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.

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

Treesearch

Lisa L. Stillings; Michael C. Amacher

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...

Thermally-driven Coupled THM Processes in Shales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rutqvist, J.

2017-12-01

Temperature changes can trigger strongly coupled thermal-hydrological-mechanical (THM) processes in shales that are important to a number of subsurface energy applications, including geologic nuclear waste disposal and hydrocarbon extraction. These coupled processes include (1) direct pore-volume couplings, by thermal expansion of trapped pore-fluid that triggers instantaneous two-way couplings between pore fluid pressure and mechanical deformation, and (2) indirect couplings in terms of property changes, such as changes in mechanical stiffness, strength, and permeability. Direct pore-volume couplings have been studied in situ during borehole heating experiments in shale (or clay stone) formations at Mont Terri and Bure underground research laboratories in Switzerland and France. Typically, the temperature changes are accompanied with a rapid increase in pore pressure followed by a slower decrease towards initial (pre-heating) pore pressure. Coupled THM modeling of these heater tests shows that the pore pressure increases because the thermal expansion coefficient of the fluid is much higher than that of the porous clay stone. Such thermal pressurization induces fluid flow away from the pressurized area towards areas of lower pressure. The rate of pressure increase and magnitude of peak pressure depends on the rate of heating, pore-compressibility, and permeability of the shale. Modeling as well as laboratory experiments have shown that if the pore pressure increase is sufficiently large it could lead to fracturing of the shale or shear slip along pre-existing bedding planes. Another set of data and observations have been collected associated with studies related to concentrated heating and cooling of oil-shales and shale-gas formations. Heating may be used to enhance production from tight oil-shale, whereas thermal stimulation has been attempted for enhanced shale-gas extraction. Laboratory experiments on shale have shown that strength and elastic deformation modulus decreases with temperature while the rate creep deformations increase with temperature. Such temperature dependency also affects the well stability and zonal sealing across shale layers.

Shale gas development impacts on surface water quality in Pennsylvania.

PubMed

Olmstead, Sheila M; Muehlenbachs, Lucija A; Shih, Jhih-Shyang; Chu, Ziyan; Krupnick, Alan J

2013-03-26

Concern has been raised in the scientific literature about the environmental implications of extracting natural gas from deep shale formations, and published studies suggest that shale gas development may affect local groundwater quality. The potential for surface water quality degradation has been discussed in prior work, although no empirical analysis of this issue has been published. The potential for large-scale surface water quality degradation has affected regulatory approaches to shale gas development in some US states, despite the dearth of evidence. This paper conducts a large-scale examination of the extent to which shale gas development activities affect surface water quality. Focusing on the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania, we estimate the effect of shale gas wells and the release of treated shale gas waste by permitted treatment facilities on observed downstream concentrations of chloride (Cl(-)) and total suspended solids (TSS), controlling for other factors. Results suggest that (i) the treatment of shale gas waste by treatment plants in a watershed raises downstream Cl(-) concentrations but not TSS concentrations, and (ii) the presence of shale gas wells in a watershed raises downstream TSS concentrations but not Cl(-) concentrations. These results can inform future voluntary measures taken by shale gas operators and policy approaches taken by regulators to protect surface water quality as the scale of this economically important activity increases.

System for utilizing oil shale fines

DOEpatents

Harak, Arnold E.

1982-01-01

A system is provided for utilizing fines of carbonaceous materials such as particles or pieces of oil shale of about one-half inch or less diameter which are rejected for use in some conventional or prior surface retorting process, which obtains maximum utilization of the energy content of the fines and which produces a waste which is relatively inert and of a size to facilitate disposal. The system includes a cyclone retort (20) which pyrolyzes the fines in the presence of heated gaseous combustion products, the cyclone retort having a first outlet (30) through which vapors can exit that can be cooled to provide oil, and having a second outlet (32) through which spent shale fines are removed. A burner (36) connected to the spent shale outlet of the cyclone retort, burns the spent shale with air, to provide hot combustion products (24) that are carried back to the cyclone retort to supply gaseous combustion products utilized therein. The burner heats the spent shale to a temperature which forms a molten slag, and the molten slag is removed from the burner into a quencher (48) that suddenly cools the molten slag to form granules that are relatively inert and of a size that is convenient to handle for disposal in the ground or in industrial processes.

Production and disposal of waste materials from gas and oil extraction from the Marcellus Shale Play in Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maloney, Kelly O.; Yoxtheimer, David A.

2012-01-01

The increasing world demand for energy has led to an increase in the exploration and extraction of natural gas, condensate, and oil from unconventional organic-rich shale plays. However, little is known about the quantity, transport, and disposal method of wastes produced during the extraction process. We examined the quantity of waste produced by gas extraction activities from the Marcellus Shale play in Pennsylvania for 2011. The main types of wastes included drilling cuttings and fluids from vertical and horizontal drilling and fluids generated from hydraulic fracturing [i.e., flowback and brine (formation) water]. Most reported drill cuttings (98.4%) were disposed of in landfills, and there was a high amount of interstate (49.2%) and interbasin (36.7%) transport. Drilling fluids were largely reused (70.7%), with little interstate (8.5%) and interbasin (5.8%) transport. Reported flowback water was mostly reused (89.8%) or disposed of in brine or industrial waste treatment plants (8.0%) and largely remained within Pennsylvania (interstate transport was 3.1%) with little interbasin transport (2.9%). Brine water was most often reused (55.7%), followed by disposal in injection wells (26.6%), and then disposed of in brine or industrial waste treatment plants (13.8%). Of the major types of fluid waste, brine water was most often transported to other states (28.2%) and to other basins (9.8%). In 2011, 71.5% of the reported brine water, drilling fluids, and flowback was recycled: 73.1% in the first half and 69.7% in the second half of 2011. Disposal of waste to municipal sewage treatment plants decreased nearly 100% from the first half to second half of 2011. When standardized against the total amount of gas produced, all reported wastes, except flowback sands, were less in the second half than the first half of 2011. Disposal of wastes into injection disposal wells increased 129.2% from the first half to the second half of 2011; other disposal methods decreased. Some issues with data were uncovered during the analytical process (e.g., correct geospatial location of disposal sites and the proper reporting of end use of waste) that obfuscated the analyses; correcting these issues will help future analyses.

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

Liu, H.H.; Li, L.; Zheng, L.

Clay/shale has been considered as potential host rock for geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste throughout the world, because of its low permeability, low diffusion coefficient, high retention capacity for radionuclides, and capability to self-seal fractures. For example, Callovo-Oxfordian argillites at the Bure site, France (Fouche et al., 2004), Toarcian argillites at the Tournemire site, France (Patriarche et al., 2004), Opalinus Clay at the Mont Terri site, Switzerland (Meier et al., 2000), and Boom clay at the Mol site, Belgium (Barnichon and Volckaert, 2003) have all been under intensive scientific investigation (at both field and laboratory scales) for understanding amore » variety of rock properties and their relationships to flow and transport processes associated with geological disposal of radioactive waste. Figure 1-1 presents the distribution of clay/shale formations within the USA.« less

Shale gas development impacts on surface water quality in Pennsylvania

PubMed Central

Olmstead, Sheila M.; Muehlenbachs, Lucija A.; Shih, Jhih-Shyang; Chu, Ziyan; Krupnick, Alan J.

2013-01-01

Concern has been raised in the scientific literature about the environmental implications of extracting natural gas from deep shale formations, and published studies suggest that shale gas development may affect local groundwater quality. The potential for surface water quality degradation has been discussed in prior work, although no empirical analysis of this issue has been published. The potential for large-scale surface water quality degradation has affected regulatory approaches to shale gas development in some US states, despite the dearth of evidence. This paper conducts a large-scale examination of the extent to which shale gas development activities affect surface water quality. Focusing on the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania, we estimate the effect of shale gas wells and the release of treated shale gas waste by permitted treatment facilities on observed downstream concentrations of chloride (Cl−) and total suspended solids (TSS), controlling for other factors. Results suggest that (i) the treatment of shale gas waste by treatment plants in a watershed raises downstream Cl− concentrations but not TSS concentrations, and (ii) the presence of shale gas wells in a watershed raises downstream TSS concentrations but not Cl− concentrations. These results can inform future voluntary measures taken by shale gas operators and policy approaches taken by regulators to protect surface water quality as the scale of this economically important activity increases. PMID:23479604

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.

Generic Argillite/Shale Disposal Reference Case

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

Zheng, Liange; Colon, Carlos Jové; Bianchi, Marco

Radioactive waste disposal in a deep subsurface repository hosted in clay/shale/argillite is a subject of widespread interest given the desirable isolation properties, geochemically reduced conditions, and widespread geologic occurrence of this rock type (Hansen 2010; Bianchi et al. 2013). Bianchi et al. (2013) provides a description of diffusion in a clay-hosted repository based on single-phase flow and full saturation using parametric data from documented studies in Europe (e.g., ANDRA 2005). The predominance of diffusive transport and sorption phenomena in this clay media are key attributes to impede radionuclide mobility making clay rock formations target sites for disposal of high-level radioactivemore » waste. The reports by Hansen et al. (2010) and those from numerous studies in clay-hosted underground research laboratories (URLs) in Belgium, France and Switzerland outline the extensive scientific knowledge obtained to assess long-term clay/shale/argillite repository isolation performance of nuclear waste. In the past several years under the UFDC, various kinds of models have been developed for argillite repository to demonstrate the model capability, understand the spatial and temporal alteration of the repository, and evaluate different scenarios. These models include the coupled Thermal-Hydrological-Mechanical (THM) and Thermal-Hydrological-Mechanical-Chemical (THMC) models (e.g. Liu et al. 2013; Rutqvist et al. 2014a, Zheng et al. 2014a) that focus on THMC processes in the Engineered Barrier System (EBS) bentonite and argillite host hock, the large scale hydrogeologic model (Bianchi et al. 2014) that investigates the hydraulic connection between an emplacement drift and surrounding hydrogeological units, and Disposal Systems Evaluation Framework (DSEF) models (Greenberg et al. 2013) that evaluate thermal evolution in the host rock approximated as a thermal conduction process to facilitate the analysis of design options. However, the assumptions and the properties (parameters) used in these models are different, which not only make inter-model comparisons difficult, but also compromise the applicability of the lessons learned from one model to another model. The establishment of a reference case would therefore be helpful to set up a baseline for model development. A generic salt repository reference case was developed in Freeze et al. (2013) and the generic argillite repository reference case is presented in this report. The definition of a reference case requires the characterization of the waste inventory, waste form, waste package, repository layout, EBS backfill, host rock, and biosphere. This report mainly documents the processes in EBS bentonite and host rock that are potentially important for performance assessment and properties that are needed to describe these processes, with brief description other components such as waste inventory, waste form, waste package, repository layout, aquifer, and biosphere. A thorough description of the generic argillite repository reference case will be given in Jové Colon et al. (2014).« less

Do scaly clays control seismicity on faulted shale rocks?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orellana, Luis Felipe; Scuderi, Marco M.; Collettini, Cristiano; Violay, Marie

2018-04-01

One of the major challenges regarding the disposal of radioactive waste in geological formations is to ensure isolation of radioactive contamination from the environment and the population. Shales are suitable candidates as geological barriers. However, the presence of tectonic faults within clay formations put the long-term safety of geological repositories into question. In this study, we carry out frictional experiments on intact samples of Opalinus Clay, i.e. the host rock for nuclear waste storage in Switzerland. We report experimental evidence suggesting that scaly clays form at low normal stress (≤20 MPa), at sub-seismic velocities (≤300 μm/s) and is related to pre-existing bedding planes with an ongoing process where frictional sliding is the controlling deformation mechanism. We have found that scaly clays show a velocity-weakening and -strengthening behaviour, low frictional strength, and poor re-strengthening over time, conditions required to allow the potential nucleation and propagation of earthquakes within the scaly clays portion of the formation. The strong similarities between the microstructures of natural and experimental scaly clays suggest important implications for the slip behaviour of shallow faults in shales. If natural and anthropogenic perturbations modify the stress conditions of the fault zone, earthquakes might have the potential to nucleate within zones of scaly clays controlling the seismicity of the clay-rich tectonic system, thus, potentially compromising the long-term safeness of geological repositories situated in shales.

Waste oil shale ash as a novel source of calcium for precipitated calcium carbonate: carbonation mechanism, modeling, and product characterization.

PubMed

Velts, O; Uibu, M; Kallas, J; Kuusik, R

2011-11-15

In this paper, a method for converting lime-containing oil shale waste ash into precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC), a valuable commodity is elucidated. The mechanism of ash leachates carbonation was experimentally investigated in a stirred semi-batch barboter-type reactor by varying the CO(2) partial pressure, gas flow rate, and agitation intensity. A consistent set of model equations and physical-chemical parameters is proposed to describe the CaCO(3) precipitation process from oil shale ash leachates of complex composition. The model enables the simulation of reactive species (Ca(2+), CaCO(3), SO(4)(2-), CaSO(4), OH(-), CO(2), HCO(3)(-), H(+), CO(3)(2-)) concentration profiles in the liquid, gas, and solid phases as well as prediction of the PCC formation rate. The presence of CaSO(4) in the product may also be evaluated and used to assess the purity of the PCC product. A detailed characterization of the PCC precipitates crystallized from oil shale ash leachates is also provided. High brightness PCC (containing up to ∼ 96% CaCO(3)) with mean particle sizes ranging from 4 to 10 μm and controllable morphology (such as rhombohedral calcite or coexisting calcite and spherical vaterite phases) was obtained under the conditions studied. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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

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.

Effect of biogas generation on radon emissions from landfills receiving radium-bearing waste from shale gas development.

PubMed

Walter, Gary R; Benke, Roland R; Pickett, David A

2012-09-01

Dramatic increases in the development of oil and natural gas from shale formations will result in large quantities of drill cuttings, flowback water, and produced water. These organic-rich shale gas formations often contain elevated concentrations of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), such as uranium, thorium, and radium. Production of oil and gas from these formations will also lead to the development of technologically enhanced NORM (TENORM) in production equipment. Disposal of these potentially radium-bearing materials in municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills could release radon to the atmosphere. Risk analyses of disposal of radium-bearing TENORM in MSW landfills sponsored by the Department of Energy did not consider the effect of landfill gas (LFG) generation or LFG control systems on radon emissions. Simulation of radon emissions from landfills with LFG generation indicates that LFG generation can significantly increase radon emissions relative to emissions without LFG generation, where the radon emissions are largely controlled by vapor-phase diffusion. Although the operation of LFG control systems at landfills with radon source materials can result in point-source atmospheric radon plumes, the LFG control systems tend to reduce overall radon emissions by reducing advective gas flow through the landfill surface, and increasing the radon residence time in the subsurface, thus allowing more time for radon to decay. In some of the disposal scenarios considered, the radon flux from the landfill and off-site atmospheric activities exceed levels that would be allowed for radon emissions from uranium mill tailings. Increased development of hydrocarbons from organic-rich shale formations has raised public concern that wastes from these activities containing naturally occurring radioactive materials, particularly radium, may be disposed in municipal solid waste landfills and endanger public health by releasing radon to the atmosphere. This paper analyses the processes by which radon may be emitted from a landfill to the atmosphere. The analyses indicate that landfill gas generation can significantly increase radon emissions, but that the actual level of radon emissions depend on the place of the waste, construction of the landfill cover, and nature of the landfill gas control system.

Characterizing variable biogeochemical changes during the treatment of produced oilfield waste.

PubMed

Hildenbrand, Zacariah L; Santos, Inês C; Liden, Tiffany; Carlton, Doug D; Varona-Torres, Emmanuel; Martin, Misty S; Reyes, Michelle L; Mulla, Safwan R; Schug, Kevin A

2018-09-01

At the forefront of the discussions about climate change and energy independence has been the process of hydraulic fracturing, which utilizes large amounts of water, proppants, and chemical additives to stimulate sequestered hydrocarbons from impermeable subsurface strata. This process also produces large amounts of heterogeneous flowback and formation waters, the subsurface disposal of which has most recently been linked to the induction of anthropogenic earthquakes. As such, the management of these waste streams has provided a newfound impetus to explore recycling alternatives to reduce the reliance on subsurface disposal and fresh water resources. However, the biogeochemical characteristics of produced oilfield waste render its recycling and reutilization for production well stimulation a substantial challenge. Here we present a comprehensive analysis of produced waste from the Eagle Ford shale region before, during, and after treatment through adjustable separation, flocculation, and disinfection technologies. The collection of bulk measurements revealed significant reductions in suspended and dissolved constituents that could otherwise preclude untreated produced water from being utilized for production well stimulation. Additionally, a significant step-wise reduction in pertinent scaling and well-fouling elements was observed, in conjunction with notable fluctuations in the microbiomes of highly variable produced waters. Collectively, these data provide insight into the efficacies of available water treatment modalities within the shale energy sector, which is currently challenged with improving the environmental stewardship of produced water management. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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)

Radioactivity in wastes generated from shale gas exploration and production - North-Eastern Poland.

PubMed

Jodłowski, Paweł; Macuda, Jan; Nowak, Jakub; Nguyen Dinh, Chau

2017-09-01

In the present study, the K-40, U-238, Ra-226, Pb-210, Ra-228 and Th-228 activity concentrations were measured in 64 samples of wastes generated from shale gas exploration in North-Eastern Poland. The measured samples consist of drill cuttings, solid phase of waste drilling muds, fracking fluids, return fracking fluids and waste proppants. The measured activity concentrations in solid samples vary in a wide range from 116 to around 1100 Bq/kg for K-40, from 14 to 393 Bq/kg for U-238, from 15 to 415 Bq/kg for Ra-226, from 12 to 391 Bq/kg for Pb-210, from a few Bq/kg to 516 Bq/kg for Ra-228 and from a few Bq/kg to 515 Bq/kg for Th-228. Excluding the waste proppants, the measured activity concentrations in solid samples oscillate around their worldwide average values in soil. In the case of the waste proppants, the activity concentrations of radionuclides from uranium and thorium decay series are significantly elevated and equal to several hundreds of Bq/kg but it is connected with the mineralogical composition of proppants. The significant enhancement of Ra-226 and Ra-228 activity concentrations after fracking process was observed in the case of return fracking fluids, but the radium isotopes content in these fluids is comparable with that in waste waters from copper and coal mines in Poland. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling Coupled Processes in Clay Formations for Radioactive Waste Disposal

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

Liu, Hui-Hai; Rutqvist, Jonny; Zheng, Liange

As a result of the termination of the Yucca Mountain Project, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) has started to explore various alternative avenues for the disposition of used nuclear fuel and nuclear waste. The overall scope of the investigation includes temporary storage, transportation issues, permanent disposal, various nuclear fuel types, processing alternatives, and resulting waste streams. Although geologic disposal is not the only alternative, it is still the leading candidate for permanent disposal. The realm of geologic disposal also offers a range of geologic environments that may be considered, among those clay shale formations. Figure 1-1 presents themore » distribution of clay/shale formations within the USA. Clay rock/shale has been considered as potential host rock for geological disposal of high-level nuclear waste throughout the world, because of its low permeability, low diffusion coefficient, high retention capacity for radionuclides, and capability to self-seal fractures induced by tunnel excavation. For example, Callovo-Oxfordian argillites at the Bure site, France (Fouche et al., 2004), Toarcian argillites at the Tournemire site, France (Patriarche et al., 2004), Opalinus clay at the Mont Terri site, Switzerland (Meier et al., 2000), and Boom clay at Mol site, Belgium (Barnichon et al., 2005) have all been under intensive scientific investigations (at both field and laboratory scales) for understanding a variety of rock properties and their relations with flow and transport processes associated with geological disposal of nuclear waste. Clay/shale formations may be generally classified as indurated and plastic clays (Tsang et al., 2005). The latter (including Boom clay) is a softer material without high cohesion; its deformation is dominantly plastic. For both clay rocks, coupled thermal, hydrological, mechanical and chemical (THMC) processes are expected to have a significant impact on the long-term safety of a clay repository. For example, the excavation-damaged zone (EDZ) near repository tunnels can modify local permeability (resulting from induced fractures), potentially leading to less confinement capability (Tsang et al., 2005). Because of clay's swelling and shrinkage behavior (depending on whether the clay is in imbibition or drainage processes), fracture properties in the EDZ are quite dynamic and evolve over time as hydromechanical conditions change. To understand and model the coupled processes and their impact on repository performance is critical for the defensible performance assessment of a clay repository. Within the Natural Barrier System (NBS) group of the Used Fuel Disposition (UFD) Campaign at DOE's Office of Nuclear Energy, LBNL's research activities have focused on understanding and modeling such coupled processes. LBNL provided a report in this April on literature survey of studies on coupled processes in clay repositories and identification of technical issues and knowledge gaps (Tsang et al., 2010). This report will document other LBNL research activities within the natural system work package, including the development of constitutive relationships for elastic deformation of clay rock (Section 2), a THM modeling study (Section 3) and a THC modeling study (Section 4). The purpose of the THM and THC modeling studies is to demonstrate the current modeling capabilities in dealing with coupled processes in a potential clay repository. In Section 5, we discuss potential future R&D work based on the identified knowledge gaps. The linkage between these activities and related FEPs is presented in Section 6.« less

Geological and petrological considerations relevant to the disposal of radioactive wastes by hydraulic fracturing: an example at the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory. [Pumpkin Valley shales

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

Haase, C.S.

1982-01-01

At Oak Ridge National Laboratory the Pumpkin Valley Shale is used as a host formation for hydraulic-fracturing waste disposal. Determination of the relationships between the distribution of different lithologies and porosity-permeability trends within this host formation allows these properties, important to hydraulic-fracturing operations, to be related to measurable and mappable geological and petrological parameters. It also permits extrapolation of such patterns to little-studied portions of the Pumpkin Valley Shale. Such knowledge better allows for the satisfactory operation and assessment of the hydraulic fracturing at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

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.

POLICY ANALYSIS OF PRODUCED WATER ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH IN-SITU THERMAL TECHNOLOGIES

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

Robert Keiter; John Ruple; Heather Tanana

2011-02-01

Commercial scale oil shale and oil sands development will require water, the amount of which will depend on the technologies adopted and the scale of development that occurs. Water in oil shale and oil sands country is already in scarce supply, and because of the arid nature of the region and limitations on water consumption imposed by interstate compacts and the Endangered Species Act, the State of Utah normally does not issue new water rights in oil shale or oil sands rich areas. Prospective oil shale and oil sands developers that do not already hold adequate water rights can acquiremore » water rights from willing sellers, but large and secure water supplies may be difficult and expensive to acquire, driving oil shale and oil sands developers to seek alternative sources of supply. Produced water is one such potential source of supply. When oil and gas are developed, operators often encounter ground water that must be removed and disposed of to facilitate hydrocarbon extraction. Water produced through mineral extraction was traditionally poor in quality and treated as a waste product rather than a valuable resource. However, the increase in produced water volume and the often-higher quality water associated with coalbed methane development have drawn attention to potential uses of produced water and its treatment under appropriations law. This growing interest in produced water has led to litigation and statutory changes that must be understood and evaluated if produced water is to be harnessed in the oil shale and oil sands development process. Conversely, if water is generated as a byproduct of oil shale and oil sands production, consideration must be given to how this water will be disposed of or utilized in the shale oil production process. This report explores the role produced water could play in commercial oil shale and oil sands production, explaining the evolving regulatory framework associated with produced water, Utah water law and produced water regulation, and the obstacles that must be overcome in order for produced water to support the nascent oil shale and oil sands industries.« less

Composition, diagenetic transformation and alkalinity potential of oil shale ash sediments.

PubMed

Mõtlep, Riho; Sild, Terje; Puura, Erik; Kirsimäe, Kalle

2010-12-15

Oil shale is a primary fuel in the Estonian energy sector. After combustion 45-48% of the oil shale is left over as ash, producing about 5-7 Mt of ash, which is deposited on ash plateaus annually almost without any reuse. This study focuses on oil shale ash plateau sediment mineralogy, its hydration and diagenetic transformations, a study that has not been addressed. Oil shale ash wastes are considered as the biggest pollution sources in Estonia and thus determining the composition and properties of oil shale ash sediment are important to assess its environmental implications and also its possible reusability. A study of fresh ash and drillcore samples from ash plateau sediment was conducted by X-ray diffractometry and scanning electron microscopy. The oil shale is highly calcareous, and the ash that remains after combustion is derived from the decomposition of carbonate minerals. It is rich in lime and anhydrite that are unstable phases under hydrous conditions. These processes and the diagenetic alteration of other phases determine the composition of the plateau sediment. Dominant phases in the ash are hydration and associated transformation products: calcite, ettringite, portlandite and hydrocalumite. The prevailing mineral phases (portlandite, ettringite) cause highly alkaline leachates, pH 12-13. Neutralization of these leachates under natural conditions, by rainwater leaching/neutralization and slow transformation (e.g. carbonation) of the aforementioned unstable phases into more stable forms, takes, at best, hundreds or even hundreds of thousands of years. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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.

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.

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...

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.

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.

Wastewater management and Marcellus Shale gas development: trends, drivers, and planning implications.

PubMed

Rahm, Brian G; Bates, Josephine T; Bertoia, Lara R; Galford, Amy E; Yoxtheimer, David A; Riha, Susan J

2013-05-15

Extraction of natural gas from tight shale formations has been made possible by recent technological advances, including hydraulic fracturing with horizontal drilling. Global shale gas development is seen as a potential energy and geopolitical "game-changer." However, widespread concern exists with respect to possible environmental consequences of this development, particularly impacts on water resources. In the United States, where the most shale gas extraction has occurred, the Marcellus Shale is now the largest natural gas producing play. To date, over 6,000,000 m(3) of wastewater has been generated in the process of extracting natural gas from this shale in the state of Pennsylvania (PA) alone. Here we examine wastewater management practices and trends for this shale play through analysis of industry-reported, publicly available data collected from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Oil and Gas Reporting Website. We also analyze the tracking and transport of shale gas liquid waste streams originating in PA using a combination of web-based and GIS approaches. From 2008 to 2011 wastewater reuse increased, POTW use decreased, and data tracking became more complete, while the average distance traveled by wastewater decreased by over 30%. Likely factors influencing these trends include state regulations and policies, along with low natural gas prices. Regional differences in wastewater management are influenced by industrial treatment capacity, as well as proximity to injection disposal capacity. Using lessons from the Marcellus Shale, we suggest that nations, states, and regulatory agencies facing new unconventional shale development recognize that pace and scale of well drilling leads to commensurate wastewater management challenges. We also suggest they implement wastewater reporting and tracking systems, articulate a policy for adapting management to evolving data and development patterns, assess local and regional wastewater treatment infrastructure in terms of capacity and capability, promote well-regulated on-site treatment technologies, and review and update wastewater management regulations and policies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Remedial processing of oil shale fly ash (OSFA) and its value-added conversion into glass-ceramics.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhikun; Zhang, Lei; Li, Aimin

2015-12-01

Recently, various solid wastes such as sewage sludge, coal fly ash and slag have been recycled into various products such as sintered bricks, ceramics and cement concrete. Application of these recycling approaches is much better and greener than conventional landfills since it can solve the problems of storage of industrial wastes and reduce exploration of natural resources for construction materials to protect the environment. Therefore, in this study, an attempt was made to recycle oil shale fly ash (OSFA), a by-product obtained from the extracting of shale oil in the oil shale industry, into a value-added glass-ceramic material via melting and sintering method. The influence of basicity (CaO/SiO2 ratio) by adding calcium oxide on the performance of glass-ceramics was studied in terms of phase transformation, mechanical properties, chemical resistances and heavy metals leaching tests. Crystallization kinetics results showed that the increase of basicity reduced the activation energies of crystallization but did not change the crystallization mechanism. When increasing the basicity from 0.2 to 0.5, the densification of sintering body was enhanced due to the promotion of viscous flow of glass powders, and therefore the compression strength and bending strength of glass-ceramics were increased. Heavy metals leaching results indicated that the produced OSFA-based glass-ceramics could be taken as non-hazardous materials. The maximum mechanical properties of compression strength of 186 ± 3 MPa, bending strength of 78 ± 6 MPa, good chemical resistances and low heavy metals leaching concentrations showed that it could be used as a substitute material for construction applications. The proposed approach will be one of the potential sustainable solutions in reducing the storage of oil shale fly ash as well as converting it into a value-added product. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

Shale across Scales from the Depths of Sedimentary Basins to Soil and Water at Earth's Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brantley, S. L.; Gu, X.

2017-12-01

Shale has become highly important on the world stage because it can host natural gas. In addition, shale is now targeted as a formation that can host repositories for disposal of radioactive waste. This newly recognized importance of shale has driven increased research into the nature of this unusual material. Much of this research incorporates characterization tools that probe shale at scales from nanometers to millimeters. Many of the talks in this Union session discuss these techniques and how scientists use them to understand how they impact the flow of fluids at larger scales. Another research avenue targets how material properties affect soil formation on this lithology and how water quality is affected in sedimentary basins where shale gas resources are under development. For example, minerals in shale are dominated by clays aligned along bedding. As the shales are exhumed and exposed at the surface during weathering, bedding planes open and fractures and microfractures form, allowing outfluxes or influxes of fluids. These phenomena result in specific patterns of fluid flow and, eventually, soil formation and landscape development. Specifically, in the Marcellus Formation gas play - the largest shale gas play in the U.S.A. - exposures of the shale at the surface result in deep oxidation of pyrite and organic matter, deep dissolution of carbonates, and relatively shallow alteration of clays. Micron-sized particles are also lost from all depths above the oxidation front. These characteristics result in deeply weathered and quickly eroded landscapes, and may also be related to patterns in water quality in shale gas plays. For example, across the entire Marcellus shale gas play in Pennsylvania, the single most common water quality issue is contamination by natural gas. This contamination is rare and is observed to be more prevalent in certain areas. These areas are likely related to shale material properties and geological structure. Specifically, natural gas moves along opening bedding planes as well as through faults and other larger scale geologic structures within basins. Understanding how shale acts as a material at all depths from that of fracking to that of the forest will enhance our ability to power our societal needs, dispose of our wastes, and sustain our water and soil resources.

Advances in Geologic Disposal System Modeling and Shale Reference Cases

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

Mariner, Paul E.; Stein, Emily R.; Frederick, Jennifer M.

The Spent Fuel and Waste Science and Technology (SFWST) Campaign of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE), Office of Fuel Cycle Technology (OFCT) is conducting research and development (R&D) on geologic disposal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and high level nuclear waste (HLW). Two high priorities for SFWST disposal R&D are design concept development and disposal system modeling (DOE 2011, Table 6). These priorities are directly addressed in the SFWST Generic Disposal Systems Analysis (GDSA) work package, which is charged with developing a disposal system modeling and analysis capability for evaluating disposal system performance formore » nuclear waste in geologic media (e.g., salt, granite, shale, and deep borehole disposal).« less

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.

Control technology appendices for pollution control technical manuals. Final report, June 1982-February 1983

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

Not Available

1983-04-01

The document is one of six technical handbooks prepared by EPA to help government officials granting permits to build synfuels facilities, synfuels process developers, and other interested parties. They provide technical data on waste streams from synfuels facilities and technologies capable of controlling them. Process technologies covered in the manuals include coal gasification, coal liquefaction by direct and idirect processing, and the extraction of oil from shale. The manuals offer no regulatory guidance, allowing the industry flexibility in deciding how best to comply with environmental regulations.

Influence of sintering temperature on the characteristics of shale brick containing oil well-derived drilling waste.

PubMed

Li, Xiang-Guo; Lv, Yang; Ma, Bao-Guo; Jian, Shou-Wei; Tan, Hong-Bo

2011-11-01

The influence of sintering temperature on the physico-mechanical characteristics (such as water absorption, apparent porosity, bulk density, weight loss on ignition, firing shrinkage, and compressive strength), leachability, and microstructure of shale brick containing oil well-derived drilling waste (DW) was investigated. The experiments were conducted at a temperature ranging from 950°C to 1,050°C with 30% DW addition. The results indicate that increasing the sintering temperature decreases the water absorption and apparent porosity and increases the shrinkage, density, and compressive strength of sintered specimens. Moreover, the physico-mechanical properties of samples sintered at 1,050°C meet the requirements of the MU20 according to GB/T 5101-2003 (in China). The heavy metal concentrations of the leachate are much lower than the current regulatory limits according to GB16889-2008. The results from XRD and SEM show that increasing sintering temperature results in an increase of the high temperature liquid phase, which may have a significant effect on the densification process of the samples.

Microbial production of natural gas from coal and organic-rich shale

USGS Publications Warehouse

Orem, William

2013-01-01

Natural gas is an important component of the energy mix in the United States, producing greater energy yield per unit weight and less pollution compared to coal and oil. Most of the world’s natural gas resource is thermogenic, produced in the geologic environment over time by high temperature and pressure within deposits of oil, coal, and shale. About 20 percent of the natural gas resource, however, is produced by microorganisms (microbes). Microbes potentially could be used to generate economic quantities of natural gas from otherwise unexploitable coal and shale deposits, from coal and shale from which natural gas has already been recovered, and from waste material such as coal slurry. Little is known, however, about the microbial production of natural gas from coal and shale.

Removing heavy metals from wastewaters with use of shales accompanying the coal beds.

