in the spent shale. Carbonaceous residues which were prepared by heating the oil shale at a rate of 0.166??K/s to temperatures between 923??K and 1073??K, had the highest reactivities when oxidized at 0.166??K/s in a gas having 21 volume percent oxygen. Oxygen chemisorption was found to be the initial precursor to the oxidation process. The kinetics governing oxygen chemisorption is (Equation Presented) where X is the fractional coverage. The oxidation of the carbonaceous residue was found also to be second-order. The activation energy and the frequency factor determined from isothermal experiments were 147 kJ/mole and 9.18??107 sec-1 respectively, while the values of these parameters obtained from a nonisothermal experiment were 212 kJ/mole and 1.5??1013 sec-1. The variation in the rate constants is attributed to the fact that isothermal and nonisothermal analyses represent two different aspects of the combustion process.

Multi-scale Multi-dimensional Imaging and Characterization of Oil Shale Pyrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Y.; Saif, T.; Lin, Q.; Al-Khulaifi, Y.; Blunt, M. J.; Bijeljic, B.

2017-12-01

The microstructural evaluation of fine grained rocks is challenging which demands the use of several complementary methods. Oil shale, a fine-grained organic-rich sedimentary rock, represents a large and mostly untapped unconventional hydrocarbon resource with global reserves estimated at 4.8 trillion barrels. The largest known deposit is the Eocene Green River Formation in Western Colorado, Eastern Utah, and Southern Wyoming. An improved insight into the mineralogy, organic matter distribution and pore network structure before, during and after oil shale pyrolysis is critical to understanding hydrocarbon flow behaviour and improving recovery. In this study, we image Mahogany zone oil shale samples in two dimensions (2-D) using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and in three dimensions (3-D) using focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM), laboratory-based X-ray micro-tomography (µCT) and synchrotron X-ray µCT to reveal a complex and variable fine grained microstructure dominated by organic-rich parallel laminations which are tightly bound in a highly calcareous and heterogeneous mineral matrix. We report the results of a detailed µCT study of the Mahogany oil shale with increasing pyrolysis temperature. The physical transformation of the internal microstructure and evolution of pore space during the thermal conversion of kerogen in oil shale to produce hydrocarbon products was characterized. The 3-D volumes of pyrolyzed oil shale were reconstructed and image processed to visualize and quantify the volume and connectivity of the pore space. The results show a significant increase in anisotropic porosity associated with pyrolysis between 300-500°C with the formation of micron-scale connected pore channels developing principally along the kerogen-rich lamellar structures.

Structure, Mechanics and Flow Properties of Fractured Shale: Core-Scale Experimentation and In-situ Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdelmalek, B. F.; Karpyn, Z.; Liu, S.

2014-12-01

Over the last several years, hydrocarbon exploitation and development in North America has been heavily centered on shale gas plays. However, the physical attributes of shales and their manifestation on transport properties and storage capacity remain poorly understood. Therefore, more experimentally based data are needed to fill the gaps in understanding both transport and storage of fluids in shale. The proposed work includes installation and testing of an experimental system which is capable of monitoring the dynamic evolution of shale core permeability under variable loading conditions and in coordination with X-ray microCT imaging. The goal of this study is to better understand and quantify fluid flow patterns and associated transport dynamics of fractured shale samples. The independent variables considered in this study are: mechanical loading and pore pressure. The mechanical response of shale core is captured for different loading paths. To best replicate the in-situ production scenario, the pore pressure is progressively depleted to mimic pressure decline. During the course of experimentation, permeability is estimated using the pulse-decay method under tri-axial stress boundary conditions. Simultaneously, X-ray microCT imaging is used with a tracer gas that is allowed to flow through the sample as an illuminating agent. In the presence of an illuminating agent, either Xenon or Krypton, the X-ray CT scanner can image fractures, global pathways and diffusional fronts in the matrix, as well as sorption sites that reflect heterogeneities in the sample and localized deformation. Anticipated results from these experiments will help quantify permeability evolution as a function of different loading conditions and pore pressure depletion. Also, the X-ray images will help visualize the change of flow patterns and the intensity of sorption as a function of mechanical loading and pore pressure.

Application of PAH concentration profiles in lake sediments as indicators for smelting activity.

PubMed

Warner, Wiebke; Ruppert, Hans; Licha, Tobias

2016-09-01

The ability of lake sediment cores to store long-term anthropogenic pollution establishes them as natural archives. In this study, we focus on the influence of copper shale mining and smelting in the Mansfeld area of Germany, using the depth profiles of two sediment cores from Lake Süßer See. The sediment cores provide a detailed chronological deposition history of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals in the studied area. Theisen sludge, a fine-grained residue from copper shale smelting, reaches the lake via deflation by wind or through riverine input; it is assumed to be the main source of pollution. To achieve the comparability of absolute contaminant concentrations, we calculated the influx of contaminants based on the sedimentation rate. Compared to the natural background concentrations, PAHs are significantly more enriched than heavy metals. They are therefore more sensitive and selective for source apportionment. We suggest two diagnostic ratios of PAHs to distinguish between Theisen sludge and its leachate: the ratio fluoranthene to pyrene ~2 and the ratio of PAH with logKOW<5.7 to PAH with a logKOW>5.7 converging to an even lower value than 2.3 (the characteristic of Theisen sludge) to identify the particulate input in lake environments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Water Resources Management Model to Evaluate Climate Change Impacts in North-Patagonia, Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bucciarelli, L. F.; Losano, F. T.; Marizza, M.; Cello, P.; Forni, L.; Young, C. A.; Girardin, L. O.; Nadal, G.; Lallana, F.; Godoy, S.; Vallejos, R.

2014-12-01

Most recently developed climate scenarios indicate a potential future increase in water stress in the region of Comahue, located in the North-Patagonia, Argentina. This region covers about 140,000 km2 where the Limay River and the Neuquén River converge into the Negro River, constituting the largest integrated basins in Argentina providing various uses of water resources: a) hydropower generation, contributing 15% of the national electricity market; b) fruit-horticultural products for local markets and export; c) human and industrial water supply; d) mining and oil exploitation, including Vaca Muerta, second world largest reserves of shale gas and fourth world largest reserves of shale-oil. The span of multiple jurisdictions and the convergence of various uses of water resources are a challenge for integrated understanding of economically and politically driven resource use activities on the natural system. The impacts of climate change on the system could lead to water resource conflicts between the different political actors and stakeholders. This paper presents the results of a hydrological simulation of the Limay river and Neuquén river basins using WEAP (Water Evaluation and Planning) considering the operation of artificial reservoirs located downstream at a monthly time step. This study aims to support policy makers via integrated tools for water-energy planning under climate uncertainties, and to facilitate the formulation of water policy-related actions for future water stress adaptation. The value of the integrated resource use model is that it can support local policy makers understand the implications of resource use trade-offs under a changing climate: 1) water availability to meet future growing demand for irrigated areas; 2) water supply for hydropower production; 3) increasing demand of water for mining and extraction of unconventional oil; 4) potential resource use conflicts and impacts on vulnerable populations.

Empirical Methods for Detecting Regional Trends and Other Spatial Expressions in Antrim Shale Gas Productivity, with Implications for Improving Resource Projections Using Local Nonparametric Estimation Techniques

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coburn, T.C.; Freeman, P.A.; Attanasi, E.D.

2012-01-01

The primary objectives of this research were to (1) investigate empirical methods for establishing regional trends in unconventional gas resources as exhibited by historical production data and (2) determine whether or not incorporating additional knowledge of a regional trend in a suite of previously established local nonparametric resource prediction algorithms influences assessment results. Three different trend detection methods were applied to publicly available production data (well EUR aggregated to 80-acre cells) from the Devonian Antrim Shale gas play in the Michigan Basin. This effort led to the identification of a southeast-northwest trend in cell EUR values across the play that, in a very general sense, conforms to the primary fracture and structural orientations of the province. However, including this trend in the resource prediction algorithms did not lead to improved results. Further analysis indicated the existence of clustering among cell EUR values that likely dampens the contribution of the regional trend. The reason for the clustering, a somewhat unexpected result, is not completely understood, although the geological literature provides some possible explanations. With appropriate data, a better understanding of this clustering phenomenon may lead to important information about the factors and their interactions that control Antrim Shale gas production, which may, in turn, help establish a more general protocol for better estimating resources in this and other shale gas plays. ?? 2011 International Association for Mathematical Geology (outside the USA).

Fractures system within Qusaiba shale outcrop and its relationship to the lithological properties, Qasim area, Central Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, Mohamed I. M.; Hariri, Mustafa M.; Abdullatif, Osman M.; Makkawi, Mohammad H.; Elzain, Hussam

2017-09-01

The basal Qusaiba hot shale member of Qalibah Formation is considered to be an important source rock in the Paleozoic petroleum system of Saudi Arabia and an exploration target for tight shale as one of the Unconventional resources of petroleum. This work has been carried out to understand the fractures network of Qusaiba shale member in outcrops located to the west of Qusayba' village in Al-Qasim area, Central Saudi Arabia. The main objective of this study is to understand the distribution of natural fractures over different lithological units. Description data sheets were used for the detailed lithological description of Qusaiba shale member on two outcrops. Spot-7 and Landsat ETM+ satellite images were used for lineament mapping and analyses on a regional scale in a GIS environment. Fractures characterization in outcrop-scale was conducted by using linear scanline method. Qusaiba shale member in the study area consists of 5 main lithofacies, divided based on their sedimentary structures and petrographical properties, from base to top in the outcrops, the lithofacies are; fissile shale, very fine-grained micaceous siltstone, bioturbated mudstone, very fine to fine-grained hummocky cross-stratified sandstone, and fine to medium-grained low/high angle cross-stratified sandstone lithofacies. Lineaments interpretation of the Spot-7 and Landsat ETM+ satellite images showed two major directions in the study area; 320° that could be related to Najd fault system and 20° that could be related to the extensional activities which took place after Amar collision. Fractures are much denser in the fissile shale and mudstone lithofacies than sandstones lithofacies, and average spacing is smaller in the fissile shale and mudstone lithofacies than sandstones lithofacies. Lineaments and large-scale fractures are Non-Stratabound fractures and they deal with the area as one big mechanical unit, but small-scale fractures are Stratabound fractures that propose different mechanical units within Qusaiba shale member in the study area. The fractures network in the study area has a wide range of properties related to fractures density, length, spacing, height, and termination degree. The conceptual multi-scale model divides the fractures in the study area into 4 orders depending on the available data that have been observed from satellite images and field. The multi-scale fractures model that was generated in this study could help to understand the distribution of stratigraphically controlled fractures when integrated with flow simulation models. Overall, this work could have a significant contribution to tight shale exploration plans in the subsurface by providing some knowledge about the fractures mechanical behavior of the lower part of Qusaiba shale member of Qalibah Formation.

Generation and migration of Bitumen and oil from the oil shale interval of the Eocene Green River formation, Uinta Basin, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Ronald C.; Birdwell, Justin E.; Mercier, Tracey J.

2016-01-01

The results from the recent U.S. Geological Survey assessment of in-place oil shale resources of the Eocene Green River Formation, based primarily on the Fischer assay method, are applied herein to define areas where the oil shale interval is depleted of some of its petroleum-generating potential along the deep structural trough of the basin and to make: (1) a general estimates of the amount of this depletion, and (2) estimate the total volume of petroleum generated. Oil yields (gallons of oil per ton of rock, GPT) and in-place oil (barrels of oil per acre, BPA) decrease toward the structural trough of the basin, which represents an offshore lacustrine area that is believed to have originally contained greater petroleum-generating potential than is currently indicated by measured Fischer assay oil yields. Although this interval is considered to be largely immature for oil generation based on vitrinite reflectance measurements, the oil shale interval is a likely source for the gilsonite deposits and much of the tar sands in the basin. Early expulsion of petroleum may have occurred due to the very high organic carbon content and oil-prone nature of the Type I kerogen present in Green River oil shale. In order to examine the possible sources and migration pathways for the tar sands and gilsonite deposits, we have created paleogeographic reconstructions of several oil shale zones in the basin as part of this study.

Bacterial physiological diversity in the rhizosphere of range plants in response to retorted shale stress. [Agropyron smithii Rydb; Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Metzger, W.C.; Klein, D.A.; Redente, E.F.

1986-10-01

Bacterial populations were isolated from the soil-root interface and root-free regions of Agropyron smithii Rydb. and Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt. grown in soil, retorted shale, or soil over shale. Bacteria isolated from retorted shale exhibited a wider range of tolerance to alkalinity and salinity and decreased growth on amino acid substrates compared with bacteria from soil and soil-over-shale environments. Exoenzyme production was only slightly affected by growth medium treatment. Viable bacterial populations were higher in the rhizosphere and rhizoplane of plants grown in retorted shale than in plants grown in soil or soil over shale. In addition, a greater numbermore » of physiological groups of rhizosphere bacteria was observed in retorted shale, compared with soil alone. Two patterns of community similarity were observed in comparisons of bacteria from soil over shale with those from soil and retorted-shale environments. Root-associated populations from soil over shale had a higher proportion of physiological groups in common with those from the soil control than those from the retorted-shale treatment. However, in non-rhizosphere populations, bacterial groups from soil over shale more closely resembled the physiological groups from retorted shale.« less

Energy in perspective: an orientation conference for educators. [28 presentations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McKlveen, J.W.