PubMed

Jabłońska, Beata; Siedlecka, Ewa

2015-05-15

A possibility of using clay waste rocks (shales) from coal mines in the removal of heavy metals from industrial wastewaters is considered in this paper. Raw and calcined (600 °C) shales accompanying the coal beds in two Polish coal mines were examined with respect to their adsorptive capabilities for Pb, Ni and Cu ions. The mineralogical composition of the shales was determined and the TG/DTG analysis was carried out. The granulometric compositions of raw and calcined shales were compared. Tests of adsorption for various Pb(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) concentrations were conducted and the pH before and after adsorption was analyzed. The results indicate that the shales from both coal mines differ in adsorptive capabilities for particular metal ions. The calcination improved the adsorptive capabilities for lead, but worsened them for nickel. The examined shales have good adsorptive capabilities, and could be used as inexpensive adsorbents of heavy metal ions, especially in the regions where resources of shale are easy accessible in the form of spoil tips. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Science is the first step to siting nuclear waste repositories

USGS Publications Warehouse

Neuzil, Christopher E.

2014-01-01

As Shaw [2014] notes, U.S. research on shale as a repository host was halted before expending anything close to the effort devoted to studying crystalline rock, salt, and - most notably - tuff at Yucca Mountain. The new political reality regarding Yucca Mountain may allow reconsideration of the decision to abandon research on shale as a repository host.

Experimental insights into geochemical changes in hydraulically fractured Marcellus Shale

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

Marcon, Virginia; Joseph, Craig; Carter, Kimberly E.

Hydraulic fracturing applied to organic-rich shales has significantly increased the recoverable volume of methane available for U.S. energy consumption. Fluid-shale reactions in the reservoir may affect long-term reservoir productivity and waste management needs through changes to fracture mineral composition and produced fluid chemical composition. We performed laboratory experiments with Marcellus Shale and lab-generated hydraulic fracturing fluid at elevated pressures and temperatures to evaluate mineral reactions and the release of trace elements into solution. Results from the experiment containing fracturing chemicals show evidence for clay and carbonate dissolution, secondary clay and anhydrite precipitation, and early-stage (24-48 h) fluid enrichment of certainmore » elements followed by depletion in later stages (i.e. Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Sc, Zn). Other elements such as As, Fe, Mn, Sr, and Y increased in concentration and remained elevated throughout the duration of the experiment with fracturing fluid. Geochemical modeling of experimental fluid data indicates primary clay dissolution, and secondary formation of smectites and barite, after reaction with fracturing fluid. Changes in aqueous organic composition were observed, indicating organic additives may be chemically transformed or sequestered by the formation after hydraulic fracturing. The NaCl concentrations in our fluids are similar to measured concentrations in Marcellus Shale produced waters, showing that these experiments are representative of reservoir fluid chemistries and can provide insight on geochemical reactions that occur in the field. These results can be applied towards evaluating the evolution of hydraulically-fractured reservoirs, and towards understanding geochemical processes that control the composition of produced water from unconventional shales.« less

Experimental insights into geochemical changes in hydraulically fractured Marcellus Shale

DOE PAGES

Marcon, Virginia; Joseph, Craig; Carter, Kimberly E.; ...

2016-11-09

Hydraulic fracturing applied to organic-rich shales has significantly increased the recoverable volume of methane available for U.S. energy consumption. Fluid-shale reactions in the reservoir may affect long-term reservoir productivity and waste management needs through changes to fracture mineral composition and produced fluid chemical composition. We performed laboratory experiments with Marcellus Shale and lab-generated hydraulic fracturing fluid at elevated pressures and temperatures to evaluate mineral reactions and the release of trace elements into solution. Results from the experiment containing fracturing chemicals show evidence for clay and carbonate dissolution, secondary clay and anhydrite precipitation, and early-stage (24-48 h) fluid enrichment of certainmore » elements followed by depletion in later stages (i.e. Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Sc, Zn). Other elements such as As, Fe, Mn, Sr, and Y increased in concentration and remained elevated throughout the duration of the experiment with fracturing fluid. Geochemical modeling of experimental fluid data indicates primary clay dissolution, and secondary formation of smectites and barite, after reaction with fracturing fluid. Changes in aqueous organic composition were observed, indicating organic additives may be chemically transformed or sequestered by the formation after hydraulic fracturing. The NaCl concentrations in our fluids are similar to measured concentrations in Marcellus Shale produced waters, showing that these experiments are representative of reservoir fluid chemistries and can provide insight on geochemical reactions that occur in the field. These results can be applied towards evaluating the evolution of hydraulically-fractured reservoirs, and towards understanding geochemical processes that control the composition of produced water from unconventional shales.« less

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

Zheng, Liange; Li, Lianchong; Rutqvist, Jonny

Clay/shale has been considered as potential host rock for geological disposal of high-level nuclear waste throughout the world, because of its low permeability, low diffusion coefficient, high retention capacity for radionuclides, and capability to self-seal fractures induced by tunnel excavation. For example, Callovo-Oxfordian argillites at the Bure site, France (Fouche et al., 2004), Toarcian argillites at the Tournemire site, France (Patriarche et al., 2004), Opalinus Clay at the Mont Terri site, Switzerland (Meier et al., 2000), and Boom clay at the Mol site, Belgium (Barnichon and Volckaert, 2003) have all been under intensive scientific investigation (at both field and laboratorymore » scales) for understanding a variety of rock properties and their relationships to flow and transport processes associated with geological disposal of nuclear waste. Clay/shale formations may be generally classified as indurated or plastic clays (Tsang and Hudson, 2010). The latter (including Boom clay) is a softer material without high cohesion; its deformation is dominantly plastic. During the lifespan of a clay repository, the repository performance is affected by complex thermal, hydrogeological, mechanical, chemical (THMC) processes, such as heat release due to radionuclide decay, multiphase flow, formation of damage zones, radionuclide transport, waste dissolution, and chemical reactions. All these processes are related to each other. An in-depth understanding of these coupled processes is critical for the performance assessment (PA) of the repository. These coupled processes may affect radionuclide transport by changing transport paths (e.g., formation and evolution of excavation damaged zone (EDZ)) and altering flow, mineral, and mechanical properties that are related to radionuclide transport. While radionuclide transport in clay formation has been studied using laboratory tests (e,g, Appelo et al. 2010, Garcia-Gutierrez et al., 2008, Maes et al., 2008), short-term field tests (e.g. Garcia-Gutierrez et al. 2006, Soler et al. 2008, van Loon et al. 2004, Wu et al. 2009) and numerical modeling (de Windt et al. 2003; 2006), the effects of THMC processes on radionuclide transport are not fully investigated. The objectives of the research activity documented in this report are to improve a modeling capability for coupled THMC processes and to use it to evaluate the THMC impacts on radionuclide transport. This research activity addresses several key Features, Events and Processes (FEPs), including FEP 2.2.08, Hydrologic Processes, FEP 2.2.07, Mechanical Processes and FEP 2.2.09, Chemical Process— Transport, by studying near-field coupled THMC processes in clay/shale repositories and their impacts on radionuclide transport. This report documents the progress that has been made in FY12. Section 2 discusses the development of THMC modeling capability. Section 3 reports modeling results of THMC impacts on radionuclide transport. Planned work for the remaining months of FY12 and proposed work for FY13 are presented in Section 4.« less

40 CFR 265.223 - Containment system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 265.223 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES (CONTINUED) INTERIM STATUS STANDARDS FOR OWNERS AND OPERATORS OF HAZARDOUS WASTE TREATMENT, STORAGE, AND DISPOSAL..., such as grass, shale, or rock, to minimize wind and water erosion and to preserve their structural...

Organic geochemistry: Effects of organic components of shales on adsorption: Progress report

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

Ho, P.C.

1988-11-01

The Sedimentary Rock Program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is investigating shale to determine its potential suitability as a host rock for the disposal of high-level radioactive wastes (HLW). The selected shales are Upper Dowelltown, Pierre, Green River Formation, and two Conasauga (Nolichucky and Pumpkin Valley) Shales, which represent mineralogical and compositional extremes of shales in the United States. According to mineralogical studies, the first three shales contain 5 to 13 wt % of organic matter, and the two Conasauga Shales only contain trace amounts (2 wt %) of organic matter. Soxhlet extraction with chloroform and a mixture ofmore » chloroform and methanol can remove 0.07 to 5.9 wt % of the total organic matter from these shales. Preliminary analysis if these organic extracts reveals the existence of organic carboxylic acids and hydrocarbons in these samples. Adsorption of elements such as Cs(I), Sr(II) and Tc(VII) on the organic-extracted Upper Dowelltown, Pierre, green River Formation and Pumpkin Valley Shales in synthetic groundwaters (simulating groundwaters in the Conasauga Shales) and in 0.03-M NaHCO/sub 3/ solution indicates interaction between each of the three elements and the organic-extractable bitumen. 28 refs., 8 figs., 10 tabs.« less

Geological and petrological considerations relevant to the disposal of radioactive wastes by hydraulic fracturing: an example at the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory

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

Haase, C.S.

1983-01-01

At Oak Ridge National Laboratory the Pumpkin Valley Shale is used as a host formation for hydraulic fracturing waste disposal. Determination of the relationships between the distribution of different lithologies and porosity-permeability trends within this host formation allows these properties, important to hydraulic fracturing operations, to be related to measurable and mappable geological and petrological parameters. It also permits extrapolation of such patterns to little-studied portions of the Pumpkin Valley Shale. Such knowledge better allows for the satisfactory operation and assessment of the hydraulic fracturing at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Evaluation of Used Fuel Disposition in Clay-Bearing Rock

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

Jove-Colon, Carlos F.; Weck, Philippe F.; Hammond, Glenn Edward

Deep geological disposal of nuclear waste in clay/shale/argillaceous rock formations has received much consideration given its desirable attributes such as isolation properties (low permeability), geochemically reduced conditions, slow diffusion, sorbtive mineralogy, and geologically widespread (Jové Colón et al., 2014). There is a wealth of gained scientific expertise on the behavior of clay/shale/ argillaceous rock given its focus in international nuclear waste repository programs that includes underground research laboratories (URLs) in Switzerland, France, Belgium, and Japan. Jové Colón et al. (2014) have described some of these investigative efforts in clay rock ranging from site characterization to research on the engineered barriermore » system (EBS). Evaluations of disposal options that include nuclear waste disposition in clay/shale/argillaceous rock have determined that this host media can accommodate a wide range of waste types. R&D work within the Used Fuel Disposition Campaign (UFDC) assessing thermal effects and fluid-mineral interactions for the disposition of heat-generating waste have so far demonstrated the feasibility for the EBS and clay host rock to withstand high thermal loads. This report represents the continuation of disposal R&D efforts on the advancement and refinement of coupled Thermal-Hydrological-Mechanical-Chemical (THMC), hydrothermal experiments on clay interactions, used fuel degradation (source term), and thermodynamic modeling and database development. The development and implementation of a clay/shale/argillite reference case described in Jové Colón et al. (2014) for FY15 will be documented in another report (Mariner et al. 2015) – only a brief description will be given here. This clay reference case implementation is the result of integration efforts between the GDSA PA and disposal in argillite work packages. The assessment of sacrificial zones in the EBS is being addressed through experimental work along with 1D reactive-transport and reaction path modeling. The focus of these investigations into the nature of sacrificial zones is to evaluate the chemical effects of heterogeneous chemical reactions at EBS interfaces. The difference in barrier material types and the extent of chemical reactions within these interfacial domains generates changes in mineral abundances. These mineralogical alterations also result in volume changes that, although small, could affect the interface bulk porosity. As in previous deliverables, this report is structured according to various national laboratory contributions describing R&D activities applicable to clay/shale/argillite media.« less

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/

Micronucleus test and observation of nuclear alterations in erythrocytes of Nile tilapia exposed to waters affected by refinery effluent.

PubMed

da Silva Souza, Tatiana; Fontanetti, Carmem S

2006-06-16

Micronuclei and nuclear alterations tests were performed on erythrocytes of Oreochromis niloticus (Perciformes, Cichlidae) in order to evaluate the water quality from Paraíba do Sul river, in an area affected by effluents from an oil shale processing plant, located in the city of São José dos Campos, Brazil-SP. Water samples were collected on 2004 May and August (dry season) and on 2004 November and 2005 January (rain season), in three distinct sites, comprising 12 samples. It was possible to detect substances of clastogenic and/or aneugenic potential, as well as cytotoxic substances, chiefly at the point corresponding to the drainage of oil shale plant wastes along the river. The highest incidence of micronuclei and nuclear alterations was detected during May and August, whereas the results obtained in November and January were insignificant. This work shows that the effluent treatment provided by the oil shale plant was not fully efficient to minimize the effect of cytotoxic and mutagenic substances in the test organism surveyed.

Effect of water on critical and subcritical fracture properties of Woodford shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xiaofeng; Eichhubl, Peter; Olson, Jon E.

2017-04-01

Subcritical fracture behavior of shales under aqueous conditions is poorly characterized despite increased relevance to oil and gas resource development and seal integrity in waste disposal and subsurface carbon sequestration. We measured subcritical fracture properties of Woodford shale in ambient air, dry CO2 gas, and deionized water by using the double-torsion method. Compared to tests in ambient air, the presence of water reduces fracture toughness by 50%, subcritical index by 77%, and shear modulus by 27% and increases inelastic deformation. Comparison between test specimens coated with a hydrophobic agent and uncoated specimens demonstrates that the interaction of water with the bulk rock results in the reduction of fracture toughness and enhanced plastic effects, while water-rock interaction limited to the vicinity of the propagating fracture tip by a hydrophobic specimen coating lowers subcritical index and increases fracture velocity. The observed deviation of a rate-dependent subcritical index from the power law K-V relations for coated specimens tested in water is attributed to a time-dependent weakening process resulting from the interaction between water and clays in the vicinity of the fracture tip.

Alkaline modified oil shale fly ash: optimal synthesis conditions and preliminary tests on CO2 adsorption.

PubMed

Reinik, Janek; Heinmaa, Ivo; Kirso, Uuve; Kallaste, Toivo; Ritamäki, Johannes; Boström, Dan; Pongrácz, Eva; Huuhtanen, Mika; Larsson, William; Keiski, Riitta; Kordás, Krisztián; Mikkola, Jyri-Pekka

2011-11-30

Environmentally friendly product, calcium-silica-aluminum hydrate, was synthesized from oil shale fly ash, which is rendered so far partly as an industrial waste. Reaction conditions were: temperature 130 and 160°C, NaOH concentrations 1, 3, 5 and 8M and synthesis time 24h. Optimal conditions were found to be 5M at 130°C at given parameter range. Original and activated ash samples were characterized by XRD, XRF, SEM, EFTEM, (29)Si MAS-NMR, BET and TGA. Semi-quantitative XRD and MAS-NMR showed that mainly tobermorites and katoite are formed during alkaline hydrothermal treatment. Physical adsorption of CO(2) on the surface of the original and activated ash samples was measured with thermo-gravimetric analysis. TGA showed that the physical adsorption of CO(2) on the oil shale fly ash sample increases from 0.06 to 3-4 mass% after alkaline hydrothermal activation with NaOH. The activated product has a potential to be used in industrial processes for physical adsorption of CO(2) emissions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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...

On the Theory of Solitons of Fluid Pressure and Solute Density in Geologic Porous Media, with Applications to Shale, Clay and Sandstone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caserta, A.; Kanivetsky, R.; Salusti, E.

2017-11-01

We here analyze a new model of transients of pore pressure p and solute density ρ in geologic porous media. This model is rooted in the nonlinear wave theory, its focus is on advection and effect of large pressure jumps on strain. It takes into account nonlinear and also time-dependent versions of the Hooke law about stress, rate and strain. The model solutions strictly relate p and ρ evolving under the effect of a strong external stress. As a result, the presence of quick and sharp transients in low permeability rocks is unveiled, i.e., the nonlinear "Burgers solitons". We, therefore, show that the actual transport process in porous rocks for large signals is not only the linear diffusion, but also a solitons presence could control the process. A test of a presence of solitons is applied to Pierre shale, Bearpaw shale, Boom clay and Oznam-Mugu silt and clay. An application about the presence of solitons for nuclear waste disposal and salt water intrusions is also discussed. Finally, in a kind of "theoretical experiment" we show that solitons could also be present in higher permeability rocks (Jordan and St. Peter sandstones), thus supporting the idea of a possible occurrence of osmosis also in sandstones.

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...

Diffusive transport and reaction in clay rocks: A storage (nuclear waste, CO2, H2), energy (shale gas) and water quality issue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charlet, Laurent; Alt-Epping, Peter; Wersin, Paul; Gilbert, Benjamin

2017-08-01

Clay rocks are low permeability sedimentary formations that provide records of Earth history, influence the quality of water resources, and that are increasingly used for the extraction or storage of energy resources and the sequestration of waste materials. Informed use of clay rock formations to achieve low-carbon or carbon-free energy goals requires the ability to predict the rates of diffusive transport processes for chemically diverse dissolved and gaseous species over periods up to thousands of years. We survey the composition, properties and uses of clay rock and summarize fundamental science challenges in developing confident conceptual and quantitative gas and solute transport models.

Mineralogical characterization of selected shales in support of nuclear waste repository studies: Progress report, October 1987--September 1988

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

Lee, S. Y.; Hyder, L. K.; Baxter, P. M.

1989-07-01

One objective of the Sedimentary Rock Program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory has been to examine end-member shales to develop a data base that will aid in evaluations if shales are ever considered as a repository host rock. Five end-member shales were selected for comprehensive characterization: the Chattanooga Shale from Fentress County, Tennessee; the Pierre Shale from Gregory County, South Dakota; the Green River Formation from Garfield County, Colorado; and the Nolichucky Shale and Pumpkin Valley Shale from Roane County, Tennessee. Detailed micromorphological and mineralogical characterizations of the shales were completed by Lee et al. (1987) in ORNL/TM-10567. Thismore » report is a supplemental characterization study that was necessary because second batches of the shale samples were needed for additional studies. Selected physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties were determined for the second batches; and their properties were compared with the results from the first batches. Physical characterization indicated that the second-batch and first-batch samples had a noticeable difference in apparent-size distributions but had similar primary-particle-size distributions. There were some differences in chemical composition between the batches, but these differences were not considered important in comparison with the differences among the end-member shales. The results of x-ray diffraction analyses showed that the second batches had mineralogical compositions very similar to the first batches. 9 refs., 9 figs., 4 tabs.« less

Process concept of retorting of Julia Creek oil shale

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

Sitnai, O.

1984-06-01

A process is proposed for the above ground retorting of the Julia Creek oil shale in Queensland. The oil shale characteristics, process description, chemical reactions of the oil shale components, and the effects of variable and operating conditions on process performance are discussed. The process contains a fluidized bed combustor which performs both as a combustor of the spent shales and as a heat carrier generator for the pyrolysis step. 12 references, 5 figures, 5 tables.

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.

CO2 mineral sequestration in oil-shale wastes from Estonian power production.

PubMed

Uibu, Mai; Uus, Mati; Kuusik, Rein

2009-02-01

In the Republic of Estonia, local low-grade carbonaceous fossil fuel--Estonian oil-shale--is used as a primary energy source. Combustion of oil-shale is characterized by a high specific carbon emission factor (CEF). In Estonia, the power sector is the largest CO(2) emitter and is also a source of huge amounts of waste ash. Oil-shale has been burned by pulverized firing (PF) since 1959 and in circulating fluidized-bed combustors (CFBCs) since 2004-2005. Depending on the combustion technology, the ash contains a total of up to 30% free Ca-Mg oxides. In consequence, some amount of emitted CO(2) is bound by alkaline transportation water and by the ash during hydraulic transportation and open-air deposition. The goal of this study was to investigate the possibility of improving the extent of CO(2) capture using additional chemical and technological means, in particular the treatment of aqueous ash suspensions with model flue gases containing 10-15% CO(2). The results indicated that both types of ash (PF and CFBC) could be used as sorbents for CO(2) mineral sequestration. The amount of CO(2) captured averaged 60-65% of the carbonaceous CO(2) and 10-11% of the total CO(2) emissions.

The enrichment behavior of natural radionuclides in pulverized oil shale-fired power plants.

PubMed

Vaasma, Taavi; Kiisk, Madis; Meriste, Tõnis; Tkaczyk, Alan Henry

2014-12-01

The oil shale industry is the largest producer of NORM (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material) waste in Estonia. Approximately 11-12 million tons of oil shale containing various amounts of natural radionuclides is burned annually in the Narva oil shale-fired power plants, which accounts for approximately 90% of Estonian electricity production. The radionuclide behavior characteristics change during the fuel combustion process, which redistributes the radionuclides between different ash fractions. Out of 24 operational boilers in the power plants, four use circulating fluidized bed (CFB) technology and twenty use pulverized fuel (PF) technology. Over the past decade, the PF boilers have been renovated, with the main objective to increase the efficiency of the filter systems. Between 2009 and 2012, electrostatic precipitators (ESP) in four PF energy blocks were replaced with novel integrated desulphurization technology (NID) for the efficient removal of fly ash and SO2 from flue gases. Using gamma spectrometry, activity concentrations and enrichment factors for the (238)U ((238)U, (226)Ra, (210)Pb) and (232)Th ((232)Th, (228)Ra) family radionuclides as well as (40)K were measured and analyzed in different PF boiler ash fractions. The radionuclide activity concentrations in the ash samples increased from the furnace toward the back end of the flue gas duct. The highest values in different PF boiler ash fractions were in the last field of the ESP and in the NID ash, where radionuclide enrichment factors were up to 4.2 and 3.3, respectively. The acquired and analyzed data on radionuclide activity concentrations in different PF boiler ashes (operating with an ESP and a NID system) compared to CFB boiler ashes provides an indication that changes in the fuel (oil shale) composition and boiler working parameters, as well as technological enhancements in Estonian oil shale fired power plants, have had a combined effect on the distribution patterns of natural radionuclides in the oil shale combustion products. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

Neutralisation of an acidic pit lake by alkaline waste products.

PubMed

Allard, Bert; Bäckström, Mattias; Karlsson, Stefan; Grawunder, Anja

2014-01-01

A former open pit where black shale (alum shale) was excavated during 1942-1965 has been water filled since 1966. The water chemistry was dominated by calcium and sulphate and had a pH of 3.2-3.4 until 1997-1998, when pH was gradually increasing. This was due to the intrusion of leachates from alkaline cement waste deposited close to the lake. A stable pH of around 7.5 was obtained after 6-7 years. The chemistry of the pit lake has changed due to the neutralisation. Concentrations of some dissolved metals, notably zinc and nickel, have gone down, as a result of adsorption/co-precipitation on solid phases (most likely iron and aluminium hydroxides), while other metals, notably uranium and molybdenum, are present at elevated levels. Uranium concentration is reaching a minimum of around pH 6.5 and is increasing at higher pH, which may indicate a formation of neutral and anionic uranyl carbonate species at high pH (and total carbonate levels around 1 mM). Weathering of the water-exposed shale is still in progress.

Characterization and Analysis of Liquid Waste from Marcellus Shale Gas Development.

PubMed

Shih, Jhih-Shyang; Saiers, James E; Anisfeld, Shimon C; Chu, Ziyan; Muehlenbachs, Lucija A; Olmstead, Sheila M

2015-08-18

Hydraulic fracturing of shale for gas production in Pennsylvania generates large quantities of wastewater, the composition of which has been inadequately characterized. We compiled a unique data set from state-required wastewater generator reports filed in 2009-2011. The resulting data set, comprising 160 samples of flowback, produced water, and drilling wastes, analyzed for 84 different chemicals, is the most comprehensive available to date for Marcellus Shale wastewater. We analyzed the data set using the Kaplan-Meier method to deal with the high prevalence of nondetects for some analytes, and compared wastewater characteristics with permitted effluent limits and ambient monitoring limits and capacity. Major-ion concentrations suggested that most wastewater samples originated from dilution of brines, although some of our samples were more concentrated than any Marcellus brines previously reported. One problematic aspect of this wastewater was the very high concentrations of soluble constituents such as chloride, which are poorly removed by wastewater treatment plants; the vast majority of samples exceeded relevant water quality thresholds, generally by 2-3 orders of magnitude. We also examine the capacity of regional regulatory monitoring to assess and control these risks.

Water resources and shale gas/oil production in the Appalachian Basin: critical issues and evolving developments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kappel, William M.; Williams, John H.; Szabo, Zoltan

2013-01-01

Unconventional natural gas and oil resources in the United States are important components of a national energy program. While the Nation seeks greater energy independence and greener sources of energy, Federal agencies with environmental responsibilities, state and local regulators and water-resource agencies, and citizens throughout areas of unconventional shale gas development have concerns about the environmental effects of high volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF), including those in the Appalachian Basin in the northeastern United States (fig. 1). Environmental concerns posing critical challenges include the availability and use of surface water and groundwater for hydraulic fracturing; the migration of stray gas and potential effects on overlying aquifers; the potential for flowback, formation fluids, and other wastes to contaminate surface water and groundwater; and the effects from drill pads, roads, and pipeline infrastructure on land disturbance in small watersheds and headwater streams (U.S. Government Printing Office, 2012). Federal, state, regional and local agencies, along with the gas industry, are striving to use the best science and technology to develop these unconventional resources in an environmentally safe manner. Some of these concerns were addressed in U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Fact Sheet 2009–3032 (Soeder and Kappel, 2009) about potential critical effects on water resources associated with the development of gas extraction from the Marcellus Shale of the Hamilton Group (Ver Straeten and others, 1994). Since that time, (1) the extraction process has evolved, (2) environmental awareness related to high-volume hydraulic fracturing process has increased, (3) state regulations concerning gas well drilling have been modified, and (4) the practices used by industry to obtain, transport, recover, treat, recycle, and ultimately dispose of the spent fluids and solid waste materials have evolved. This report updates and expands on Fact Sheet 2009–3032 and presents new information regarding selected aspects of unconventional shale gas development in the Appalachian Basin (primarily Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York). This document was prepared by the USGS, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy, and reviews the evolving technical advances and scientific studies made in the Appalachian Basin between 2009 and the present (2013), addressing past and current issues for oil and gas development in the region.

Geochemical behavior of Cs, Sr, Tc, Np, and U in saline groundwaters: Sorption experiments on shales and their clay mineral components: Progress report

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

Meyer, R.E.; Arnold, W.D.; Ho, P.C.

1987-11-01

The Sedimentary Rock Program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is investigating shale to determine its potential suitability as a host rock for the disposal of high-level radioactive wastes (HLW). In support of this program, preliminary studies were carried out on sorption of cesium, strontium, technetium, neptunium, and uranium onto Chattanooga (Upper Dowelltown), Pierre, Green River Formation, Nolichucky, and Pumpkin Valley Shales under oxic conditions (air present). Three simulated groundwaters were used. One of the groundwaters was a synthetic brine made up to simulate highly saline groundwaters in the Pumpkin Valley Shale. The second was a 100/1 dilution of thismore » groundwater and the third was 0.03 M NaHCO/sub 3/. Moderate to significant sorption was observed under most conditions for all of the tested radionuclides except technetium. Moderate technetium sorption occurred on Upper Dowelltown Shale, and although technetium sorption was low on the other shales, it was higher than expected for Tc(VII), present as the anion TcO/sub 4//sup -/. Little sorption of strontium onto the shales was observed from the concentrated saline groundwater. These data can be used in a generic fashion to help assess the sorption characteristics of shales in support of a national survey. 10 refs., 4 figs., 23 tabs.« less

How microfracture roughness can be used to distinguish between exhumed cracks and in-situ flow paths in shales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pluymakers, Anne; Kobchenko, Maya; Renard, François

2017-01-01

Flow through fractures in shales is of importance to many geoengineering purposes. Shales are not only caprocks to hydrocarbon reservoirs and nuclear waste or CO2 storage sites, but also potential source and reservoir rocks for hydrocarbons. The presence of microfractures in shales controls their permeability and transport properties. Using X-ray micro-tomography and white light interferometry we scanned borehole samples obtained from 4 km depth in the Pomeranian shales in Poland. These samples contain open exhumation/drying cracks as well as intact vein-rock interfaces plus one striated slip surface. At micron resolution and above tensile drying cracks exhibit a power-law roughness with a scaling exponent, called the Hurst exponent H, of 0.3. At sub-micron resolution we capture the properties of the clay interface only, with H = 0.6. In contrast, the in-situ formed veins and slip surface exhibit H = 0.4-0.5, which is deemed representative for in-situ fractures. These results are discussed in relation to the shale microstructure and linear elastic fracture mechanics theory. The data imply that the Hurst roughness exponent can be used as a microstructural criterion to distinguish between exhumation and in-situ fractures, providing a step forward towards the characterization of potential flow paths at depth in shales.

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.

Research continues on Julia Creek shale oil project

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

Not Available

1986-09-01

CSR Limited and the CSIRO Division of Mineral Engineering in Australia are working jointly on the development of a new retorting process for Julia Creek oil shale. This paper describes the retorting process which integrates a fluid bed combustor with a retort in which heat is transferred from hot shale ash to cold raw shale. The upgrading of shale oil into transport fuels is also described.

Fundamentals of gas flow in shale; What the unconventional reservoir industry can learn from the radioactive waste industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuss, Robert; Harrington, Jon; Graham, Caroline

2013-04-01

Tight formations, such as shale, have a wide range of potential usage; this includes shale gas exploitation, hydrocarbon sealing, carbon capture & storage and radioactive waste disposal. Considerable research effort has been conducted over the last 20 years on the fundamental controls on gas flow in a range of clay-rich materials at the British Geological Survey (BGS) mainly focused on radioactive waste disposal; including French Callovo-Oxfordian claystone, Belgian Boom Clay, Swiss Opalinus Clay, British Oxford Clay, as well as engineered barrier material such as bentonite and concrete. Recent work has concentrated on the underlying physics governing fluid flow, with evidence of dilatancy controlled advective flow demonstrated in Callovo-Oxfordian claystone. This has resulted in a review of how advective gas flow is dealt with in Performance Assessment and the applicability of numerical codes. Dilatancy flow has been shown in Boom clay using nano-particles and is seen in bentonite by the strong hydro-mechanical coupling displayed at the onset of gas flow. As well as observations made at BGS, dilatancy flow has been shown by other workers on shale (Cuss et al., 2012; Angeli et al. 2009). As well as experimental studies using cores of intact material, fractured material has been investigated in bespoke shear apparatus. Experimental results have shown that the transmission of gas by fractures is highly localised, dependent on normal stress, varies with shear, is strongly linked with stress history, is highly temporal in nature, and shows a clear correlation with fracture angle. Several orders of magnitude variation in fracture transmissivity is seen during individual tests. Flow experiments have been conducted using gas and water, showing remarkably different behaviour. The radioactive waste industry has also noted a number of important features related to sample preservation. Differences in gas entry pressure have been shown across many laboratories and these may be attributed to different core preparation techniques. Careful re-stressing of core barrels and sealing techniques also ensure that experiments are conducted on near in situ condition. The construction of tunnels within shale clearly aids our understanding of the interaction of engineered operations (borehole drilling or tunnelling) on the behaviour of the rock. References: Angeli, M., Soldal, M., Skurtveit, E. and Aker, E., (2009) Experimental percolation of supercritical CO2 through a caprock. Energy Procedia 1, 3351-3358 Cuss, R.J., Harrington, J.F., Giot, R., and Auvray, C. (2012) Experimental observations of mechanical dilation at the onset of gas flow in Callovo-Oxfordian Claystone. Poster Presentation 5th International Meeting Clays in Natural and Engineered Barriers for Radioactive Waste Confinement, Montpellier, France October 22nd - 25th 2012.

Rare Earth Elements in Alberta Oil Sand Process Streams

DOE PAGES

Roth, Elliot; Bank, Tracy; Howard, Bret; ...

2017-04-05

The concentrations of rare earth elements in Alberta, Canada oil sands and six oil sand waste streams were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP–MS). The results indicate that the rare earth elements (REEs) are largely concentrated in the tailings solvent recovery unit (TSRU) sample compared to the oil sand itself. The concentration of lanthanide elements is ~1100 mg/kg (1100 ppm or 0.11 weight %), which represents a >20× increase in the concentration compared to the oil sand itself and a >7× increase compared to the North American Shale Composite (NASC). The process water, which is used to extractmore » the oil from oil sands, and the water fraction associated with the different waste streams had very low concentrations of REEs that were near or below the detection limits of the instrument, with the highest total concentration of REEs in the water fraction being less than 10 μg/L (ppb). Size and density separations were completed, and the REEs and other potentially interesting and valuable metals, such as Ti and Zr, were concentrated in different fractions. These results give insights into the possibility of recovering REEs from waste streams generated from oil sand processing.« less

Rare Earth Elements in Alberta Oil Sand Process Streams

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

Roth, Elliot; Bank, Tracy; Howard, Bret

The concentrations of rare earth elements in Alberta, Canada oil sands and six oil sand waste streams were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP–MS). The results indicate that the rare earth elements (REEs) are largely concentrated in the tailings solvent recovery unit (TSRU) sample compared to the oil sand itself. The concentration of lanthanide elements is ~1100 mg/kg (1100 ppm or 0.11 weight %), which represents a >20× increase in the concentration compared to the oil sand itself and a >7× increase compared to the North American Shale Composite (NASC). The process water, which is used to extractmore » the oil from oil sands, and the water fraction associated with the different waste streams had very low concentrations of REEs that were near or below the detection limits of the instrument, with the highest total concentration of REEs in the water fraction being less than 10 μg/L (ppb). Size and density separations were completed, and the REEs and other potentially interesting and valuable metals, such as Ti and Zr, were concentrated in different fractions. These results give insights into the possibility of recovering REEs from waste streams generated from oil sand processing.« less

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.