An awareness of energy and the pertinent economic, environmental, and risk/benefit consideration must be presented to the public. A logical beginning point is in the classroom, through knowledgeable and motivated educators. Ms. Carolyn Warner, Superintendent of Public Instruction, State of Arizona, presented the first paper, Energy and the Educator. Papers on all aspects of energy were presented at the conference by experts from throughout the United States. The papers were: Energy Resources: World and U.S.A.; Coal Technology: Mining, Energy Generation, Wastes, and Environmental Considerations; Energy Conservation; Arizona's Energy Resources and Development; Gas and Oil: Natural Gas, S.N.G., Oil, Oil Shale,more » and Tar Sands; Geothermal Energy Perspective; Solar Energy; Solar Technology; Natural Radiation Environment; Fission Theory; Arizona's Palo Verde Nuclear Generation Complex; Gas Cooled Reactors, Liquid Metal Reactors and Alternatives; Radioactive Wastes: Disposal Alternatives; Reactor Safety; Nuclear Safeguards; Fusion Power; Genetic and Somatic Radiation Effects; Energy Economics; Religion, Philosophy, and Energy; Nuclear Studies in Fine Arts and Archeology; Nuclear Methods Applied to Agriculture and Food Preservation; Nuclear Methods in Criminology; Environmental Impact of Energy Generation; and Risk and Insurance Consideration--Energy for Tomorrow. The tours to energy installations conducted during the conference and demonstration related to energy are cited. (MCW)« less

Maximize Liquid Oil Production from Shale Oil and Gas Condensate Reservoirs by Cyclic Gas Injection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sheng, James; Li, Lei; Yu, Yang

The current technology to produce shale oil reservoirs is the primary depletion using fractured wells (generally horizontal wells). The oil recovery is less than 10%. The prize to enhance oil recovery (EOR) is big. Based on our earlier simulation study, huff-n-puff gas injection has the highest EOR potential. This project was to explore the potential extensively and from broader aspects. The huff-n-puff gas injection was compared with gas flooding, water huff-n-puff and waterflooding. The potential to mitigate liquid blockage was also studied and the gas huff-n-puff method was compared with other solvent methods. Field pilot tests were initiated but terminatedmore » owing to the low oil price and the operator’s budget cut. To meet the original project objectives, efforts were made to review existing and relevant field projects in shale and tight reservoirs. The fundamental flow in nanopores was also studied.« less

Quantifying the signature of the industrial revolution from Pb and Cd isotopes in the Susquehanna Shale Hills Critical Zone Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, L.; Herndon, E.; Jin, L.; Sanchez, D.; Brantley, S. L.

2013-12-01

Anthropogenic forcings have dominated metal cycling in many environments. During the period of the industrial revolution, mining and smelting of ores and combustion of fossil fuels released non-negligible amounts of potentially toxic metals such as Pb, Cd, Mn, and Zn into the environment. The extent and fate of these metal depositions in soils during that period however, have not been adequately evaluated. Here, we combine Pb isotopes with Cd isotopes to trace the sources of metal pollutants in a small temperate watershed (Shale Hills) in Pennsylvania. Previous work has shown that Mn additions to soils in central PA was caused by early iron production, as well as coal burning and steel making upwind. Comparison of the Pb and Cd concentrations in the bedrock and soils from this watershed show that Pb and Cd in soils at Shale Hills are best characterized by addition profiles, consistent with atmospheric additions. Three soil profiles at Shale Hills on the same hillslope have very similar anthropogenic Pb inventories. Pb isotope results further reveal that the extensive use of local coals during iron production in early 19th century in Pennsylvania is most likely the anthropogenic Pb source for the surface soils at Shale Hills. Pb concentrations and isotope ratios were used to calculate mass balance and diffusive transport models in soil profiles. The model results further reveal that during the 1850s to 1920s, coal burning in local iron blasting furnaces significantly increased the Pb deposition rates to 8-14 μg cm-2 yr-1, even more than modern Pb deposition rates derived from the use of leaded gasoline in the 1940s to 1980s. Furthermore, Cd has a low boiling point (~760 °C) and easily evaporates and condenses. The evaporation and condensation processes could generate systematic mass-dependent isotope fractionation between Cd in coal burning products and the naturally occurring Cd in the sulfide minerals of coals. This fractionation indicates that Cd isotopes can be used as a novel tracer of materials that have been affected by industrial high temperature processes, distinguishing them from natural Cd sources. Our ongoing Cd isotope measurements in the same soil profiles thus hold significant promise for tracing anthropogenic sources of this highly toxic metal in the environment. This will be the first time that Cd isotopes are characterized for polluted soils related to coal-burning activities. Such information will provide the first Cd isotope dataset to assess the environmental impacts due to the use of coals on a global scale. These new Pb and Cd isotope results, along with previous observations of Mn enrichment at Shale Hills, suggest that historical point sources from the industrial revolution could contribute significant amounts of metal contamination to top-soils. Our study highlights the importance of using multiple isotope systems to investigate Critical Zone processes in identical lithology and environmental settings.

Thermo-sensitive polymer nanospheres as a smart plugging agent for shale gas drilling operations.

PubMed

Wang, Wei-Ji; Qiu, Zheng-Song; Zhong, Han-Yi; Huang, Wei-An; Dai, Wen-Hao

2017-01-01

Emulsifier-free poly(methyl methacrylate-styrene) [P(MMA-St)] nanospheres with an average particle size of 100 nm were synthesized in an isopropyl alcohol-water medium by a solvothermal method. Then, through radical graft copolymerization of thermo-sensitive monomer N -isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm) and hydrophilic monomer acrylic acid (AA) onto the surface of P(MMA-St) nanospheres at 80 °C, a series of thermo-sensitive polymer nanospheres, named SD-SEAL with different lower critical solution temperatures (LCST), were prepared by adjusting the mole ratio of NIPAm to AA. The products were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, particle size distribution, and specific surface area analysis. The temperature-sensitive behavior was studied by light transmittance tests, while the sealing performance was investigated by pressure transmission tests with Lungmachi Formation shales. The experimental results showed that the synthesized nanoparticles are sensitive to temperature and had apparent LCST values which increased with an increase in hydrophilic monomer AA. When the temperature was higher than its LCST value, SD-SEAL played a dual role of physical plugging and chemical inhibition, slowed down pressure transmission, and reduced shale permeability remarkably. The plugged layer of shale was changed to being hydrophobic, which greatly improved the shale stability.

Where Does Water Go During Hydraulic Fracturing?

PubMed

O'Malley, D; Karra, S; Currier, R P; Makedonska, N; Hyman, J D; Viswanathan, H S

2016-07-01

During hydraulic fracturing millions of gallons of water are typically injected at high pressure into deep shale formations. This water can be housed in fractures, within the shale matrix, and can potentially migrate beyond the shale formation via fractures and/or faults raising environmental concerns. We describe a generic framework for producing estimates of the volume available in fractures and undamaged shale matrix where water injected into a representative shale site could reside during hydraulic fracturing, and apply it to a representative site that incorporates available field data. The amount of water that can be stored in the fractures is estimated by calculating the volume of all the fractures associated with a discrete fracture network (DFN) based on real data and using probability theory to estimate the volume of smaller fractures that are below the lower cutoff for the fracture radius in the DFN. The amount of water stored in the matrix is estimated utilizing two distinct methods-one using a two-phase model at the pore-scale and the other using a single-phase model at the continuum scale. Based on these calculations, it appears that most of the water resides in the matrix with a lesser amount in the fractures. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Buddingtonite in Menlo Park, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pampeyan, Earl H.

2010-01-01

The mineral buddingtonite, named after A.F. Buddington, long-time professor of petrology at Princeton University, was first identified at the Sulfur Bank mine in Lake County, California (Erd and others, 1964). The ammonium feldspar was recognized in Menlo Park, California, in 1964 by the author, with Erd's help, shortly before publication of the original description of the new mineral. Subsequently, buddingtonite has been widely recognized in hydrothermal mineral deposits and has been used in remote-sensing applications by the mineral industry. Buddingtonite also has been identified in the Phosphoria Formation and in oil shales of the Green River Formation. This paper briefly describes the geologic setting and mineralogy of the occurrences of buddingtonite and other ammonium-bearing minerals in the vicinity of Menlo Park.

CHEAT MOUNTAIN ROADLESS AREA, WEST VIRGINIA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Englund, K.J.; Behum, P.T.

1984-01-01

A mineral-resource survey determined that coal is the most important mineral resource in the Cheat Mountain Roadless Area, West Virginia. It is tentatively ranked as high-volatile A to medium-volatile bituminous similar to coal in nearby mining areas, and is primarily of coking quality. Demonstrated coal resources are estimated to total about 11. 6 million short tons in beds more than 28 in. thick in areas of substantiated resource potential and an additional 32. 7 million short tons in beds between 14 and 28 in. thick have been identified. Limestone, shale, clay, and sandstone occur in the area but these commodities are readily available outside the roadless area. Available information suggests little promise for the occurrence of metallic mineral or other energy resources in the area.

SOUTHERN MASSANUTTEN ROADLESS AREA, VIRGINIA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lesure, Frank G.; Chatman, Mark L.

1984-01-01

The Southern Massanutten Roadless Area is in the George Washington National Forest in the Shenandoah Valley of Page and Rockingham Counties, Virginia. According to mineral surveys of the area, inferred resources of low-grade iron occur at two mines in folded Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. The iron resources consist of 120,000 long tons of clayey and sandy limonite. Other mineral resources occur in the area including extensive areas of high-silica sandstone, shale suitable for making brick, and limestone suitable for crushed stone and agricultural lime. The potential for the occurrence of oil or natural gas resources cannot be evaluated from the available data. The nonmetallic mineral resources are of limited importance because of relative inaccessibility as compared to large accessible resources outside the roadless area.

Estimation of Potential Shale Gas Yield Amount and Land Degradation in China by Landcover Distribution regarding Water-Food-Energy and Forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, N.; Heo, S.; Lim, C. H.; Lee, W. K.

2017-12-01

Shale gas is gain attention due to the tremendous reserves beneath the earth. The two known high reservoirs are located in United States and China. According to U.S Energy Information Administration China have estimated 7,299 trillion cubic feet of recoverable shale gas and placed as world first reservoir. United States had 665 trillion cubic feet for the shale gas reservoir and placed fourth. Unlike the traditional fossil fuel, spatial distribution of shale gas is considered to be widely spread and the reserved amount and location make the resource as energy source for the next generation. United States dramatically increased the shale gas production. For instance, shale gas production composes more than 50% of total natural gas production whereas China and Canada shale gas produce very small amount of the shale gas. According to U.S Energy Information Administration's report, in 2014 United States produced shale gas almost 40 billion cubic feet per day but China only produced 0.25 billion cubic feet per day. Recently, China's policy had changed to decrease the coal powerplants to reduce the air pollution and the energy stress in China is keep increasing. Shale gas produce less air pollution while producing energy and considered to be clean energy source. Considering the situation of China and characteristics of shale gas, soon the demand of shale gas will increase in China. United States invested 71.7 billion dollars in 2013 but it Chinese government is only proceeding fundamental investment due to land degradation, limited water resources, geological location of the reservoirs.In this study, firstly we reviewed the current system and technology of shale gas extraction such as hydraulic Fracturing. Secondly, listed the possible environmental damages, land degradations, and resource demands for the shale gas extraction. Thirdly, invested the potential shale gas extraction amount in China based on the location of shale gas reservoirs and limited resources for the gas extraction. Fourthly, invested the potential land degradation on agricultural, surface water, and forest in developing shale gas extraction scenario. In conclusion, we suggested possible environmental damages and social impacts from shale gas extraction in China.

Detection of early changes in lung cell cytology by flow-systems analysis techniques. Progress report, October 1, 1976--June 30, 1977. [Damage induced by exposure to toxic agents associated with production of synthetic fuels from oil shale and coal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steinkamp, J.A.; Hansen, K.M.; Wilson, J.S.