Integrated Modeling and Experiments to Characterize Coupled Thermo-hydro-geomechanical-chemical processes in Hydraulic Fracturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viswanathan, H. S.; Carey, J. W.; Karra, S.; Porter, M. L.; Rougier, E.; Kang, Q.; Makedonska, N.; Hyman, J.; Jimenez Martinez, J.; Frash, L.; Chen, L.

2015-12-01

Hydraulic fracturing phenomena involve fluid-solid interactions embedded within coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) processes over scales from microns to tens of meters. Feedbacks between processes result in complex dynamics that must be unraveled if one is to predict and, in the case of unconventional resources, facilitate fracture propagation, fluid flow, and interfacial transport processes. The proposed work is part of a broader class of complex systems involving coupled fluid flow and fractures that are critical to subsurface energy issues, such as shale oil, geothermal, carbon sequestration, and nuclear waste disposal. We use unique LANL microfluidic and triaxial core flood experiments integrated with state-of-the-art numerical simulation to reveal the fundamental dynamics of fracture-fluid interactions to characterize the key coupled processes that impact hydrocarbon production. We are also comparing CO2-based fracturing and aqueous fluids to enhance production, greatly reduce waste water, while simultaneously sequestering CO2. We will show pore, core and reservoir scale simulations/experiments that investigate the contolling mechanisms that control hydrocarbon production.

A study on the oil-based drilling cutting pyrolysis residue resource utilization by the exploration and development of shale gas.

PubMed

Wang, Chao-Qiang; Jin, Ji-Zhong; Lin, Xiao-Yan; Xiong, De-Ming; Mei, Xu-Dong

2017-07-01

Based on the requirement of national energy conservation and environmental protection, attention has been given to building an environment-friendly and resource-saving society. Shale gas oil-based drilling cutting pyrolysis residues (ODPRs) have been used as the main research object to developing new technology which can convert the residues into a harmless and recyclable material. Using the test data of ODPR, we analyze the development prospect in the building material industry and provide a scheme to utilize this particular solid-waste efficiently. Theoretically speaking, the ODPR resource utilization such as admixture of cement, making sintered brick, and non-fired brick, by the exploration and development of Fuling shale gas is feasible.

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.

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.

Water and mineral relations of Atriplex canescens and A. cuneata on saline processed oil shale

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

Richardson, S.G.

1979-01-01

Growth, mineral uptake and water relations of Atriplex canescens and A. cuneata, both native to the arid oil shale region of northeastern Utah, were studied in the greenhouse and laboratory as affected by various salinity levels and specific ions in processed oil shale. Salinity of the shale was manipulated by moistening leached processed oil shale to near field capacity (20% H/sub 2/O by weight) with solutions of shale leachate, sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate or sodium chloride at equiosmotic concentrations ranging from 0 to -30 bars. Although shale salinity did not affect osmotic adjustment, zero turgor points of A. canescens becamemore » more negative with reductions in shale moisture percentage. Differences in plant growth due to differet ions in the soil solution could not be explained by effects on osmotic adjustment. However, greater growth of A. canescens in Na/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ treated than MgSO/sub 4/ treated leached shale was associated with greater leaf succulence, greater lamina lengths and lamina widths and lower diffusive leaf resistances. Potassium added to leached and unleached processed oil shale increased shoot and root biomass production, shoot/root ratio, leaf K content, and water use efficiency of a sodium-excluding Atriplex canescens biotype but did not increase growth of a sodium-accumulating biotype.« less

16 CFR 802.3 - Acquisitions of carbon-based mineral reserves.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... gas, shale or tar sands, or rights to reserves of oil, natural gas, shale or tar sands together with... gas, shale or tar sands, or rights to reserves of oil, natural gas, shale or tar sands and associated... pipeline and pipeline system or processing facility which transports or processes oil and gas after it...

16 CFR 802.3 - Acquisitions of carbon-based mineral reserves.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... gas, shale or tar sands, or rights to reserves of oil, natural gas, shale or tar sands together with... gas, shale or tar sands, or rights to reserves of oil, natural gas, shale or tar sands and associated... pipeline and pipeline system or processing facility which transports or processes oil and gas after it...

16 CFR 802.3 - Acquisitions of carbon-based mineral reserves.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... gas, shale or tar sands, or rights to reserves of oil, natural gas, shale or tar sands together with... gas, shale or tar sands, or rights to reserves of oil, natural gas, shale or tar sands and associated... pipeline and pipeline system or processing facility which transports or processes oil and gas after it...

16 CFR 802.3 - Acquisitions of carbon-based mineral reserves.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... gas, shale or tar sands, or rights to reserves of oil, natural gas, shale or tar sands together with... gas, shale or tar sands, or rights to reserves of oil, natural gas, shale or tar sands and associated... pipeline and pipeline system or processing facility which transports or processes oil and gas after it...

16 CFR 802.3 - Acquisitions of carbon-based mineral reserves.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... gas, shale or tar sands, or rights to reserves of oil, natural gas, shale or tar sands together with... gas, shale or tar sands, or rights to reserves of oil, natural gas, shale or tar sands and associated... pipeline and pipeline system or processing facility which transports or processes oil and gas after it...

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.

Effects of processed oil shale on the element content of Atriplex cancescens

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, B.M.

1982-01-01

Samples of four-wing saltbush were collected from the Colorado State University Intensive Oil Shale Revegetation Study Site test plots in the Piceance basin, Colorado. The test plots were constructed to evaluate the effects of processed oil shale geochemistry on plant growth using various thicknesses of soil cover over the processed shale and/or over a gravel barrier between the shale and soil. Generally, the thicker the soil cover, the less the influence of the shale geochemistry on the element concentrations in the plants. Concentrations of 20 elements were larger in the ash of four-wing saltbush growing on the plot with the gravel barrier (between the soil and processed shale) when compared to the sample from the control plot. A greater water content in the soil in this plot has been reported, and the interaction between the increased, percolating water and shale may have increased the availability of these elements for plant uptake. Concentrations of boron, copper, fluorine, lithium, molybdenum, selenium, silicon, and zinc were larger in the samples grown over processed shale, compared to those from the control plot, and concentrations for barium, calcium, lanthanum, niobium, phosphorus, and strontium were smaller. Concentrations for arsenic, boron, fluorine, molybdenum, and selenium-- considered to be potential toxic contaminants--were similar to results reported in the literature for vegetation from the test plots. The copper-to-molybdenum ratios in three of the four samples of four-wing saltbush growing over the processed shale were below the ratio of 2:1, which is judged detrimental to ruminants, particularly cattle. Boron concentrations averaged 140 ppm, well above the phytotoxicity level for most plant species. Arsenic, fluorine, and selenium concentrations were below toxic levels, and thus should not present any problem for revegetation or forage use at this time.

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.

Evaluations in support of regulatory and research decisions by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency for the control of toxic hazards from hazardous wastes, glyphosate, dalapon, and synthetic fuels

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

Scofield, R.

1984-01-01

This report includes toxicological and regulatory evaluations performed in support of U.S. EPA regulation of toxic materials and hazardous wastes. The first section of the report describes evaluations which support: (a) the regulation of small-volume generators of hazardous wastes, (b) the regulation of hazardous wastes from pesticide manufacturing, and (c) the disposal of the herbicide, silvex. The second section describes the environmental fate, transport, and effect of glyphosate and dalapon. The third section deals with synthetic fuels, including evaluations of synfuel-product toxicity, uncontrolled air emissions, and particular focus on the toxicity of products from several indirect coal liquefaction processes includingmore » methanol synthesis, Fischer-Tropsch, Mobil M-Gasoline, and Lurgi gasification technologies. Three direct coal liquefaction processes were examined for product toxicity and air emissions: Solvent Refined Coal (I and II) and the Exxon Donor Solvent Process. Also described in the third section is an evaluation of environmental and health hazards associated with the use of synthetic fuels from indirect coal liquefaction, direct coal liquefaction, and shale oil. Finally, the fourth section discusses some problems associated with performing, on a contractual basis, scientific and technical evaluations in support of U.S. EPA regulatory and research decisions.« less

Method of operating an oil shale kiln

DOEpatents

Reeves, Adam A.

1978-05-23

Continuously determining the bulk density of raw and retorted oil shale, the specific gravity of the raw oil shale and the richness of the raw oil shale provides accurate means to control process variables of the retorting of oil shale, predicting oil production, determining mining strategy, and aids in controlling shale placement in the kiln for the retorting.

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.

Preparation of grout for stabilization of abandoned in-situ oil shale retorts. [Patent application

DOEpatents

Mallon, R.G.

1979-12-07

A process is described for the preparation of grout from burned shale by treating the burned shale in steam at approximately 700/sup 0/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/sup 0/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.

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

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/

Black shale - Its deposition and diagenesis.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tourtelot, H.A.

1979-01-01

Black shale is a dark-colored mudrock containing organic matter that may have generated hydrocarbons in the subsurface or that may yield hydrocarbons by pyrolysis. Many black shale units are enriched in metals severalfold above expected amounts in ordinary shale. Some black shale units have served as host rocks for syngenetic metal deposits.Black shales have formed throughout the Earth's history and in all parts of the world. This suggests that geologic processes and not geologic settings are the controlling factors in the accumulation of black shale. Geologic processes are those of deposition by which the raw materials of black shale are accumulated and those of diagenesis in response to increasing depth of burial.Depositional processes involve a range of relationships among such factors as organic productivity, clastic sedimentation rate, and the intensity of oxidation by which organic matter is destroyed. If enough organic material is present to exhaust the oxygen in the environment, black shale results.Diagenetic processes involve chemical reactions controlled by the nature of the components and by the pressure and temperature regimens that continuing burial imposes. For a thickness of a few meters beneath the surface, sulfate is reduced and sulfide minerals may be deposited. Fermentation reactions in the next several hundred meters result in biogenic methane, followed successively at greater depths by decarboxylation reactions and thermal maturation that form additional hydrocarbons. Suites of newly formed minerals are characteristic for each of the zones of diagenesis.

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

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.

Implications of contact metamorphism of Mancos Shale for critical zone processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Navarre-Sitchler, A.

2016-12-01

Bedrock lithology imparts control on some critical zone processes, for example rates and extent of chemical weathering, solute release though mineral dissolution, and water flow. Bedrock can be very heterogeneous resulting in spatial variability of these processes throughout a catchment. In the East River watershed outside of Crested Butte, Colorado, bedrock is dominantly comprised of the Mancos Shale; a Cretaceous aged, organic carbon rich marine shale. However, in some areas the Mancos Shale appears contact metamorphosed by nearby igneous intrusions resulting in a potential gradient in lithologic change in part of the watershed where impacts of lithology on critical zone processes can be evaluated. Samples were collected in the East River valley along a transect from the contact between the Tertiary Gothic Mountain laccolith of the Mount Carbon igneous system and the underlying Manocs shale. Porosity of these samples was analyzed by small-angle and ultra small-angle neutron scattering. Results indicate contact metamorphism decreases porosity of the shale and changes the pore shape from slightly anisotropic pores aligned with bedding in the unmetamorphosed shale to isotropic pores with no bedding alignment in the metamorphosed shales. The porosity analysis combined with clay mineralogy, surface area, carbon content and oxidation state, and solute release rates determined from column experiments will be used to develop a full understanding of the impact of contact metamorphism on critical zone processes in the East River.

Effects of processed oil shale on the element content of Atriplex cancescens

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

Anderson, B.M.

1982-01-01

Samples of four-wing saltbush were collected from the Colorado State University Intensive Oil Shale Revegetation Study Site test plots in the Piceance basin, Colorado. The test plots were constructed to evaluate the effects of processed oil shale geochemistry on plant growth using various thicknesses of soil cover over the processed shale and/or over a gravel barrier between the shale and soil. Generally, the thicker the soil cover, the less the influence of the shale geochemistry on the element concentrations in the plants. Concentrations of 20 elements were larger in the ash of four-wing saltbush growing on the plot with themore » gravel barrier (between the soil and processed shale) when compared to the sample from the control plot. A greater water content in the soil in this plot has been reported, and the interaction between the increased, percolating water and shale may have increased the availability of these elements for plant uptake. Concentrations of boron, copper, fluorine, lithium, molybdenum, selenium, silicon, and zinc were larger in the samples grown over processed shale, compared to those from the control plot, and concentrations for barium, calcium, lanthanum, niobium, phosphorus, and strontium were smaller. Concentrations for arsenic, boron, fluorine, molybdenum, and selenium - considered to be potential toxic contaminants - were similar to results reported in the literature for vegetation from the test plots. The copper-to-molybdenum ratios in three of the four samples of four-wing saltbush growing over the processed shale were below the ratio of 2:1, which is judged detrimental to ruminants, particularly cattle. Boron concentrations averaged 140 ppM, well above the phytotoxicity level for most plant species. Arsenic, fluorine, and selenium concentrations were below toxic levels, and thus should not present any problem for revegetation or forage use at this time.« less

Impacts of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act on energy supply

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carnes, S. A.; Copenhaver, E. D.; Weeter, D. W.; Calzonetti, F. J.; Tevepaugh, C. W.; Parzyck, D. C.

1980-10-01

The signficant characteristics of the waste streams of representative technologies of different energy supply alternatives are reported, including coal combustion and conversion, solar, geothermal, oil sands, oil shales, and petroleum refining. The overall relationship of RCRA and energy issues was examined, with special emphasis on how RCRA's hazardous waste provisions impact with these technologies. The issues addressed were: the magnitude of energy related waste; public and private sector responses to RCRA and energy waste problems; the relationship of RCRA to other environmental and public health protection policies; the effect of RCRA on the deployment of energy supply; the role of reuse, recovery, and utilization of energy waste; and possible health and environmental effects associated with solid or hazardous wastes of various energy supply systems.

Microbial communities in flowback water impoundments from hydraulic fracturing for recovery of shale gas

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

Mohan, Arvind Murali; Hartsock, Angela; Hammack, Richard W

2013-12-01

Hydraulic fracturing for natural gas extraction from shale produces waste brine known as flowback that is impounded at the surface prior to reuse and/or disposal. During impoundment, microbial activity can alter the fate of metals including radionuclides, give rise to odorous compounds, and result in biocorrosion that complicates water and waste management and increases production costs. Here, we describe the microbial ecology at multiple depths of three flowback impoundments from the Marcellus shale that were managed differently. 16S rRNA gene clone libraries revealed that bacterial communities in the untreated and biocide-amended impoundments were depth dependent, diverse, and most similar tomore » species within the taxa [gamma]-proteobacteria, [alpha]-proteobacteria, δ-proteobacteria, Clostridia, Synergistetes, Thermotogae, Spirochetes, and Bacteroidetes. The bacterial community in the pretreated and aerated impoundment was uniform with depth, less diverse, and most similar to known iodide-oxidizing bacteria in the [alpha]-proteobacteria. Archaea were identified only in the untreated and biocide-amended impoundments and were affiliated to the Methanomicrobia class. This is the first study of microbial communities in flowback water impoundments from hydraulic fracturing. The findings expand our knowledge of microbial diversity of an emergent and unexplored environment and may guide the management of flowback impoundments.« less

Process for oil shale retorting using gravity-driven solids flow and solid-solid heat exchange

DOEpatents

Lewis, A.E.; Braun, R.L.; Mallon, R.G.; Walton, O.R.

1983-09-21

A cascading bed retorting process and apparatus are disclosed in which cold raw crushed shale enters at the middle of a retort column into a mixer stage where it is rapidly mixed with hot recycled shale and thereby heated to pyrolysis temperature. The heated mixture then passes through a pyrolyzer stage where it resides for a sufficient time for complete pyrolysis to occur. The spent shale from the pyrolyzer is recirculated through a burner stage where the residual char is burned to heat the shale which then enters the mixer stage.

Process for oil shale retorting using gravity-driven solids flow and solid-solid heat exchange

DOEpatents

Lewis, Arthur E.; Braun, Robert L.; Mallon, Richard G.; Walton, Otis R.

1986-01-01

A cascading bed retorting process and apparatus in which cold raw crushed shale enters at the middle of a retort column into a mixer stage where it is rapidly mixed with hot recycled shale and thereby heated to pyrolysis temperature. The heated mixture then passes through a pyrolyzer stage where it resides for a sufficient time for complete pyrolysis to occur. The spent shale from the pyrolyzer is recirculated through a burner stage where the residual char is burned to heat the shale which then enters the mixer stage.

Shale Gas Exploration and Exploitation Induced Risks - SHEER

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capuano, Paolo; Orlecka-Sikora, Beata; Lasocki, Stanislaw; Cesca, Simone; Gunning, Andrew; jaroslawsky, Janusz; Garcia-Aristizabal, Alexander; Westwood, Rachel; Gasparini, Paolo

2017-04-01

Shale gas operations may affect the quality of air, water and landscapes; furthermore, it can induce seismic activity, with the possible impacts on the surrounding infrastructure. The SHEER project aims at setting up a probabilistic methodology to assess and mitigate the short and the long term environmental risks connected to the exploration and exploitation of shale gas. In particular we are investigating risks associated with groundwater contamination, air pollution and induced seismicity. A shale gas test site located in Poland (Wysin) has been monitored before, during and after the fracking operations with the aim of assessing environmental risks connected with groundwater contamination, air pollution and earthquakes induced by fracking and injection of waste water. The severity of each of these hazards depends strongly on the unexpected enhanced permeability pattern, which may develop as an unwanted by-product of the fracking processes and may become pathway for gas and fluid migration towards underground water reservoirs or the surface. The project is devoted to monitor and understand how far this enhanced permeability pattern develops both in space and time. The considered hazards may be at least partially inter-related as they all depend on this enhanced permeability pattern. Therefore they are being approached from a multi-hazard, multi parameter perspective. We expect to develop methodologies and procedures to track and model fracture evolution around shale gas exploitation sites and a robust statistically based, multi-parameter methodology to assess environmental impacts and risks across the operational lifecycle of shale gas. The developed methodologies are going to be applied and tested on a comprehensive database consisting of seismicity, changes of the quality of ground-waters and air, ground deformations, and operational data collected from the ongoing monitoring episode (Wysin) and past episodes: Lubocino (Poland), Preese Hall (UK), Oklahoma (USA), Groningen Field (Netherlands), Gross Schönebeck (Germany), The Geysers (USA), Cooper Basin(Australia). Best practices to be applied in Europe to monitor and minimize any environmental impacts will be worked out with the involvement of governmental decisional bodies, private industries and experts This work was supported under SHEER: "Shale Gas Exploration and Exploitation Induced Risks" project n.640896, funded from Horizon 2020 - R&I Framework Programme, call H2020-LCE-2014-1

Oil-shale program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bader, B. E.

1981-10-01

The principal activities of the Sandia National Laboratories in the Department of Energy Oil shale program during the period April 1 to June 30, 1981 are discussed. Currently, Sandia's activities are focused upon: the development and use of analytical and experimental modeling techniques to describe and predict the retort properties and retorting process parameters that are important to the preparation, operation, and stability of in situ retorts, and the development, deployment, and field use of instrumentation, data acquisition, and process monitoring systems to characterize and evaluate in site up shale oil recovery operations. In-house activities and field activities (at the Geokinetics Oil Shale Project and the Occidental Oil Shale Project) are described under the headings: bed preparation, bed characterization, retorting process, and structural stability.

Liquid oil production from shale gas condensate reservoirs

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

Sheng, James J.

A process of producing liquid oil from shale gas condensate reservoirs and, more particularly, to increase liquid oil production by huff-n-puff in shale gas condensate reservoirs. The process includes performing a huff-n-puff gas injection mode and flowing the bottom-hole pressure lower than the dew point pressure.

Synthesis and analysis of jet fuel from shale oil and coal syncrudes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gallagher, J. P.; Collins, T. A.; Nelson, T. J.; Pedersen, M. J.; Robison, M. G.; Wisinski, L. J.

1976-01-01

Thirty-two jet fuel samples of varying properties were produced from shale oil and coal syncrudes, and analyzed to assess their suitability for use. TOSCO II shale oil and H-COAL and COED syncrudes were used as starting materials. The processes used were among those commonly in use in petroleum processing-distillation, hydrogenation and catalytic hydrocracking. The processing conditions required to meet two levels of specifications regarding aromatic, hydrogen, sulfur and nitrogen contents at two yield levels were determined and found to be more demanding than normally required in petroleum processing. Analysis of the samples produced indicated that if the more stringent specifications of 13.5% hydrogen (min.) and 0.02% nitrogen (max.) were met, products similar in properties to conventional jet fuels were obtained. In general, shale oil was easier to process (catalyst deactivation was seen when processing coal syncrudes), consumed less hydrogen and yielded superior products. Based on these considerations, shale oil appears to be preferred to coal as a petroleum substitute for jet fuel production.

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.

The origin of Cretaceous black shales: a change in the surface ocean ecosystem and its triggers

PubMed Central

OHKOUCHI, Naohiko; KURODA, Junichiro; TAIRA, Asahiko

2015-01-01

Black shale is dark-colored, organic-rich sediment, and there have been many episodes of black shale deposition over the history of the Earth. Black shales are source rocks for petroleum and natural gas, and thus are both geologically and economically important. Here, we review our recent progress in understanding of the surface ocean ecosystem during periods of carbonaceous sediment deposition, and the factors triggering black shale deposition. The stable nitrogen isotopic composition of geoporphyrins (geological derivatives of chlorophylls) strongly suggests that N2-fixation was a major process for nourishing the photoautotrophs. A symbiotic association between diatoms and cyanobacteria may have been a major primary producer during episodes of black shale deposition. The timing of black shale formation in the Cretaceous is strongly correlated with the emplacement of large igneous provinces such as the Ontong Java Plateau, suggesting that black shale deposition was ultimately induced by massive volcanic events. However, the process that connects these events remains to be solved. PMID:26194853

Overpressure generation by load transfer following shale framework weakening due to smectite diagenesis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lahann, R.W.; Swarbrick, R.E.

2011-01-01

Basin model studies which have addressed the importance of smectite conversion to illite as a source of overpressure in the Gulf of Mexico have principally relied on a single-shale compaction model and treated the smectite reaction as only a fluid-source term. Recent fluid pressure interpretation and shale petrology studies indicate that conversion of bound water to mobile water, dissolution of load-bearing grains, and increased preferred orientation change the compaction properties of the shale. This results in substantial changes in effective stress and fluid pressure. The resulting fluid pressure can be 1500-3000psi higher than pressures interpreted from models based on shallow compaction trends. Shale diagenesis changes the mineralogy, volume, and orientation of the load-bearing grains in the shale as well as the volume of bound water. This process creates a weaker (more compactable) grain framework. When these changes occur without fluid export from the shale, some of the stress is transferred from the grains onto the fluid. Observed relationships between shale density and calculated effective stress in Gulf of Mexico shelf wells confirm these changes in shale properties with depth. Further, the density-effective stress changes cannot be explained by fluid-expansion or fluid-source processes or by prediagenesis compaction, but are consistent with a dynamic diagenetic modification of the shale mineralogy, texture, and compaction properties during burial. These findings support the incorporation of diagenetic modification of compaction properties as part of the fluid pressure interpretation process. ?? 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

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.

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.

IMPROVED WELL PLUGGING EQUIPMENT AND WASTE MANGEMENT TECHNIQUES EXCEED ALARA GOALS AT THE OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY

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

Whiteside, R.; Pawlowicz, R.; Whitehead, L.

2002-02-25

In 2000, Bechtel Jacobs Company LLC (BJC) contracted Tetra Tech NUS, Inc. (TtNUS) and their sub-contractor, Texas World Operations, Inc. (TWO), to plug and abandon (P&A) 111 wells located in the Melton Valley area of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). One hundred and seven of those wells were used to monitor fluid movement and subsurface containment of the low level radioactive liquid waste/grout slurry that was injected into the Pumpkin Valley Shale Formation, underlying ORNL. Four wells were used as hydrofracture injection wells to emplace the waste in the shale formation. Although the practice of hydrofracturing was and is consideredmore » by many to pose no threat to human health or the environment, the practice was halted in 1982 after the Federal Underground Injection Control regulations were enacted by United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) making it necessary to properly close the wells. The work is being performed for the United States Department of Energy Oak Ridge Operations (DOE ORO). The project team is using the philosophy of minimum waste generation and the principles of ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) as key project goals to minimize personnel and equipment exposure, waste generation, and project costs. Achievement of these goals was demonstrated by the introduction of several new pieces of custom designed well plugging and abandonment equipment that were tested and used effectively during field operations. Highlights of the work performed and the equipment used are presented.« less

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.

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.

Environmental risks and problems of the optimal management of an oil shale semi-coke and ash landfill in Kohtla-Järve, Estonia.

PubMed

Vallner, Leo; Gavrilova, Olga; Vilu, Raivo

2015-08-15

The main wastes of the Estonian shale oil industry - oil shale semi-coke and ashes - are deposited in landfills. The Kohtla-Järve oil shale semi-coke and ash landfill, which is likely the largest of its kind in the World, was started in 1938. The environmental risks connected with the landfill were assessed and prioritized. The most significant hazard to human health is emission of harmful landfill gases and the water contamination in the local river network is harmful for aqueous organisms. The spatial expansion of subsurface contamination predicted by the groundwater transport model completed is practically insignificant from the viewpoint of health services. The landfill's leachates must be captured and purified, and the closed part of the landfill should be covered by greenery. The partial landfill capping recently executed is useless. The EU Landfill Directive requirements imposed on the hydraulic resistance of geological barriers cannot prevent the leakage of contaminants from a landfill. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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)

Revegetation studies on Tosco II and USBM retorted oil shales

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

Kilkelly, M.K.; Harbert, H.P.; Berg, W.A.

1981-01-01

In 1973 studies on the revegetation of processed oil shales were initiated. The objectives of these studies were to investigate the vegetative stabilization of processed oil shales and to follow moisture and soluble salt movement in the retorted shale profile. Studies involving TOSCO II and USBM retorted shales were established at both a low-elevation (Anvil Points) and a high-elevation (Piceance Basin). Treatments included leaching and various depths of soil cover. After seven growing seasons a good vegetative cover remains with differences between treatments insignificant, with the exception of the TOSCO retorted shale south-aspect, which consistently supported less perennial vegetative covermore » than other treatments. With time, a shift from perennial grasses to dominance by shrubs was observed, especially on south-aspect slopes. 6 refs.« less

CONTROL OF SULFUR EMISSIONS FROM OIL SHALE RETORTING USING SPEND SHALE ABSORPTION

EPA Science Inventory

The paper gives results of a detailed engineering evaluation of the potential for using an absorption on spent shale process (ASSP) for controlling sulfur emissions from oil shale plants. The evaluation analyzes the potential effectiveness and cost of absorbing SO2 on combusted s...

Process for recovering products from oil shale

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

Jacobs, H.R.; Udell, K.S.

A process is claimed for recovering hydrocarbon products from a body of fragmented or rubblized oil shale. The process includes initiating a combustion zone adjacent the lower end of a body of oil shale and using the thermal energy therefrom for volatilizing the shale oil from the oil shale above the combustion front. Improved recovery of hydrocarbon products is realized by refluxing the heavier fractions in the volatilized shale oil. The heavier fractions are refluxed by condensing the heavier fractions and allowing the resulting condensate to flow downwardly toward the combustion front. Thermal energy from the combustion zone cracks themore » condensate producing additional lower molecular weight fractions and a carbonaceous residue. The carbonaceous residue is burned in the combustion front to supply the thermal energy. The temperature of the combustion front is maintained by regulating input of oxygen to the combustion zone. The process also includes sweeping the volatilized products from the rubblized oil shale with a noncombustible gas. The flow rate of sweep gas is also controlled to regulate the temperature of the combustion front. The recovered products can be enriched with hydrogen by using water vapor as part of the noncombustible sweep gas and cracking the water vapor with the hot carbon in the combustion front to produce hydrogen and an oxide of carbon.« less

43 CFR 3922.10 - Application processing fee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT (3000) OIL SHALE LEASING Application Processing... process for a competitive oil shale lease is as follows: (1) The applicant nominating the tract for...

43 CFR 3922.10 - Application processing fee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR RANGE MANAGEMENT (4000) OIL SHALE LEASING Application Processing... process for a competitive oil shale lease is as follows: (1) The applicant nominating the tract for...

43 CFR 3922.10 - Application processing fee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT (3000) OIL SHALE LEASING Application Processing... process for a competitive oil shale lease is as follows: (1) The applicant nominating the tract for...

43 CFR 3922.10 - Application processing fee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT (3000) OIL SHALE LEASING Application Processing... process for a competitive oil shale lease is as follows: (1) The applicant nominating the tract for...

Regional hydrogeological screening characteristics used for siting near-surface waste-disposal facilities in Oklahoma, U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, K.S.

1991-01-01

The Oklahoma Geological Survey has developed several maps and reports for preliminary screening of the state of Oklahoma to identify areas that are generally acceptable or unacceptable for disposal of a wide variety of waste materials. These maps and reports focus on the geologic and hydrogeologic parameters that must be evaluated in the screening process. One map (and report) shows the outcrop distribution of 35 thick shale or clay units that are generally suitable for use as host rocks for surface disposal of wastes. A second map shows the distribution of unconsolidated alluvial and terrace-deposit aquifers, and a third map shows the distribution and hydrologic character of bedrock aquifers and their recharge areas. These latter two maps show the areas in the state where special attention must be exercised in permitting storage or disposal of waste materials that could degrade the quality of groundwater. State regulatory agencies and industry are using these maps and reports in preliminary screening of the state to identify potential disposal sites. These maps in no way replace the need for site-specific investigations to prove (or disprove) the adequacy of a site to safely contain waste materials. ?? 1991 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

Geotechnical Properties of Oil Shale Retorted by the PARAHO and TOSCO Processes.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-11-01

literature search was restricted to the Green River formation of oil shale in the tri-state area of Colorado (Piceance Basin ), Utah ( Uinta Basin ), and...it is preheated by combustion gases as it travels downward by gravity. Air and recycling gas are injected at midheight and are burned, bringing the oil ...REFERENCES..................................38 TABLES 1-5 APPENDIX A: OIL SHALE RETORTING PROCESSES................Al Tosco Process Gas Combustion

Preliminary hydrogeologic investigation of the Maxey Flats radioactive waste burial site, Fleming County, Kentucky

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zehner, Harold H.

1979-01-01

Burial trenches at the Maxey Flats radioactive waste burial site , Fleming County, Ky., cover an area of about 0.03 square mile, and are located on a plateau, about 300 to 400 feet above surrounding valleys. Although surface-water characteristics are known, little information is available regarding the ground-water hydrology of the Maxey Flats area. If transport of radionuclides from the burial site were to occur, water would probably be the principal mechanism of transport by natural means. Most base flow in streams around the burial site is from valley alluvium, and from the mantle of regolith, colluvium, and soil partially covering adjacent hills. Very little base flow is due to ground-water flow from bedrock. Most water in springs is from the mantle, rather than from bedrock. Rock units underlying the Maxey Flats area are, in descending order, the Nancy and Farmers Members of the Borden Formation, Sunbury, Bedford, and Ohio Shales, and upper part of the Crab Orchard Formation. These units are mostly shales, except for the Farmers Member, which is mostly sandstone. Total thickness of the rocks is about 320 feet. All radioactive wastes are buried in the Nancy Member. Most ground-water movement in bedrock probably occurs in fractures. The ground-water system at Maxey Flats is probably unconfined, and recharge occurs by (a) infiltration of rainfall into the mantle, and (b) vertical, unsaturated flow from the saturated regolith on hilltops to saturated zones in the Farmers Member and Ohio Shale. Data are insufficient to determine if saturated zones exist in other rock units. The upper part of the Crab Orchard Formation is probably a hydrologic boundary, with little ground-water flow through the formation. (USGS)

FIELD STUDIES ON USBM AND TOSCO II RETORTED OIL SHALES: VEGETATION, MOISTURE, SALINITY, AND RUNOFF, 1977-1980

EPA Science Inventory

Field studies were initiated in 1973 to investigate the vegetative stabilization of processed oil shales and to follow moisture and soluble salt movement within the soil/shale profile. Research plots with two types of retorted shales (TOSCO II and USBM) with leaching and soil cov...

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...

Microbial communities in flowback water impoundments from hydraulic fracturing for recovery of shale gas.