1977-07-01

This report summarizes results of continuing experiments to develop cytological and biochemical indicators for estimating damage to respiratory tract cells in animals exposed to toxic agents associated with production of synthetic fuels from oil shale and coal, the specific goal being the application of advanced flow-systems technologies to the detection of early atypical cellular changes in lung epithelium. The objectives of the program during the past 6 months were: to develop standard methods for lavaging lungs of several rodent species (hamster, rat, and mouse) to increase cell yield; initiate oil shale exposures in hamsters and rats; study the effects ofmore » macrophage mobility in the presence of oil shale; and determine the effects of different fixatives on lung cell morphology using electron microscopy. To develop standard methods for lavaging the respiratory tract of test animals, experiments were devised to increase cell yield with minimal debris and blood. Proteolytic enzymes such as trypsin were also tested but produced excessive amounts of fibrinated blood. Experimental animals were exposed to raw and spent oil shale particulates to determine if changes in lung cell differential counts and/or atypical cellular changes were noted. Since the multiparameter cell separator system was inoperative during this reporting period due to major modifications, including the addition of an uv krypton laser, emphasis was primarily on cytological techniques. As the flow-systems instrumentation becomes fully operational during the next month, automated analysis of respiratory tract cells and measurement of physical and biochemical properties as a function of exposure to toxic agents will continue.« less

Extraction of hydrocarbons from high-maturity Marcellus Shale using supercritical carbon dioxide

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jarboe, Palma B.; Philip A. Candela,; Wenlu Zhu,; Alan J. Kaufman,

2015-01-01

Shale is now commonly exploited as a hydrocarbon resource. Due to the high degree of geochemical and petrophysical heterogeneity both between shale reservoirs and within a single reservoir, there is a growing need to find more efficient methods of extracting petroleum compounds (crude oil, natural gas, bitumen) from potential source rocks. In this study, supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) was used to extract n-aliphatic hydrocarbons from ground samples of Marcellus shale. Samples were collected from vertically drilled wells in central and western Pennsylvania, USA, with total organic carbon (TOC) content ranging from 1.5 to 6.2 wt %. Extraction temperature and pressure conditions (80 °C and 21.7 MPa, respectively) were chosen to represent approximate in situ reservoir conditions at sample depth (1920−2280 m). Hydrocarbon yield was evaluated as a function of sample matrix particle size (sieve size) over the following size ranges: 1000−500 μm, 250−125 μm, and 63−25 μm. Several methods of shale characterization including Rock-Eval II pyrolysis, organic petrography, Brunauer−Emmett−Teller surface area, and X-ray diffraction analyses were also performed to better understand potential controls on extraction yields. Despite high sample thermal maturity, results show that supercritical CO2 can liberate diesel-range (n-C11 through n-C21) n-aliphatic hydrocarbons. The total quantity of extracted, resolvable n-aliphatic hydrocarbons ranges from approximately 0.3 to 12 mg of hydrocarbon per gram of TOC. Sieve size does have an effect on extraction yield, with highest recovery from the 250−125 μm size fraction. However, the significance of this effect is limited, likely due to the low size ranges of the extracted shale particles. Additional trends in hydrocarbon yield are observed among all samples, regardless of sieve size: 1) yield increases as a function of specific surface area (r2 = 0.78); and 2) both yield and surface area increase with increasing TOC content (r2 = 0.97 and 0.86, respectively). Given that supercritical CO2 is able to mobilize residual organic matter present in overmature shales, this study contributes to a better understanding of the extent and potential factors affecting the extraction process.

Quantitative prediction of fractures using the finite element method: A case study of the lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in northern Guizhou, South China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jingshou; Ding, Wenlong; Yang, Haimeng; Jiu, Kai; Wang, Zhe; Li, Ang

2018-04-01

Natural fractures have long been considered important factors in the production of gas from shale reservoirs because they can connect pore spaces and enlarge transport channels, thereby influencing the migration, accumulation and preservation of shale gas. Industrial-level shale gas production has been initiated in the lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in northern Guizhou, South China. However, it is important to quantitatively predict the distribution of natural fractures in the lower Silurian shale reservoirs to locate additional 'sweet spots' in northern Guizhou. In this study, data obtained from outcrops, cores, thin sections, field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) images and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to determine the developmental characteristics and controlling factors of these fractures. Correlation analysis indicated that the mechanical parameters of the Longmaxi shale are mainly related to the total organic carbon (TOC), quartz, clay, calcite and dolomite contents. The spatial variations in the mechanical parameters of the Longmaxi shale were determined based on the spatial variations in the TOC and mineral contents. Then, a heterogeneous geomechanical model of the study area was established based on interpretations of the fault systems derived from seismic data and acoustic emission (AE) experiments performed on samples of the relevant rocks. The paleotectonic stress fields during the Yanshanian period were obtained using the finite element method (FEM). Finally, a fracture density calculation model was established to analyze the quantitative development of fractures, and the effects of faults and mechanical parameters on the development of fractures were determined. The results suggest that the main developmental period of tectonic fractures in the Longmaxi Formation was the Early Yanshanian period. During this time, the horizontal principal stress conditions were dominated by a SE-NW-trending (135-315°) compressional stress field, and the Longmaxi Formation experienced a maximum tectonic stress of 110-120 MPa. This simulated paleotectonic stress field was mainly controlled by faults and the contents of TOC, quartz, clay, calcite and dolomite; at different positions along the same fault, the degree of fracture development varies significantly. Overall, the distribution of fractures in the Longmaxi Formation can be used to optimize well deployment and provides a basis for the future exploration of shale gas.

Geological implications and controls on the determination of water saturation in shale gas reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartigan, David; Lovell, Mike; Davies, Sarah

2014-05-01

A significant challenge to the petrophysical evaluation of shale gas systems can be attributed to the conductivity behaviour of clay minerals and entrained clay bound waters. This is compounded by centimetre to sub-millimetre vertical and lateral heterogeneity in formation composition and structure. Where despite significant variation in formation geological and therefore petrophysical properties, we routinely rely on conventional resistivity methods for the determination of water saturation (Sw), and hence the free gas saturation (Sg) in gas bearing mudstones. The application of resistivity based methods is the subject of continuing debate, and there is often significant uncertainty in both how they are applied and the saturation estimates they produce. This is partly a consequence of the view that "the quantification of the behaviour of shale conductivity....has only limited geological significance" (Rider 1986). As a result, there is a separation between our geological understanding of shale gas systems and the petrophysical rational and methods employed to evaluate them. In response to this uncertainty, many petrophysicists are moving away from the use of more complex 'shaly-sand' based evaluation techniques and returning to traditional Archie methods for answers. The Archie equation requires various parameter inputs such as porosity and saturation exponents (m and n), as well as values for connate fluid resistivity (Rw). Many of these parameters are difficult to determine in shale gas systems, where obtaining a water sample, or carrying out laboratory experiments on recovered core is often technically impractical. Here we assess the geological implications and controls on variations in pseudo Archie parameters across two geological formations, using well data spanning multiple basinal settings for a prominent shale gas play in the northern Gulf of Mexico basin. The results, of numerical analysis and systematic modification of parameter values to minimise the error between core derived Sw (Dean Stark analysis) and computed Sw, links sample structure with composition, highlighting some unanticipated impacts of clay minerals on the effective bulk fluid resistivity (Rwe) and thus formation resistivity (Rt). In addition, it highlights simple corrective empirical adaptations that can significantly reduce the error in Sw estimation for some wells. Observed results hint at the possibility of developing a predictive capability in selecting Archie parameter values based on geological facies association and log composition indicators (i.e. V Clay), establishing a link between formation depositional systems and their petrophysical properties in gas bearing mudstones. Rider, M.H., 1986. The Geological Interpretation of Well Logs, Blackie.

Reservoir characteristics of coal-shale sedimentary sequence in coal-bearing strata and their implications for the accumulation of unconventional gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yang; Zhu, Yanming; Liu, Yu; Chen, Shangbin

2018-04-01

Shale gas and coalbed methane (CBM) are both considered unconventional natural gas and are becoming increasingly important energy resources. In coal-bearing strata, coal and shale are vertically adjacent as coal and shale are continuously deposited. Research on the reservoir characteristics of coal-shale sedimentary sequences is important for CBM and coal-bearing shale gas exploration. In this study, a total of 71 samples were collected, including coal samples (total organic carbon (TOC) content >40%), carbonaceous shale samples (TOC content: 6%-10%), and shale samples (TOC content <6%). Combining techniques of field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), x-ray diffraction, high-pressure mercury intrusion porosimetry, and methane adsorption, experiments were employed to characterize unconventional gas reservoirs in coal-bearing strata. The results indicate that in the coal-shale sedimentary sequence, the proportion of shale is the highest at 74% and that of carbonaceous shale and coal are 14% and 12%, respectively. The porosity of all measured samples demonstrates a good positive relationship with TOC content. Clay and quartz also have a great effect on the porosity of shale samples. According to the FE-SEM image technique, nanoscale pores in the organic matter of coal samples are much more developed compared with shale samples. For shales with low TOC, inorganic minerals provide more pores than organic matter. In addition, TOC content has a positive relationship with methane adsorption capacity, and the adsorption capacity of coal samples is more sensitive than the shale samples to temperature.

Porosity evolution during weathering of Marcellus shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, X.; Brantley, S.

2017-12-01

Weathering is an important process that continuously converts rock to regolith. Shale weathering is of particular interest because 1) shale covers about 25% of continental land mass; 2) recent development of unconventional shale gas generates large volumes of rock cuttings. When cuttings are exposed at earth's surface, they can release toxic trace elements during weathering. In this study, we investigated the evolution of pore structures and mineral transformation in an outcrop of Marcellus shale - one of the biggest gas shale play in North America - at Frankstown, Pennsylvania. A combination of neutron scattering and imaging was used to characterize the pore structures from nm to mm. The weathering profile of Marcellus shale was also compared to the well-studied Rose Hill shale from the Susquehanna Shale Hills critical zone observatory nearby. This latter shale has a similar mineral composition as Marcellus shale but much lower concentrations of pyrite and OC. The Marcellus shale formation in outcrop overlies a layer of carbonate at 10 m below land surface with low porosity (<3%). All the shale samples above the carbonate layer are almost completely depleted in carbonate, plagioclase, chlorite and pyrite. The porosities in the weathered Marcellus shale are twice as high as in protolith. The pore size distribution exhibits a broad peak for pores of size in the range of 10s of microns, likely due to the loss of OC and/or dissolution of carbonate during weathering. In the nearby Rose Hill shale, the pyrite and carbonate are sharply depleted close to the water table ( 15-20 m at ridgetop); while chlorite and plagioclase are gradually depleted toward the land surface. The greater weathering extent of silicates in the Marcellus shale despite the similarity in climate and erosion rate in these two neighboring locations is attributed to 1) the formation of micron-size pores increases the infiltration rate into weathered Marcellus shale and therefore promotes mineral weathering; 2) the pyrite/carbonate ratio is higher in the Marcellus shale than in Rose Hill shale, and thus excess acidity generated through pyrite oxidation enhances the dissolution of silicates. We seek to use these and other observations to develop a global model for shale weathering that incorporates both mineral composition and porosity change.

Mongolian Oil Shale, hosted in Mesozoic Sedimentary Basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bat-Orshikh, E.; Lee, I.; Norov, B.; Batsaikhan, M.

2016-12-01

Mongolia contains several Mesozoic sedimentary basins, which filled >2000 m thick non-marine successions. Late Triassic-Middle Jurassic foreland basins were formed under compression tectonic conditions, whereas Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous rift valleys were formed through extension tectonics. Also, large areas of China were affected by these tectonic events. The sedimentary basins in China host prolific petroleum and oil shale resources. Similarly, Mongolian basins contain hundreds meter thick oil shale as well as oil fields. However, petroleum system and oil shale geology of Mongolia remain not well known due to lack of survey. Mongolian oil shale deposits and occurrences, hosted in Middle Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous units, are classified into thirteen oil shale-bearing basins, of which oil shale resources were estimated to be 787 Bt. Jurassic oil shale has been identified in central Mongolia, while Lower Cretaceous oil shale is distributed in eastern Mongolia. Lithologically, Jurassic and Cretaceous oil shale-bearing units (up to 700 m thick) are similar, composed mainly of alternating beds of oil shale, dolomotic marl, siltstone and sandstone, representing lacustrine facies. Both Jurassic and Cretaceous oil shales are characterized by Type I kerogen with high TOC contents, up to 35.6% and low sulfur contents ranging from 0.1% to 1.5%. Moreover, S2 values of oil shales are up to 146 kg/t. The numbers indicate that the oil shales are high quality, oil prone source rocks. The Tmax values of samples range from 410 to 447, suggesting immature to early oil window maturity levels. PI values are consistent with this interpretation, ranging from 0.01 to 0.03. According to bulk geochemistry data, Jurassic and Cretaceous oil shales are identical, high quality petroleum source rocks. However, previous studies indicate that known oil fields in Eastern Mongolia were originated from Lower Cretaceous oil shales. Thus, further detailed studies on Jurassic oil shale and its petroleum potential are required.

The ground-water system and possible effects of underground coal mining in the Trail Mountain area, central Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lines, Gregory C.

1985-01-01

The ground-water system was studied in the Trail Mountain area in order to provide hydrologic information needed to assess the hydrologic effects of underground coal mining. Well testing and spring data indicate that water occurs in several aquifers. The coal-bearing Blackhawk-Star Point aquifer is regional in nature and is the source of most water in underground mines in the region. One or more perched aquifers overlie the Blackhawk-Star Point aquifer in most areas of Trail Mountain.Aquifer tests indicate that the transmissivity of the Blackhawk-Star Point aquifer, which consists mainly of sandstone, siltstone, and shale, ranges from about 20 to 200 feet squared per day in most areas of Trail Mountain. The specific yield of the aquifer was estimated at 0.05, and the storage coefficient is about IxlO"6 per foot of aquifer where confined.The main sources of recharge to the multiaquifer system are snowmelt and rain, and water is discharged mainly by springs and by leakage along streams. Springs that issue from perched aquifers are sources of water for livestock and wildlife on Trail Mountain.Water in all aquifers is suitable for most uses. Dissolved solids concentrations range from about 250 to 700 milligrams per liter, and the predominant dissolved constituents generally are calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate. Future underground coal mines will require dewatering when they penetrate the Blackhawk-Star Point aquifer. A finitedifference, three-dimensional computer model was used to estimate the inflow of water to various lengths and widths of a hypothetical dewatered mine and to estimate drawdowns of potentiometric surfaces in the partly dewatered aquifer. The estimates were made for a range of aquifer properties and premining hydraulic gradients that were similar to those on Trail Mountain. The computer simulations indicate that mine inflows could be several hundred gallons per minute and that potentiometric surfaces of the partly dewatered aquifer could be drawn down by several hundred feet during a reasonable life span of a mine. Because the Blackhawk-Star Point aquifer is separated from overlying perched aquifers by an unsaturated zone, mine dewatering alone would not affect perched aquifers. Mine dewatering would not significantly change water quality in the Blackhawk-Star Point aquifer. Subsidence will occur above future underground mines, but the effects on the ground-water system cannot be quantified. Subsidence fractures possibly could extend from the roof of a mine into a perched aquifer several hundred feet above. Such fractures would increase down ward percolation of water through the perching bed, and spring discharge from the perched aquifer could decrease. Flow through subsidence fractures also could increase recharge to the Blackhawk-Star Point aquifer and increase inflows to underground mines.

Transient pressure-pulse decay permeability measurements in the Barnett shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhandari, A. R.; Reece, J.; Cronin, M. B.; Flemings, P. B.; Polito, P. J.

2012-12-01

We conducted transient pressure-pulse decay permeability measurements on core plugs of the Barnett shale using a hydrostatic pressure cell. Core plugs, 3.8 cm in diameter and less than 2.5 cm in length, were prepared from a core obtained at a depth of approximately 2330 m from the Mitchel Energy 2 T. P. Sims well in the Mississippian Barnett Formation (Loucks and Ruppel, 2007). We performed permeability measurements of the core plugs using argon at varying confining pressures in two different directions (perpendicular and parallel to bedding planes). We calculate gas permeability from changes in pressure with time using the analytical solution of the pressure diffusion equation with appropriate boundary conditions for our test setup (Dicker and Smits, 1988). Based on our limited results, we interpret 2 × 10-18 m2 for vertical permeability and 156 × 10-18 m2 for horizontal permeability. We demonstrate an extreme stress dependence of the horizontal flow permeability where permeability decreases from 156 × 10-18 m2 to 2.5 × 10-18 m2 as the confining stress is increased from 3.5 to 35 MPa. These permeability measurements are at the high side of other pulsed permeability measurements in the Barnett shale (Bustin et al. 2008; Vermylen, 2011). Permeabilities calculated from mercury injection capillary pressure curves, using theoretically derived permeability-capillary pressure models based on parallel tubes assumption, are orders of magnitude less than our transient pressure-pulse decay permeability measurements (for example, 3.7×10-21 m2 (this study), 10-21 -10-20 m2 (Sigal, 2007), 10-20 -10-17 m2 (Prince et al., 2010)). We interpret that the high measured permeabilities are due to microfractures in the sample. At this point, we do not know if the microfractures are due to sampling disturbance (stress-relief induced) or represent an in-situ fracture network. Our study illustrates the importance of characterization of microfractures at the core scale to understand better the transport behavior in shale matrix and sealing efficiency of cap rocks. References Bustin et al. (2008), Impact of shale properties on pore structure and storage characteristics, SPE 119892. Dicker and Smits (1988), A practical method for determining permeability from laboratory pressure-pulse decay measurements, SPE 17578. Loucks and Ruppel (2007), Mississippian Barnett Shale: Lithofacies and depositional setting of a deep-water shale gas succession in the Fort Worth Basin, Texas, AAPG 2007. Sigal (2007), Mercury capillary pressure measurements on Barnett core. (http://shale.ou.edu/Home/Publication) Prince et al. (2010), Shale diagenesis and permeability: examples from the Barnett shale and the Marcellus formation, AAPG 2010. Vermylen, J.P. (2011), Geomechanical studies of the Barnett Shale, Texas, USA, PhD thesis, Stanford University.

Micromechanical characterization of shales through nanoindentation and energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry

DOE PAGES

Veytskin, Yuriy B.; Tammina, Vamsi K.; Bobko, Christopher P.; ...

2017-03-01

Shales are heterogeneous sedimentary rocks which typically comprise a variable mineralogy (including compacted clay particles sub-micrometer in size), silt grains, and nanometer sized pores collectively arranged with transversely isotropic symmetry. Moreover, a detailed understanding of the micro- and sub-microscale geomechanics of these minerals is required to improve models of shale strength and stiffness properties. In this paper, we propose a linked experimental–computational approach and validate a combination of grid nanoindentation and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy and Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (EDS/WDS) at the same spatial locations to identify both the nano-mechanical morphology and local mineralogy of these nanocomposites.more » The experimental parameters of each method are chosen to assess a similar volume of material. By considering three different shales of varying mineralogy and mechanical diversity, we show through the EMMIX statistical iterative technique that the constituent phases, including highly compacted plate- or sheet-like clay particles, carbonates, silicates, and sulfides, have distinct nano-mechanical morphologies and associated indentation moduli and hardness. Nanoindentation-based strength homogenization analysis determines an average clay packing density, friction coefficient, and solid cohesion for each tested shale sample. Comparison of bulk to microscale geomechanical properties, through bulk porosimetry measurements, reveals a close correspondence between bulk and microscale clay packing densities. Determining the mechanical microstructure and material properties is useful for predictive microporomechanical models of the stiffness and strength properties of shale. Furthermore, the experimental and computational approaches presented here also apply to other chemically and mechanically complex materials exhibiting nanogranular, composite behavior.« less

Habitat loss and modification due to gas development in the Fayetteville shale.

PubMed

Moran, Matthew D; Cox, A Brandon; Wells, Rachel L; Benichou, Chloe C; McClung, Maureen R

2015-06-01

Hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have become major methods to extract new oil and gas deposits, many of which exist in shale formations in the temperate deciduous biome of the eastern United States. While these technologies have increased natural gas production to new highs, they can have substantial environmental effects. We measured the changes in land use within the maturing Fayetteville Shale gas development region in Arkansas between 2001/2002 and 2012. Our goal was to estimate the land use impact of these new technologies in natural gas drilling and predict future consequences for habitat loss and fragmentation. Loss of natural forest in the gas field was significantly higher compared to areas outside the gas field. The creation of edge habitat, roads, and developed areas was also greater in the gas field. The Fayetteville Shale gas field fully developed about 2% of the natural habitat within the region and increased edge habitat by 1,067 linear km. Our data indicate that without shale gas activities, forest cover would have increased slightly and edge habitat would have decreased slightly, similar to patterns seen recently in many areas of the southern U.S. On average, individual gas wells fully developed about 2.5 ha of land and modified an additional 0.5 ha of natural forest. Considering the large number of wells drilled in other parts of the eastern U.S. and projections for new wells in the future, shale gas development will likely have substantial negative effects on forested habitats and the organisms that depend upon them.

On-line Analysis of Nitrogen Containing Compounds in Complex Hydrocarbon Matrixes.

PubMed

Ristic, Nenad D; Djokic, Marko R; Van Geem, Kevin M; Marin, Guy B

2016-08-05

The shift to heavy crude oils and the use of alternative fossil resources such as shale oil are a challenge for the petrochemical industry. The composition of heavy crude oils and shale oils varies substantially depending on the origin of the mixture. In particular they contain an increased amount of nitrogen containing compounds compared to the conventionally used sweet crude oils. As nitrogen compounds have an influence on the operation of thermal processes occurring in coker units and steam crackers, and as some species are considered as environmentally hazardous, a detailed analysis of the reactions involving nitrogen containing compounds under pyrolysis conditions provides valuable information. Therefore a novel method has been developed and validated with a feedstock containing a high nitrogen content, i.e., a shale oil. First, the feed was characterized offline by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC × GC) coupled with a nitrogen chemiluminescence detector (NCD). In a second step the on-line analysis method was developed and tested on a steam cracking pilot plant by feeding pyridine dissolved in heptane. The former being a representative compound for one of the most abundant classes of compounds present in shale oil. The composition of the reactor effluent was determined via an in-house developed automated sampling system followed by immediate injection of the sample on a GC × GC coupled with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS), flame ionization detector (FID) and NCD. A novel method for quantitative analysis of nitrogen containing compounds using NCD and 2-chloropyridine as an internal standard has been developed and demonstrated.

Ultraviolet laser-induced voltage in anisotropic shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miao, Xinyang; Zhu, Jing; Li, Yizhang; Zhao, Kun; Zhan, Honglei; Yue, Wenzheng

2018-01-01

The anisotropy of shales plays a significant role in oil and gas exploration and engineering. Owing to various problems and limitations, anisotropic properties were seldom investigated by direct current resistivity methods. Here in this work, a 248 nm ultraviolet laser was employed to assess the anisotropic electrical response of a dielectric shale. Angular dependence of laser-induced voltages (V p) were obtained, with a data symmetry at the location of 180° and a ~62.2% V p anisotropy of the sample. The double-exponential functions have provided an explanation for the electrical field controlled carrier transportation process in horizontal and vertical directions. The results demonstrate that the combination of optics and electrical logging analysis (Opti-electrical Logging) is a promising technology for the investigation of unconventional reservoirs.

Assessment of undiscovered shale gas and shale oil resources in the Mississippian Barnett Shale, Bend Arch–Fort Worth Basin Province, North-Central Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marra, Kristen R.; Charpentier, Ronald R.; Schenk, Christopher J.; Lewan, Michael D.; Leathers-Miller, Heidi M.; Klett, Timothy R.; Gaswirth, Stephanie B.; Le, Phuong A.; Mercier, Tracey J.; Pitman, Janet K.; Tennyson, Marilyn E.

2015-12-17

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated mean volumes of 53 trillion cubic feet of shale gas, 172 million barrels of shale oil, and 176 million barrels of natural gas liquids in the Barnett Shale of the Bend Arch–Fort Worth Basin Province of Texas.

Pore-Scale Simulation and Sensitivity Analysis of Apparent Gas Permeability in Shale Matrix

PubMed Central

Zhang, Pengwei; Hu, Liming; Meegoda, Jay N.

2017-01-01

Extremely low permeability due to nano-scale pores is a distinctive feature of gas transport in a shale matrix. The permeability of shale depends on pore pressure, porosity, pore throat size and gas type. The pore network model is a practical way to explain the macro flow behavior of porous media from a microscopic point of view. In this research, gas flow in a shale matrix is simulated using a previously developed three-dimensional pore network model that includes typical bimodal pore size distribution, anisotropy and low connectivity of the pore structure in shale. The apparent gas permeability of shale matrix was calculated under different reservoir pressures corresponding to different gas exploitation stages. Results indicate that gas permeability is strongly related to reservoir gas pressure, and hence the apparent permeability is not a unique value during the shale gas exploitation, and simulations suggested that a constant permeability for continuum-scale simulation is not accurate. Hence, the reservoir pressures of different shale gas exploitations should be considered. In addition, a sensitivity analysis was also performed to determine the contributions to apparent permeability of a shale matrix from petro-physical properties of shale such as pore throat size and porosity. Finally, the impact of connectivity of nano-scale pores on shale gas flux was analyzed. These results would provide an insight into understanding nano/micro scale flows of shale gas in the shale matrix. PMID:28772465

Pore-Scale Simulation and Sensitivity Analysis of Apparent Gas Permeability in Shale Matrix.

PubMed

Zhang, Pengwei; Hu, Liming; Meegoda, Jay N

2017-01-25

Extremely low permeability due to nano-scale pores is a distinctive feature of gas transport in a shale matrix. The permeability of shale depends on pore pressure, porosity, pore throat size and gas type. The pore network model is a practical way to explain the macro flow behavior of porous media from a microscopic point of view. In this research, gas flow in a shale matrix is simulated using a previously developed three-dimensional pore network model that includes typical bimodal pore size distribution, anisotropy and low connectivity of the pore structure in shale. The apparent gas permeability of shale matrix was calculated under different reservoir pressures corresponding to different gas exploitation stages. Results indicate that gas permeability is strongly related to reservoir gas pressure, and hence the apparent permeability is not a unique value during the shale gas exploitation, and simulations suggested that a constant permeability for continuum-scale simulation is not accurate. Hence, the reservoir pressures of different shale gas exploitations should be considered. In addition, a sensitivity analysis was also performed to determine the contributions to apparent permeability of a shale matrix from petro-physical properties of shale such as pore throat size and porosity. Finally, the impact of connectivity of nano-scale pores on shale gas flux was analyzed. These results would provide an insight into understanding nano/micro scale flows of shale gas in the shale matrix.

Simultaneous Gaussian and exponential inversion for improved analysis of shales by NMR relaxometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Washburn, Kathryn E.; Anderssen, Endre; Vogt, Sarah J.; Seymour, Joseph D.; Birdwell, Justin E.; Kirkland, Catherine M.; Codd, Sarah L.

2014-01-01

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometry is commonly used to provide lithology-independent porosity and pore-size estimates for petroleum resource evaluation based on fluid-phase signals. However in shales, substantial hydrogen content is associated with solid and fluid signals and both may be detected. Depending on the motional regime, the signal from the solids may be best described using either exponential or Gaussian decay functions. When the inverse Laplace transform, the standard method for analysis of NMR relaxometry results, is applied to data containing Gaussian decays, this can lead to physically unrealistic responses such as signal or porosity overcall and relaxation times that are too short to be determined using the applied instrument settings. We apply a new simultaneous Gaussian-Exponential (SGE) inversion method to simulated data and measured results obtained on a variety of oil shale samples. The SGE inversion produces more physically realistic results than the inverse Laplace transform and displays more consistent relaxation behavior at high magnetic field strengths. Residuals for the SGE inversion are consistently lower than for the inverse Laplace method and signal overcall at short T2 times is mitigated. Beyond geological samples, the method can also be applied in other fields where the sample relaxation consists of both Gaussian and exponential decays, for example in material, medical and food sciences.

Geology of the Devonian black shales of the Appalachian basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roen, J.B.