PubMed

Murali Mohan, Arvind; Hartsock, Angela; Hammack, Richard W; Vidic, Radisav D; Gregory, Kelvin B

2013-12-01

Hydraulic fracturing for natural gas extraction from shale produces waste brine known as flowback that is impounded at the surface prior to reuse and/or disposal. During impoundment, microbial activity can alter the fate of metals including radionuclides, give rise to odorous compounds, and result in biocorrosion that complicates water and waste management and increases production costs. Here, we describe the microbial ecology at multiple depths of three flowback impoundments from the Marcellus shale that were managed differently. 16S rRNA gene clone libraries revealed that bacterial communities in the untreated and biocide-amended impoundments were depth dependent, diverse, and most similar to species within the taxa γ-proteobacteria, α-proteobacteria, δ-proteobacteria, Clostridia, Synergistetes, Thermotogae, Spirochetes, and Bacteroidetes. The bacterial community in the pretreated and aerated impoundment was uniform with depth, less diverse, and most similar to known iodide-oxidizing bacteria in the α-proteobacteria. Archaea were identified only in the untreated and biocide-amended impoundments and were affiliated to the Methanomicrobia class. This is the first study of microbial communities in flowback water impoundments from hydraulic fracturing. The findings expand our knowledge of microbial diversity of an emergent and unexplored environment and may guide the management of flowback impoundments. © 2013 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

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.

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.

Colorado oil shale: the current status, October 1979

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

Not Available

1979-01-01

A general background to oil shale and the potential impacts of its development is given. A map containing the names and locations of current oil shale holdings is included. The history, geography, archaeology, ecology, water resources, air quality, energy resources, land use, sociology, transportation, and electric power for the state of Colorado are discussed. The Colorado Joint Review Process Stages I, II, and III-oil shale are explained. Projected shale oil production capacity to 1990 is presented. (DC)

Methanogenic archaea in marcellus shale: a possible mechanism for enhanced gas recovery in unconventional shale resources.

PubMed

Tucker, Yael Tarlovsky; Kotcon, James; Mroz, Thomas

2015-06-02

Marcellus Shale occurs at depths of 1.5-2.5 km (5000 to 8000 feet) where most geologists generally assume that thermogenic processes are the only source of natural gas. However, methanogens in produced fluids and isotopic signatures of biogenic methane in this deep shale have recently been discovered. This study explores whether those methanogens are indigenous to the shale or are introduced during drilling and hydraulic fracturing. DNA was extracted from Marcellus Shale core samples, preinjected fluids, and produced fluids and was analyzed using Miseq sequencing of 16s rRNA genes. Methanogens present in shale cores were similar to methanogens in produced fluids. No methanogens were detected in injected fluids, suggesting that this is an unlikely source and that they may be native to the shale itself. Bench-top methane production tests of shale core and produced fluids suggest that these organisms are alive and active under simulated reservoir conditions. Growth conditions designed to simulate the hydrofracture processes indicated somewhat increased methane production; however, fluids alone produced relatively little methane. Together, these results suggest that some biogenic methane may be produced in these wells and that hydrofracture fluids currently used to stimulate gas recovery could stimulate methanogens and their rate of producing methane.

Drinking water while fracking: now and in the future.

PubMed

Brantley, Susan L

2015-01-01

The data provided by the PA DEP are incomplete because confidential data are not released. It is impossible to make firm conclusions about water quality impacts when data availability is limited. Nonetheless, the PA experience appears to be characterized by a low rate of problems per gas well or unit of gas produced. Only about 160 of the complaints from homeowners about groundwater to the PA DEP between 2008 and 2012 were problems attributed to oil and gas activity—and only half of these were caused by companies known to drill unconventional shale wells. These problematic wells in turn represent only 0.1 to 1% of the unconventional shale gas wells drilled in that time period (Brantley et al. 2014). Management practices appear to be improving as well; the rate of problems has decreased since 2010 (Figure 1). Apparently, however, the public responds not only to the number of problems per gas well or per unit of gas produced but rather to the number of problems per unit time and per unit area. Thus, even though the r ate of problems with shale gas wells has remained small on a per well basis, pushback has grown in areas of increasing density of drilling and fracking. This may be especially true when consequences are fearsome such as flaming tapwater, toxic contamination, or earthquakes. It is natural that the social license for shale gas development is influenced by short-term, local thinking. But, such thinking may not be helpful given that Marcellus Shale gas wells generate one third the waste per unit volume of gas as compared to conventional shallow gas wells (Vidic et al. 2013). In addition, the release of pollutants such as carbon dioxide, particulates, mercury, nitrogen, and sulfur generated per unit of heat energy is lower f or unconventional shale gas than for fuels such as coal (Heath et al. 2014). Public pushback could nonetheless be a blessing. After all, pushback represents intensified interest in environmental issues. This interest may be seen in the PA DEP data for the rate of well integrity issues in conventional oil and gas wells—the increase in problem rate from 2008 to 2012 (Figure 1) is more likely due to heightened public attention and inspector scrutiny rather than a sudden deterioration in the management practices of the drilling companies (Brantley et al. 2014) During the next decades, the rate of hydraulic fracturing in PA will eventually slow. At some point, the use of produced brines to hydrofracture new wells will cease. Once recycling of brine to frack new wells stops, hundreds of gallons of brine will accumulate as waste at each well per day (Rahm et al. 2013). Disposal of this slightly radioactive brine will then become increasingly problematic. Interest on the part of the public for such issues is warranted. Public engagement today is needed to develop sustainable waste management and sustainable energy practices for the future.

Combustion heater for oil shale

DOEpatents

Mallon, R.; Walton, O.; Lewis, A.E.; Braun, R.

1983-09-21

A combustion heater for oil shale heats particles of spent oil shale containing unburned char by burning the char. A delayed fall is produced by flowing the shale particles down through a stack of downwardly sloped overlapping baffles alternately extending from opposite sides of a vertical column. The delayed fall and flow reversal occurring in passing from each baffle to the next increase the residence time and increase the contact of the oil shale particles with combustion supporting gas flowed across the column to heat the shale to about 650 to 700/sup 0/C for use as a process heat source.

Combustion heater for oil shale

DOEpatents

Mallon, Richard G.; Walton, Otis R.; Lewis, Arthur E.; Braun, Robert L.

1985-01-01

A combustion heater for oil shale heats particles of spent oil shale containing unburned char by burning the char. A delayed fall is produced by flowing the shale particles down through a stack of downwardly sloped overlapping baffles alternately extending from opposite sides of a vertical column. The delayed fall and flow reversal occurring in passing from each baffle to the next increase the residence time and increase the contact of the oil shale particles with combustion supporting gas flowed across the column to heat the shale to about 650.degree.-700.degree. C. for use as a process heat source.

Restore the change process of Longmaxi shale pore structure during the diagenesis by the potassium and the magnesium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, W.

2016-12-01

The pore structure of Longmaxi shale was changing during the diagenetic process, mainly caused by the illitization and serpentinzation. The evolution of shale pore structure mainly relates to the element migration. Based on the result of electron microprobe analyser (EMPA), it is possible to find the distribution of element in shale directly and to distinguish the destroyed primary pore structure as element will remain in the migration way. The migration of potassium in Longmaxi shale mainly happened during early diagenesis phase to middle diagenesis phase (Geothermal temperature: 60°-140°). During the illitization, potassium mainly came from potassium feldspar, migrated though the connected pore structure and reacted with smectite. Illite and illite/smectite in Longmaxi shale distribute continuously in 10micron-level flocculent formation, which means that primary connective pore structure in Longmaxi shale has a same scale. The concentration of potassium has an obvious gradient that potassium content in middle of flocculation of Illite/smectite is about 6.8% and 4.8% in the boundary parts (Fig.). In addition, as SiO2 was generated during the illitization, which makes Longmaxi shale very compacted. The migration of magnesium in Longmaxi shale happened during low temperature serpentinization (Geothermal temperature: 140°-350°). Magnesium mainly came from dolomite and migrated in primary pores. According to the result of EMPA, it can be recognized that the migration path of magnesium is much simpler than potassium, which is caused as serpentinization do not have much reaction with clay minerals around (Fig.). Serpentine jams the primary pores of Longmaxi shale too. As reaction temperature of serpentinization is higher than illitization and serpentine is inserts in illite/smectite, the formation process of Longmaxi shale pore structure can be mainly divided into two phases: geothermal temperature˜140° and˜140°.

Apparatus for oil shale retorting

DOEpatents

Lewis, Arthur E.; Braun, Robert L.; Mallon, Richard G.; Walton, Otis R.

1986-01-01

A cascading bed retorting process and apparatus in which cold raw crushed shale enters at the middle of a retort column into a mixer stage where it is rapidly mixed with hot recycled shale and thereby heated to pyrolysis temperature. The heated mixture then passes through a pyrolyzer stage where it resides for a sufficient time for complete pyrolysis to occur. The spent shale from the pyrolyzer is recirculated through a burner stage where the residual char is burned to heat the shale which then enters the mixer stage.

Estimating Hydraulic Conductivities in a Fractured Shale Formation from Pressure Pulse Testing and 3d Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Courbet, C.; DICK, P.; Lefevre, M.; Wittebroodt, C.; Matray, J.; Barnichon, J.

2013-12-01

In the framework of its research on the deep disposal of radioactive waste in shale formations, the French Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) has developed a large array of in situ programs concerning the confining properties of shales in their underground research laboratory at Tournemire (SW France). One of its aims is to evaluate the occurrence and processes controlling radionuclide migration through the host rock, from the disposal system to the biosphere. Past research programs carried out at Tournemire covered mechanical, hydro-mechanical and physico-chemical properties of the Tournemire shale as well as water chemistry and long-term behaviour of the host rock. Studies show that fluid circulations in the undisturbed matrix are very slow (hydraulic conductivity of 10-14 to 10-15 m.s-1). However, recent work related to the occurrence of small scale fractures and clay-rich fault gouges indicate that fluid circulations may have been significantly modified in the vicinity of such features. To assess the transport properties associated with such faults, IRSN designed a series of in situ and laboratory experiments to evaluate the contribution of both diffusive and advective process on water and solute flux through a clay-rich fault zone (fault core and damaged zone) and in an undisturbed shale formation. As part of these studies, Modular Mini-Packer System (MMPS) hydraulic testing was conducted in multiple boreholes to characterize hydraulic conductivities within the formation. Pressure data collected during the hydraulic tests were analyzed using the nSIGHTS (n-dimensional Statistical Inverse Graphical Hydraulic Test Simulator) code to estimate hydraulic conductivity and formation pressures of the tested intervals. Preliminary results indicate hydraulic conductivities of 5.10-12 m.s-1 in the fault core and damaged zone and 10-14 m.s-1 in the adjacent undisturbed shale. Furthermore, when compared with neutron porosity data from borehole logging, porosity varies by a factor of 2.5 whilst hydraulic conductivity varies by 2 to 3 orders of magnitude. In addition, a 3D numerical reconstruction of the internal structure of the fault zone inferred from borehole imagery has been built to estimate the permeability tensor variations. First results indicate that hydraulic conductivity values calculated for this structure are 2 to 3 orders of magnitude above those measured in situ. Such high values are due to the imaging method that only takes in to account open fractures of simple geometry (sine waves). Even though improvements are needed to handle more complex geometry, outcomes are promising as the fault damaged zone clearly appears as the highest permeability zone, where stress analysis show that the actual stress state may favor tensile reopening of fractures. Using shale samples cored from the different internal structures of the fault zone, we aim now to characterize the advection and diffusion using laboratory petrophysical tests combined with radial and through-diffusion experiments.

Comparative Human Toxicity Impact of Electricity Produced from Shale Gas and Coal.

PubMed

Chen, Lu; Miller, Shelie A; Ellis, Brian R

2017-11-07

The human toxicity impact (HTI) of electricity produced from shale gas is lower than the HTI of electricity produced from coal, with 90% confidence using a Monte Carlo Analysis. Two different impact assessment methods estimate the HTI of shale gas electricity to be 1-2 orders of magnitude less than the HTI of coal electricity (0.016-0.024 DALY/GWh versus 0.69-1.7 DALY/GWh). Further, an implausible shale gas scenario where all fracturing fluid and untreated produced water is discharged directly to surface water throughout the lifetime of a well also has a lower HTI than coal electricity. Particulate matter dominates the HTI for both systems, representing a much larger contribution to the overall toxicity burden than VOCs or any aquatic emission. Aquatic emissions can become larger contributors to the HTI when waste products are inadequately disposed or there are significant infrastructure or equipment failures. Large uncertainty and lack of exposure data prevent a full risk assessment; however, the results of this analysis provide a comparison of relative toxicity, which can be used to identify target areas for improvement and assess potential trade-offs with other environmental impacts.

Lithologic Controls on Critical Zone Processes in a Variably Metamorphosed Shale-Hosted Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eldam Pommer, R.; Navarre-Sitchler, A.

2017-12-01

Local and regional shifts in thermal maturity within sedimentary shale systems impart significant variation in chemical and physical rock properties, such as pore-network morphology, mineralogy, organic carbon content, and solute release potential. Even slight variations in these properties on a watershed scale can strongly impact surface and shallow subsurface processes that drive soil formation, landscape evolution, and bioavailability of nutrients. Our ability to map and quantify the effects of this heterogeneity on critical zone processes is hindered by the complex coupling of the multi-scale nature of rock properties, geochemical signatures, and hydrological processes. This study addresses each of these complexities by synthesizing chemical and physical characteristics of variably metamorphosed shales in order to link rock heterogeneity with modern earth surface and shallow subsurface processes. More than 80 samples of variably metamorphosed Mancos Shale were collected in the East River Valley, Colorado, a headwater catchment of the Upper Colorado River Basin. Chemical and physical analyses of the samples show that metamorphism decreases overall rock porosity, pore anisotropy, and surface area, and introduces unique chemical signatures. All of these changes result in lower overall solute release from the Mancos Shale in laboratory dissolution experiments and a change in rock-derived solute chemistry with decreasing organic carbon and cation exchange capacity (Ca, Na, Mg, and K). The increase in rock competency and decrease in reactivity of the more thermally mature shales appear to subsequently control river morphology, with lower channel sinuosity associated with areas of the catchment underlain by metamorphosed Mancos Shale. This work illustrates the formative role of the geologic template on critical zone processes and landscape development within and across watersheds.

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.

Impact of Oxidative Dissolution on Black Shale Fracturing: Implication for Shale Fracturing Treatment Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

You, L.; Chen, Q.; Kang, Y.; Cheng, Q.; Sheng, J.

2017-12-01

Black shales contain a large amount of environment-sensitive compositions, e.g., clay minerals, carbonate, siderite, pyrite, and organic matter. There have been numerous studies on the black shales compositional and pore structure changes caused by oxic environments. However, most of the studies did not focus on their ability to facilitate shale fracturing. To test the redox-sensitive aspects of shale fracturing and its potentially favorable effects on hydraulic fracturing in shale gas reservoirs, the induced microfractures of Longmaxi black shales exposed to deionized water, hydrochloric acid, and hydrogen peroxide at room-temperature for 240 hours were imaged by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and CT-scanning in this paper. Mineral composition, acoustic emission, swelling, and zeta potential of the untreated and oxidative treatment shale samples were also recorded to decipher the coupled physical and chemical effects of oxidizing environments on shale fracturing processes. Results show that pervasive microfractures (Fig.1) with apertures ranging from tens of nanometers to tens of microns formed in response to oxidative dissolution by hydrogen peroxide, whereas no new microfracture was observed after the exposure to deionized water and hydrochloric acid. The trajectory of these oxidation-induced microfractures was controlled by the distribution of phyllosilicate framework and flaky or stringy organic matter in shale. The experiments reported in this paper indicate that black shales present the least resistance to crack initiation and subcritical slow propagation in hydrogen peroxide, a process we refer to as oxidation-sensitive fracturing, which are closely related to the expansive stress of clay minerals, dissolution of redox-sensitive compositions, destruction of phyllosilicate framework, and the much lower zeta potential of hydrogen peroxide solution-shale system. It could mean that the injection of fracturing water with strong oxidizing aqueous solution may play an important role in improving hydraulic fracturing of shale formation by reducing the energy requirements for crack growth. However, additional work is needed to the selection of highly-effective, economical, and environmentally friendly oxidants.

Preliminary view of geotechnical properties of soft rocks of Semanggol formation at Pokok Sena, Kedah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, N. R.; Jamin, N. H.

2018-04-01

The research was inspired by series of geological studies on Semanggol formation found exposed at North Perak, South Kedah and North Kedah. The chert unit comprised interbedded chert-shale rocks are the main lithologies sampled in a small-scale outcrop of Pokok Sena area. Black shale materials were also observed associated with these sedimentary rocks. The well-known characteristics of shale that may swell when absorb water and leave shrinkage when dried make the formation weaker when load is applied on it. The presence of organic materials may worsen the condition apart from the other factors such as the history of geological processes and depositional environment. Thus, this research is important to find the preliminary relations of the geotechnical properties of soft rocks and the geological reasoning behind it. Series of basic soil tests and 1-D compression tests were carried out to obtain the soil parameters. The results obtained gave some preliminary insight to mechanical behaviour of these two samples. The black shale and weathered interbedded chert-shale were classified as sandy-clayey-SILT and clayey-silty-SAND respectively. The range of specific gravity of black shale and interbedded chert/shale 2.3 – 2.6 and fall in the common range of shale and chert specific gravity value. In terms of degree of plasticity, the interbedded chert/shale samples exhibit higher plastic degree compared to the black shale samples. Results from oedometer tests showed that black shale samples had higher overburden pressure (Pc) throughout its lifetime compare to weathered interbedded chert-shale, however the compression index (Cc) of black shale were 0.15 – 0.185 which was higher than that found in interbedded chert-shale. The geotechnical properties of these two samples were explained in correlation with their provenance and their history of geological processes involved which predominantly dictated the mechanical behaviour of these two samples.

Characterization of Unconventional Reservoirs: CO2 Induced Petrophysics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verba, C.; Goral, J.; Washburn, A.; Crandall, D.; Moore, J.

2017-12-01

As concerns about human-driven CO2 emissions grow, it is critical to develop economically and environmentally effective strategies to mitigate impacts associated with fossil energy. Geologic carbon storage (GCS) is a potentially promising technique which involves the injection of captured CO2 into subsurface formations. Unconventional shale formations are attractive targets for GCS while concurrently improving gas recovery. However, shales are inherently heterogeneous, and minor differences can impact the ability of the shale to effectively adsorb and store CO2. Understanding GCS capacity from such endemic heterogeneities is further complicated by the complex geochemical processes which can dynamically alter shale petrophysics. We investigated the size distribution, connectivity, and type (intraparticle, interparticle, and organic) of pores in shale; the mineralogy of cores from unconventional shale (e.g. Bakken); and the changes to these properties under simulated GCS conditions. Electron microscopy and dual beam focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy were used to reconstruct 2D/3D digital matrix and pore structures. Comparison of pre and post-reacted samples gives insights into CO2-shale interactions - such as the mechanism of CO2 sorption in shales- intended for enhanced oil recovery and GCS initiatives. These comparisons also show how geochemical processes proceed differently across shales based on their initial diagenesis. Results show that most shale pore sizes fall within meso-macro pore classification (> 2 nm), but have variable porosity and organic content. The formation of secondary minerals (calcite, gypsum, and halite) may play a role in the infilling of fractures and pore spaces in the shale, which may reduce permeability and inhibit the flow of fluids.

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.

Remedial site evaluation report for the waste area grouping 10 wells associated with the new hydrofracture facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Volume 1: Evaluation, interpretation, and data summary

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

NONE

1996-08-01

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, is operated for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) by Lockheed Martin Energy System (Energy Systems). ORNL has pioneered waste disposal technologies since World War II as part of its DOE mission. In the late 1950s, at the request of the National Academy of Sciences, efforts were made to develop a permanent disposal alternative to the surface and tanks at ORNL. One such technology, the hydrofracture process, involved inducing fractures in a geologic host formation (a low-permeability shale) at depths of up to 1100 ft and injecting a radioactive groutmore » slurry containing low-level liquid or tank sludge waste, cement, and other additives at an injection pressure of 2000 to 8500 psi. The objective of the effort was to develop a grout dig could be injected as a slurry and would solidify after injection, thereby entombing the radioisotopes contained in the low-level liquid or tank sludge waste. Four sites at ORNL were used: two experimental (HF-1 and HF-2); one developmental, later converted to batch process [Old Hydrofracture Facility (BF-3)]; and one production facility [New Hydrofracture Facility (BF-4)]. This document provides the environmental, restoration program with information about the the results of an evaluation of WAG 10 wells associated with the New Hydrofracture Facility at ORNL.« less

Reactivity of Dazomet, a Hydraulic Fracturing Additive: Hydrolysis and Interaction with Pyrite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Consolazio, N.; Lowry, G. V.; Karamalidis, A.; Hakala, A.

2015-12-01

The Marcellus Shale is currently the largest shale gas formation in play across the world. The low-permeability formation requires hydraulic fracturing to be produced. In this process, millions of gallons of water are blended with chemical additives and pumped into each well to fracture the reservoir rock. Although additives account for less than 2% of the fracking fluid mixture, they amount to hundreds of tons per frack job. The environmental properties of some of these additives have been studied, but their behavior under downhole conditions is not widely reported in the peer-reviewed literature. These compounds and their reaction products may return to the surface as produced or waste water. In the event of a spill or release, this water has the potential to contaminate surface soil and water. Of these additives, biocides may present a formidable challenge to water quality. Biocides are toxic compounds (by design), typically added to the Marcellus Shale to control bacteria in the well. An assessment of the most frequently used biocides indicated a need to study the chemical dazomet under reservoir conditions. The Marcellus Shale contains significant deposits of pyrite. This is a ubiquitous mineral within black shales that is known to react with organic compounds in both oxic and anoxic settings. Thus, the objective of our study was to determine the effect of pyrite on the hydrolysis of dazomet. Liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-QQQ) was used to calculate the loss rate of aqueous dazomet. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to identify the reaction products. Our experiments show that in water, dazomet rapidly hydrolyses in water to form organic and inorganic transformation products. This reaction rate was unaffected when performed under anoxic conditions. However, with pyrite we found an appreciable increase in the removal rate of dazomet. This was accompanied by a corresponding change in the distribution of observed reaction products. Our results indicate the need to determine specific mineral-additive interactions to evaluate the potential risks of chemical use in hydraulic fracturing.

Shale Gas Well, Hydraulic Fracturing, and Formation Data to Support Modeling of Gas and Water Flow in Shale Formations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, Ryan W. J.; Celia, Michael A.

2018-04-01

The potential for shale gas development and hydraulic fracturing to cause subsurface water contamination has prompted a number of modeling studies to assess the risk. A significant impediment for conducting robust modeling is the lack of comprehensive publicly available information and data about the properties of shale formations, shale wells, the process of hydraulic fracturing, and properties of the hydraulic fractures. We have collated a substantial amount of these data that are relevant for modeling multiphase flow of water and gas in shale gas formations. We summarize these data and their sources in tabulated form.

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.

Unconventional Liquid Flow in Low-Permeability Media: Theory and Revisiting Darcy's Law

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, H. H.; Chen, J.

2017-12-01

About 80% of fracturing fluid remains in shale formations after hydraulic fracturing and the flow back process. It is critical to understand and accurately model the flow process of fracturing fluids in a shale formation, because the flow has many practical applications for shale gas recovery. Owing to the strong solid-liquid interaction in low-permeability media, Darcy's law is not always adequate for describing liquid flow process in a shale formation. This non-Darcy flow behavior (characterized by nonlinearity of the relationship between liquid flux and hydraulic gradient), however, has not been given enough attention in the shale gas community. The current study develops a systematic methodology to address this important issue. We developed a phenomenological model for liquid flow in shale (in which liquid flux is a power function of pressure gradient), an extension of the conventional Darcy's law, and also a methodology to estimate parameters for the phenomenological model from spontaneous imbibition tests. The validity of our new developments is verified by satisfactory comparisons of theoretical results and observations from our and other research groups. The relative importance of this non-Darcy liquid flow for hydrocarbon production in unconventional reservoirs remains an issue that needs to be further investigated.

Dry Volume Fracturing Simulation of Shale Gas Reservoir

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Guixi; Wang, Shuzhong; Luo, Xiangrong; Jing, Zefeng

2017-11-01

Application of CO2 dry fracturing technology to shale gas reservoir development in China has advantages of no water consumption, little reservoir damage and promoting CH4 desorption. This paper uses Meyer simulation to study complex fracture network extension and the distribution characteristics of shale gas reservoirs in the CO2 dry volume fracturing process. The simulation results prove the validity of the modified CO2 dry fracturing fluid used in shale volume fracturing and provides a theoretical basis for the following study on interval optimization of the shale reservoir dry volume fracturing.

Refining of Military Jet Fuels from Shale Oil. Part II. Volume II. (In Situ Shale Oil Process Data).

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-03-01

SPEC Meeting Specifications OXY Test Series on In Situ Shale Oil z P Pressure (P + N) Paraffins and Naphthenes PRO Test Series on Above Ground Shale Oil...LV 6/ 12.0 Naphthenes , LV% (Aromatics, LV %/ 11.8 Gross Heating Value, Btu/lb 19,720 19,068 -73- TABLE 111-29. CRUDE SHALE: OIL HYDROTREATING SERIES M...Wt % - Ramabottomn Carbon -1.34 IParaffins (P-IN), LV % (71.1) -IOlef ins, LV % 9.4 i ~ Naphthenes , LV% - Aromatics, LV % 19.5 - Gross Heating Value

Observations of the release of non-methane hydrocarbons from fractured shale.

PubMed

Sommariva, Roberto; Blake, Robert S; Cuss, Robert J; Cordell, Rebecca L; Harrington, Jon F; White, Iain R; Monks, Paul S

2014-01-01

The organic content of shale has become of commercial interest as a source of hydrocarbons, owing to the development of hydraulic fracturing ("fracking"). While the main focus is on the extraction of methane, shale also contains significant amounts of non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs). We describe the first real-time observations of the release of NMHCs from a fractured shale. Samples from the Bowland-Hodder formation (England) were analyzed under different conditions using mass spectrometry, with the objective of understanding the dynamic process of gas release upon fracturing of the shale. A wide range of NMHCs (alkanes, cycloalkanes, aromatics, and bicyclic hydrocarbons) are released at parts per million or parts per billion level with temperature- and humidity-dependent release rates, which can be rationalized in terms of the physicochemical characteristics of different hydrocarbon classes. Our results indicate that higher energy inputs (i.e., temperatures) significantly increase the amount of NMHCs released from shale, while humidity tends to suppress it; additionally, a large fraction of the gas is released within the first hour after the shale has been fractured. These findings suggest that other hydrocarbons of commercial interest may be extracted from shale and open the possibility to optimize the "fracking" process, improving gas yields and reducing environmental impacts.

Shale Gas Implications for C2-C3 Olefin Production: Incumbent and Future Technology.

PubMed

Stangland, Eric E

2018-06-07

Substantial natural gas liquids recovery from tight shale formations has produced a significant boon for the US chemical industry. As fracking technology improves, shale liquids may represent the same for other geographies. As with any major industry disruption, the advent of shale resources permits both the chemical industry and the community an excellent opportunity to have open, foundational discussions on how both public and private institutions should research, develop, and utilize these resources most sustainably. This review summarizes current chemical industry processes that use ethane and propane from shale gas liquids to produce the two primary chemical olefins of the industry: ethylene and propylene. It also discusses simplified techno-economics related to olefins production from an industry perspective, attempting to provide a mutually beneficial context in which to discuss the next generation of sustainable olefin process development.

Natural attenuation of trichloroethylene in fractured shale bedrock.

PubMed

Lenczewski, M; Jardine, P; McKay, L; Layton, A

2003-07-01

This paper describes one of the first well-documented field examples of natural attenuation of trichloroethylene (TCE) in groundwater in a fractured shale bedrock. The study was carried out adjacent to a former waste burial site in Waste Area Grouping 5 (WAG5) on the Oak Ridge Reservation, Oak Ridge, TN. A contaminant plume containing TCE and its daughter products were detected downgradient from the buried waste pits, with most of the contamination occurring in the upper 6 m of the bedrock. The monitoring well array consists of a 35-m-long transect of multilevel sampling wells, situated along a line between the waste pits and a seep which discharges into a small stream. Concentrations of volatile organic carbons (VOCs) were highest in the waste trenches and decreased with distance downgradient towards the seep. Sampling wells indicated the presence of overlapping plumes of TCE, cis-dichloroethylene (cDCE), vinyl chloride (VC), ethylene, ethane, and methane, with the daughter products extending further downgradient than the parent (TCE). This type of distribution suggests anaerobic biodegradation. Measurements of redox potential at the site indicated that iron-reduction, sulfate reduction, and potentially methanogensis were occurring and are conducive to dechlorination of TCE. Bacteria enrichment of groundwater samples revealed the presence of methanotrophs, methanogens, iron-reducing bacteria and sulfate-reducing bacteria, all of which have previously been implicated in anaerobic biodegradation of TCE. 16S rDNA sequence from DNA extracted from two wells were similar to sequences of organisms previously implicated in the anaerobic biodegradation of chlorinated solvents. The combined data strongly suggest that anaerobic biodegradation of the highly chlorinated compounds is occurring. Aerobic biodegradation may also be occurring in oxygenated zones, including near a seep where groundwater exits the site, or in the upper bedrock during seasonal fluctuations in water table elevation and oxygen levels.

Biological treatment of fracturing waste liquid in a membrane-coupled internal circulation aerobic biological fluidized bed with the assistance of coagulation.

PubMed

Tu, Yizhou; Liu, Xing-Peng; Li, Hui-Qiang; Yang, Ping

2017-12-01

Fracturing waste liquid (FWL) is generated during shale gas extraction and contains high concentrations of suspended solid, salinity and organic compounds, which needs proper management to prevent excessive environmental disruption. Biological treatment of the FWL was attempted in this study using a membrane-coupled internal circulation aerobic biological fluidized bed (MC-ICABFB) after being treated by coagulation. The results showed that poly aluminum chloride (PAC) of 30 g/L, polyacrylamide (PAM) of 20 mg/L and pH of 7.0 were suitable choices for coagulation. The pretreated FWL mixed with synthetic wastewater at different ratios were used as the influent wastewater for the reactor. The MC-ICABFB had relatively good performance on COD and NH 4 + -N removal and the main residual organic compound in the effluent was phthalates according to the analysis of GC-MC profiles. In addition, a suitable pretreatment process for the FWL to facilitate biological treatment of the wastewater needs further research.

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.

Selling 'Fracking': Legitimation of High Speed Oil and Gas Extraction in the Marcellus Shale Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matz, Jacob R.

The advent of horizontal hydraulic fracture drilling, or 'fracking,' a technology used to access oil and natural gas deposits, has allowed for the extraction of deep, unconventional shale gas and oil deposits in various shale seams throughout the United States and world. One such shale seam, the Marcellus shale, extends from New York State, across Pennsylvania, and throughout West Virginia, where shale gas development has significantly increased within the last decade. This boom has created a massive amount of economic activity surrounding the energy industry, creating jobs for workers, income from leases and royalties for landowners, and profits for energy conglomerates. However, this bounty comes with risks to environmental and public health, and has led to divisive community polarization over the issue in the Marcellus shale region. In the face of potential environmental and social disruption, and a great deal of controversy surrounding 'fracking,' the oil and gas industry has had to undertake a myriad of public relations campaigns and initiatives to legitimize their extraction efforts in the Marcellus shale region, and to project the oil and gas industry in a positive light to residents, policy makers, and landowners. This thesis describes one such public relations initiative, the Energy in Depth Northeast Marcellus Initiative. Through qualitative content analysis of Energy in Depth's online web material, this thesis examines the ways in which the oil and gas industry narrates the shale gas boom in the Marcellus shale region, and the ways in which the industry frames the discourse surrounding natural gas development. Through the use of environmental imagery, appeals to scientific reason, and appeals to patriotism, the oil and gas industry uses Energy in Depth to frame the shale gas extraction process in a positive way, all the while framing those who question or oppose the processes of shale gas extraction as irrational obstructionists.

Generic repository design concepts and thermal analysis (FY11).

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

Howard, Robert; Dupont, Mark; Blink, James A.