1983-01-01

Black shales of Devonian age in the Appalachian basin are a unique rock sequence. The high content of organic matter, which imparts the characteristic lithology, has for years attracted considerable interest in the shales as a possible source of energy. Concurrent with periodic and varied economic exploitations of the black shales are geologic studies. The recent energy shortage prompted the U.S. Department of Energy through the Eastern Gas Shales Project of the Morgantown Energy Technology Center to underwrite a research program to determine the geologic, geochemical, and structural characteristics of the Devonian black shales in order to enhance the recovery of gas from the shales. Geologic studies produced a regional stratigraphic network that correlates the 15-foot sequence in Tennessee with 3,000 feet of interbedded black and gray shales in central New York. The classic Devonian black-shale sequence in New York has been correlated with the Ohio Shale of Ohio and Kentucky and the Chattanooga Shale of Tennessee and southwestern Virginia. Biostratigraphic and lithostratigraphic markers in conjunction with gamma-ray logs facilitated long range correlations within the Appalachian basin and provided a basis for correlations with the black shales of the Illinois and Michigan basins. Areal distribution of selected shale units along with paleocurrent studies, clay mineralogy, and geochemistry suggests variations in the sediment source and transport directions. Current structures, faunal evidence, lithologic variations, and geochemical studies provide evidence to support interpretation of depositional environments. In addition, organic geochemical data combined with stratigraphic and structural characteristics of the shale within the basin allow an evaluation of the resource potential of natural gas in the Devonian shale sequence.

Process for oil shale retorting

DOEpatents

Jones, John B.; Kunchal, S. Kumar

1981-10-27

Particulate oil shale is subjected to a pyrolysis with a hot, non-oxygenous gas in a pyrolysis vessel, with the products of the pyrolysis of the shale contained kerogen being withdrawn as an entrained mist of shale oil droplets in a gas for a separation of the liquid from the gas. Hot retorted shale withdrawn from the pyrolysis vessel is treated in a separate container with an oxygenous gas so as to provide combustion of residual carbon retained on the shale, producing a high temperature gas for the production of some steam and for heating the non-oxygenous gas used in the oil shale retorting process in the first vessel. The net energy recovery includes essentially complete recovery of the organic hydrocarbon material in the oil shale as a liquid shale oil, a high BTU gas, and high temperature steam.

30 CFR 75.203 - Mining methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Mining methods. 75.203 Section 75.203 Mineral... SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Roof Support § 75.203 Mining methods. (a) The method of mining... faulty pillar recovery methods. Pillar dimensions shall be compatible with effective control of the roof...

30 CFR 75.203 - Mining methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Mining methods. 75.203 Section 75.203 Mineral... SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Roof Support § 75.203 Mining methods. (a) The method of mining... faulty pillar recovery methods. Pillar dimensions shall be compatible with effective control of the roof...

30 CFR 75.203 - Mining methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Mining methods. 75.203 Section 75.203 Mineral... SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Roof Support § 75.203 Mining methods. (a) The method of mining... faulty pillar recovery methods. Pillar dimensions shall be compatible with effective control of the roof...

30 CFR 75.203 - Mining methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Mining methods. 75.203 Section 75.203 Mineral... SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Roof Support § 75.203 Mining methods. (a) The method of mining... faulty pillar recovery methods. Pillar dimensions shall be compatible with effective control of the roof...

30 CFR 75.203 - Mining methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Mining methods. 75.203 Section 75.203 Mineral... SAFETY STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Roof Support § 75.203 Mining methods. (a) The method of mining... faulty pillar recovery methods. Pillar dimensions shall be compatible with effective control of the roof...

Life cycle water consumption and wastewater generation impacts of a Marcellus shale gas well.

PubMed

Jiang, Mohan; Hendrickson, Chris T; VanBriesen, Jeanne M

2014-01-01

This study estimates the life cycle water consumption and wastewater generation impacts of a Marcellus shale gas well from its construction to end of life. Direct water consumption at the well site was assessed by analysis of data from approximately 500 individual well completion reports collected in 2010 by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Indirect water consumption for supply chain production at each life cycle stage of the well was estimated using the economic input-output life cycle assessment (EIO-LCA) method. Life cycle direct and indirect water quality pollution impacts were assessed and compared using the tool for the reduction and assessment of chemical and other environmental impacts (TRACI). Wastewater treatment cost was proposed as an additional indicator for water quality pollution impacts from shale gas well wastewater. Four water management scenarios for Marcellus shale well wastewater were assessed: current conditions in Pennsylvania; complete discharge; direct reuse and desalination; and complete desalination. The results show that under the current conditions, an average Marcellus shale gas well consumes 20,000 m(3) (with a range from 6700 to 33,000 m(3)) of freshwater per well over its life cycle excluding final gas utilization, with 65% direct water consumption at the well site and 35% indirect water consumption across the supply chain production. If all flowback and produced water is released into the environment without treatment, direct wastewater from a Marcellus shale gas well is estimated to have 300-3000 kg N-eq eutrophication potential, 900-23,000 kg 2,4D-eq freshwater ecotoxicity potential, 0-370 kg benzene-eq carcinogenic potential, and 2800-71,000 MT toluene-eq noncarcinogenic potential. The potential toxicity of the chemicals in the wastewater from the well site exceeds those associated with supply chain production, except for carcinogenic effects. If all the Marcellus shale well wastewater is treated to surface discharge standards by desalination, $59,000-270,000 per well would be required. The life cycle study results indicate that when gas end use is not considered hydraulic fracturing is the largest contributor to the life cycle water impacts of a Marcellus shale gas well.

Review of Emerging Resources: U.S. Shale Gas and Shale Oil Plays

EIA Publications

2011-01-01

To gain a better understanding of the potential U.S. domestic shale gas and shale oil resources, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) commissioned INTEK, Inc. to develop an assessment of onshore lower 48 states technically recoverable shale gas and shale oil resources. This paper briefly describes the scope, methodology, and key results of the report and discusses the key assumptions that underlie the results.

Applying robust design to study the effects of stratigraphic characteristics on brittle failure and bump potential in a coal mine

PubMed Central

Kim, Bo-Hyun; Larson, Mark K.; Lawson, Heather E.

2018-01-01

Bumps and other types of dynamic failure have been a persistent, worldwide problem in the underground coal mining industry, spanning decades. For example, in just five states in the U.S. from 1983 to 2014, there were 388 reportable bumps. Despite significant advances in mine design tools and mining practices, these events continue to occur. Many conditions have been associated with bump potential, such as the presence of stiff units in the local geology. The effect of a stiff sandstone unit on the potential for coal bumps depends on the location of the stiff unit in the stratigraphic column, the relative stiffness and strength of other structural members, and stress concentrations caused by mining. This study describes the results of a robust design to consider the impact of different lithologic risk factors impacting dynamic failure risk. Because the inherent variability of stratigraphic characteristics in sedimentary formations, such as thickness, engineering material properties, and location, is significant and the number of influential parameters in determining a parametric study is large, it is impractical to consider every simulation case by varying each parameter individually. Therefore, to save time and honor the statistical distributions of the parameters, it is necessary to develop a robust design to collect sufficient sample data and develop a statistical analysis method to draw accurate conclusions from the collected data. In this study, orthogonal arrays, which were developed using the robust design, are used to define the combination of the (a) thickness of a stiff sandstone inserted on the top and bottom of a coal seam in a massive shale mine roof and floor, (b) location of the stiff sandstone inserted on the top and bottom of the coal seam, and (c) material properties of the stiff sandstone and contacts as interfaces using the 3-dimensional numerical model, FLAC3D. After completion of the numerical experiments, statistical and multivariate analysis are performed using the calculated results from the orthogonal arrays to analyze the effect of these variables. As a consequence, the impact of each of the parameters on the potential for bumps is quantitatively classified in terms of a normalized intensity of plastic dissipated energy. By multiple regression, the intensity of plastic dissipated energy and migration of the risk from the roof to the floor via the pillars is predicted based on the value of the variables. The results demonstrate and suggest a possible capability to predict the bump potential in a given rock mass adjacent to the underground excavations and pillars. Assessing the risk of bumps is important to preventing fatalities and injuries resulting from bumps. PMID:29416902

Water management practices used by Fayetteville shale gas producers.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Veil, J. A.

2011-06-03

Water issues continue to play an important role in producing natural gas from shale formations. This report examines water issues relating to shale gas production in the Fayetteville Shale. In particular, the report focuses on how gas producers obtain water supplies used for drilling and hydraulically fracturing wells, how that water is transported to the well sites and stored, and how the wastewater from the wells (flowback and produced water) is managed. Last year, Argonne National Laboratory made a similar evaluation of water issues in the Marcellus Shale (Veil 2010). Gas production in the Marcellus Shale involves at least threemore » states, many oil and gas operators, and multiple wastewater management options. Consequently, Veil (2010) provided extensive information on water. This current study is less complicated for several reasons: (1) gas production in the Fayetteville Shale is somewhat more mature and stable than production in the Marcellus Shale; (2) the Fayetteville Shale underlies a single state (Arkansas); (3) there are only a few gas producers that operate the large majority of the wells in the Fayetteville Shale; (4) much of the water management information relating to the Marcellus Shale also applies to the Fayetteville Shale, therefore, it can be referenced from Veil (2010) rather than being recreated here; and (5) the author has previously published a report on the Fayetteville Shale (Veil 2007) and has helped to develop an informational website on the Fayetteville Shale (Argonne and University of Arkansas 2008), both of these sources, which are relevant to the subject of this report, are cited as references.« less

Geology of the Devonian black shales of the Appalachian Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roen, J.B.

1984-01-01

Black shales of Devonian age in the Appalachian Basin are a unique rock sequence. The high content of organic matter, which imparts the characteristic lithology, has for years attracted considerable interest in the shales as a possible source of energy. The recent energy shortage prompted the U.S. Department of Energy through the Eastern Gas Shales Project of the Morgantown Energy Technology Center to underwrite a research program to determine the geologic, geochemical, and structural characteristics of the Devonian black shales in order to enhance the recovery of gas from the shales. Geologic studies by Federal and State agencies and academic institutions produced a regional stratigraphic network that correlates the 15 ft black shale sequence in Tennessee with 3000 ft of interbedded black and gray shales in central New York. These studies correlate the classic Devonian black shale sequence in New York with the Ohio Shale of Ohio and Kentucky and the Chattanooga Shale of Tennessee and southwestern Virginia. Biostratigraphic and lithostratigraphic markers in conjunction with gamma-ray logs facilitated long-range correlations within the Appalachian Basin. Basinwide correlations, including the subsurface rocks, provided a basis for determining the areal distribution and thickness of the important black shale units. The organic carbon content of the dark shales generally increases from east to west across the basin and is sufficient to qualify as a hydrocarbon source rock. Significant structural features that involve the black shale and their hydrocarbon potential are the Rome trough, Kentucky River and Irvine-Paint Creek fault zone, and regional decollements and ramp zones. ?? 1984.

Geology and fuel resources of the southern part of the San Juan Basin, New Mexico. Part 1, The coal field from Gallup eastward toward Mount Taylor, with a measured section of pre-Dakota(?) rocks near Navajo Church

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sears, Julian D.

1934-01-01

The report describes the geology and coal deposits of the southwestern part of the San Juan Basin, N.Mex. The field lies northeast of the town of Gallup, on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, and is an irregular tract of about 630 square miles in central and west-central McKinley County; it includes the southeast corner of the Navajo Indian Reservation. Settlement is confined to the white families at a few trading posts and the Indian agency at Crown Point and to scattered Navajo Indians. The land forms, drainage, vegetation, and climate are those typical of the highland in the semiarid Southwest.The investigation disclosed complicated relations of the Mancos shale and the Mesaverde formation, of Upper Cretaceous age, and a marked variation in the stratigraphic boundary between them. At the western edge of the field, as in the adjoining Gallup coal district, the Mancos consists of about 725 feet of marine shale almost wholly of Benton (lower Colorado) age. It is overlain by about 1,800 feet of chiefly estuarine and fluviatile deposits that represent the lower part of the Mesaverde formation. In ascending order the Mesaverde here consists of the Gallup sandstone member (which includes local lenses of valuable coal), the Dilco coal member, the Bartlett barren member, the Gibson coal member, and the Allison barren member. Eastward through the field the outcrops extend obliquely across the trend of old shore lines out into the ancient basin of marine deposition, and some of the beds consequently show a progressive lateral change into rocks of littoral and marine types. The Gallup sandstone member is in part replaced by marine shale of the Mancos. The upper part of the Dilco coal member is replaced by the Dalton sandstone member, and still farther east the bottom of the Dalton and the top of the remaining Dilco are replaced by the Mulatto tongue of the Mancos shale. The Bartlett barren member becomes coal-bearing and thus merges with the Gibson. The Gibson coal member is split by the thick Hosta sandstone member, which toward the east and northeast is in turn split by the Satan tongue of the Mancos shale, of upper Niobrara (upper Colorado) age.In general the structure of the rocks is simple, showing a gentle northward dip into the San Juan Basin. At the west edge of the field the rocks dip steeply west in the north end of the prominent ridges known locally as the Hogback. In the eastern part there is a series of pronounced folds, whose crests and troughs retain the gentle basinward dip but whose limbs are steep monoclines that in places are faulted.The coal is of subbituminous rank and of fairly good grade. The coal beds are very irregular and lenticular. Those in the Gallup and Dilco members are of comparatively little importance, reaching a thickness of 4 to 5 feet in only a few places and, in general, being less than 3 feet thick. The coal beds of the Gibson, especially of its lower part, are more numerous and thicker, measurements of 4 to 6 feet thick being fairly common and one bed showing a thickness of 12 feet for more than a mile. No commercial mining has been undertaken in this field, but a few small mines have been used to supply trading posts and the Indian schools at Crown Point and Tohatchi.