2011-08-01

Reference concepts for geologic disposal of used nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste in the U.S. are developed, including geologic settings and engineered barriers. Repository thermal analysis is demonstrated for a range of waste types from projected future, advanced nuclear fuel cycles. The results show significant differences among geologic media considered (clay/shale, crystalline rock, salt), and also that waste package size and waste loading must be limited to meet targeted maximum temperature values. In this study, the UFD R&D Campaign has developed a set of reference geologic disposal concepts for a range of waste types that could potentially be generatedmore » in advanced nuclear FCs. A disposal concept consists of three components: waste inventory, geologic setting, and concept of operations. Mature repository concepts have been developed in other countries for disposal of spent LWR fuel and HLW from reprocessing UNF, and these serve as starting points for developing this set. Additional design details and EBS concepts will be considered as the reference disposal concepts evolve. The waste inventory considered in this study includes: (1) direct disposal of SNF from the LWR fleet, including Gen III+ advanced LWRs being developed through the Nuclear Power 2010 Program, operating in a once-through cycle; (2) waste generated from reprocessing of LWR UOX UNF to recover U and Pu, and subsequent direct disposal of used Pu-MOX fuel (also used in LWRs) in a modified-open cycle; and (3) waste generated by continuous recycling of metal fuel from fast reactors operating in a TRU burner configuration, with additional TRU material input supplied from reprocessing of LWR UOX fuel. The geologic setting provides the natural barriers, and establishes the boundary conditions for performance of engineered barriers. The composition and physical properties of the host medium dictate design and construction approaches, and determine hydrologic and thermal responses of the disposal system. Clay/shale, salt, and crystalline rock media are selected as the basis for reference mined geologic disposal concepts in this study, consistent with advanced international repository programs, and previous investigations in the U.S. The U.S. pursued deep geologic disposal programs in crystalline rock, shale, salt, and volcanic rock in the years leading up to the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, or NWPA (Rechard et al. 2011). The 1987 NWPA amendment act focused the U.S. program on unsaturated, volcanic rock at the Yucca Mountain site, culminating in the 2008 license application. Additional work on unsaturated, crystalline rock settings (e.g., volcanic tuff) is not required to support this generic study. Reference disposal concepts are selected for the media listed above and for deep borehole disposal, drawing from recent work in the U.S. and internationally. The main features of the repository concepts are discussed in Section 4.5 and summarized in Table ES-1. Temperature histories at the waste package surface and a specified distance into the host rock are calculated for combinations of waste types and reference disposal concepts, specifying waste package emplacement modes. Target maximum waste package surface temperatures are identified, enabling a sensitivity study to inform the tradeoff between the quantity of waste per disposal package, and decay storage duration, with respect to peak temperature at the waste package surface. For surface storage duration on the order of 100 years or less, waste package sizes for direct disposal of SNF are effectively limited to 4-PWR configurations (or equivalent size and output). Thermal results are summarized, along with recommendations for follow-on work including adding additional reference concepts, verification and uncertainty analysis for thermal calculations, developing descriptions of surface facilities and other system details, and cost estimation to support system-level evaluations.« less

Solar heated oil shale pyrolysis process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Qader, S. A. (Inventor)

1985-01-01

An improved system for recovery of a liquid hydrocarbon fuel from oil shale is presented. The oil shale pyrolysis system is composed of a retort reactor for receiving a bed of oil shale particules which are heated to pyrolyis temperature by means of a recycled solar heated gas stream. The gas stream is separated from the recovered shale oil and a portion of the gas stream is rapidly heated to pyrolysis temperature by passing it through an efficient solar heater. Steam, oxygen, air or other oxidizing gases can be injected into the recycle gas before or after the recycle gas is heated to pyrolysis temperature and thus raise the temperature before it enters the retort reactor. The use of solar thermal heat to preheat the recycle gas and optionally the steam before introducing it into the bed of shale, increases the yield of shale oil.

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

Harmon, K.M.; Lakey, L.T.; Leigh, I.W.

Worldwide activities related to nuclear fuel cycle and radioactive waste management programs are summarized. Several trends have developed in waste management strategy: All countries having to dispose of reprocessing wastes plan on conversion of the high-level waste (HLW) stream to a borosilicate glass and eventual emplacement of the glass logs, suitably packaged, in a deep geologic repository. Countries that must deal with plutonium-contaminated waste emphasize pluonium recovery, volume reduction and fixation in cement or bitumen in their treatment plans and expect to use deep geologic repositories for final disposal. Commercially available, classical engineering processing are being used worldwide to treatmore » and immobilize low- and intermediate-level wastes (LLW, ILW); disposal to surface structures, shallow-land burial and deep-underground repositories, such as played-out mines, is being done widely with no obvious technical problems. Many countries have established extensive programs to prepare for construction and operation of geologic repositories. Geologic media being studied fall into three main classes: argillites (clay or shale); crystalline rock (granite, basalt, gneiss or gabbro); and evaporates (salt formations). Most nations plan to allow 30 years or longer between discharge of fuel from the reactor and emplacement of HLW or spent fuel is a repository to permit thermal and radioactive decay. Most repository designs are based on the mined-gallery concept, placing waste or spent fuel packages into shallow holes in the floor of the gallery. Many countries have established extensive and costly programs of site evaluation, repository development and safety assessment. Two other waste management problems are the subject of major R and D programs in several countries: stabilization of uranium mill tailing piles; and immobilization or disposal of contaminated nuclear facilities, namely reactors, fuel cycle plants and R and D laboratories.« less

Experimental Study and Numerical Modeling of Fracture Propagation in Shale Rocks During Brazilian Disk Test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mousavi Nezhad, Mohaddeseh; Fisher, Quentin J.; Gironacci, Elia; Rezania, Mohammad

2018-06-01

Reliable prediction of fracture process in shale-gas rocks remains one of the most significant challenges for establishing sustained economic oil and gas production. This paper presents a modeling framework for simulation of crack propagation in heterogeneous shale rocks. The framework is on the basis of a variational approach, consistent with Griffith's theory. The modeling framework is used to reproduce the fracture propagation process in shale rock samples under standard Brazilian disk test conditions. Data collected from the experiments are employed to determine the testing specimens' tensile strength and fracture toughness. To incorporate the effects of shale formation heterogeneity in the simulation of crack paths, fracture properties of the specimens are defined as spatially random fields. A computational strategy on the basis of stochastic finite element theory is developed that allows to incorporate the effects of heterogeneity of shale rocks on the fracture evolution. A parametric study has been carried out to better understand how anisotropy and heterogeneity of the mechanical properties affect both direction of cracks and rock strength.

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.

Can shale safely host US nuclear waste?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Neuzil, C.E.

2013-01-01

"Even as cleanup efforts after Japan’s Fukushima disaster offer a stark reminder of the spent nuclear fuel (SNF) stored at nuclear plants worldwide, the decision in 2009 to scrap Yucca Mountain as a permanent disposal site has dimmed hope for a repository for SNF and other high-level nuclear waste (HLW) in the United States anytime soon. About 70,000 metric tons of SNF are now in pool or dry cask storage at 75 sites across the United States [Government Accountability Office, 2012], and uncertainty about its fate is hobbling future development of nuclear power, increasing costs for utilities, and creating a liability for American taxpayers [Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future, 2012].However, abandoning Yucca Mountain could also result in broadening geologic options for hosting America’s nuclear waste. Shales and other argillaceous formations (mudrocks, clays, and similar clay-rich media) have been absent from the U.S. repository program. In contrast, France, Switzerland, and Belgium are now planning repositories in argillaceous formations after extensive research in underground laboratories on the safety and feasibility of such an approach [Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future, 2012; Nationale Genossenschaft für die Lagerung radioaktiver Abfälle (NAGRA), 2010; Organisme national des déchets radioactifs et des matières fissiles enrichies, 2011]. Other nations, notably Japan, Canada, and the United Kingdom, are studying argillaceous formations or may consider them in their siting programs [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2012; Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), (2011a); Powell et al., 2010]."

Shales and other argillaceous strata in the United States

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

Gonzales, S.; Johnson, K.S.

This report presents detailed geologic and hydrologic data that describe shales and other argillaceous rocks; data are from the open literature. These data are intended to be used in the future to aid in assessment of various strata and their potential for repository siting. No observations, conclusions, or recommendations are made by the authors of this report relative to the suitability of various argillaceous rocks for waste disposal. There are, however, other published reports that contain technical data and evaluative statements regarding the suitability of various argillaceous rocks for repository siting. Where appropriate, the authors of this report have referencedmore » this previously published literature and have summarized the technical data. 838 refs., 121 figs., 6 tabs.« less

78 FR 64905 - Carriage of Conditionally Permitted Shale Gas Extraction Waste Water in Bulk

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-30

... the ``Keyword'' box. Click ``Search'' then click on the balloon shape in the ``Actions'' column. If... of 5 U.S.C. 552(a). The purpose of this notice is to announce the availability of the Coast Guard's... different wells. Upon reviewing comments received on this proposed policy letter, Coast Guard will issue the...

Comparative acute toxicity of shale and petroleum derived distillates.

PubMed

Clark, C R; Ferguson, P W; Katchen, M A; Dennis, M W; Craig, D K

1989-12-01

In anticipation of the commercialization of its shale oil retorting and upgrading process, Unocal Corp. conducted a testing program aimed at better defining potential health impacts of a shale industry. Acute toxicity studies using rats and rabbits compared the effects of naphtha, Jet-A, JP-4, diesel and "residual" distillate fractions of both petroleum derived crude oils and hydrotreated shale oil. No differences in the acute oral (greater than 5 g/kg LD50) and dermal (greater than 2 g/kg LD50) toxicities were noted between the shale and petroleum derived distillates and none of the samples were more than mildly irritating to the eyes. Shale and petroleum products caused similar degrees of mild to moderate skin irritation. None of the materials produced sensitization reactions. The LC50 after acute inhalation exposure to Jet-A, shale naphtha, (greater than 5 mg/L) and JP-4 distillate fractions of petroleum and shale oils was greater than 5 mg/L. The LC50 of petroleum naphtha (greater than 4.8 mg/L) and raw shale oil (greater than 3.95 mg/L) also indicated low toxicity. Results demonstrate that shale oil products are of low acute toxicity, mild to moderately irritating and similar to their petroleum counterparts. The results further demonstrate that hydrotreatment reduces the irritancy of raw shale oil.

Noble Gas Signatures in Antrim Shale Gas in the Michigan Basin - Assessing Compositional Variability and Transport Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, T.; Castro, M. C.; Ellis, B. R.; Hall, C. M.; Lohmann, K. C.; Bouvier, L.

2014-12-01

Recent studies in the Michigan Basin looked at the atmospheric and terrigenic noble gas signatures of deep brines to place constraints on the past thermal history of the basin and to assess the extent of vertical transport processes within this sedimentary system. In this contribution, we present noble gas data of shale gas samples from the Antrim shale formation in the Michigan Basin. The Antrim shale was one of the first economic shale-gas plays in the U.S. and has been actively developed since the 1980's. This study pioneers the use of noble gases in subsurface shale gas in the Michigan Basin to clarify the nature of vertical transport processes within the sedimentary sequence and to assess potential variability of noble gas signatures in shales. Antrim Shale gas samples were analyzed for all stable noble gases (He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe) from samples collected at depths between 300 and 500m. Preliminary results show R/Ra values (where R and Ra are the measured and atmospheric 3He/4He ratios, respectively) varying from 0.022 to 0.21. Although most samples fall within typical crustal R/Ra range values (~0.02-0.05), a few samples point to the presence of a mantle He component with higher R/Ra ratios. Samples with higher R/Ra values also display higher 20Ne/22Ne ratios, up to 10.4, and further point to the presence of mantle 20Ne. The presence of crustally produced nucleogenic 21Ne and radiogenic 40Ar is also apparent with 21Ne/22Ne ratios up to 0.033 and 40Ar/36Ar ratios up to 312. The presence of crustally produced 4He, 21Ne and 40Ar is not spatially homogeneous within the Antrim shale. Areas of higher crustal 4He production appear distinct to those of crustally produced 21Ne and 40Ar and are possibly related the presence of different production levels within the shale with varying concentrations of parent elements.

Field establishment of fourwing saltbush in processed oil shale and disturbed native soil as influenced by vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae

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

Call, C.A.; McKell, C.M.

1984-04-30

Seedlings of fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt.) were inoculated with indigenous vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi in a containerized system and transplanted into processed oil shale and disturbed native soil in a semiarid rangeland environment in northwestern Colorado. After two growing seasons in the field, plants inoculated with VAM had greater aboveground biomass, cover, and height than noninoculated plants. Mycorrhizal plants were more effective in the uptake of water and phosphorus. Infection levels of inoculated plants were greatly reduced in processed shale (from 13.0 at outplanting to 3.8 at harvest), but functional VAM associations could be found after two growingmore » seasons. Results indicate that VAM help make processed oil shale a more tractable medium for the establishment of plants representative of later successional stages by allowing these plants to make effective use of the natural resources that are limiting under conditions of high stress. 39 references, 1 figure.« less

Determining the locus of a processing zone in an in situ oil shale retort by sound monitoring

DOEpatents

Elkington, W. Brice

1978-01-01

The locus of a processing zone advancing through a fragmented permeable mass of particles in an in situ oil shale retort in a subterranean formation containing oil shale is determined by monitoring for sound produced in the retort, preferably by monitoring for sound at at least two locations in a plane substantially normal to the direction of advancement of the processing zone. Monitoring can be effected by placing a sound transducer in a well extending through the formation adjacent the retort and/or in the fragmented mass such as in a well extending into the fragmented mass.

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

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.

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.

A Transversely Isotropic Thermo-mechanical Framework for Oil Shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semnani, S. J.; White, J. A.; Borja, R. I.

2014-12-01

The present study provides a thermo-mechanical framework for modeling the temperature dependent behavior of oil shale. As a result of heating, oil shale undergoes phase transformations, during which organic matter is converted to petroleum products, e.g. light oil, heavy oil, bitumen, and coke. The change in the constituents and microstructure of shale at high temperatures dramatically alters its mechanical behavior e.g. plastic deformations and strength, as demonstrated by triaxial tests conducted at multiple temperatures [1,2]. Accordingly, the present model formulates the effects of changes in the chemical constituents due to thermal loading. It is well known that due to the layered structure of shale its mechanical properties in the direction parallel to the bedding planes is significantly different from its properties in the perpendicular direction. Although isotropic models simplify the modeling process, they fail to accurately describe the mechanical behavior of these rocks. Therefore, many researchers have studied the anisotropic behavior of rocks, including shale [3]. The current study presents a framework to incorporate the effects of transverse isotropy within a thermo-mechanical formulation. The proposed constitutive model can be readily applied to existing finite element codes to predict the behavior of oil shale in applications such as in-situ retorting process and stability assessment in petroleum reservoirs. [1] Masri, M. et al."Experimental Study of the Thermomechanical Behavior of the Petroleum Reservoir." SPE Eastern Regional/AAPG Eastern Section Joint Meeting. Society of Petroleum Engineers, 2008. [2] Xu, B. et al. "Thermal impact on shale deformation/failure behaviors---laboratory studies." 45th US Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium. American Rock Mechanics Association, 2011. [3] Crook, AJL et al. "Development of an orthotropic 3D elastoplastic material model for shale." SPE/ISRM Rock Mechanics Conference. Society of Petroleum Engineers, 2002.

Inventory and evaluation of potential oil shale development in Kansas

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

Angino, E.; Berg, J.; Dellwig, L.

The University of Kansas Center for Research, Inc. was commissioned by the Kansas Energy Office and the US Department of Energy to conduct a review of certain oil shales in Kansas. The purpose of the study focused on making an inventory and assessing those oil shales in close stratigraphic proximity to coal beds close to the surface and containing significant reserves. The idea was to assess the feasibility of using coal as an economic window to aid in making oil shales economically recoverable. Based on this as a criterion and the work of Runnels, et al., (Runnels, R.T., Kulstead, R.O.,more » McDuffee, C. and Schleicher, J.A., 1952, Oil Shale in Kansas, Kansas Geological Survey Bulletin, No. 96, Part 3.) five eastern Kansas black shale units were selected for study and their areal distribution mapped. The volume of recoverable oil shale in each unit was calculated and translated to reserves. The report concludes that in all probability, extraction of oil shale for shale oil is not feasible at this time due to the cost of extraction, transportation and processing. The report recommends that additional studies be undertaken to provide a more comprehensive and detailed assessment of Kansas oil shales as a potential fuel resource. 49 references, 4 tables.« less

Weathering of the New Albany Shale, Kentucky, USA: I. Weathering zones defined by mineralogy and major-element composition

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tuttle, M.L.W.; Breit, G.N.

2009-01-01

Comprehensive understanding of chemical and mineralogical changes induced by weathering is valuable information when considering the supply of nutrients and toxic elements from rocks. Here minerals that release and fix major elements during progressive weathering of a bed of Devonian New Albany Shale in eastern Kentucky are documented. Samples were collected from unweathered core (parent shale) and across an outcrop excavated into a hillside 40 year prior to sampling. Quantitative X-ray diffraction mineralogical data record progressive shale alteration across the outcrop. Mineral compositional changes reflect subtle alteration processes such as incongruent dissolution and cation exchange. Altered primary minerals include K-feldspars, plagioclase, calcite, pyrite, and chlorite. Secondary minerals include jarosite, gypsum, goethite, amorphous Fe(III) oxides and Fe(II)-Al sulfate salt (efflorescence). The mineralogy in weathered shale defines four weathered intervals on the outcrop-Zones A-C and soil. Alteration of the weakly weathered shale (Zone A) is attributed to the 40-a exposure of the shale. In this zone, pyrite oxidization produces acid that dissolves calcite and attacks chlorite, forming gypsum, jarosite, and minor efflorescent salt. The pre-excavation, active weathering front (Zone B) is where complete pyrite oxidation and alteration of feldspar and organic matter result in increased permeability. Acidic weathering solutions seep through the permeable shale and evaporate on the surface forming abundant efflorescent salt, jarosite and minor goethite. Intensely weathered shale (Zone C) is depleted in feldspars, chlorite, gypsum, jarosite and efflorescent salts, but has retained much of its primary quartz, illite and illite-smectite. Goethite and amorphous FE(III) oxides increase due to hydrolysis of jarosite. Enhanced permeability in this zone is due to a 14% loss of the original mass in parent shale. Denudation rates suggest that characteristics of Zone C were acquired over 1 Ma. Compositional differences between soil and Zone C are largely attributed to illuvial processes, formation of additional Fe(III) oxides and incorporation of modern organic matter.

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.

Organic Substances from Unconventional Oil and Gas Production in Shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orem, W. H.; Varonka, M.; Crosby, L.; Schell, T.; Bates, A.; Engle, M.

2014-12-01

Unconventional oil and gas (UOG) production has emerged as an important element in the US and world energy mix. Technological innovations in the oil and gas industry, especially horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, allow for the enhanced release of oil and natural gas from shale compared to conventional oil and gas production. This has made commercial exploitation possible on a large scale. Although UOG is enormously successful, there is surprisingly little known about the effects of this technology on the targeted shale formation and on environmental impacts of oil and gas production at the surface. We examined water samples from both conventional and UOG shale wells to determine the composition, source and fate of organic substances present. Extraction of hydrocarbon from shale plays involves the creation and expansion of fractures through the hydraulic fracturing process. This process involves the injection of large volumes of a water-sand mix treated with organic and inorganic chemicals to assist the process and prop open the fractures created. Formation water from a well in the New Albany Shale that was not hydraulically fractured (no injected chemicals) had total organic carbon (TOC) levels that averaged 8 mg/L, and organic substances that included: long-chain fatty acids, alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heterocyclic compounds, alkyl benzenes, and alkyl phenols. In contrast, water from UOG production in the Marcellus Shale had TOC levels as high as 5,500 mg/L, and contained a range of organic chemicals including, solvents, biocides, scale inhibitors, and other organic chemicals at thousands of μg/L for individual compounds. These chemicals and TOC decreased rapidly over the first 20 days of water recovery as injected fluids were recovered, but residual organic compounds (some naturally-occurring) remained up to 250 days after the start of water recovery (TOC 10-30 mg/L). Results show how hydraulic fracturing changes the organic composition of shale formation water, and that some injected organic substances are retained on the shale and slowly released. Thus, appropriate safe disposal of produced water is needed long into production. Changes in organic substances in formation water may impact microbial communities. Current work is focused on UOG production in the Permian Basin, Texas.

Clean and Secure Energy from Domestic Oil Shale and Oil Sands Resources

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

Spinti, Jennifer; Birgenheier, Lauren; Deo, Milind

This report summarizes the significant findings from the Clean and Secure Energy from Domestic Oil Shale and Oil Sands Resources program sponsored by the Department of Energy through the National Energy Technology Laboratory. There were four principle areas of research; Environmental, legal, and policy issues related to development of oil shale and oil sands resources; Economic and environmental assessment of domestic unconventional fuels industry; Basin-scale assessment of conventional and unconventional fuel development impacts; and Liquid fuel production by in situ thermal processing of oil shale Multiple research projects were conducted in each area and the results have been communicated viamore » sponsored conferences, conference presentations, invited talks, interviews with the media, numerous topical reports, journal publications, and a book that summarizes much of the oil shale research relating to Utah’s Uinta Basin. In addition, a repository of materials related to oil shale and oil sands has been created within the University of Utah’s Institutional Repository, including the materials generated during this research program. Below is a listing of all topical and progress reports generated by this project and submitted to the Office of Science and Technical Information (OSTI). A listing of all peer-reviewed publications generated as a result of this project is included at the end of this report; Geomechanical and Fluid Transport Properties 1 (December, 2015); Validation Results for Core-Scale Oil Shale Pyrolysis (February, 2015); and Rates and Mechanisms of Oil Shale Pyrolysis: A Chemical Structure Approach (November, 2014); Policy Issues Associated With Using Simulation to Assess Environmental Impacts (November, 2014); Policy Analysis of the Canadian Oil Sands Experience (September, 2013); V-UQ of Generation 1 Simulator with AMSO Experimental Data (August, 2013); Lands with Wilderness Characteristics, Resource Management Plan Constraints, and Land Exchanges (March, 2012); Conjunctive Surface and Groundwater Management in Utah: Implications for Oil Shale and Oil Sands Development (May, 2012); Development of CFD-Based Simulation Tools for In Situ Thermal Processing of Oil Shale/Sands (February, 2012); Core-Based Integrated Sedimentologic, Stratigraphic, and Geochemical Analysis of the Oil Shale Bearing Green River Formation, Uinta Basin, Utah (April, 2011); Atomistic Modeling of Oil Shale Kerogens and Asphaltenes Along with their Interactions with the Inorganic Mineral Matrix (April, 2011); Pore Scale Analysis of Oil Shale/Sands Pyrolysis (March, 2011); Land and Resource Management Issues Relevant to Deploying In-Situ Thermal Technologies (January, 2011); Policy Analysis of Produced Water Issues Associated with In-Situ Thermal Technologies (January, 2011); and Policy Analysis of Water Availability and Use Issues for Domestic Oil Shale and Oil Sands Development (March, 2010)« less

43 CFR 3922.40 - Tract delineation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT (3000) OIL SHALE LEASING Application Processing § 3922.40... development of the oil shale resource. (b) The BLM may delineate more or less lands than were covered by an...

43 CFR 3922.40 - Tract delineation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT (3000) OIL SHALE LEASING Application Processing § 3922.40... development of the oil shale resource. (b) The BLM may delineate more or less lands than were covered by an...

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.

43 CFR 3922.40 - Tract delineation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR RANGE MANAGEMENT (4000) OIL SHALE LEASING Application Processing § 3922.40 Tract... the oil shale resource. (b) The BLM may delineate more or less lands than were covered by an...

43 CFR 3922.40 - Tract delineation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MINERALS MANAGEMENT (3000) OIL SHALE LEASING Application Processing § 3922.40... development of the oil shale resource. (b) The BLM may delineate more or less lands than were covered by an...

Report on International Collaboration Involving the FE Heater and HG-A Tests at Mont Terri

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

Houseworth, Jim; Rutqvist, Jonny; Asahina, Daisuke

Nuclear waste programs outside of the US have focused on different host rock types for geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste. Several countries, including France, Switzerland, Belgium, and Japan are exploring the possibility of waste disposal in shale and other clay-rich rock that fall within the general classification of argillaceous rock. This rock type is also of interest for the US program because the US has extensive sedimentary basins containing large deposits of argillaceous rock. LBNL, as part of the DOE-NE Used Fuel Disposition Campaign, is collaborating on some of the underground research laboratory (URL) activities at the Mont Terrimore » URL near Saint-Ursanne, Switzerland. The Mont Terri project, which began in 1995, has developed a URL at a depth of about 300 m in a stiff clay formation called the Opalinus Clay. Our current collaboration efforts include two test modeling activities for the FE heater test and the HG-A leak-off test. This report documents results concerning our current modeling of these field tests. The overall objectives of these activities include an improved understanding of and advanced relevant modeling capabilities for EDZ evolution in clay repositories and the associated coupled processes, and to develop a technical basis for the maximum allowable temperature for a clay repository.« less

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.

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

Shales and geological waste repositories: from microstructure description to macro-scale properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tournassat, C.; Steefel, C. I.; Gaboreau, S.

2017-12-01

The mineralogical and chemical properties of clays have been the subject of longstanding study for the long-term disposal of nuclear wastes in geological repositories. The low permeability of clay materials, including shales, provides at least part of the safety functions for radionuclide contaminants confinement. From a geochemical and mineralogical point of view, the high adsorption capacity of clay minerals adds to the effect of low hydraulic conductivities by greatly increasing the retardation of radionuclides and other contaminants, making clays ideal where isolation from the biosphere is desired. While their low permeability and high adsorption capacity are widely acknowledged, it is clear nonetheless that there is a need for an improved understanding of how the chemical and mineralogical properties of shales impact their macroscopic properties. It is at the pore-scale that the chemical properties of clay minerals become important since their electrostatic properties can play a large role. The negative electrostatic potential field at the clay mineral surfaces results in the presence of porosity domains where electroneutrality is not achieved: cations are attracted by the surfaces while anions are repulsed from them, resulting in the presence of a diffuse ion swarm - or diffuse layer. Numerical methods for modeling macroscopic properties of clay media with the consideration of the presence of a diffuse ion swarm have met a growing interest in diverse communities in the past years. In this presentation we will highlight the complex interplays of mineralogical, chemical and microstructural characteristics of clay materials that are ultimately responsible for a remarkable array of macro-scale properties such as specific adsorption, high swelling pressure, semi-permeable membrane properties, and non-Fickian diffusional behavior.

Variance in State Protection from Exposure to NORM and TENORM Wastes Generated During Unconventional Oil and Gas Operations: Where We Are and Where We Need to Go.

PubMed

Ann Glass Geltman, Elizabeth; LeClair, Nichole

2018-01-01

Radioactive materials for the medical, technological, and industrial sectors have been effectively regulated in the United States since as early as 1962. The steady increase in the exploration and production of shale gas in recent years has led to concerns about exposures to Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) and Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (TENORM) in oil and gas waste streams. This study applied policy surveillance methods to conduct a cross-sectional fifty-state survey of law and regulations of NORM and TENORM waste from oil and gas operations. Results indicated that seventeen states drafted express regulations to reduce exposure to oil and gas NORM and TENORM waste. States with active oil and gas drilling that lack regulations controlling exposure to NORM and TENORM may leave the public and workers susceptible to adverse health effects from radiation. The study concludes with recommendations in regard to regulating oil and gas NORM and TENORM waste.

Scientific investigation in deep wells for nuclear waste disposal studies at the Meuse/Haute Marne underground research laboratory, Northeastern France

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delay, Jacques; Rebours, Hervé; Vinsot, Agnès; Robin, Pierre

Andra, the French National Radioactive Waste Management Agency, is constructing an underground test facility to study the feasibility of a radioactive waste disposal in the Jurassic-age Callovo-Oxfordian argillites. This paper describes the processes, the methods and results of a scientific characterization program carried out from the surface via deep boreholes with the aim to build a research facility for radioactive waste disposal. In particular this paper shows the evolution of the drilling programs and the borehole set up due to the refinement of the scientific objectives from 1994 to 2004. The pre-investigation phase on the Meuse/Haute-Marne site started in 1994. It consisted in drilling seven scientific boreholes. This phase, completed in 1996, led to the first regional geological cross-section showing the main geometrical characteristics of the host rock. Investigations on the laboratory site prior to the sinking of two shafts started in November 1999. The sinking of the shafts started in September 2000 with the auxiliary shaft completed in October 2004. The experimental gallery, at a depth of 445 m in the main shaft, was in operation by end 2004. During the construction of the laboratory, two major scientific programs were initiated to improve the existing knowledge of the regional hydrogeological characteristics and to accelerate the process of data acquisition on the shales. The aim of the 2003 hydrogeological drilling program was to determine, at regional scale, the properties of groundwater transport and to sample the water in the Oxfordian and Dogger limestones. The 2003-2004 programs consisted in drilling nine deep boreholes, four of which were slanted, to achieve an accurate definition of the structural features.

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.

Shale Gas in Europe: pragmatic perspectives and actions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hübner, A.; Horsfield, B.; Kapp, I.

2012-10-01

Natural gas will continue to play a key role in the EU's energy mix in the coming years, with unconventional gas' role increasing in importance as new resources are exploited worldwide. As far as Europe's own shale gas resources are concerned, it is especially the public's perception and level of acceptance that will make or break shale gas in the near-term. Both the pros and cons need to be discussed based on factual argument rather than speculation. Research organizations such as ours (GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences) have an active and defining role to play in remedying this deficiency. As far as science and technology developments are concerned, the project "Gas Shales in Europe" (GASH) and the shale gas activities of "GeoEnergie" (GeoEn) are the first major initiatives in Europe focused on shale gas. Basic and applied geoscientific research is conducted to understand the fundamental nature and interdependencies of the processes leading to shale gas formation. When it comes to knowledge transfer, the perceived and real risks associated with shale gas exploitation need immediate evaluation in Europe using scientific analysis. To proactively target these issues, the GFZ and partners are launching the European sustainable Operating Practices (E-SOP) Initiative for Unconventional Resources. The web-based Shale Gas Information Platform (SHIP) brings these issues into the public domain.

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.

Water pollution potential of spent oil shale residues. [From USBM, UOC, and TOSCO processes

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

Not Available

1971-12-01

Physical properties, including porosity, permeability, particle size distribution, and density of spent shale from three different retorting operations, (TOSCO, USBM, and UOC) have been determined. Slurry experiments were conducted on each of the spent shales and the slurry analyzed for leachable dissolved solids. Percolation experiments were conducted on the TOSCO spent shale and the quantities of dissolved solids leachable determined. The concentrations of the various ionic species in the initial leachate from the column were high. The major constituents, SO/sub 4//sup 2 -/ and Na/sup +/, were present in concentrations of 90,000 and 35,000 mg/l in the initial leachate; howevermore » the succeeding concentrations dropped markedly during the course of the experiment. A computer program was utilized to predict equilibrium concentrations in the leachate from the column. The extent of leaching and erosion of spent shale and the composition and concentration of natural drainage from spent shale have been determined using oil shale residue and simulated rainfall. Concentrations in the runoff from the spent shale have been correlated with runoff rate, precipitation intensity, flow depth, application time, slope, and water temperature. 18 tables, 32 figures.« less

Desalination and reuse of high-salinity shale gas produced water: drivers, technologies, and future directions.

PubMed

Shaffer, Devin L; Arias Chavez, Laura H; Ben-Sasson, Moshe; Romero-Vargas Castrillón, Santiago; Yip, Ngai Yin; Elimelech, Menachem

2013-09-03

In the rapidly developing shale gas industry, managing produced water is a major challenge for maintaining the profitability of shale gas extraction while protecting public health and the environment. We review the current state of practice for produced water management across the United States and discuss the interrelated regulatory, infrastructure, and economic drivers for produced water reuse. Within this framework, we examine the Marcellus shale play, a region in the eastern United States where produced water is currently reused without desalination. In the Marcellus region, and in other shale plays worldwide with similar constraints, contraction of current reuse opportunities within the shale gas industry and growing restrictions on produced water disposal will provide strong incentives for produced water desalination for reuse outside the industry. The most challenging scenarios for the selection of desalination for reuse over other management strategies will be those involving high-salinity produced water, which must be desalinated with thermal separation processes. We explore desalination technologies for treatment of high-salinity shale gas produced water, and we critically review mechanical vapor compression (MVC), membrane distillation (MD), and forward osmosis (FO) as the technologies best suited for desalination of high-salinity produced water for reuse outside the shale gas industry. The advantages and challenges of applying MVC, MD, and FO technologies to produced water desalination are discussed, and directions for future research and development are identified. We find that desalination for reuse of produced water is technically feasible and can be economically relevant. However, because produced water management is primarily an economic decision, expanding desalination for reuse is dependent on process and material improvements to reduce capital and operating costs.

Constituent bioconcentration in rainbow trout exposed to a complex chemical mixture

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

Linder, G.; Bergman, H.L.; Meyer, J.S.

1984-09-01

Classically, aquatic contaminant fate models predicting a chemical's bioconcentration factor (BCF) are based upon single-compound derived models, yet such BCF predictions may deviate from observed BCFs when physicochemical interactions or biological responses to complex chemical mixture exposures are not adequately considered in the predictive model. Rainbow trout were exposed to oil-shale retort waters. Such a study was designed to model the potential biological effects precluded by exposure to complex chemical mixtures such as solid waste leachates, agricultural runoff, and industrial process waste waters. Chromatographic analysis of aqueous and nonaqueous liquid-liquid reservoir components yielded differences in mixed extraction solvent HPLC profilesmore » of whole fish exposed for 1 and 3 weeks to the highest dilution of the complex chemical mixture when compared to their corresponding control, yet subsequent whole fish extractions at 6, 9, 12, and 15 weeks into exposure demonstrated no qualitative differences between control and exposed fish. Liver extractions and deproteinized bile samples from exposed fish were qualitatively different than their corresponding controls. These findings support the projected NOEC of 0.0045% dilution, even though the differences in bioconcentration profiles suggest hazard assessment strategies may be useful in evaluating environmental fate processes associated with complex chemical mixtures. 12 references, 4 figures, 2 tables.« less

Life-cycle analysis of shale gas and natural gas.

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

Clark, C.E.; Han, J.; Burnham, A.