Petrophysical Properties of Cody, Mowry, Shell Creek, and Thermopolis Shales, Bighorn Basin, Wyoming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, P. H.

2013-12-01

The petrophysical properties of four shale formations are documented from well-log responses in 23 wells in the Bighorn Basin in Wyoming. Depths of the examined shales range from 4,771 to 20,594 ft. The four formations are the Thermopolis Shale (T), the Shell Creek Shale (SC), the Mowry Shale (M), and the lower part of the Cody Shale (C), all of Cretaceous age. These four shales lie within a 4,000-ft, moderately overpressured, gas-rich vertical interval in which the sonic velocity of most rocks is less than that of an interpolated trendline representing a normal increase of velocity with depth. Sonic velocity, resistivity, neutron, caliper, and gamma-ray values were determined from well logs at discrete intervals in each of the four shales in 23 wells. Sonic velocity in all four shales increases with depth to a present-day depth of about 10,000 ft; below this depth, sonic velocity remains relatively unchanged. Velocity (V), resistivity (R), neutron porosity (N), and hole diameter (D) in the four shales vary such that: VM > VC > VSC > VT, RM > RC > RSC > RT, NT > NSC ≈ NC > NM, and DT > DC ≈ DSC > DM. These orderings can be partially understood on the basis of rock compositions. The Mowry Shale is highly siliceous and by inference comparatively low in clay content, resulting in high sonic velocity, high resistivity, low neutron porosity, and minimal borehole enlargement. The Thermopolis Shale, by contrast, is a black fissile shale with very little silt--its high clay content causes low velocity, low resistivity, high neutron response, and results in the greatest borehole enlargement. The properties of the Shell Creek and lower Cody Shales are intermediate to the Mowry and Thermopolis Shales. The sonic velocities of all four shales are less than that of an interpolated trendline that is tied to velocities in shales above and below the interval of moderate overpressure. The reduction in velocity varies among the four shales, such that the amount of offset (O) from the trendline is OT > OSC > OC > OM, that is, the velocity in the Mowry Shale is reduced the least and the velocity in the Thermopolis Shale is reduced the most. Velocity reductions are attributed to increases in pore pressure during burial, caused by the generation and retention of gas, with lithology playing a key role in the amount of reduction. Sonic velocity in the four shale units remains low to the present day, after uplift and erosion of as much as 6,500 ft in the deeper part of the basin and consequent possible reduction from maximum pore pressures reached when strata were more deeply buried. A model combining burial history, the decrease of effective stress with increasing pore pressure, and Bower's model for the dependence of sonic velocity on effective stress is proposed to explain the persistence of low velocity in shale units. Interruptions to compaction gradients associated with gas occurrences and overpressure are observed in correlative strata in other basins in Wyoming, so the general results for shales in the Bighorn Basin established in this paper should be applicable elsewhere.

Stratigraphic section and selected semiquantitative chemistry, Meade Peak phosphatic shale member of Permian Phosphoria Formation, central part of Rasmussen Ridge, Caribou County, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grauch, R.I.; Tysdal, R.G.; Johnson, E.A.; Herring, J.R.; Desborough, G.A.

2001-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has studied the Permian Phosphoria Formation in southeastern Idaho and the entire Western U.S. Phosphate Field throughout much of the twentieth century. In response to a request by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, a new series of resource, geological, and geoenvironmental studies was undertaken by the USGS in 1998. To accomplish these studies, the USGS has formed cooperative research relationships with two Federal agencies, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, tasked with land management and resource conservation on public lands; and with five private companies currently leasing or developing phosphate resources in southeastern Idaho. The companies are Agrium U.S. Inc. (Rasmussen Ridge mine) , Astaris LLC (Dry Valley mine), Rhodia Inc. (Wooley Valley mine, inactive), J.R. Simplot Company (Smoky Canyon mine), and Monsanto Co. (Enoch Valley mine). Some of the mineralogical research associated with this project is supported through a cooperative agreement with the Department of Geology and Geological Enginee ring, University of Idaho. Present studies consist of integrated, multidisciplinary research directed toward (1) resource and reserve estimations of phosphate in selected 7.5-minute quadrangles; (2) elemental residence, mineralogical and petrochemical characteristics; (3) mobilization and reaction pathways, transport, and fate of potentially toxic elements associated with the occurrence, development, and societal use of phosphate; (4) geophysical signatures; and (5) improving the understanding of deposit origin. Because raw data acquired during the project will require time to interpret, the data are released in open-file reports for prompt availability to other workers. Open-file reports associated with this series of studies are submitted to each of the Federal and industry cooperators for comment; however, the USGS is solely responsible for the data contained in the reports.

43 CFR 3905.10 - Oil shale lease exchanges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Oil shale lease exchanges. 3905.10 Section... MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT (3000) OIL SHALE MANAGEMENT-GENERAL Lease Exchanges § 3905.10 Oil shale lease exchanges. To facilitate the recovery of oil shale, the BLM may consider...

43 CFR 3905.10 - Oil shale lease exchanges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Oil shale lease exchanges. 3905.10 Section... MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT (3000) OIL SHALE MANAGEMENT-GENERAL Lease Exchanges § 3905.10 Oil shale lease exchanges. To facilitate the recovery of oil shale, the BLM may consider...

43 CFR 3905.10 - Oil shale lease exchanges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Oil shale lease exchanges. 3905.10 Section... MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT (3000) OIL SHALE MANAGEMENT-GENERAL Lease Exchanges § 3905.10 Oil shale lease exchanges. To facilitate the recovery of oil shale, the BLM may consider...

What is shale gas and why is it important?

EIA Publications

2012-01-01

Shale gas refers to natural gas that is trapped within shale formations. Shales are fine-grained sedimentary rocks that can be rich sources of petroleum and natural gas. Over the past decade, the combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing has allowed access to large volumes of shale gas that were previously uneconomical to produce. The production of natural gas from shale formations has rejuvenated the natural gas industry in the United States.

Preliminary Stratigraphic Cross Sections of Oil Shale in the Eocene Green River Formation, Uinta Basin, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dyni, John R.

2008-01-01

Oil shale units in the Eocene Green River Formation are shown on two east-west stratigraphic sections across the Uinta Basin in northeastern Utah. Several units have potential value for recovery of shale oil, especially the Mahogany oil shale zone, which is a high grade oil shale that can be traced across most of the Uinta Basin and into the Piceance Basin in northwestern Colorado. Many thin medium to high grade oil shale beds above the Mahogany zone can also be traced for many miles across the basin. Several units below the Mahogany that have slow velocities on sonic logs may be low grade oil shale. These may have value as a source for shale gas.

Shale Gas Exploration and Development Progress in China and the Way Forward

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jianghua

2018-02-01

Shale gas exploration in China started late but is progressing very quickly with the strong support from Central Government. China has 21.8 tcm technically recoverable shale gas resources and 764.3 bcm proved shale gas reserve, mainly in marine facies in Sichuan basin. In 2016, overall shale gas production in China is around 7.9 bcm, while it is set to reach 10 bcm in 2017 and 30 bcm in 2020. BP is the only remaining IOC actor in shale gas exploration in China partnering with CNPC in 2 blocks in Sichuan basin. China is encouraging shale gas business both at Central level and at Provincial level through establishing development plan, continuation of subsidies and research funding. Engineering services for shale gas development and infrastructures are developing, while the overall cost and gas marketing conditions will be key factors for the success in shale gas industry.

Fracture propagation during fluid injection experiments in shale at elevated confining pressures.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandler, Mike; Mecklenburgh, Julian; Rutter, Ernest; Fauchille, Anne-Laure; Taylor, Rochelle; Lee, Peter

2017-04-01

The use of hydraulic fracturing to recover shale-gas has focused attention upon the fundamental fracture properties of gas-bearing shales. Fracture propagation trajectories in these materials depend on the interaction between the anisotropic mechanical properties of the shale and the anisotropic in-situ stress field. However, there is a general paucity of available experimental data on their anisotropic mechanical, physical and fluid-flow properties, especially at elevated confining pressures. Here we report the results of laboratory-scale fluid injection experiments, for Whitby mudstone and Mancos shale (an interbedded silt and mudstone), as well as Pennant sandstone (a tight sandstone with permeability similar to shales), which is used an isotropic baseline and tight-gas sandstone analogue. Our injection experiments involved the pressurisation of a blind-ending central hole in an initially dry cylindrical sample. Pressurisation was conducted under constant volume-rate control, using silicone oils of various viscosities. The dependence of breakdown pressure on confining pressure was seen to be dependent on the rock strength, with the significantly stronger Pennant sandstone exhibiting much lower confining-pressure dependence of breakdown pressure than the weaker shales. In most experiments, a small drop in the injection pressure record was observed at what is taken to be fracture initiation, and in the Pennant sandstone this was accompanied by a small burst of acoustic energy. Breakdown was found to be rapid and uncontrollable after initiation if injection is continued, but can be limited to a slower (but still uncontrolled) rate by ceasing the injection of fluid after the breakdown initiation in experiments where it could be identified. A simplified 2-dimensional model for explaining these observations is presented in terms of the stress intensities at the tip of a pressurised crack. Additionally, we present a suite of supporting mechanical, flow and elastic measurements. Mechanical experiments include standard triaxial tests, pressure-dependent permeability experiments and fracture toughness determined using the double-torsion test. Elastic characterisation was determined through ultrasonic velocities determined using a cross-correlation method.

On the changing petroleum generation properties of Alum Shale over geological time caused by uranium irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Shengyu; Schulz, Hans-Martin; Horsfield, Brian; Schovsbo, Niels H.; Noah, Mareike; Panova, Elena; Rothe, Heike; Hahne, Knut

2018-05-01

An interdisciplinary study was carried out to unravel organic-inorganic interactions caused by the radiogenic decay of uranium in the immature organic-rich Alum Shale (Middle Cambrian-Lower Ordovician). Based on pyrolysis experiments, uranium content is positively correlated with the gas-oil ratios and the aromaticities of both the free hydrocarbons residing in the rock and the pyrolysis products from its kerogen, indicating that irradiation has had a strong influence on organic matter composition overall and hence on petroleum potential. The Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance mass spectrometry data reveal that macro-molecules in the uranium-rich Alum Shale samples are less alkylated than less irradiated counterparts, providing further evidence for structural alteration by α-particle bombardment. In addition, oxygen containing-compounds are enriched in the uranium-rich samples but are not easily degradable into low-molecular-weight products due to irradiation-induced crosslinking. Irradiation has induced changes in organic matter composition throughout the shale's entire ca. 500 Ma history, irrespective of thermal history. This factor has to be taken into account when reconstructing petroleum generation history. The Alum Shale's kerogen underwent catagenesis in the main petroleum kitchen area 420-340 Ma bp. Our calculations suggest the kerogen was much more aliphatic and oil-prone after deposition than that after extensive exposure to radiation. In addition, the gas sorption capacity of the organic matter in the Alum Shale can be assumed to have been less developed during Palaeozoic times, in contrast to results gained by sorption experiments performed at the present day, for the same reason. The kerogen reconstruction method developed here precludes overestimations of gas generation and gas retention in the Alum Shale by taking irradiation exposure into account and can thus significantly mitigate charge risk when applied in the explorations for both conventional and unconventional hydrocarbons.

Temporal changes of static stress drop as a proxy for poroelastic effects at The Geysers geothermal field, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staszek, Monika; Orlecka-Sikora, Beata; Lasocki, Stanislaw; Kwiatek, Grzegorz; Leptokaropoulos, Konstantinos; Martinez-Garzon, Patricia

2017-04-01

One of the major environmental impacts of shale gas exploitation is triggered and induced seismicity. Due to the similarity of fluid injection process data from geothermal fields can be used as a proxy for shale gas exploitation associated seismicity. Therefore, in this paper we utilize 'The Geysers' dataset compiled within SHale gas Exploration and Exploitation induced Risks (SHEER) project. The dependence of earthquake static stress drops on pore pressure in the medium was previously suggested by Goertz-Allmann et al. (2011), who observed an increase of the static stress drop with the distance from injection well during reservoir stimulation at Deep Heat Mining project in Basel, Switzerland. Similar observation has been done by Kwiatek et al. (2014) in Berlín geothermal field, El Salvador. In this study, we use a high-quality data from The Geysers geothermal field to determine whether the static stress drops and the stress drop distributions change statistically significantly in time or not, and how such changes are correlated with the values of hypocenter depth, water injection rate, and distance from injection well. For the analyses we use a group of 354 earthquakes, which occurred in the proximity of Prati-9 and Prati-29 injection wells. Spectral parameters of these earthquakes were determined using mesh spectral ratio technique. Our results indicate that: (1) the static stress drop variation in time is statistically significant, (2) median static stress drop is inversely related to median injection rate. Therefore, it is highly expected that static stress drop is influenced by pore pressure in underground fluid injection conditions. References: Goertz-Allmann B., Goertz A., Wiemer S. (2011), Stress drop variations of induced earthquakes at the Basel geothermal site. Geophysical Research Letters, 38, L09308, doi:10.1029/2011GL047498. Kwiatek G., Bulut F., Bohnhoff M., Dresen G. (2014), High-resolution analysis of seismicity induced at Berlin geothermal field, El Salvador. Geothermics, 52, 98-111, doi: 10.1016/j.geothermics.2013.09.008. Acknowledgements: This work was supported under SHEER: "Shale Gas Exploration and Exploitation Induced Risks" project funded from Horizon 2020 - R&I Framework Programme, call H2020-LCE-2014-1 and by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland under project no. 500-10-27.