2012-01-27

The technologies and practices that have enabled the recent boom in shale gas production have also brought attention to the environmental impacts of its use. Using the current state of knowledge of the recovery, processing, and distribution of shale gas and conventional natural gas, we have estimated up-to-date, life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, we have developed distribution functions for key parameters in each pathway to examine uncertainty and identify data gaps - such as methane emissions from shale gas well completions and conventional natural gas liquid unloadings - that need to be addressed further. Our base case results showmore » that shale gas life-cycle emissions are 6% lower than those of conventional natural gas. However, the range in values for shale and conventional gas overlap, so there is a statistical uncertainty regarding whether shale gas emissions are indeed lower than conventional gas emissions. This life-cycle analysis provides insight into the critical stages in the natural gas industry where emissions occur and where opportunities exist to reduce the greenhouse gas footprint of natural gas.« less

A nuclear wind/solar oil-shale system for variable electricity and liquid fuels production

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

Forsberg, C.

2012-07-01

The recoverable reserves of oil shale in the United States exceed the total quantity of oil produced to date worldwide. Oil shale contains no oil, rather it contains kerogen which when heated decomposes into oil, gases, and a carbon char. The energy required to heat the kerogen-containing rock to produce the oil is about a quarter of the energy value of the recovered products. If fossil fuels are burned to supply this energy, the greenhouse gas releases are large relative to producing gasoline and diesel from crude oil. The oil shale can be heated underground with steam from nuclear reactorsmore » leaving the carbon char underground - a form of carbon sequestration. Because the thermal conductivity of the oil shale is low, the heating process takes months to years. This process characteristic in a system where the reactor dominates the capital costs creates the option to operate the nuclear reactor at base load while providing variable electricity to meet peak electricity demand and heat for the shale oil at times of low electricity demand. This, in turn, may enable the large scale use of renewables such as wind and solar for electricity production because the base-load nuclear plants can provide lower-cost variable backup electricity. Nuclear shale oil may reduce the greenhouse gas releases from using gasoline and diesel in half relative to gasoline and diesel produced from conventional oil. The variable electricity replaces electricity that would have been produced by fossil plants. The carbon credits from replacing fossil fuels for variable electricity production, if assigned to shale oil production, results in a carbon footprint from burning gasoline or diesel from shale oil that may half that of conventional crude oil. The U.S. imports about 10 million barrels of oil per day at a cost of a billion dollars per day. It would require about 200 GW of high-temperature nuclear heat to recover this quantity of shale oil - about two-thirds the thermal output of existing nuclear reactors in the United States. With the added variable electricity production to enable renewables, additional nuclear capacity would be required. (authors)« less

Physical and chemical characterization of Devonian gas shale. Quarterly status report, October 1-December 31, 1978

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

Zielinski, R.E.; Nance, S.W.

On shale samples from the WV-6 (Monongalia County, West Virginia) well, mean total gas yield was 80.4 ft/sup 3//ton. Mean hydrocarbon gas yield was 5.7 ft/sup 3//ton, 7% of total yield. Methane was the major hydrocarbon component and carbon dioxide the major nonhydrocarbon component. Oil yield was negligible. Clay minerals and organic matter were the dominant phases of the shale. Illite averages 76% of the total clay mineral content. This is detrital illite. Permeation of methane, parallel to the bedding direction for select samples from WV-5 (Mason County, West Virginia) well ranges from 10/sup -4/ to 10/sup -12/ darcys. Themore » permeability of these shales is affected by orgaic carbon content, density, particle orientation, depositional facies, etc. Preliminary studies of Devonian shale methane sorption rates suggest that these rates may be affected by shale porosity, as well as absorption and adsorption processes. An experimental system was designed to effectively simulate sorption of methane at natural reservoir conditions. The bulk density and color of select shales from Illinois, Appalachian and Michigan Basins suggest a general trend of decreasing density with increasing organic content. Black and grayish black shales have organic contents which normally exceed 1.0 wt %. Medium dark gray and gray shales generally have organic contents less than 1.0 wt %.« less

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

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

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.

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

United States Air Force Shale Oil to Fuels. Phase II.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-11-01

and modified so that any off-gas from the LPS, stripper column, product drums, spent caustic drums, and sample ports would be sent to the caustic ...product, or in the spent caustic . After the desalted Paraho shale oil was processed in Production Run No. 2, the catalyst bed was flushed with light cycle...58 20 First-Stage Hydrotreating of Occidental Shale Oil -- Spent Catalyst Analysis - Run 1 ....... 59 21 First-Stage Hydrotreating of Occidental

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.

Marcellus Shale fracking waste caused earthquakes in Ohio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, Colin

2013-08-01

Before January 2011, Youngstown, Ohio, had never had an earthquake since observations began in 1776. In December 2010 the Northstar 1 injection well came online; this well was built to pump wastewater produced by hydraulic fracturing projects in Pennsylvania into storage deep underground. In the year that followed, seismometers in and around Youngstown recorded 109 earthquakes—the strongest of the set being a magnitude 3.9 earthquake on 31 December 2011.

Modeling of gas generation from the Barnett Shale, Fort Worth Basin, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hill, R.J.; Zhang, E.; Katz, B.J.; Tang, Y.

2007-01-01

The generative gas potential of the Mississippian Barnett Shale in the Fort Worth Basin, Texas, was quantitatively evaluated by sealed gold-tube pyrolysis. Kinetic parameters for gas generation and vitrinite reflectance (Ro) changes were calculated from pyrolysis data and the results used to estimate the amount of gas generated from the Barnett Shale at geologic heating rates. Using derived kinetics for Ro evolution and gas generation, quantities of hydrocarbon gas generated at Ro ??? 1.1% are about 230 L/t (7.4 scf/t) and increase to more that 5800 L/t (186 scf/t) at Ro ??? 2.0% for a sample with an initial total organic carbon content of 5.5% and Ro = 0.44%. The volume of shale gas generated will depend on the organic richness, thickness, and thermal maturity of the shale and also the amount of petroleum that is retained in the shale during migration. Gas that is reservoired in shales appears to be generated from the cracking of kerogen and petroleum that is retained in shales, and that cracking of the retained petroleum starts by Ro ??? 1.1%. This result suggests that the cracking of petroleum retained in source rocks occurs at rates that are faster than what is predicted for conventional siliciclastic and carbonate reservoirs, and that contact of retained petroleum with kerogen and shale mineralogy may be a critical factor in shale-gas generation. Shale-gas systems, together with overburden, can be considered complete petroleum systems, although the processes of petroleum migration, accumulation, and trap formation are different from what is defined for conventional petroleum systems. Copyright ?? 2007. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists. All rights reserved.

Israeli co-retorting of coal and oil shale would break even at 22/barrel

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

Not Available

Work is being carried out at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem on co-retorting of coal and oil shale. The work is funded under a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Energy. The project is exploring the conversion of US eastern high-sulfur bituminous coal in a split-stage, fluidized-bed reactor. Pyrolysis occurs in the first stage and char combustion in the second stage. These data for coal will be compared with similar data from the same reactor fueled by high-sulfur eastern US oil shale and Israeli oil shales. The project includes research at three major levels: pyrolysis in lab-scale fluidized-bed reactor;more » retorting in split-stage, fluidized-bed bench-scale process (1/4 tpd); and scale-up, preparation of full-size flowchart, and economic evaluation. In the past year's research, a preliminary economic evaluation was completed for a scaled-up process using a feed of high-sulfur coal and carbonate-containing Israeli oil shale. A full-scale plant in Israel was estimated to break even at an equivalent crude oil price of $150/ton ($22/barrel).« less

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.

A Systematic Procedure to Describe Shale Gas Permeability Evolution during the Production Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, B.; Tsau, J. S.; Barati, R.

2017-12-01

Gas flow behavior in shales is complex due to the multi-physics nature of the process. Pore size reduces as the in-situ stress increases during the production process, which will reduce intrinsic permeability of the porous media. Slip flow/pore diffusion enhances gas apparent permeability, especially under low reservoir pressures. Adsorption not only increases original gas in place but also influences gas flow behavior because of the adsorption layer. Surface diffusion between free gas and adsorption phase enhances gas permeability. Pore size reduction and the adsorption layer both have complex impacts on gas apparent permeability and non-Darcy flow might be a major component in nanopores. Previously published literature is generally incomplete in terms of coupling of all these four physics with fluid flow during gas production. This work proposes a methodology to simultaneously take them into account to describe a permeability evolution process. Our results show that to fully describe shale gas permeability evolution during gas production, three sets of experimental data are needed initially: 1) intrinsic permeability under different in-situ stress, 2) adsorption isotherm under reservoir conditions and 3) surface diffusivity measurement by the pulse-decay method. Geomechanical effects, slip flow/pore diffusion, adsorption layer and surface diffusion all play roles affecting gas permeability. Neglecting any of them might lead to misleading results. The increasing in-situ stress during shale gas production is unfavorable to shale gas flow process. Slip flow/pore diffusion is important for gas permeability under low pressures in the tight porous media. They might overwhelm the geomechanical effect and enhance gas permeability at low pressures. Adsorption layer reduces the gas permeability by reducing the effective pore size, but the effect is limited. Surface diffusion increases gas permeability more under lower pressures. The total gas apparent permeability might keep increasing during the gas production process when the surface diffusivity is larger than a critical value. We believe that our workflow proposed in this study will help describe shale gas permeability evolution considering all the underlying physics altogether.

Experimental Study on Longmaxi Shale Breaking Mechanism with Micro-PDC Bit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Teng; Xiao, Xiaohua; Zhu, Haiyan; Zhao, Jingying; Li, Yuheng; Lu, Ming

2017-10-01

China has abundant shale gas resource, but its geological conditions are complicated. This work sought to find the shale breaking mechanism with the polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bit when drilling the shale that is rich in stratification. Therefore, a laboratory-scale drilling device based on a drilling machine is developed. The influences of Longmaxi shale stratification on drilling parameters in the drilling process with micro-PDC bit are investigated. Six groups of drilling experiments with six inclination angles ( β = 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60° and 90°), total thirty-six groups, are carried out. The weight on bit reaches the maximum value at β = 30° and reaches the minimum value at β = 0°. The biggest torque value is at β = 30°, and the smaller torque values are at β = 15°, β = 45° and β = 60°. When the inclination angle is between 30° and 60°, the shale fragmentation volume is larger. The inclination angle β = 0° is beneficial, and β = 15° and β = 60° are detrimental to controlling the drilling direction in the Longmaxi shale gas formation.

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.

Organic metamorphism in the Lower Mississippian-Upper Devonian Bakken shales-II: Soxhlet extraction.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Price, L.C.; Ging, T.; Love, A.; Anders, D.

1986-01-01

We report on Soxhlet extraction (and subsequent related analyses) of 39 Lower Mississippian-Upper Devonian Bakken shales from the North Dakota portion of the Williston Basin, and analyses of 28 oils from the Basin. Because of the influence of primary petroleum migration, no increase in the relative or absolute concentrations of hydrocarbons or bitumen was observed at the threshold of intense hydrocarbon generation (TIHG), or during mainstage hydrocarbon generation in the Bakken shales. Thus, the maturation indices that have been so useful in delineating the TIHG and mainstage hydrocarbon generation in other studies were of no use in this study, where these events could clearly be identified only by Rock-Eval pyrolysis data. The data of this study demonstrate that primary petroleum migration is a very efficient process. Four distinctive classes of saturated hydrocarbon gas chromatograms from the Bakken shales arose from facies, maturation, and primary migration controls. As a consequence of maturation, the % of saturated hydrocarbons increased in the shale extract at the expense of decreases in the resins and asphaltenes. Measurements involving resins and asphaltenes appear to be excellent maturation indices in the Bakken shales. Two different and distinct organic facies were present in immature Bakken shales. -from Authors

Gold and platinum in shales with evidence against extraterrestrial sources of metals

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coveney, R.M.; Murowchick, J.B.; Grauch, R.I.; Glascock, M.D.; Denison, J.R.

1992-01-01

Few black shales contain concentrations of precious metals higher than average continental crust (i.e. ???5 ppb Au). Yet Au and Pt alloys have been reported from the Kupferschiefer in Poland. Moreover, thin sulfide beds in certain Chinese and Canadian shales contain several hundred ppb Au, Pd and Pt and average ???4% Mo and ???2.5% Ni in an association that is difficult to explain. Volcanic and non-volcanic exhalations, hydrothermal epigenesis involving either igneous or sedex fluids, biogenic processes and low-temperature secondary enrichment are among the possible factors involved in deriving Ni, PGE and Au for black shales and sulfide beds in black shales. Extraterrestrial sources have been invoked in some cases (e.g., the Cambrian of China). However, available data on abundances of PGE indicate relatively low values for Ir (<0.02-2 ppb) in comparison with amounts for other PGE (up to 700 ppb Pt and 1255 ppb Pd). These data and high contents for Mo are not consistent with extraterrestrial sources of metals for Chinese shales and Ni-Mo-sulfide beds. Data are less complete for the U.S. shales, but nevertheless are suggestive of earthly origins for PGE. ?? 1992.

Refining of Military Jet Fuels from Shale Oil. Volume I. Part II. Preparation of Laboratory-Scale Fuel Samples.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-03-01

ON SPEC Meeting Specifications *1 OXY Test Series on In Situ Shale Oil P Pressure (P + N) Paraffins and Naphthenes PHO Test Series on Above-Ground...material, the crude shale is heated and processed through caustic desalt- ing similar to conventional technology. The desalted oil is mixed with recycle...with hot regenerated catalyst. Spent catalyst and oil vapors are disengaqed by -.eans of high temperature cyclones. The spent catalyst first passes

Can Shale Safely Host U.S. Nuclear Waste?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neuzil, C. E.

2013-07-01

Even as cleanup efforts after Japan's Fukushima disaster offer a stark reminder of the spent nuclear fuel (SNF) stored at nuclear plants worldwide, the decision in 2009 to scrap Yucca Mountain as a permanent disposal site has dimmed hope for a repository for SNF and other high-level nuclear waste (HLW) in the United States anytime soon. About 70,000 metric tons of SNF are now in pool or dry cask storage at 75 sites across the United States [Government Accountability Office, 2012], and uncertainty about its fate is hobbling future development of nuclear power, increasing costs for utilities, and creating a liability for American taxpayers [Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future, 2012].

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

Solana, Amy E.; Warwick, William M.; Orrell, Alice C.

This report presents the results of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's (PNNL) follow-on renewable energy (RE) assessment of Fort Hood. Fort Hood receives many solicitations from renewable energy vendors who are interested in doing projects on site. Based on specific requests from Fort Hood staff so they can better understand these proposals, and the results of PNNL's 2008 RE assessment of Fort Hood, the following resources were examined in this assessment: (1) Municipal solid waste (MSW) for waste-to-energy (WTE); (2) Wind; (3) Landfill gas; (4) Solar photovoltaics (PV); and (5) Shale gas. This report also examines the regulatory issues, development options,more » and environmental impacts for the promising RE resources, and includes a review of the RE market in Texas.« less

The Water-Energy-Food Nexus of Unconventional Fossil Fuels.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosa, L.; Davis, K. F.; Rulli, M. C.; D'Odorico, P.

2017-12-01

Extraction of unconventional fossil fuels has increased human pressure on freshwater resources. Shale formations are globally abundant and widespread. Their extraction through hydraulic fracturing, a water-intensive process, may be limited by water availability, especially in arid and semiarid regions where stronger competition is expected to emerge with food production. It is unclear to what extent and where shale resource extraction could compete with local water and food security. Although extraction of shale deposits materializes economic gains and increases energy security, in some regions it may exacerbate the reliance on food imports, thereby decreasing regional food security. We consider the global distribution of known shale deposits suitable for oil and gas extraction and evaluate their impacts on water resources for food production and other human and environmental needs. We find that 17% of the world's shale deposits are located in areas affected by both surface water and groundwater stress, 50% in areas with surface water stress, and about 30% in irrigated areas. In these regions shale oil and shale gas production will likely threaten water and food security. These results highlight the importance of hydrologic analyses in the extraction of fossil fuels. Indeed, neglecting water availability as one of the possible factors constraining the development of shale deposits around the world could lead to unaccounted environmental impacts and business risks for firms and investors. Because several shale deposits in the world stretch across irrigated agricultural areas in arid regions, an adequate development of these resources requires appropriate environmental, economic and political decisions.

Spatial and stratigraphic distribution of water in oil shale of the Green River Formation using Fischer Assay, Piceance Basin, northwestern Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

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

2014-01-01

The spatial and stratigraphic distribution of water in oil shale of the Eocene Green River Formation in the Piceance Basin of northwestern Colorado was studied in detail using some 321,000 Fischer assay analyses in the U.S. Geological Survey oil-shale database. The oil-shale section was subdivided into 17 roughly time-stratigraphic intervals, and the distribution of water in each interval was assessed separately. This study was conducted in part to determine whether water produced during retorting of oil shale could provide a significant amount of the water needed for an oil-shale industry. Recent estimates of water requirements vary from 1 to 10 barrels of water per barrel of oil produced, depending on the type of retort process used. Sources of water in Green River oil shale include (1) free water within clay minerals; (2) water from the hydrated minerals nahcolite (NaHCO3), dawsonite (NaAl(OH)2CO3), and analcime (NaAlSi2O6.H20); and (3) minor water produced from the breakdown of organic matter in oil shale during retorting. The amounts represented by each of these sources vary both stratigraphically and areally within the basin. Clay is the most important source of water in the lower part of the oil-shale interval and in many basin-margin areas. Nahcolite and dawsonite are the dominant sources of water in the oil-shale and saline-mineral depocenter, and analcime is important in the upper part of the formation. Organic matter does not appear to be a major source of water. The ratio of water to oil generated with retorting is significantly less than 1:1 for most areas of the basin and for most stratigraphic intervals; thus water within oil shale can provide only a fraction of the water needed for an oil-shale industry.

Spatial and stratigraphic distribution of water in oil shale of the Green River Formation using Fischer assay, Piceance Basin, northwestern Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

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

2014-01-01

The spatial and stratigraphic distribution of water in oil shale of the Eocene Green River Formation in the Piceance Basin of northwestern Colorado was studied in detail using some 321,000 Fischer assay analyses in the U.S. Geological Survey oil-shale database. The oil-shale section was subdivided into 17 roughly time-stratigraphic intervals, and the distribution of water in each interval was assessed separately. This study was conducted in part to determine whether water produced during retorting of oil shale could provide a significant amount of the water needed for an oil-shale industry. Recent estimates of water requirements vary from 1 to 10 barrels of water per barrel of oil produced, depending on the type of retort process used. Sources of water in Green River oil shale include (1) free water within clay minerals; (2) water from the hydrated minerals nahcolite (NaHCO3), dawsonite (NaAl(OH)2CO3), and analcime (NaAlSi2O6.H20); and (3) minor water produced from the breakdown of organic matter in oil shale during retorting. The amounts represented by each of these sources vary both stratigraphically and areally within the basin. Clay is the most important source of water in the lower part of the oil-shale interval and in many basin-margin areas. Nahcolite and dawsonite are the dominant sources of water in the oil-shale and saline-mineral depocenter, and analcime is important in the upper part of the formation. Organic matter does not appear to be a major source of water. The ratio of water to oil generated with retorting is significantly less than 1:1 for most areas of the basin and for most stratigraphic intervals; thus water within oil shale can provide only a fraction of the water needed for an oil-shale industry.

Field studies on USBM and TOSCO II retorted oil shales: vegetation, moisture, salinity, and runoff, 1977-1980. Final report

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

Kilkelly, M.K.; Berg, W.A.; Harbert, H.P. III

1981-08-01

Field studies were initiated in 1973 to investigate the vegetative stabilization of processed oil shales and to follow moisture and soluble salt movement within the soil/shale profile. Research plots with two types of retorted shales (TOSCO II and USBM) with leaching and soil cover treatments were established at two locations: low-elevation (Anvil Points) and high-elevation (Piceance Basin) in western Colorado. Vegetation was established by intensive management including leaching, N and P fertilization, seeding, mulching, and irrigation. After seven growing seasons, a good vegetative cover remained with few differences between treatments, with the exception of the TOSCO retorted shale, south-aspect, whichmore » consistently supported less perennial vegetative cover than other treatments. With time, a shift from perennial grasses to dominance by shrubs was observed. Rodent activity on some treatments had a significantly negative effect on vegetative cover.« less

Retardation effect of nitrogen compounds and condensed aromatics on shale oil catalytic cracking processing and their characterization.

PubMed

Li, Nan; Chen, Chen; Wang, Bin; Li, Shaojie; Yang, Chaohe; Chen, Xiaobo

Untreated shale oil, shale oil treated with HCl aqueous solution and shale oil treated with HCl and furfural were used to do comparative experiments in fixed bed reactors. Nitrogen compounds and condensed aromatics extracted by HCl and furfural were characterized by electrospray ionization Fourier transform cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry and gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, respectively. Compared with untreated shale oil, the conversion and yield of liquid products increased considerably after removing basic nitrogen compounds by HCl extraction. Furthermore, after removing nitrogen compounds and condensed aromatics by both HCl and furfural, the conversion and yield of liquid products further increased. In addition, N 1 class species are predominant in both basic and non-basic nitrogen compounds, and they are probably indole, carbazole, cycloalkyl-carbazole, pyridine and cycloalkyl-pyridine. As for the condensed aromatics, most of them possess aromatic rings with two to three rings and zero to four carbon atom.

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.

The challenges of a possible exploitation of shale gas in Denmark

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobsen, Ole S.; Kidmose, Jacob; Johnsen, Anders R.; Gravesen, Peter; Schovsbo, Niels H.

2017-04-01

Extraction of shale gas has in recent years attracted increasing interest internationally and in Denmark. The potential areas for shale gas extraction from Alum shale in Denmark are defined as areas where Alum shale is at least 20 m thick, gas mature and buried at 1.5 to 7 km depth. Sweet Spots are areas where Alum shale potentially has a high utility value. Sweet Spots are identified and cover an area of approximately 6,800 km2 and are divided into two subareas; where the shale is at 1.5-5 km depth (2,400 km2) or at 5-7 km depth (4,400 km2). The shale in the upper depth interval has the greatest interest, as these areas are localized most accurate as the production from the deep interval is less costly. Many potential risks has been identified by exploitation of unconventional gas, of which groundwater contamination, waste management and radioactive substances are classified as the most important. The international literature reports a water demand with an average of about 18,000 m3 for older wells whereas newer fracking methods have less water usage. Based heron the estimated water consumption is between 20 million to 66 million m3 water in Danish shale gas production well and thus significantly in the total water budget. Consumption of water for shale gas will however be distributed over a number of years. The temporal development in water usage will depend on how quickly the gas wells are developed. The available groundwater resource in Denmark is estimated to about 1 billion m3 / year. Groundwater abstraction has been slightly falling the last decades and is now totally 700 million m3 / year. The use of surface water in Denmark is thus negligible. Although groundwater attraction is only 70 % of the available, the resource is overexploited in many areas due to water consumption is very unevenly distributed varying from region to region. The composition of potential hydraulic fracturing liquids in Denmark is at present unknown, but is expected to be selected from the same 14-40 different chemicals currently in use in Poland. In addition, the produced water may contain large amounts of formation brine expected to pose a significant problem for environmental safe discharge. Overall, this means that the fate of contaminants is very difficult to assess, but the infiltration of these substances into groundwater would likely result in a change of chemical conditions and an unacceptable deterioration of groundwater quality. Further, the average age of portable water in Denmark is high as the renewal time for groundwater is long. Hence, the spread and thus the dilution of contaminants will be very limited; these substances can be maintained in high concentrations in many areas. Consequently, a set of monitoring and remedial measures should be implemented to minimize possible environmental impacts, including baseline studies for the relevant inorganic and hazardous organic substances in surface water and groundwater known from previous studies to potentially have been affected by shale gas activities.

BER balanced program plan: oil shale technology. [23 suggested biomedical and environmental research projects

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

Schulte, H.F.; Stoker, A.K.; Campbell, E.E.

1976-06-01

Oil shale technology has been divided into two sub-technologies: surface processing and in-situ processing. Definition of the research programs is essentially an amplification of the five King-Muir categories: (A) pollutants: characterization, measurement, and monitoring; (B) physical and chemical processes and effects; (C) health effects; (D) ecological processes and effects; and (E) integrated assessment. Twenty-three biomedical and environmental research projects are described as to program title, scope, milestones, technolgy time frame, program unit priority, and estimated program unit cost.

Balanced program plan: analysis for biomedical and environmental research. Volume 5. Oil shale technology

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

Not Available

1976-06-01

Oil shale technology has been divided into two sub-technologies: surfaceprocessing and in-situ processing. Definition of the research programs is essentially an amplification of the five King-Muir categories: (A) pollutants: characterization, measurement, and monitoring; (B) physical and chemical processes and effects; (C) health effects; (D) ecological processes and effects; and (E) integrated assessment. Twenty-three biomedical and environmental research projects are described as to program title, scope, milestones, technology time frame, program unit priority, and estimated program unit cost.

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.

Pore Characterization of Shale Rock and Shale Interaction with Fluids at Reservoir Pressure-Temperature Conditions Using Small-Angle Neutron Scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, M.; Hjelm, R.; Watkins, E.; Xu, H.; Pawar, R.

2015-12-01

Oil/gas produced from unconventional reservoirs has become strategically important for the US domestic energy independence. In unconventional realm, hydrocarbons are generated and stored in nanopores media ranging from a few to hundreds of nanometers. Fundamental knowledge of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) processes that control fluid flow and propagation within nano-pore confinement is critical for maximizing unconventional oil/gas production. The size and confinement of the nanometer pores creates many complex rock-fluid interface interactions. It is imperative to promote innovative experimental studies to decipher physical and chemical processes at the nanopore scale that govern hydrocarbon generation and mass transport of hydrocarbon mixtures in tight shale and other low permeability formations at reservoir pressure-temperature conditions. We have carried out laboratory investigations exploring quantitative relationship between pore characteristics of the Wolfcamp shale from Western Texas and the shale interaction with fluids at reservoir P-T conditions using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). We have performed SANS measurements of the shale rock in single fluid (e.g., H2O and D2O) and multifluid (CH4/(30% H2O+70% D2O)) systems at various pressures up to 20000 psi and temperature up to 150 oF. Figure 1 shows our SANS data at different pressures with H2O as the pressure medium. Our data analysis using IRENA software suggests that the principal changes of pore volume in the shale occurred on smaller than 50 nm pores and pressure at 5000 psi (Figure 2). Our results also suggest that with increasing P, more water flows into pores; with decreasing P, water is retained in the pores.

Resolving Key Uncertainties in Subsurface Energy Recovery: One Role of In Situ Experimentation and URLs (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elsworth, D.

2013-12-01

Significant uncertainties remain and influence the recovery of energy from the subsurface. These uncertainties include the fate and transport of long-lived radioactive wastes that result from the generation of nuclear power and have been the focus of an active network of international underground research laboratories dating back at least 35 years. However, other nascent carbon-free energy technologies including conventional and EGS geothermal methods, carbon-neutral methods such as carbon capture and sequestration and the utilization of reduced-carbon resources such as unconventional gas reservoirs offer significant challenges in their effective deployment. We illustrate the important role that in situ experiments may play in resolving behaviors at extended length- and time-scales for issues related to chemical-mechanical interactions. Significantly, these include the evolution of transport and mechanical characteristics of stress-sensitive fractured media and their influence of the long-term behavior of the system. Importantly, these interests typically relate to either creating reservoirs (hydroshearing in EGS reservoirs, artificial fractures in shales and coals) or maintaining seals at depth where the permeating fluids may include mixed brines, CO2, methane and other hydrocarbons. Critical questions relate to the interaction of these various fluid mixtures and compositions with the fractured substrate. Important needs are in understanding the roles of key processes (transmission, dissolution, precipitation, sorption and dynamic stressing) on the modification of effective stresses and their influence on the evolution of permeability, strength and induced seismicity on the resulting development of either wanted or unwanted fluid pathways. In situ experimentation has already contributed to addressing some crucial issues of these complex interactions at field scale. Important contributions are noted in understanding the fate and transport of long-lived wastes. Future potential is noted in addressing critical questions related to creating and sustaining reservoirs in shales and coals.

Micro Mechanics and Microstructures of Major Subsurface Hydraulic Barriers: Shale Caprock vs Wellbore Cement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radonjic, M.; Du, H.

2015-12-01

Shale caprocks and wellbore cements are two of the most common subsurface impermeable barriers in the oil and gas industry. More than 60% of effective seals for geologic hydrocarbon bearing formations as natural hydraulic barriers constitute of shale rocks. Wellbore cements provide zonal isolation as an engineered hydraulic barrier to ensure controlled fluid flow from the reservoir to the production facilities. Shale caprocks were deposited and formed by squeezing excess formation water and mineralogical transformations at different temperatures and pressures. In a similar process, wellbore cements are subjected to compression during expandable tubular operations, which lead to a rapid pore water propagation and secondary mineral precipitation within the cement. The focus of this research was to investigate the effect of wellbore cement compression on its microstructure and mechanical properties, as well as a preliminary comparison of shale caprocks and hydrated cement. The purpose of comparative evaluation of engineered vs natural hydraulic barrier materials is to further improve wellbore cement durability when in contact with geofluids. The micro-indentation was utilized to evaluate the change in cement mechanical properties caused by compression. Indentation experiments showed an overall increase in hardness and Young's modulus of compressed cement. Furthermore, SEM imaging and Electron Probe Microanalysis showed mineralogical alterations and decrease in porosity. These can be correlated with the cement rehydration caused by microstructure changes as a result of compression. The mechanical properties were also quantitatively compared to shale caprock samples in order to investigate the similarities of hydraulic barrier features that could help to improve the subsurface application of cement in zonal isolation. The comparison results showed that the poro-mechanical characteristics of wellbore cement appear to be improved when inherent pore sizes are shifted to predominantly nano-scale range as characteristic of pore-size distribution typical for shale rocks. The effect of compression on cement appears to petrophysically alter cement towards the properties of shale caprocks, although the process is achieved much faster than in the case of shale diagenesis over geological times.

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.

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.

Subcritical fracturing of shales under chemically reactive conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, X.; Callahan, O. A.; Eichhubl, P.; Olson, J. E.

2016-12-01

Growth of opening-mode fractures under chemically reactive subsurface conditions is potentially relevant for seal integrity in subsurface CO2 storage and hazardous waste disposal. Using double-torsion load relaxation tests we determine mode-I fracture toughness (KIC), subcritical index (SCI), and the stress-intensity factor vs fracture velocity (K-V) behavior of Marcellus, Woodford, and Mancos shales. Samples are tested under ambient air and aqueous conditions with variable NaCl and KCl concentrations, variable pH, and temperatures of up to 70. Under ambient air condition, KIC determined from double torsion tests is 1.3, 0.6, and 1.1 MPam1/2 for Marcellus, Woodford, and Mancos shales, respectively. SCI under ambient air condition is between 55 and 90 for the shales tested. Tests in aqueous solutions show a significant drop of KIC compared to ambient air condition. For tests in deionized water, KIC reduction is 18.5% for Marcellus and 47.0% for Woodford. The presence of aqueous fluids also results in a reduction of the SCI up to 85% compared to ambient condition. K-V curves generally obey a power-law relation throughout the load-relaxation period. However, aqueous-based tests on samples result in K-V curves deviating from the power-law relation, with the SCI values gradually decreasing with time during the relaxation period. This non-power-law behavior is obvious in Woodford and Mancos, but negligible in Marcellus. We find that the shales interact with the aqueous solution both at the fracture tip and within the rock matrix during subcritical fracturing. For Marcellus shale, water mainly interacts with the fracture tip on both tests due to low matrix permeability and less reactive mineral composition. However, Woodford and Mancos react strongly with water causing significant sample degradation. The competition between degradation and fracture growth results in the time-dependent SCI: at lower fracture velocities, the tip interacts longer with the chemically altered area around the tip; at higher fracture velocities, the fracture propagates through the altered area before significant degradation. Our results display strong weakening effects of chemically reactive fluids on subcritical fracture properties with implications on subsurface storage seal performance.

Compaction bands in shale revealed through digital volume correlation of time-resolved X-ray tomography scans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McBeck, J.; Kobchenko, M.; Hall, S.; Tudisco, E.; Cordonnier, B.; Renard, F.

2017-12-01

Previous studies have identified compaction bands primarily within sandstones, and in fewer instances, within other porous rocks and sediments. Using Digital Volume Correlation (DVC) of X-ray microtomography scans, we find evidence of localized zones of high axial contraction that form tabular structures sub-perpendicular to maximum compression, σ1, in Green River shale. To capture in situ strain localization throughout loading, two shale cores were deformed in the HADES triaxial deformation apparatus installed on the X-ray microtomography beamline ID19 at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. In these experiments, we increase σ1 in increments of two MPa, with constant confining pressure (20 MPa), until the sample fails in macroscopic shear. After each stress step, a 3D image of the sample inside the rig is acquired at a voxel resolution of 6.5 μm. The evolution of lower density regions within 3D reconstructions of linear attenuation coefficients reveal the development of fractures that fail with some opening. If a fracture produces negligible dilation, it may remain undetected in image segmentation of the reconstructions. We use the DVC software TomoWarp2 to identify undetected fractures and capture the 3D incremental displacement field between each successive pair of microtomography scans acquired in each experiment. The corresponding strain fields reveal localized bands of high axial contraction that host minimal shear strain, and thus match the kinematic definition of compaction bands. The bands develop sub-perpendicular to σ1 in the two samples in which pre-existing bedding laminations were oriented parallel and perpendicular to σ1. As the shales deform plastically toward macroscopic shear failure, the number of bands and axial contraction within the bands increase, while the spacing between the bands decreases. Compaction band development accelerates the rate of overall axial contraction, increasing the mean axial contraction throughout the sample, and strengthens the shale sufficiently to localize shear faults. These results are critical to robust assessment of deformation patterns in shale rocks in contexts such as nuclear waste storage, hydrocarbon recovery and groundwater access.