Dissolved metals and associated constituents in abandoned coal-mine discharges, Pennsylvania, USA. Part 1: Constituent quantities and correlations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cravotta, C.A.

2008-01-01

Complete hydrochemical data are rarely reported for coal-mine discharges (CMD). This report summarizes major and trace-element concentrations and loadings for CMD at 140 abandoned mines in the Anthracite and Bituminous Coalfields of Pennsylvania. Clean-sampling and low-level analytical methods were used in 1999 to collect data that could be useful to determine potential environmental effects, remediation strategies, and quantities of valuable constituents. A subset of 10 sites was resampled in 2003 to analyze both the CMD and associated ochreous precipitates; the hydrochemical data were similar in 2003 and 1999. In 1999, the flow at the 140 CMD sites ranged from 0.028 to 2210 L s-1, with a median of 18.4 L s-1. The pH ranged from 2.7 to 7.3; concentrations (range in mg/L) of dissolved (0.45-??m pore-size filter) SO4 (34-2000), Fe (0.046-512), Mn (0.019-74), and Al (0.007-108) varied widely. Predominant metalloid elements were Si (2.7-31.3 mg L-1), B ( C > P = N = Se) were not elevated in the CMD samples compared to average river water or seawater. Compared to seawater, the CMD samples also were poor in halogens (Cl > Br > I > F), alkalies (Na > K > Li > Rb > Cs), most alkaline earths (Ca > Mg > Sr), and most metalloids but were enriched by two to four orders of magnitude with Fe, Al, Mn, Co, Be, Sc, Y and the lanthanide rare-earth elements, and one order of magnitude with Ni and Zn. The ochre samples collected at a subset of 10 sites in 2003 were dominantly goethite with minor ferrihydrite or lepidocrocite. None of the samples for this subset contained schwertmannite or was Al rich, but most contained minor aluminosilicate detritus. Compared to concentrations in global average shale, the ochres were rich in Fe, Ag, As and Au, but were poor in most other metals and rare earths. The ochres were not enriched compared to commercial ore deposits mined for Au or other valuable metals. Although similar to commercial Fe ores in composition, the ochres are dispersed and present in relatively small quantities at most sites. Nevertheless, the ochres could be valuable for use as pigment.

Uranium-bearing breccia pipes of northwestern Arizona - an overview

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chenoweth, W.L.

During the 1950s and 1960s, the uranium deposits in breccia pipes of the Grand Canyon region were regarded as geologic curiosities. Today this area is the site of numerous exploration projects for ore-bearing pipes. The classic example of the older mines is the Orphan Lode, a patented claim within Grand Canyon National Park. Between 1956 and 1969, this deposit produced 4.26 million lb U/sub 3/O/sub 8/. Exploration since the mid-1970s has developed numerous new deposits in the Grand Canyon region. The Hack 1, 2, and 3, Pigeon, Kanab North, Canyon, and Pinenut deposits are, or will be, mined. The pipesmore » are circular and originated by dissolution of the Mississippian Redwall Limestone and collapse of the overlying strata. Uraninite ore occurs in both the pipe fill and in association with the peripheral shear zone. The principal host rocks are the Coconino Sandstone, Hermit Shale, and Esplanade Sandstone. Although small (3 to 5 million lb U/sub 3/O/sub 8/), the high grade (60 to 70% U/sub 3/O/sub 8/) of the deposits makes the pipes attractive exploration targets.« less

Data set of world phosphate mines, deposits, and occurrences: Part A. geologic data; Part B. location and mineral economic data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chernoff, Carlotta B.; Orris, G.J.

2002-01-01

An inventory of more than 1,600 world phosphate mines, deposits, and occurrences was compiled from smaller data sets collected as part of multiple research efforts by Carlotta Chernoff, University of Arizona, and Greta Orris, U.S. Geological Survey. These data have been utilized during studies of black shale depositional environments and to construct phosphate deposit models. The compiled data have been edited for consistency and additional location information has been added where possible. The database of compiled phosphate information is being released in two sections; the geologic data in one section and the location and mineral economic data in the second. This report, U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 02–156–A, contains the geologic data and is best used with the complimentary data contained in Open-File Report 02–156–B. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 02–156–B contains commodity data, location and analytical data, a variety of mineral economic data, reference information, and pointers to related records in the U.S. Geological Survey National mineral databases—MASMILS and MRDS.

43 CFR 3905.10 - Oil shale lease exchanges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Oil shale lease exchanges. 3905.10 Section... MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR RANGE MANAGEMENT (4000) OIL SHALE MANAGEMENT-GENERAL Lease Exchanges § 3905.10 Oil shale lease exchanges. To facilitate the recovery of oil shale, the BLM may consider land...

Preparation of grout for stabilization of abandoned in-situ oil shale retorts

DOEpatents

Mallon, Richard G.

1982-01-01

A process for the preparation of grout from burned shale by treating the burned shale in steam at approximately 700.degree. C. to maximize the production of the materials alite and larnite. Oil shale removed to the surface during the preparation of an in-situ retort is first retorted on the surface and then the carbon is burned off, leaving burned shale. The burned shale is treated in steam at approximately 700.degree. C. for about 70 minutes. The treated shale is then ground and mixed with water to produce a grout which is pumped into an abandoned, processed in-situ retort, flowing into the void spaces and then bonding up to form a rigid, solidified mass which prevents surface subsidence and leaching of the spent shale by ground water.

Application of electrical resistivity tomography techniques for mapping man-made sinkholes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rey, J.; Martínez, J.; Hidalgo, C.; Dueñas, J.

2012-04-01

The suitability of the geophysical prospecting by electrical resistivity tomography to detect and map man-made subsurface cavities and related sinkholes has been studied in the Linares abandoned mining district (Spain). We have selected for this study four mined sectors constituted of different lithologies: granite and phyllites of Paleozoic age, and Triassic shales and sandstones. In three of these sectors, detail underground topographic surveys were carried out to chart the position and dimensions of the mining voids (galleries and chamber), in order to analyze the resolution of this methodology to characterize these cavities by using different electrode arrays. The results are variable, depending on the depth and diameter of the void, the selected electrode array, the spacing between electrodes, geological complexity and data density. These results also indicate that when the cavity is empty, an anomaly with a steep gradient and high resistivity values is registered, because the air that fills the mining void is dielectric, while when the cavities are filled with fine grain sediments, frequently saturated in water, the electrical resistance is lower. In relation with the three different multi-electrode arrays tested, the Wenner-Schlumberger array has resulted to offer the maximum resolution in all these cases, with lower and more stable values for the RMS than the other arrays. Therefore, this electrode array has been applied in the fourth studied sector, a former mine near the city centre of Linares, in an area of urban expansion in which there are problems of subsidence. Two sets of four electrical tomography profiles have been carried out, perpendicular to each other, and which have allowed reaching depths of research between 30-35 m. This net-array allowed the identification of two shallow anomalies of low resistivity values, interpreted as old mining galleries filled with fine material saturated in water. It also allows detecting two fractures, correlated in the profiles and which can be mapped to more than 25 m in depth. As showed by this case study, electrical resistivity tomography can be a suitable tool in sub-surface cavities detection and man-made sinkhole investigations.

Natural adsorbents of dyes from aqueous solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahmani, Meryem; El Hajjaji, souad; Dahchour, Abdelmalek; El M'Rabet, Mohammadine

2017-04-01

Contamination of natural waters is a current environmental problem and lot of work has been done to find methods for its, prevention and remediation such as ionic exchange, adsorption on active carbon, filtration, electrolysis, biodegradation …etc. Adsorption is one of the most applied methods according to its effectiveness and easy management. Some adsorbents with good properties such as active alumina, zeolites, crop residues … etc, are suitable to substitute usual active carbon. This study aimed at the removal of dyes using oil shale as natural support, and its optimization by factorial experiment. Three factors were considered namly:pollutant concentration, pH and weight of the adsorbent. Tests have been performed with cationic and anionic dyes. Experimental results show that pseudo-first-order kinetic model provided the best fit to the experimental data for the adsorption by the oil shale. Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models were tested to fit experimental data, the adsorption equilibrium was well described by Freundlich isotherm for methylorange and Temkin for methyl blue. Analysis were completed by oil shale characterization educing XRD, IR, XRF techniques, and cationic exchange capacity.

Geochemical and strontium isotope characterization of produced waters from Marcellus Shale natural gas extraction.

PubMed

Chapman, Elizabeth C; Capo, Rosemary C; Stewart, Brian W; Kirby, Carl S; Hammack, Richard W; Schroeder, Karl T; Edenborn, Harry M

2012-03-20

Extraction of natural gas by hydraulic fracturing of the Middle Devonian Marcellus Shale, a major gas-bearing unit in the Appalachian Basin, results in significant quantities of produced water containing high total dissolved solids (TDS). We carried out a strontium (Sr) isotope investigation to determine the utility of Sr isotopes in identifying and quantifying the interaction of Marcellus Formation produced waters with other waters in the Appalachian Basin in the event of an accidental release, and to provide information about the source of the dissolved solids. Strontium isotopic ratios of Marcellus produced waters collected over a geographic range of ~375 km from southwestern to northeastern Pennsylvania define a relatively narrow set of values (ε(Sr)(SW) = +13.8 to +41.6, where ε(Sr) (SW) is the deviation of the (87)Sr/(86)Sr ratio from that of seawater in parts per 10(4)); this isotopic range falls above that of Middle Devonian seawater, and is distinct from most western Pennsylvania acid mine drainage and Upper Devonian Venango Group oil and gas brines. The uniformity of the isotope ratios suggests a basin-wide source of dissolved solids with a component that is more radiogenic than seawater. Mixing models indicate that Sr isotope ratios can be used to sensitively differentiate between Marcellus Formation produced water and other potential sources of TDS into ground or surface waters.

Nanometer-Scale Pore Characteristics of Lacustrine Shale, Songliao Basin, NE China

PubMed Central

Wang, Min; Yang, Jinxiu; Wang, Zhiwei; Lu, Shuangfang

2015-01-01

In shale, liquid hydrocarbons are accumulated mainly in nanometer-scale pores or fractures, so the pore types and PSDs (pore size distributions) play a major role in the shale oil occurrence (free or absorbed state), amount of oil, and flow features. The pore types and PSDs of marine shale have been well studied; however, research on lacustrine shale is rare, especially for shale in the oil generation window, although lacustrine shale is deposited widely around the world. To investigate the relationship between nanometer-scale pores and oil occurrence in the lacustrine shale, 10 lacustrine shale core samples from Songliao Basin, NE China were analyzed. Analyses of these samples included geochemical measurements, SEM (scanning electron microscope) observations, low pressure CO2 and N2 adsorption, and high-pressure mercury injection experiments. Analysis results indicate that: (1) Pore types in the lacustrine shale include inter-matrix pores, intergranular pores, organic matter pores, and dissolution pores, and these pores are dominated by mesopores and micropores; (2) There is no apparent correlation between pore volumes and clay content, however, a weak negative correlation is present between total pore volume and carbonate content; (3) Pores in lacustrine shale are well developed when the organic matter maturity (Ro) is >1.0% and the pore volume is positively correlated with the TOC (total organic carbon) content. The statistical results suggest that oil in lacustrine shale mainly occurs in pores with diameters larger than 40 nm. However, more research is needed to determine whether this minimum pore diameter for oil occurrence in lacustrine shale is widely applicable. PMID:26285123

Nanometer-Scale Pore Characteristics of Lacustrine Shale, Songliao Basin, NE China.

PubMed

Wang, Min; Yang, Jinxiu; Wang, Zhiwei; Lu, Shuangfang

2015-01-01

In shale, liquid hydrocarbons are accumulated mainly in nanometer-scale pores or fractures, so the pore types and PSDs (pore size distributions) play a major role in the shale oil occurrence (free or absorbed state), amount of oil, and flow features. The pore types and PSDs of marine shale have been well studied; however, research on lacustrine shale is rare, especially for shale in the oil generation window, although lacustrine shale is deposited widely around the world. To investigate the relationship between nanometer-scale pores and oil occurrence in the lacustrine shale, 10 lacustrine shale core samples from Songliao Basin, NE China were analyzed. Analyses of these samples included geochemical measurements, SEM (scanning electron microscope) observations, low pressure CO2 and N2 adsorption, and high-pressure mercury injection experiments. Analysis results indicate that: (1) Pore types in the lacustrine shale include inter-matrix pores, intergranular pores, organic matter pores, and dissolution pores, and these pores are dominated by mesopores and micropores; (2) There is no apparent correlation between pore volumes and clay content, however, a weak negative correlation is present between total pore volume and carbonate content; (3) Pores in lacustrine shale are well developed when the organic matter maturity (Ro) is >1.0% and the pore volume is positively correlated with the TOC (total organic carbon) content. The statistical results suggest that oil in lacustrine shale mainly occurs in pores with diameters larger than 40 nm. However, more research is needed to determine whether this minimum pore diameter for oil occurrence in lacustrine shale is widely applicable.

Map of assessed shale gas in the United States, 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

,; Biewick, Laura R. H.