Minor-element composition and organic carbon content of marine and nonmarine shales of Late Cretaceous age in the western interior of the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tourtelot, H.A.

1964-01-01

The composition of nonmarine shales of Cretaceous age that contain less than 1 per cent organic carbon is assumed to represent the inherited minor-element composition of clayey sediments delivered to the Cretaceous sea that occupied the western interior region of North America. Differences in minor-element content between these samples and samples of 1. (a) nonmarine carbonaceous shales (1 to 17 per cent organic carbon), 2. (b) nearshore marine shales (less than 1 per cent organic carbon), and 3. (c) offshore marine shales (as much as 8 per cent organic carbon), all of the same age, reveal certain aspects of the role played by clay minerals and organic materials in affecting the minor-element composition of the rocks. The organic carbon in the nonmarine rocks occurs in disseminated coaly plant remains. The organic carbon in the marine rocks occurs predominantly in humic material derived from terrestrial plants. The close similarity in composition between the organic isolates from the marine samples and low-rank coal suggests that the amount of marine organic material in these rocks is small. The minor-element content of the two kinds of nonmarine shales is the same despite the relatively large amount of organic carbon in the carbonaceous shales. The nearshore marine shales, however, contain larger median amounts of arsenic, boron, chromium, vanadium and zinc than do the nonmarine rocks; and the offshore marine shales contain even larger amounts of these elements. Cobalt, molybdenum, lead and zirconium show insignificant differences in median content between the nonmarine and marine rocks, although as much as 25 ppm molybdenum is present in some offshore marine samples. The gallium content is lower in the marine than in the nonmarine samples. Copper and selenium contents of the two kinds of nonmarine rocks and the nearshore marine samples are the same, but those of the offshore samples are larger. In general, arsenic, chromium, copper, molybdenum, selenium, vanadium and zinc are concentrated in those offshore marine samples having the largest amounts of organic carbon, but samples with equal amounts of vanadium, for instance, may differ by a factor of 3 in their amount of organic carbon. Arsenic and molybdenum occur in some samples chiefly in syngenetic pyrite but also are present in relatively large amounts in samples that contain little pyrite. The data on nonmarine carbonaceous shales indicate that organic matter of terrestrial origin in marine shales contributes little to the minor-element content of such rocks. It is possible that marine organic matter, even though seemingly small in amount in marine shales, contributes to the minor-element composition of the shales. In addition to any such contribution, however, the great effectiveness in sorption processes of humic materials in conjunction with clay minerals suggests that such processes must have played an important role as these materials moved from the relatively dilute solutions of the nonmarine environment to the relatively concentrated solution of sea water. The volumes of sea water sufficient to supply for sorption the amounts of most minor elements in the offshore marine samples are insignificant compared to the volumes of water with which the clay and organic matter were in contact during their transportation and sedimentation. Consequently, the chemical characteristics of the environment in which the clay minerals and organic matter accumulated and underwent diagenesis probably were the most important factors in controlling the degree to which sorption processes and the formation of syngenetic minerals affected the final composition of the rocks. ?? 1969.

Diagenetic variation at the lamina scale in lacustrine organic-rich shales: Implications for hydrocarbon migration and accumulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Chao; Cao, Yingchang; Liu, Keyu; Jiang, Zaixing; Wu, Jing; Hao, Fang

2018-05-01

Lacustrine carbonate-rich shales are well developed within the Mesozoic-Cenozoic strata of the Bohai Bay Basin (BBB) of eastern China and across southeast Asia. Developing an understanding of the diagenesis of these shales is essential to research on mass balance, diagenetic fluid transport and exchange, and organic-inorganic interactions in black shales. This study investigates the origin and distribution of authigenic minerals and their diagenetic characteristics, processes, and pathways at the scale of lacustrine laminae within the Es4s-Es3x shale sequence of the BBB. The research presented in this study is based on thin sections, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and SEM-catholuminescence (CL) observations of well core samples combined with the use of X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectroscopy, electron microprobe analysis, and carbon and oxygen isotope analyses performed using a laser microprobe mass spectrometer. The dominant lithofacies within the Es4s-Es3x sequence are a laminated calcareous shale (LCS-1) and a laminated clay shale (LCS-2). The results of this study show that calcite recrystallization1 is the overarching diagenetic process affecting the LCS-1, related to acid generation from organic matter (OM) thermal evolution. This evolutionary transition is the key factor driving the diagenesis of this lithofacies, while the transformation of clay minerals is the main diagenetic attribute of the LCS-2. Diagenetic differences occur within different laminae and at variable locations within the same lamina level, controlled by variations in mineral composition and the properties of laminae interfaces. The diagenetic fluid migration scale is vertical and responses (dissolution and replacement) are limited to individual laminae, between zero and 100 μm in width. In contrast, the dominant migration pathway for diagenetic fluid is lateral, along the abrupt interfaces between laminae boundaries, which leads to the vertical transmission of diagenetic responses. The recrystallization boundaries between calcite laminae act as the main migration pathways for the expulsion of hydrocarbons from these carbonate-rich lacustrine shales. However, because the interaction between diagenetic fluids and the shales themselves is limited to the scale of individual lamina, this system is normally closed. The occurrence of abnormal pressure fractures can open the diagenetic system, however, and cause interactions to occur throughout laminae; in particular, the closed-open (C-O) diagenetic process at this scale is critical to this shale interval. Multi-scale C-O systems are ubiquitous and episodic ranging from the scale of laminae to the whole basin. Observations show that such small-scale systems are often superimposed onto larger ones to constitute the complex diagenetic system seen within the BBB combining fluid transport, material and energy exchange, and solid-liquid and organic-inorganic interactions.

Effects of experimental parameters on the sorption of cesium, strontium, and uranium from saline groundwaters onto shales: Progress report

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

Meyer, R.E.; Arnold, W.D.; Case, F.I.

1988-11-01

This report concerns an extension of the first series of experiments on the sorption properties of shales and their clay mineral components reported earlier. Studies on the sorption of cesium and strontium were carried out on samples of Chattanooga (Upper Dowelltown), Pierre, Green River Formation, Nolichucky, and Pumpkin Valley Shales that had been heated to 120/degree/C in a 0.1-mol/L NaCl solution for periods up to several months and on samples of the same shales which had been heated to 250/degree/C in air for six months, to simulate limiting scenarios in a HLW repository. To investigate the kinetics of the sorptionmore » process in shale/groundwater systems, strontium sorption experiments were done on unheated Pierre, Green River Formation, Nolichucky, and Pumpkin Valley Shales in a diluted, saline groundwater and in 0.03-mol/L NaHCO/sub 3/, for periods of 0.25 to 28 days. Cesium sorption kinetics tests were performed on the same shales in a concentrated brine for the same time periods. The effect of the water/rock (W/R) ratio on sorption for the same combinations of unheated shales, nuclides, and groundwaters used in the kinetics experiments was investigated for a range of W/R ratios of 3 to 20 mL/g. Because of the complexity of the shale/groundwater interaction, a series of tests was conducted on the effects of contact time and W/R ratio on the pH of a 0.03-mol/L NaHCO/sub 3/ simulated groundwater in contact with shales. 8 refs., 12 figs., 15 tabs.« less

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.

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.

Do Shale Pore Throats Have a Threshold Diameter for Oil Storage?

PubMed Central

Zou, Caineng; Jin, Xu; Zhu, Rukai; Gong, Guangming; Sun, Liang; Dai, Jinxing; Meng, Depeng; Wang, Xiaoqi; Li, Jianming; Wu, Songtao; Liu, Xiaodan; Wu, Juntao; Jiang, Lei

2015-01-01

In this work, a nanoporous template with a controllable channel diameter was used to simulate the oil storage ability of shale pore throats. On the basis of the wetting behaviours at the nanoscale solid-liquid interfaces, the seepage of oil in nano-channels of different diameters was examined to accurately and systematically determine the effect of the pore diameter on the oil storage capacity. The results indicated that the lower threshold for oil storage was a pore throat of 20 nm, under certain conditions. This proposed pore size threshold provides novel, evidence-based criteria for estimating the geological reserves, recoverable reserves and economically recoverable reserves of shale oil. This new understanding of shale oil processes could revolutionize the related industries. PMID:26314637

Do Shale Pore Throats Have a Threshold Diameter for Oil Storage?

PubMed

Zou, Caineng; Jin, Xu; Zhu, Rukai; Gong, Guangming; Sun, Liang; Dai, Jinxing; Meng, Depeng; Wang, Xiaoqi; Li, Jianming; Wu, Songtao; Liu, Xiaodan; Wu, Juntao; Jiang, Lei

2015-08-28

In this work, a nanoporous template with a controllable channel diameter was used to simulate the oil storage ability of shale pore throats. On the basis of the wetting behaviours at the nanoscale solid-liquid interfaces, the seepage of oil in nano-channels of different diameters was examined to accurately and systematically determine the effect of the pore diameter on the oil storage capacity. The results indicated that the lower threshold for oil storage was a pore throat of 20 nm, under certain conditions. This proposed pore size threshold provides novel, evidence-based criteria for estimating the geological reserves, recoverable reserves and economically recoverable reserves of shale oil. This new understanding of shale oil processes could revolutionize the related industries.

Shale hydrocarbon reservoirs: some influences of tectonics and paleogeography during deposition: Chapter 2

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eoff, Jennifer D

2014-01-01

Fundamental to any of the processes that acted during deposition, however, was active tectonism. Basin type can often distinguish self-sourced shale plays from other types of hydrocarbon source rocks. The deposition of North American self-sourced shale was associated with the assembly and subsequent fragmentation of Pangea. Flooded foreland basins along collisional margins were the predominant depositional settings during the Paleozoic, whereas deposition in semirestricted basins was responsible along the rifted passive margin of the U.S. Gulf Coast during the Mesozoic. Tectonism during deposition of self-sourced shale, such as the Upper Jurassic Haynesville Formation, confined (re)cycling of organic materials to relatively closed systems, which promoted uncommonly thick accumulations of organic matter.

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.

Fundamental Understanding of Methane-Carbon Dioxide-Water (CH4-CO2-H2O) Interactions in Shale Nanopores under Reservoir Conditions: Quarterly Report.

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

Wang, Yifeng

Shale is characterized by the predominant presence of nanometer-scale (1-100 nm) pores. The behavior of fluids in those pores directly controls shale gas storage and release in shale matrix and ultimately the wellbore production in unconventional reservoirs. Recently, it has been recognized that a fluid confined in nanopores can behave dramatically differently from the corresponding bulk phase due to nanopore confinement (Wang, 2014). CO 2 and H 2O, either preexisting or introduced, are two major components that coexist with shale gas (predominately CH 4) during hydrofracturing and gas extraction. Note that liquid or supercritical CO 2 has been suggested asmore » an alternative fluid for subsurface fracturing such that CO 2 enhanced gas recovery can also serve as a CO 2 sequestration process. Limited data indicate that CO 2 may preferentially adsorb in nanopores (particularly those in kerogen) and therefore displace CH 4 in shale. Similarly, the presence of water moisture seems able to displace or trap CH 4 in shale matrix. Therefore, fundamental understanding of CH 4-CO 2-H 2O behavior and their interactions in shale nanopores is of great importance for gas production and the related CO 2 sequestration. This project focuses on the systematic study of CH 4-CO 2-H 2O interactions in shale nanopores under high-pressure and high temperature reservoir conditions. The proposed work will help to develop new stimulation strategies to enable efficient resource recovery from fewer and less environmentally impactful wells.« less

Fundamental Understanding of Methane-Carbon Dioxide-Water (CH 4-CO 2-H 2O) Interactions in Shale Nanopores under Reservoir Conditions

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

Wang, Yifeng

2016-04-29

Shale is characterized by the predominant presence of nanometer-scale (1-100 nm) pores. The behavior of fluids in those pores directly controls shale gas storage and release in shale matrix and ultimately the wellbore production in unconventional reservoirs. Recently, it has been recognized that a fluid confined in nanopores can behave dramatically differently from the corresponding bulk phase due to nanopore confinement (Wang, 2014). CO 2 and H 2O, either preexisting or introduced, are two major components that coexist with shale gas (predominately CH 4) during hydrofracturing and gas extraction. Note that liquid or supercritical CO 2 has been suggested asmore » an alternative fluid for subsurface fracturing such that CO 2 enhanced gas recovery can also serve as a CO 2 sequestration process. Limited data indicate that CO 2 may preferentially adsorb in nanopores (particularly those in kerogen) and therefore displace CH 4 in shale. Similarly, the presence of water moisture seems able to displace or trap CH 4 in shale matrix. Therefore, fundamental understanding of CH 4-CO 2-H 2O behavior and their interactions in shale nanopores is of great importance for gas production and the related CO 2 sequestration. This project focuses on the systematic study of CH 4-CO 2-H 2O interactions in shale nanopores under high-pressure and high temperature reservoir conditions. The proposed work will help to develop new stimulation strategies to enable efficient resource recovery from fewer and less environmentally impactful wells.« less

Fundamental Understanding of Methane-Carbon Dioxide-Water (CH4-CO2-H2O) Interactions in Shale Nanopores under Reservoir Conditions.

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

Wang, Yifeng

Shale is characterized by the predominant presence of nanometer-scale (1-100 nm) pores. The behavior of fluids in those pores directly controls shale gas storage and release in shale matrix and ultimately the wellbore production in unconventional reservoirs. Recently, it has been recognized that a fluid confined in nanopores can behave dramatically differently from the corresponding bulk phase due to nanopore confinement (Wang, 2014). CO 2 and H 2O, either preexisting or introduced, are two major components that coexist with shale gas (predominately CH 4) during hydrofracturing and gas extraction. Note that liquid or supercritical CO 2 has been suggested asmore » an alternative fluid for subsurface fracturing such that CO 2 enhanced gas recovery can also serve as a CO 2 sequestration process. Limited data indicate that CO 2 may preferentially adsorb in nanopores (particularly those in kerogen) and therefore displace CH4 in shale. Similarly, the presence of water moisture seems able to displace or trap CH 4 in shale matrix. Therefore, fundamental understanding of CH 4-CO 2-H 2O behavior and their interactions in shale nanopores is of great importance for gas production and the related CO 2 sequestration. This project focuses on the systematic study of CH 4-CO 2-H 2O interactions in shale nanopores under high-pressure and high temperature reservoir conditions. The proposed work will help to develop new stimulation strategies to enable efficient resource recovery from fewer and less environmentally impactful wells.« less

Sulfur removal from model fuel by Zn impregnated retorted shale and with assistance of design of experiments.

PubMed

de Lima, Flávia Melo; de Andrade Borges, Talitha; Braga, Renata Martins; de Araújo Melo, Dulce Maria; Martinelli, Antônio Eduardo

2018-05-01

There is global concern about acid rain and other pollution which is caused by the consumption of oil. By decreasing sulfur content in the oil, we can reduce unwanted emissions and acid rain. Shale was used which is a solid waste generated in the pyrolysis of shale, impregnated with Zn as an adsorbent which removes sulfur present in fuels from the hexane/toluene model solution. An influence of the agitation time (60-180 min), temperature (25-35 °C), adsorbent mass (0.1-0.25 g), and initial sulfur concentration (100-250 ppm) factorial 24 with three central points totaling 19 experiments was applied to investigate the effect of the variables on the efficiency of sulfur removal in fuels. The values of the parameters tested for maximum sulfur removal were obtained as follows: contact time = 180 min, temperature = 35 °C, adsorbent mass = 0.25 g, and initial sulfur concentration = 100 ppm. The mathematical model proposed with R 2 99.97% satisfied the experimental data. This may provide a theoretical basis for new research and alternative uses for tailings of schist industrialization in order to evaluate its potential.

Strength and Anisotropy in Tournemire Shale: Temperature, Pressure and Time Dependences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonnelye, A.; Schubnel, A.; Zhi, G.; David, C.; Dick, P.

2017-12-01

Time and temperature dependent rock deformation has both scientific and socio-economic implications for natural hazards, the oil and gas industry and nuclear waste disposal. During the past decades, most studies on brittle creep have focused on igneous rocks and porous sedimentary rocks. To our knowledge, only few studies have been carried out on the brittle creep behavior of shale. We conducted a series of creep experiments on shale specimens coming from the French Institute for Nuclear Safety (IRSN) underground research laboratory located in Tournemire, France, under two different temperatures (26°C, 75°C) and confining pressures (10 MPa, 80 MPa), for three orientations (σ1along, perpendicular and 45° to bedding). In these long-term experiments (approximately 10 days), stress and strains were recorded continuously, while ultrasonic acoustic velocities were recorded every 1 15 minutes. The brittle creep failure stress of our Tournemire shale samples was systematically observed 50% higher than its short-term peak strength, with larger final axial strain accumulated. During creep, ultrasonic wave velocities first decreased, and then increased gradually. The magnitude of elastic wave velocity variations showed an important orientation and temperature dependence: velocities measured perpendicular to bedding showed increased variation, variation that was enhanced at higher temperature and higher pressure. The case of complete elastic anisotropy reversal was observed for sample deformed perpendicular to bedding, with amount of axial strain needed to reach anisotropy reversal reduced at higher temperature. SEM observations highlight the competition between crack growth, sealing/healing, and possibly mineral rotation, pressure solution or anisotropic compaction during creep defromation. Our study highlights that the short-term peak strength has little meaning in shale material, which can over-consolidate importantly by `plastic' flow. In addition, we show that elastic anisotropy can switch and even reverse over relatively short time periods (<10 days) and for relatively small amount of plastic deformation (<5%).

Flared natural gas-based onsite atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) for oilfield operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wikramanayake, Enakshi D.; Bahadur, Vaibhav

2016-03-01

Natural gas worth tens of billions of dollars is flared annually, which leads to resource waste and environmental issues. This work introduces and analyzes a novel concept for flared gas utilization, wherein the gas that would have been flared is instead used to condense atmospheric moisture. Natural gas, which is currently being flared, can alternatively power refrigeration systems to generate the cooling capacity for large scale atmospheric water harvesting (AWH). This approach solves two pressing issues faced by the oil-gas industry, namely gas flaring, and sourcing water for oilfield operations like hydraulic fracturing, drilling and water flooding. Multiple technical pathways to harvest atmospheric moisture by using the energy of natural gas are analyzed. A modeling framework is developed to quantify the dependence of water harvest rates on flared gas volumes and ambient weather. Flaring patterns in the Eagle Ford Shale in Texas and the Bakken Shale in North Dakota are analyzed to quantify the benefits of AWH. Overall, the gas currently flared annually in Texas and North Dakota can harvest enough water to meet 11% and 65% of the water consumption in the Eagle Ford and the Bakken, respectively. Daily harvests of upto 30 000 and 18 000 gallons water can be achieved using the gas currently flared per well in Texas and North Dakota, respectively. In fifty Bakken sites, the water required for fracturing or drilling a new well can be met via onsite flared gas-based AWH in only 3 weeks, and 3 days, respectively. The benefits of this concept are quantified for the Eagle Ford and Bakken Shales. Assessments of the global potential of this concept are presented using data from countries with high flaring activity. It is seen that this waste-to-value conversion concept offers significant economic benefits while addressing critical environmental issues pertaining to oil-gas production.

Fate of Radium in Marcellus Shale Flowback Water Impoundments and Assessment of Associated Health Risks.

PubMed

Zhang, Tieyuan; Hammack, Richard W; Vidic, Radisav D

2015-08-04

Natural gas extraction from Marcellus Shale generates large quantities of flowback water that contain high levels of salinity, heavy metals, and naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM). This water is typically stored in centralized storage impoundments or tanks prior to reuse, treatment or disposal. The fate of Ra-226, which is the dominant NORM component in flowback water, in three centralized storage impoundments in southwestern Pennsylvania was investigated during a 2.5-year period. Field sampling revealed that Ra-226 concentration in these storage facilities depends on the management strategy but is generally increasing during the reuse of flowback water for hydraulic fracturing. In addition, Ra-226 is enriched in the bottom solids (e.g., impoundment sludge), where it increased from less than 10 pCi/g for fresh sludge to several hundred pCi/g for aged sludge. A combination of sequential extraction procedure (SEP) and chemical composition analysis of impoundment sludge revealed that Barite is the main carrier of Ra-226 in the sludge. Toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) (EPA Method 1311) was used to assess the leaching behavior of Ra-226 in the impoundment sludge and its implications for waste management strategies for this low-level radioactive solid waste. Radiation exposure for on-site workers calculated using the RESRAD model showed that the radiation dose equivalent for the baseline conditions was well below the NRC limit for the general public.

Comparison of the bulk geochemical features and thermal reactivity of kerogens from Mol (Boom Clay), Bure (Callovo-Oxfordian argillite) and Tournemire (Toarcian shales) underground research laboratories.

PubMed

Deniau, I; Devol-Brown, I; Derenne, S; Behar, F; Largeau, C

2008-01-25

Deep argillaceous formations are potential repositories for the long-term disposal of nuclear waste because of their low permeability and high sorption capacity with respect to radioelements and heavy metals. Such sedimentary rocks contain organic matter, mostly macromolecular and insoluble (kerogen). Upon temperature elevation related to high-level long-lived radioactive waste disposal, the kerogen may release significant quantities of gaseous and liquid effluents, especially oxygen-containing ones, which may influence the ability of the clay to retain radionuclides. The aim of the present study is to assess the global geochemical features and the thermal reactivity of the kerogens isolated from samples collected in the Bure and Tournemire sites, France (Callovo-Oxfordian Clay and Toarcian Shales, respectively) and to draw comparisons with data previously obtained for the Mol site, Belgium (Boom Clay). The study is based on a combination of elemental, spectroscopic (FTIR, solid state (13)C NMR) and pyrolytic (Rock-Eval pyrolysis, Curie point pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry) analyses. Different levels of maturity and resulting differences in the relative abundance of oxygen-containing groups were thus observed for the three kerogens. This is linked with differences in their ability to generate CO(2) and various oxygen-containing, low molecular weight, water-soluble compounds under thermal stress, decreasing from Mol to Bure and to Tournemire.

Shale oil recovery process

DOEpatents

Zerga, Daniel P.

1980-01-01

A process of producing within a subterranean oil shale deposit a retort chamber containing permeable fragmented material wherein a series of explosive charges are emplaced in the deposit in a particular configuration comprising an initiating round which functions to produce an upward flexure of the overburden and to initiate fragmentation of the oil shale within the area of the retort chamber to be formed, the initiating round being followed in a predetermined time sequence by retreating lines of emplaced charges developing further fragmentation within the retort zone and continued lateral upward flexure of the overburden. The initiating round is characterized by a plurality of 5-spot patterns and the retreating lines of charges are positioned and fired along zigzag lines generally forming retreating rows of W's. Particular time delays in the firing of successive charges are disclosed.

On wettability of shale rocks.

PubMed

Roshan, H; Al-Yaseri, A Z; Sarmadivaleh, M; Iglauer, S

2016-08-01

The low recovery of hydraulic fracturing fluid in unconventional shale reservoirs has been in the centre of attention from both technical and environmental perspectives in the last decade. One explanation for the loss of hydraulic fracturing fluid is fluid uptake by the shale matrix; where capillarity is the dominant process controlling this uptake. Detailed understanding of the rock wettability is thus an essential step in analysis of loss of the hydraulic fracturing fluid in shale reservoirs, especially at reservoir conditions. We therefore performed a suit of contact angle measurements on a shale sample with oil and aqueous ionic solutions, and tested the influence of different ion types (NaCl, KCl, MgCl2, CaCl2), concentrations (0.1, 0.5 and 1M), pressures (0.1, 10 and 20MPa) and temperatures (35 and 70°C). Furthermore, a physical model was developed based on the diffuse double layer theory to provide a framework for the observed experimental data. Our results show that the water contact angle for bivalent ions is larger than for monovalent ions; and that the contact angle (of both oil and different aqueous ionic solutions) increases with increase in pressure and/or temperature; these increases are more pronounced at higher ionic concentrations. Finally, the developed model correctly predicted the influence of each tested variable on contact angle. Knowing contact angle and therefore wettability, the contribution of the capillary process in terms of water uptake into shale rocks and the possible impairment of hydrocarbon production due to such uptake can be quantified. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A study of pyrolysis of oil shale of the Leningrad deposit by solid heat carrier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerasimov, G. Ya; Khaskhachikh, V. V.; Potapov, O. P.

2017-11-01

The investigation of the oil shale pyrolysis with a solid heat carrier was carried out using the experimental retorting system that simulates the Galoter industrial process. This system allows verifying both fractional composition of the oil shale and solid heat carrier, and their ratio and temperature. The oil shale of the Leningradsky deposit was used in the work, and quartz sand was used as the solid heat carrier. It is shown that the yield of the shale oil under the pyrolysis with solid heat carrier exceeds by more than 20% the results received in the standard Fisher retort. Using ash as the solid heat carrier results in a decrease in the yield of oil and gas with simultaneous increase in the amount of the solid residue. This is due to the chemical interaction of the acid components of the vapor-gas mixture with the oxides of alkaline-earth metals that are part of the ash.

43 CFR 3000.12 - What is the fee schedule for fixed fees?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Processing and Filing Fee Table Document/action FY 2013 fee Oil & Gas (parts 3100, 3110, 3120, 3130, 3150... 320 Lease or lease interest transfer 65 Leasing of Solid Minerals Other Than Coal and Oil Shale (parts...) Adverse claim 105 Protest 65 Oil Shale Management (parts 3900, 3910, 3930) Exploration license application...

Cocarcinogenicity of phenols from Estonian shale tars (oils).

PubMed Central

Bogovski, P A; Mirme, H I

1979-01-01

Many phenols have carcinogenic activity. The Estonian shale oils contain up to 40 vol % phenols. The promoting activity after initiation of phenols of Estonian shale oils was tested in mice with a single subthreshold dose (0.36 mg) of benzo(a)pyrene. C57Bl and CC57Br mice were used in skin painting experiments. Weak carcinogenic activity was found in the total crude water-soluble phenols recovered from the wastewater of a shale processing plant. In two-stage experiments a clear promoting action of the total crude phenols was established, whereas the fractions A and B (training reagents), obtained by selective crystallization of the total phenols exerted a considerably weaker promoting action. Epo-glue, a commercial epoxy product produced from unfractionated crude phenols, had no promoting activity, which may be due to the processing of the phenols involving polymerization. The mechanism of action of phenols is not clear. According to some data from the literature, phenol and 5-methylresorcinol reduce the resorption speed of BP in mouse skin, causing prolongation of the action fo the carcinogen. PMID:446449

Cocarcinogenicity of phenols from Estonian shale tars (oils).

PubMed

Bogovski, P A; Mirme, H I

1979-06-01

Many phenols have carcinogenic activity. The Estonian shale oils contain up to 40 vol % phenols. The promoting activity after initiation of phenols of Estonian shale oils was tested in mice with a single subthreshold dose (0.36 mg) of benzo(a)pyrene. C57Bl and CC57Br mice were used in skin painting experiments. Weak carcinogenic activity was found in the total crude water-soluble phenols recovered from the wastewater of a shale processing plant. In two-stage experiments a clear promoting action of the total crude phenols was established, whereas the fractions A and B (training reagents), obtained by selective crystallization of the total phenols exerted a considerably weaker promoting action. Epo-glue, a commercial epoxy product produced from unfractionated crude phenols, had no promoting activity, which may be due to the processing of the phenols involving polymerization. The mechanism of action of phenols is not clear. According to some data from the literature, phenol and 5-methylresorcinol reduce the resorption speed of BP in mouse skin, causing prolongation of the action fo the carcinogen.

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).

How lithology and climate affect REE mobility and fractionation along a shale weathering transect of the Susquehanna Shale Hills Critical Zone Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, L.; Jin, L.; Dere, A. L.; White, T.; Mathur, R.; Brantley, S. L.

2012-12-01

Shale weathering is an important process in global elemental cycles. Accompanied by the transformation of bedrock into regolith, many elements including rare earth elements (REE) are mobilized primarily by chemical weathering in the Critical Zone. Then, REE are subsequently transported from the vadose zone to streams, with eventual deposition in the oceans. REE have been identified as crucial and strategic natural resources; and discovery of new REE deposits will be facilitated by understanding global REE cycles. At present, the mechanisms and environmental factors controlling release, transport, and deposition of REE - the sources and sinks - at Earth's surface remain unclear. Here, we present a systematic study of soils, stream sediments, stream waters, soil water and bedrock in six small watersheds that are developed on shale bedrock in the eastern USA to constrain the mobility and fractionation of REE during early stages of chemical weathering. The selected watersheds are part of the shale transect established by the Susquehanna Shale Hills Observatory (SSHO) and are well suited to investigate weathering on shales of different compositions or within different climate regimes but on the same shale unit. Our REE study from SSHO, a small gray shale watershed in central Pennsylvania, shows that up to 65% of the REE (relative to parent bedrock) is depleted in the acidic and organic-rich soils due to chemical leaching. Both weathering soil profiles and natural waters show a preferential removal of middle REE (MREE: Sm to Dy) relative to light REE (La to Nd) and heavy REE (Ho to Lu) during shale weathering, due to preferential release of MREE from a phosphate phase (rhabdophane). Strong positive Ce anomalies observed in the regolith and stream sediments point to the fractionation and preferential precipitation of Ce as compared to other REE, in the generally oxidizing conditions of the surface environments. One watershed developed on the Marcellus black shale in Pennsylvania allows comparison of behaviors of REE in the organic-rich vs. organic-poor end members under the same climate conditions. Our study shows that black shale bedrock has much higher REE contents compared to the Rose Hill gray shale. The presence of reactive phases such as organic matter, carbonates and sulfides in black shale and their alteration greatly enhance the release of REE and other metals to surface environments. This observation suggests that weathering of black shale is thus of particular importance in the global REE cycles, in addition to other heavy metals that impact the health of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Finally, our ongoing investigation of four more gray shale watersheds in Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, and Puerto Rico will allow for a comparison of shale weathering along a climosequence. Such a systematic study will evaluate the control of air temperature and precipitation on REE release from gray shale weathering in eastern USA.

A combined microstructural and petrophysical study to analyse the mechanical behaviour of shales in the Flysch units, Glarus Alps, Switzerland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akker, Vénice; Kaufmann, Josef; Berger, Alfons; Herwegh, Marco

2017-04-01

Crustal scale deformation is strongly controlled by the rheological behaviour of sheet-silicate-rich rock types. As these rocks have low rock strength, facilitated by the strong crystallographically controlled mechanical anisotropy and interstitial pore fluid in the aggregate, they are able to accommodate considerable amounts of strain. A close relationship is expected between microstructure, porosity and permeability as function of metamorphic conditions and strain gradients. Thereby, fluids set free by compaction, mineral reactions or deformation play an important role. Rising industries in underground storage such as nuclear waste disposal, shale gas exploration or geological carbon sequestration make use of the advantageous properties of such rock types. Therefore, there is a great demand for research on the interaction of these processes. This study uses samples from Flysch-units of the Glarus Alps (Switzerland) collected along a metamorphic gradient (150-400°C) to unravel the link between the mechanical behaviour of these sheet-silicate-rich rocks at geological conditions and their present-day physical parameters. Investigations include two topics: (1) characterization of such rock types in terms of mineralogy, microstructure and petrophysical properties; and (2) possible reconstruction of deformation processes from microstructures. Quantitative information on the porosity, i.e. the pore sizes, distribution and their interconnectivity is crucial for both topics. Porosity is therefore estimated by: (1) image analysis of high resolution SEM images, (2) He-pycnometry, and (3) Hg-porosimetry. In a first step, differences in their present day physical parameters between low and high temperature sampling sites are shown. The variations inside and between the investigated samples is partly due to initial sedimentological heterogeneity and partly to the changes along the metamorphic gradient. This study will demonstrate how the characterized present day porosity evolved owing to these two prerequisites.

Dynamic compressive properties obtained from a split Hopkinson pressure bar test of Boryeong shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Minju; Cho, Jung-Woo; Kim, Yang Gon; Park, Jaeyeong; Jeong, Myeong-Sik; Lee, Sunghak

2016-09-01

Dynamic compressive properties of a Boryeong shale were evaluated by using a split Hopkinson pressure bar, and were compared with those of a Hwangdeung granite which is a typical hard rock. The results indicated that the dynamic compressive loading reduced the resistance to fracture. The dynamic compressive strength was lower in the shale than in the granite, and was raised with increasing strain rate by microcracking effect as well as strain rate strengthening effect. Since the number of microcracked fragments increased with increasing strain rate in the shale having laminated weakness planes, the shale showed the better fragmentation performance than the granite at high strain rates. The effect of transversely isotropic plane on compressive strength decreased with increasing strain rate, which was desirable for increasing the fragmentation performance. Thus, the shale can be more reliably applied to industrial areas requiring good fragmentation performance as the striking speed of drilling or hydraulic fracturing machines increased. The present dynamic compressive test effectively evaluated the fragmentation performance as well as compressive strength and strain energy density by controlling the air pressure, and provided an important idea on which rock was more readily fragmented under dynamically processing conditions such as high-speed drilling and blasting.