2013-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey has compiled a map of shale-gas assessments in the United States that were completed by 2012 as part of the National Assessment of Oil and Gas Project. Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey quantitatively estimated potential volumes of undiscovered gas within shale-gas assessment units. These shale-gas assessment units are mapped, and square-mile cells are shown to represent proprietary shale-gas wells. The square-mile cells include gas-producing wells from shale intervals. In some cases, shale-gas formations contain gas in deeper parts of a basin and oil at shallower depths (for example, the Woodford Shale and the Eagle Ford Shale). Because a discussion of shale oil is beyond the scope of this report, only shale-gas assessment units and cells are shown. The map can be printed as a hardcopy map or downloaded for interactive analysis in a Geographic Information System data package using the ArcGIS map document (file extension MXD) and published map file (file extension PMF). Also available is a publications access table with hyperlinks to current U.S. Geological Survey shale gas assessment publications and web pages. Assessment results and geologic reports are available as completed at the U.S. Geological Survey Energy Resources Program Web Site, http://energy.usgs.gov/OilGas/AssessmentsData/NationalOilGasAssessment.aspx. A historical perspective of shale gas activity in the United States is documented and presented in a video clip included as a PowerPoint slideshow.

Hydrocarbon source potential of the Tanezzuft Formation, Murzuq Basin, south-west Libya: An organic geochemical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Diasty, W. Sh.; El Beialy, S. Y.; Anwari, T. A.; Batten, D. J.

2017-06-01

A detailed organic geochemical study of 20 core and cuttings samples collected from the Silurian Tanezzuft Formation, Murzuq Basin, in the south-western part of Libya has demonstrated the advantages of pyrolysis geochemical methods for evaluating the source-rock potential of this geological unit. Rock-Eval pyrolysis results indicate a wide variation in source richness and quality. The basal Hot Shale samples proved to contain abundant immature to early mature kerogen type II/III (oil-gas prone) that had been deposited in a marine environment under terrigenous influence, implying good to excellent source rocks. Strata above the Hot Shale yielded a mixture of terrigenous and marine type III/II kerogen (gas-oil prone) at the same maturity level as the Hot Shale, indicating the presence of only poor to fair source rocks.

Mining method selection by integrated AHP and PROMETHEE method.

PubMed

Bogdanovic, Dejan; Nikolic, Djordje; Ilic, Ivana

2012-03-01

Selecting the best mining method among many alternatives is a multicriteria decision making problem. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the implementation of an integrated approach that employs AHP and PROMETHEE together for selecting the most suitable mining method for the "Coka Marin" underground mine in Serbia. The related problem includes five possible mining methods and eleven criteria to evaluate them. Criteria are accurately chosen in order to cover the most important parameters that impact on the mining method selection, such as geological and geotechnical properties, economic parameters and geographical factors. The AHP is used to analyze the structure of the mining method selection problem and to determine weights of the criteria, and PROMETHEE method is used to obtain the final ranking and to make a sensitivity analysis by changing the weights. The results have shown that the proposed integrated method can be successfully used in solving mining engineering problems.

Building The Bigger Picture - Using a field study geology programme to link and contextualise classroom topics.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, Lesley

2013-04-01

Cornwall, UK, has been designated a World Heritage Site for industrial heritage, based on the extensive mining history built around hydrothermal deposits of tin and copper suite deposits. These deposits are found in a very varied and complex geological setting. The tectonic activity which emplaced the deposits also produced intense folding and faulting of Carboniferous and Devonian marine sediments, major and minor igneous intrusions, regional and contact metamorphism, and the emplacement of an ophiolite sequence on the Lizard peninsula. The region is targeted by college and university geology student groups from across the UK. It is also the home of the world famous Camborne School of Mines, part of the University of Exeter. We have developed a comprehensive series of field visits to cover all these geological aspects. We also use the history of mining as a context within which to teach the social, environmental and economic aspects of the geology curriculum at A Level. By this means we can reveal how disparate geological topics link together through 3 physical dimensions plus time. Field visits motivate students; they enthuse and excite them and help them to understand the large-scale and 3D visualisation aspects of geology, the timescales involved, and also assist students in developing observational and practical field and mapping skills. The series of visits also helps to bring many aspects of the curriculum together into a more complete picture. Site 1 - Bude. Intense folding of marine sediments with tectonic and sedimentary structures in cyclical sands and shales and some turbidites. Competent and incompetent rocks, axial planar cleavage, etc. Site 2 - Praa Sands. Minor porphyritic intrusion with baked & chilled margins and flow aligned feldspars. (Also incidental raised beach due to post-glacial isostatic rebound.) Site 3 - Rinsey Cove. Contact zone where 'roof' of major granitic intrusion intrudes slates. Pegmatites, classic marginal features, xenoliths, stoping and faulting visible. Site 4 - Polurrian Cove. Western end of boundary thrust fault between metamorphosed subterranean lava flows (hornblende schists)above and crustal Devonian slates below can be observed. Site 5 - Coverack Cove to Godrevy Cove. The beach rocks change from olivine rich serpentinised peridotite to gabbro as you move across the Moho boundary zone. Further along the coast at Dean Point, dolerite dykes are quarried and basalt dykes are found at neighbouring Godrevy Cove - the complete ophiolite sequence in a few miles! Site 6 - Holmans Mine. Camborne School of Mines' training mine where students can experience blasting and see methods of rock stabilisation. They can also see mineral veins in situ underground and investigate mining techniques. Site 7 - Carnon Valley. Once known as the 'richest square mile in the World' due to the amount of tin and copper being produced. The Wheal Jane pollution incident (1992) caused widespread alarm and was dealt with by chemical and biological treatment systems still in operation. Historical and current tailings dams can be seen and compared, and the ecology of environmentally damaged ground observed. Mine dumps still yield mineral specimens and the streams are still acidic after heavy rain.

Development of a sintering process for recycling oil shale fly ash and municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash into glass ceramic composite.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhikun; Zhang, Lei; Li, Aimin

2015-04-01

Oil shale fly ash and municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash are industrial and municipal by-products that require further treatment before disposal to avoid polluting the environment. In the study, they were mixed and vitrified into the slag by the melt-quench process. The obtained vitrified slag was then mixed with various percentages of oil shale fly ash and converted into glass ceramic composites by the subsequent sintering process. Differential thermal analysis was used to study the thermal characteristics and determine the sintering temperatures. X-ray diffraction analysis was used to analyze the crystalline phase compositions. Sintering shrinkage, weight loss on ignition, density and compressive strength were tested to determine the optimum preparation condition and study the co-sintering mechanism of vitrified amorphous slag and oil shale fly ash. The results showed the product performances increased with the increase of sintering temperatures and the proportion of vitrified slag to oil shale fly ash. Glass ceramic composite (vitrified slag content of 80%, oil shale fly ash content of 20%, sintering temperature of 1000 °C and sintering time of 2h) showed the properties of density of 1.92 ± 0.05 g/cm(3), weight loss on ignition of 6.14 ± 0.18%, sintering shrinkage of 22.06 ± 0.6% and compressive strength of 67 ± 14 MPa. The results indicated that it was a comparable waste-based material compared to previous researches. In particular, the energy consumption in the production process was reduced compared to conventional vitrification and sintering method. Chemical resistance and heavy metals leaching results of glass ceramic composites further confirmed the possibility of its engineering applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Baseline groundwater chemistry characterization in an area of future Marcellus shale gas development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eisenhauer, P.; Zegre, N.; Edwards, P. J.; Strager, M.

2012-12-01

The recent increase in development of the Marcellus shale formation for natural gas in the mid-Atlantic can be attributed to advances in unconventional extraction methods, namely hydraulic fracturing, a process that uses water to pressurize and fracture relatively impermeable shale layers to release natural gas. In West Virginia, the Department of Energy estimates 95 to 105 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of expected ultimately recovery (EUR) of natural gas for this formation. With increased development of the Marcellus shale formation comes concerns for the potential of contamination to groundwater resources that serve as primary potable water sources for many rural communities. However, the impacts of this practice on water resources are poorly understood because of the lack of controlled pre versus post-drilling experiments attributed to the rapid development of this resource. To address the knowledge gaps of the potential impacts of Marcellus shale development on groundwater resources, a pre versus post-drilling study has been initiated by the USFS Fernow Experimental Forest in the Monongahela National Forest. Drilling is expected to start at three locations within the next year. Pre-drilling water samples were collected and analyzed from two groundwater wells, a shallow spring, a nearby lake, and river to characterize background water chemistry and identify potential end-members. Geochemical analysis includes major ions, methane, δ13C-CH4, δ2H-CH4, 226Radium, and δ13C-DIC. In addition, a GIS-based conceptual ground water flow model was developed to identify possible interactions between shallow groundwater and natural gas wells given gas well construction failure. This model is used to guide management decisions regarding groundwater resources in an area of increasing shale gas development.

First-principles calculation of adsorption of shale gas on CaCO3 (100) surfaces.

PubMed

Luo, Qiang; Pan, Yikun; Guo, Ping; Wang, Zhouhua; Wei, Na; Sun, Pengfei; Liu, Yuxiao

2017-06-16

To demonstrate the adsorption strength of shale gas to calcium carbonate in shale matrix, the adsorption of shale gas on CaCO3 (100) surfaces was studied using the first-principles method, which is based on the density functional theory (DFT). The structures and electronic properties of CH4, C2H6, CO2 and N2 molecules were calculated by the generalized gradient approximation (GGA), for a coverage of 1 monolayer (ML). Under the same conditions, the density of states (DOS) of CaCO3 (100) surfaces before and after the adsorption of shale gas molecules at high-symmetry adsorption sites were compared. The results showed that the adsorption energies of CH4, C2H6, CO2 and N2 on CaCO3 (100) surfaces were between 0.2683 eV and -0.7388 eV. When a CH4 molecule was adsorbed at a hollow site and its 2 hydrogen atoms were parallel to the long diagonal (H3) on the CaCO3 (100) surface, it had the most stable adsorption, and the adsorption energy was only -0.4160 eV. The change of adsorption energy of CH4 was no more than 0.0535 eV. Compared with the DOS distribution of CH4 before adsorption, it shifted to the left overall after adsorption. At the same time, the partial density of states (PDOS) curves of CaCO3 (100) surfaces before and after adsorption basically overlapped. This work showed that the adsorption effect of shale gas on calcium carbonate is very weak, and the adsorption is physisorption at the molecular level.

Clay and Shale Permeability at Lab to Regional Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neuzil, C.

2017-12-01

Because clays, shales, and other clay-rich media tend to be only poorly permeable, and are laterally extensive and voluminous, they play key roles in problems as diverse as groundwater supply, waste confinement, exploitation of conventional and unconventional oil and gas, and deformation and failure in the crust. Clay and shale permeability is a crucial but often highly uncertain analysis parameter; direct measurements are challenging, error-prone, and - perhaps most importantly - provide information only at quite small scales. Fortunately, there has been a dramatic increase in clay and shale permeability data from sources that include scientific ocean drilling, nuclear waste repository research, groundwater resource studies, liquid waste and CO2 sequestration, and oil and gas research. The effect of lithology as well as porosity on matrix permeability can now be examined and permeability - scale relations are becoming discernable. A significant number of large-scale permeability estimates have been obtained by inverse methods that essentially treat large-scale flow systems as natural experiments. They suggest surprisingly little scale-dependence in clay and shale permeabilities in subsiding basins and accretionary complexes. Stable continental settings present a different picture; as depths increase beyond 1 km, scale dependence mostly disappears even over the largest areas. At depths less than 1 km, secondary permeability is not always present over areas of 1 - 10 km2, but always evident for areas in excess of about 103 km2. Transmissive fractures have been observed in very low porosity (< 0.03) shales in these settings, but the cause of scale dependence in other cases is unclear; it may reflect time-dependent, or "dynamic" conditions, including irreversible and ongoing changes imposed on subsurface flow systems by human activities.

Breakdown pressures and characteristic flaw sizes during fluid injection experiments in shale at elevated confining pressures.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandler, M.; Mecklenburgh, J.; Rutter, E. H.; Taylor, R.; Fauchille, A. L.; Ma, L.; Lee, P. D.

2017-12-01

Fracture propagation trajectories in gas-bearing shales depend on the interaction between the anisotropic mechanical properties of the shale and the anisotropic in-situ stress field. However, there is a general paucity of available experimental data on their anisotropic mechanical, physical and fluid-flow properties, especially at elevated confining pressures. A suite of mechanical, flow and elastic measurements have been made on two shale materials, the Whitby mudrock and the Mancos shale (an interbedded silt and mudstone), as well as Pennant sandstone, an isotropic baseline and tight-gas sandstone analogue. Mechanical characterization includes standard triaxial experiments, pressure-dependent permeability, brazilian disk tensile strength, and fracture toughness determined using double-torsion experiments. Elastic characterisation was performed through ultrasonic velocities determined using a cross-correlation method. Additionally, we report the results of laboratory-scale fluid injection experiments for the same materials. Injection experiments involved the pressurisation of a blind-ending central hole in a dry cylindrical sample. Pressurisation is conducted under constant volume-rate control, using silicon oils of varying viscosities. Breakdown pressure is not seen to exhibit a strong dependence on rock type or orientation, and increases linearly with confining pressure. In most experiments, a small drop in the injection pressure record is observed at what is taken to be fracture initiation, and in the Pennant sandstone this is accompanied by a small burst of acoustic energy. The shale materials were acoustically quiet. Breakdown is found to be rapid and uncontrollable after initiation if injection is continued. A simplified 2-dimensional model for explaining this is presented in terms of the stress intensities at the tip of a pressurised crack, and is used alongside the triaxial data to derive a characteristic flaw size from which the fractures have initiated in the borehole wall.