Fracture-permeability behavior of shale

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

Carey, J. William; Lei, Zhou; Rougier, Esteban

The fracture-permeability behavior of Utica shale, an important play for shale gas and oil, was investigated using a triaxial coreflood device and X-ray tomography in combination with finite-discrete element modeling (FDEM). Fractures generated in both compression and in a direct-shear configuration allowed permeability to be measured across the faces of cylindrical core. Shale with bedding planes perpendicular to direct-shear loading developed complex fracture networks and peak permeability of 30 mD that fell to 5 mD under hydrostatic conditions. Shale with bedding planes parallel to shear loading developed simple fractures with peak permeability as high as 900 mD. In addition tomore » the large anisotropy in fracture permeability, the amount of deformation required to initiate fractures was greater for perpendicular layering (about 1% versus 0.4%), and in both cases activation of existing fractures are more likely sources of permeability in shale gas plays or damaged caprock in CO₂ sequestration because of the significant deformation required to form new fracture networks. FDEM numerical simulations were able to replicate the main features of the fracturing processes while showing the importance of fluid penetration into fractures as well as layering in determining fracture patterns.« less

Fracture-permeability behavior of shale

DOE PAGES

Carey, J. William; Lei, Zhou; Rougier, Esteban; ...

2015-05-08

The fracture-permeability behavior of Utica shale, an important play for shale gas and oil, was investigated using a triaxial coreflood device and X-ray tomography in combination with finite-discrete element modeling (FDEM). Fractures generated in both compression and in a direct-shear configuration allowed permeability to be measured across the faces of cylindrical core. Shale with bedding planes perpendicular to direct-shear loading developed complex fracture networks and peak permeability of 30 mD that fell to 5 mD under hydrostatic conditions. Shale with bedding planes parallel to shear loading developed simple fractures with peak permeability as high as 900 mD. In addition tomore » the large anisotropy in fracture permeability, the amount of deformation required to initiate fractures was greater for perpendicular layering (about 1% versus 0.4%), and in both cases activation of existing fractures are more likely sources of permeability in shale gas plays or damaged caprock in CO₂ sequestration because of the significant deformation required to form new fracture networks. FDEM numerical simulations were able to replicate the main features of the fracturing processes while showing the importance of fluid penetration into fractures as well as layering in determining fracture patterns.« less

Granite disposal of U.S. high-level radioactive waste.

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

Freeze, Geoffrey A.; Mariner, Paul E.; Lee, Joon H.

This report evaluates the feasibility of disposing U.S. high-level radioactive waste in granite several hundred meters below the surface of the earth. The U.S. has many granite formations with positive attributes for permanent disposal. Similar crystalline formations have been extensively studied by international programs, two of which, in Sweden and Finland, are the host rocks of submitted or imminent repository license applications. This report is enabled by the advanced work of the international community to establish functional and operational requirements for disposal of a range of waste forms in granite media. In this report we develop scoping performance analyses, basedmore » on the applicable features, events, and processes (FEPs) identified by international investigators, to support generic conclusions regarding post-closure safety. Unlike the safety analyses for disposal in salt, shale/clay, or deep boreholes, the safety analysis for a mined granite repository depends largely on waste package preservation. In crystalline rock, waste packages are preserved by the high mechanical stability of the excavations, the diffusive barrier of the buffer, and favorable chemical conditions. The buffer is preserved by low groundwater fluxes, favorable chemical conditions, backfill, and the rigid confines of the host rock. An added advantage of a mined granite repository is that waste packages would be fairly easy to retrieve, should retrievability be an important objective. The results of the safety analyses performed in this study are consistent with the results of comprehensive safety assessments performed for sites in Sweden, Finland, and Canada. They indicate that a granite repository would satisfy established safety criteria and suggest that a small number of FEPs would largely control the release and transport of radionuclides. In the event the U.S. decides to pursue a potential repository in granite, a detailed evaluation of these FEPs would be needed to inform site selection and safety assessment.« less

Viscous Creep in Dry Unconsolidated Gulf of Mexico Shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, C.; Zoback, M. D.

2002-12-01

We conducted laboratory experiments to investigate creep characteristics of dry unconsolidated shale recovered from the pathfinder well, Gulf of Mexico (GOM). We subjected jacketed cylindrical specimens (25.4 mm diameter) to hydrostatic pressure that increased from 10 to 50 MPa in steps of 5 MPa. We kept the pressure constant in each step for at least 6 hours and measured axial and lateral strains (provided by LVDTs) and ultrasonic velocities (provided by seismic-wave transducers). The dry shale exhibited pronounced creep strain at all pressure levels, indicating that the dry frame of the shale possesses an intrinsic viscous property. Interestingly, the creep behavior of the shale is different above and below 30 MPa confining pressure. Above 30 MPa, the amount of creep strain in 6 hours is nearly constant with equal pressurization steps, indicating a linear viscous rheology. Below 30 MPa, the amount of creep increases linearly as pressure is raised in constant incremental steps, suggesting that the creep deformation accelerates as pressure increases within this pressure range. Thus, the general creep behavior of the GOM shale is characterized by a bilinear dependence on pressure magnitude. This creep characteristic is quite different from that observed in unconsolidated reservoir sands (Hagin and Zoback, 2002), which exhibited nearly constant amount of creep regardless of the pressure magnitude for equal increasing steps of pressure. The shale exhibits a lack of creep (and nearly negligible strain recovery) when unloaded, suggesting that the creep strain is irrecoverable and can be considered viscoplastic deformation. SEM observations show that the major mechanism of compaction of the dry shale appears to be packing of clay and a progressive collapse of pore (void) spaces. Creep compaction is considerably more significant than compaction that occurs instantaneously, indicating that the process of shale compaction is largely time-dependent.

Nanofiltration/reverse osmosis for treatment of coproduced waters

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

Mondal, S.; Hsiao, C.L.; Wickramasinghe, S.R.

2008-07-15

Current high oil and gas prices have lead to renewed interest in exploration of nonconventional energy sources such as coal bed methane, tar sand, and oil shale. However oil and gas production from these nonconventional sources has lead to the coproduction of large quantities of produced water. While produced water is a waste product from oil and gas exploration it is a very valuable natural resource in the arid Western United States. Thus treated produced water could be a valuable new source of water. Commercially available nanofiltration and low pressure reverse osmosis membranes have been used to treat three producedmore » waters. The results obtained here indicate that the permeate could be put to beneficial uses such as crop and livestock watering. However minimizing membrane fouling will be essential for the development of a practical process. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy imaging may be used to observe membrane fouling.« less

How to access and exploit natural resources sustainably: petroleum biotechnology.

PubMed

Sherry, Angela; Andrade, Luiza; Velenturf, Anne; Christgen, Beate; Gray, Neil D; Head, Ian M

2017-09-01

As we transition from fossil fuel reliance to a new energy future, innovative microbial biotechnologies may offer new routes to maximize recovery from conventional and unconventional energy assets; as well as contributing to reduced emission pathways and new technologies for carbon capture and utilization. Here we discuss the role of microbiology in petroleum biotechnologies in relation to addressing UN Sustainable Development Goal 12 (ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns), with a focus on microbially-mediated energy recovery from unconventionals (heavy oil to methane), shale gas and fracking, bioelectrochemical systems for the production of electricity from fossil fuel resources, and innovations in synthetic biology. Furthermore, using wastes to support a more sustainable approach to fossil fuel extraction processes is considered as we undertake the move towards a more circular global economy. © 2017 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

Mason’s equation application for prediction of voltage of oil shale treeing breakdown

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martemyanov, S. M.

2017-05-01

The application of the formula, which is used to calculate the maximum field at the tip of the pin-plane electrode system was proposed to describe the process of electrical treeing and treeing breakdown in an oil shale. An analytical expression for the calculation of the treeing breakdown voltage in the oil shale, as a function of the inter-electrode distance, was taken. A high accuracy of the correspondence of the model to the experimental data in the range of inter-electrode distances from 0.03 to 0.5 m was taken.

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.

Crack deflection in brittle media with heterogeneous interfaces and its application in shale fracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Xiaguang; Wei, Yujie

Driven by the rapid progress in exploiting unconventional energy resources such as shale gas, there is growing interest in hydraulic fracture of brittle yet heterogeneous shales. In particular, how hydraulic cracks interact with natural weak zones in sedimentary rocks to form permeable cracking networks is of significance in engineering practice. Such a process is typically influenced by crack deflection, material anisotropy, crack-surface friction, crustal stresses, and so on. In this work, we extend the He-Hutchinson theory (He and Hutchinson, 1989) to give the closed-form formulae of the strain energy release rate of a hydraulic crack with arbitrary angles with respect to the crustal stress. The critical conditions in which the hydraulic crack deflects into weak interfaces and exhibits a dependence on crack-surface friction and crustal stress anisotropy are given in explicit formulae. We reveal analytically that, with increasing pressure, hydraulic fracture in shales may sequentially undergo friction locking, mode II fracture, and mixed mode fracture. Mode II fracture dominates the hydraulic fracturing process and the impinging angle between the hydraulic crack and the weak interface is the determining factor that accounts for crack deflection; the lower friction coefficient between cracked planes and the greater crustal stress difference favor hydraulic fracturing. In addition to shale fracking, the analytical solution of crack deflection could be used in failure analysis of other brittle media.

An Integrated Environmental Assessment Model for Oil Shale Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pasqualini, D.; Witkowski, M. S.; Keating, G. N.; Ziock, H.; Wolfsberg, A. V.

2008-12-01

Due to the rising prices of conventional fuel, unconventional fossil fuels such as oil shale, tar sands, and coal to liquid have gained attention as an energy resource. The largest reserve of oil shale in the world is located in the western interior of North America, and includes parts of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. Development of oil shale in this area could reduce or eliminate the U.S. dependence on foreign fuel sources. However, oil shale production carries a number of potential environmental impacts. Fuel production associated with oil shale will create increasing competition for limited resources such as water, while potentially negatively impacting air quality, water quality, habitat, and wildlife. Water use, wastewater management, greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and land use are the main environmental issues that oil shale production involves. A proper analysis of the interrelationships between these factors and those of the new energy needs required for production is necessary to avoid serious negative impacts to the environment and the economies. We have developed a system dynamics integrated assessment model to evaluate potential fuel production capacity from oil shale within the limits of environmental quality, land use, and economics. Recognizing that the impacts of oil shale development are the outcomes of a complex process that involve water, energy, climate, social pressures, economics, regulations, technical advances, etc., and especially their couplings and feedbacks, we developed our model using the system dynamics (SD) modeling approach. Our SD model integrates all of these components and allows us to analyze the interdependencies among them. Our initial focus has been to address industry, regulator, and stakeholder concerns regarding the quantification and management of carbon and water resources impacts. The model focuses on oil shale production in the Piceance Basin in Colorado, but is inherently designed to be extendable to larger regions, levels of production, and different unconventional fuels.

Pyrolysis characteristics and kinetics of oil-based drilling cuttings in shale gas developing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Chuan; Li, Tong; Xu, Tengtun; Zeng, Yunmin; Song, Xue

2018-03-01

In this paper, the thermal behavior of waste oil-based drilling cuttings (from shale gas fields in Chongqing) was examined at different heating rates ranging from 5 to 15 °C min-1 in inert atmosphere using a sync analyzer of thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Four methods were used to analyze the distributions and variations of kinetics parameter (active energy (E) and frequency gene (A)): Coats-Redfern and other three iso-conversion rate methods (Flynn-Wall-Ozawa, Vyazovkin and Friedman). The experimental results indicated that the process consists of three steps, i.e., water evaporation, volatilization of light oil component and heavy oil cracking. TG curves moved toward higher temperature zone caused by thermal hysteresis with the increase of temperature rising rate. For volatilization of lightweight components, the E calculated by three iso-conversion rate methods changed a little with conversion, and had almost the same results as the CR method (14.39˜20.08 kJ.mol-1). For reactions of heavy oil cracking with mixed mechanism, corresponding E rose gradually with the increase of reaction time. The CR method shows nonlinear trends and the reaction models and kinetic parameters cannot be extracted from CR curves. The results by three iso-conversion methods showed that apparent activation energy was given as 155.74˜561.10 kJ.mol-1, 141.06˜524.96 kJ.mol-1 and 74.37˜605.10 kJ.mol-1, respectively.

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.

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.

Vegetation canopy cover effects on sediment erosion processes in the upper Colorado River Basin mancos shale formation, Price, Utah

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study provides new parameterizations for applying the Rangeland Hydrology and Erosion Model (RHEM) on the highly erosive, rangeland saline soils of the Mancos Shale formation in the Price-San Rafael River Basin in east central Utah. Calibrated hydrologic parameters (Kss and K') values are gener...

43 CFR 3000.12 - What is the fee schedule for fixed fees?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Processing and Filing Fee Table Document/action FY 2014 fee Oil & Gas (parts 3100, 3110, 3120, 3130, 3150... 325 Lease or lease interest transfer 65 Leasing of Solid Minerals Other Than Coal and Oil Shale (parts... claims) 1,495 (10 or fewer claims) Adverse claim 105 Protest 65 Oil Shale Management (parts 3900, 3910...

43 CFR 3000.12 - What is the fee schedule for fixed fees?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Processing and Filing Fee Table Document/Action FY 2015 Fee Oil & Gas (parts 3100, 3110, 3120, 3130, 3150... Coal and Oil Shale (parts 3500, 3580) Applications other than those listed below 35. Prospecting permit... adjudication 3,035 (more than 10 claims). 1,520 (10 or fewer claims). Adverse claim 110. Protest 65. Oil Shale...

The variation of molybdenum isotopes within the weathering system of the black shales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jianming, Z.

2016-12-01

Jian-Ming Zhu 1,2, De-Can Tan 2, Liang Liang 2, Wang Jing21 State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China 2 State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550002, China Molybdenum (Mo) stable isotopes have been developed as a tracer to indicate the evolution of the atmospheric and oceanic oxygenation related with continent weathering, and to reveal the extent of ancient oceanic euxinia. Molybdenum isotopic variation within the weathering system of basalts has been studied, and was presented the whole trend with heavier isotopes preferentially removed during weathering processes. However, there are few researches to study the variation of Mo isotopes during black shale weathering, especiall on the behavoir of Mo isotopes within the perfect shales' profiles. Here, the weathering profiles of Mo and selenium(Se)-rich carbonaceous rocks in Enshi southwest Hubei Province were selected. The Mo isotopes was measured on Nu Plasma II's MC-ICP-MS using 97Mo-100Mo double spike, and δ98/95Mo was reported relative to NIST 3134. A comprehensive set of Mo isotopic composition and concentration data from the unweathered, weakly and intensely weathered rocks were collected. The δ98/95Mo in fresh shales (220±248 mg/kg Mo, 1SD, n=41) from Shadi and Yutangba drill cores varies from 0.41‰ to 0.99‰ with an average of 0.67±0.16‰, while the strongly weathered shales (19.9±5.8 mg/kg Mo, 1SD, n=5) from Shadi profiles are isotopically heavier with average δ98/95Mo values of 1.03±0.10‰ (1SD, n=5). The Locally altered shales exposed in a quarry at Yutangba are highly enriched in Mo, varing from 31 to 2377 mg/kg with an average of 428 ±605mg/kg (1SD, n=24), approximately 2 times greater than that in fresh shales samples. These rocks are presented a significant variation in δ98/95Mo values varing from -0.24 ‰ to -3.99 ‰ with average -1.67±1.57‰, showing the extremely negative δ98/95Mo values existed in natural samples. This suggested that Mo isotopes can be fractionated during shales weathering processes, with lighter isotopes preferentially removed. This finding is in contrast to the previous knowledge from basalt weathering, and requires further study.

Investigating Rare Earth Element Systematics in the Marcellus Shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, J.; Torres, M. E.; Kim, J. H.; Verba, C.

2014-12-01

The lanthanide series of elements (the 14 rare earth elements, REEs) have similar chemical properties and respond to different chemical and physical processes in the natural environment by developing unique patterns in their concentration distribution when normalized to an average shale REE content. The interpretation of the REE content in a gas-bearing black shale deposited in a marine environment must therefore take into account the paleoredox conditions of deposition as well as any diagenetic remobilization and authigenic mineral formation. We analyzed 15 samples from a core of the Marcellus Shale (Whipkey ST1, Greene Co., PA) for REEs, TOC, gas-producing potential, trace metal content, and carbon isotopes of organic matter in order to determine the REE systematics of a black shale currently undergoing shale gas development. We also conducted a series of sequential leaching experiments targeting the phosphatic fractions in order to evaluate the dominant host phase of REEs in a black shale. Knowledge of the REE system in the Marcellus black shale will allow us to evaluate potential REE release and behavior during hydraulic fracturing operations. Total REE content of the Whipkey ST1 core ranged from 65-185 μg/g and we observed three distinct REE shale-normalized patterns: middle-REE enrichment (MREE/MREE* ~2) with heavy-REE enrichment (HREE/LREE ~1.8-2), flat patterns, and a linear enrichment towards the heavy-REE (HREE/LREE ~1.5-2.5). The MREE enrichment occurred in the high carbonate samples of the Stafford Member overlying the Marcellus Formation. The HREE enrichment occurred in the Union Springs Member of the Marcellus Formation, corresponding to a high TOC peak (TOC ~4.6-6.2 wt%) and moderate carbonate levels (CaCO3 ~4-53 wt%). Results from the sequential leaching experiments suggest that the dominant host of the REEs is the organic fraction of the black shale and that the detrital and authigenic fractions have characteristic MREE enrichments. We present our conclusions on the impact of depositional setting and diagenetic remobilization and authigenic mineral formation on the REE system in the Marcellus Shale.

Lower Silurian `hot shales' in North Africa and Arabia: regional distribution and depositional model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lüning, S.; Craig, J.; Loydell, D. K.; Štorch, P.; Fitches, B.

2000-03-01

Lowermost Silurian organic-rich (`hot') shales are the origin of 80-90% of Palaeozoic sourced hydrocarbons in North Africa and also played a major role in petroleum generation on the Arabian Peninsula. In most cases, the shales were deposited directly above upper Ordovician (peri-) glacial sandstones during the initial early Silurian transgression that was a result of the melting of the late Ordovician icecap. Deposition of the main organic-rich shale unit in the North African/Arabian region was restricted to the earliest Silurian Rhuddanian stage ( acuminatus, atavus and probably early cyphus graptolite biozones). During this short period (1-2 m.y.), a favourable combination of factors existed which led to the development of exceptionally strong oxygen-deficiency in the area. In most countries of the study area, the post-Rhuddanian Silurian shales are organically lean and have not contributed to petroleum generation. The distribution and thickness of the basal Silurian `hot' shales have been mapped in detail for the whole North African region, using logs from some 300 exploration wells in Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. In addition, all relevant, accessible published and unpublished surface and subsurface data of the lower Silurian shales in North Africa and Arabia have been reviewed, including sedimentological, biostratigraphic and organic geochemical data. The lowermost Silurian hot shales of northern Gondwana are laterally discontinuous and their distribution and thickness were controlled by the early Silurian palaeorelief which was shaped mainly by glacial processes of the late Ordovician ice age and by Pan-African and Infracambrian compressional and extensional tectonism. The thickest and areally most extensive basal Silurian organic-rich shales in North Africa occur in Algeria, Tunisia and western Libya, while on the Arabian Peninsula they are most prolific in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan and Iraq. The hot shales were not deposited in Egypt, which was a large palaeohigh at that time. The depositional model presented may help in better understanding the source potential of the basal Silurian shales in less-explored regions of North Africa and Arabia including Morocco, northern Niger and the Kufra Basin in southeast Libya.

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.

Hydrogeology and results of aquifer tests in the vicinity of a hazardous-waste disposal site near Byron, Illinois

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kay, Robert T.; Olson, David N.; Ryan, Barbara J.

1989-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, conducted an investigation of a Superfund Site near Byron, Illinois. The purpose of the investigation was to determine the hydrogeologic properties of the Galena-Platteville and St. Peter aquifers, the primary water-supply aquifers for domestic supply in the area. The Galena and Platteville Groups and older St. Peter Sandstone are separated by the Harmony Hill Shale Member of the Glenwood Formation. The Harmony Hill Shale Member is a semiconfining unit. Groundwater flow in the study area is from the site northwestward to the Rock River. Movement of groundwater in the dolomites is mainly through joints, fractures, and solution openings. Analysis of the Galena-Platteville aquifer-test data indicates that the calculated aquifer transmissivity ranges from 490 to 670 sq ft/day, and the calculated specific yield ranges from 0.017 to 0.140. Aquifer test data also indicate that the Galena-Platteville aquifer is heterogeneous and anisotropic. Analysis of the St. Peter aquifer-test data indicates that the calculated transmissivity of the aquifer ranges from 1,200 to 1 ,305 sq ft/day, storativity ranges from 0.000528 to 0.00128, horizontal hydraulic conductivity ranges from 2.9 to 3.1 ft/day, and leakage through the Harmony Hill Shale Member ranges from .000123 to .000217 ft/day/ft. (USGS)

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

Our national energy future - The role of remote sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmitt, H. H.

1975-01-01

An overview of problems and opportunities in remote sensing of resources. The need for independence from foreign and precarious energy sources, availability of fossil fuel materials for other purposes (petrochemicals, fertilizer), environmental conservation, and new energy sources are singled out as the main topics. Phases of response include: (1) crisis, with reduced use of petroleum and tapping of on-shore and off-shore resources combined; (2) a transition phase involving a shift from petroleum to coal and oil shale; and (3) exploitation of renewable (inexhaustible and clean) energy. Opportunities for remote sensing in fuel production and energy conservation are discussed along with problems in identifying the spectral signatures of productive and unproductive regions. Mapping of water resources, waste heat, byproducts, and wastes is considered in addition to opportunities for international collaboration.

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.

Western Greece unconventional hydrocarbon potential from oil shale and shale gas reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karakitsios, Vasileios; Agiadi, Konstantina

2013-04-01

It is clear that we are gradually running out of new sedimentary basins to explore for conventional oil and gas and that the reserves of conventional oil, which can be produced cheaply, are limited. This is the reason why several major oil companies invest in what are often called unconventional hydrocarbons: mainly oil shales, heavy oil, tar sand and shale gas. In western Greece exist important oil and gas shale reservoirs which must be added to its hydrocarbon potential1,2. Regarding oil shales, Western Greece presents significant underground immature, or close to the early maturation stage, source rocks with black shale composition. These source rock oils may be produced by applying an in-situ conversion process (ICP). A modern technology, yet unproven at a commercial scale, is the thermally conductive in-situ conversion technology, developed by Shell3. Since most of western Greece source rocks are black shales with high organic content, those, which are immature or close to the maturity limit have sufficient thickness and are located below 1500 meters depth, may be converted artificially by in situ pyrolysis. In western Greece, there are several extensive areas with these characteristics, which may be subject of exploitation in the future2. Shale gas reservoirs in Western Greece are quite possibly present in all areas where shales occur below the ground-water level, with significant extent and organic matter content greater than 1%, and during their geological history, were found under conditions corresponding to the gas window (generally at depths over 5,000 to 6,000m). Western Greece contains argillaceous source rocks, found within the gas window, from which shale gas may be produced and consequently these rocks represent exploitable shale gas reservoirs. Considering the inevitable increase in crude oil prices, it is expected that at some point soon Western Greece shales will most probably be targeted. Exploration for conventional petroleum reservoirs, through the interpretation of seismic profiles and the surface geological data, will simultaneously provide the subsurface geometry of the unconventional reservoirs. Their exploitation should follow that of conventional hydrocarbons, in order to benefit from the anticipated technological advances, eliminating environmental repercussions. As a realistic approach, the environmental consequences of the oil shale and shale gas exploitation to the natural environment of western Greece, which holds other very significant natural resources, should be delved into as early as possible. References 1Karakitsios V. & Rigakis N. 2007. Evolution and Petroleum Potential of Western Greece. J.Petroleum Geology, v. 30, no. 3, p. 197-218. 2Karakitsios V. 2013. Western Greece and Ionian Sea petroleum systems. AAPG Bulletin, in press. 3Bartis J.T., Latourrette T., Dixon L., Peterson D.J., Cecchine G. 2005. Oil Shale Development in the United States: Prospect and Policy Issues. Prepared for the National Energy Tech. Lab. of the U.S. Dept Energy. RAND Corporation, 65 p.

The effect of long-term regional pumping on hydrochemistry and dissolved gas content in an undeveloped shale-gas-bearing aquifer in southwestern Ontario, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamilton, Stewart M.; Grasby, Stephen E.; McIntosh, Jennifer C.; Osborn, Stephen G.

2015-02-01

Baseline groundwater geochemical mapping of inorganic and isotopic parameters across 44,000 km2 of southwestern Ontario (Canada) has delineated a discreet zone of natural gas in the bedrock aquifer coincident with an 8,000-km2 exposure of Middle Devonian shale. This study describes the ambient geochemical conditions in these shales in the context of other strata, including Ordovician shales, and discusses shale-related natural and anthropogenic processes contributing to hydrogeochemical conditions in the aquifer. The three Devonian shales—the Kettle Point Formation (Antrim equivalent), Hamilton Group and Marcellus Formation—have higher DOC, DIC, HCO3, CO2(aq), pH and iodide, and much higher CH4(aq). The two Ordovician shales—the Queenston and Georgian-Bay/Blue Mountain Formations—are higher in Ca, Mg, SO4 and H2S. In the Devonian shale region, isotopic zones of Pleistocene-aged groundwater have halved in size since first identified in the 1980s; potentiometric data implicate regional groundwater extraction in the shrinkage. Isotopically younger waters invading the aquifer show rapid increases in CH4(aq), pH and iodide with depth and rapid decrease in oxidized carbon species including CO2, HCO3 and DIC, suggesting contemporary methanogenesis. Pumping in the Devonian shale contact aquifer may stimulate methanogenesis by lowering TDS, removing products and replacing reactants, including bicarbonate, derived from overlying glacial sedimentary aquifers.

Water mist injection in oil shale retorting

DOEpatents

Galloway, T.R.; Lyczkowski, R.W.; Burnham, A.K.

1980-07-30

Water mist is utilized to control the maximum temperature in an oil shale retort during processing. A mist of water droplets is generated and entrained in the combustion supporting gas flowing into the retort in order to distribute the liquid water droplets throughout the retort. The water droplets are vaporized in the retort in order to provide an efficient coolant for temperature control.

The Shear Mechanisms of Natural Fractures during the Hydraulic Stimulation of Shale Gas Reservoirs.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhaobin; Li, Xiao

2016-08-23

The shearing of natural fractures is important in the permeability enhancement of shale gas reservoirs during hydraulic fracturing treatment. In this work, the shearing mechanisms of natural fractures are analyzed using a newly proposed numerical model based on the displacement discontinuities method. The fluid-rock coupling system of the model is carefully designed to calculate the shearing of fractures. Both a single fracture and a complex fracture network are used to investigate the shear mechanisms. The investigation based on a single fracture shows that the non-ignorable shearing length of a natural fracture could be formed before the natural fracture is filled by pressurized fluid. Therefore, for the hydraulic fracturing treatment of the naturally fractured shale gas reservoirs, the shear strength of shale is generally more important than the tensile strength. The fluid-rock coupling propagation processes of a complex fracture network are simulated under different crustal stress conditions and the results agree well with those of the single fracture. The propagation processes of complex fracture network show that a smaller crustal stress difference is unfavorable to the shearing of natural fractures, but is favorable to the formation of complex fracture network.

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.

A Thermoplasticity Model for Oil Shale

DOE PAGES

White, Joshua A.; Burnham, Alan K.; Camp, David W.

2016-03-31

Several regions of the world have abundant oil shale resources, but accessing this energy supply poses a number of challenges. One particular difficulty is the thermomechanical behavior of the material. When heated to sufficient temperatures, thermal conversion of kerogen to oil, gas, and other products takes place. This alteration of microstructure leads to a complex geomechanical response. In this work, we develop a thermoplasticity model for oil shale. The model is based on critical state plasticity, a framework often used for modeling clays and soft rocks. The model described here allows for both hardening due to mechanical deformation and softeningmore » due to thermal processes. In particular, the preconsolidation pressure—defining the onset of plastic volumetric compaction—is controlled by a state variable representing the kerogen content of the material. As kerogen is converted to other phases, the material weakens and plastic compaction begins. We calibrate and compare the proposed model to a suite of high-temperature uniaxial and triaxial experiments on core samples from a pilot in situ processing operation in the Green River Formation. In conclusion, we also describe avenues for future work to improve understanding and prediction of the geomechanical behavior of oil shale operations.« less

The Shear Mechanisms of Natural Fractures during the Hydraulic Stimulation of Shale Gas Reservoirs

PubMed Central

Zhang, Zhaobin; Li, Xiao

2016-01-01

The shearing of natural fractures is important in the permeability enhancement of shale gas reservoirs during hydraulic fracturing treatment. In this work, the shearing mechanisms of natural fractures are analyzed using a newly proposed numerical model based on the displacement discontinuities method. The fluid-rock coupling system of the model is carefully designed to calculate the shearing of fractures. Both a single fracture and a complex fracture network are used to investigate the shear mechanisms. The investigation based on a single fracture shows that the non-ignorable shearing length of a natural fracture could be formed before the natural fracture is filled by pressurized fluid. Therefore, for the hydraulic fracturing treatment of the naturally fractured shale gas reservoirs, the shear strength of shale is generally more important than the tensile strength. The fluid-rock coupling propagation processes of a complex fracture network are simulated under different crustal stress conditions and the results agree well with those of the single fracture. The propagation processes of complex fracture network show that a smaller crustal stress difference is unfavorable to the shearing of natural fractures, but is favorable to the formation of complex fracture network. PMID:28773834

Unconventional shale-gas systems: The Mississippian Barnett Shale of north-central Texas as one model for thermogenic shale-gas assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jarvie, D.M.; Hill, R.J.; Ruble, T.E.; Pollastro, R.M.

2007-01-01

Shale-gas resource plays can be distinguished by gas type and system characteristics. The Newark East gas field, located in the Fort Worth Basin, Texas, is defined by thermogenic gas production from low-porosity and low-permeability Barnett Shale. The Barnett Shale gas system, a self-contained source-reservoir system, has generated large amounts of gas in the key productive areas because of various characteristics and processes, including (1) excellent original organic richness and generation potential; (2) primary and secondary cracking of kerogen and retained oil, respectively; (3) retention of oil for cracking to gas by adsorption; (4) porosity resulting from organic matter decomposition; and (5) brittle mineralogical composition. The calculated total gas in place (GIP) based on estimated ultimate recovery that is based on production profiles and operator estimates is about 204 bcf/section (5.78 ?? 109 m3/1.73 ?? 104 m3). We estimate that the Barnett Shale has a total generation potential of about 609 bbl of oil equivalent/ac-ft or the equivalent of 3657 mcf/ac-ft (84.0 m3/m3). Assuming a thickness of 350 ft (107 m) and only sufficient hydrogen for partial cracking of retained oil to gas, a total generation potential of 820 bcf/section is estimated. Of this potential, approximately 60% was expelled, and the balance was retained for secondary cracking of oil to gas, if sufficient thermal maturity was reached. Gas storage capacity of the Barnett Shale at typical reservoir pressure, volume, and temperature conditions and 6% porosity shows a maximum storage capacity of 540 mcf/ac-ft or 159 scf/ton. Copyright ?? 2007. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists. All rights reserved.

Microporoelastic Modeling of Organic-Rich Shales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khosh Sokhan Monfared, S.; Abedi, S.; Ulm, F. J.

2014-12-01

Organic-rich shale is an extremely complex, naturally occurring geo-composite. The heterogeneous nature of organic-rich shale and its anisotropic behavior pose grand challenges for characterization, modeling and engineering design The intricacy of organic-rich shale, in the context of its mechanical and poromechanical properties, originates in the presence of organic/inorganic constituents and their interfaces as well as the occurrence of porosity and elastic anisotropy, at multiple length scales. To capture the contributing mechanisms, of 1st order, responsible for organic-rich shale complex behavior, we introduce an original approach for micromechanical modeling of organic-rich shales which accounts for the effect of maturity of organics on the overall elasticity through morphology considerations. This morphology contribution is captured by means of an effective media theory that bridges the gap between immature and mature systems through the choice of system's microtexture; namely a matrix-inclusion morphology (Mori-Tanaka) for immature systems and a polycrystal/granular morphology for mature systems. Also, we show that interfaces play a role on the effective elasticity of mature, organic-rich shales. The models are calibrated by means of ultrasonic pulse velocity measurements of elastic properties and validated by means of nanoindentation results. Sensitivity analyses using Spearman's Partial Rank Correlation Coefficient shows the importance of porosity and Total Organic Carbon (TOC) as key input parameters for accurate model predictions. These modeling developments pave the way to reach a "unique" set of clay properties and highlight the importance of depositional environment, burial and diagenetic processes on overall mechanical and poromechanical behavior of organic-rich shale. These developments also emphasize the importance of understanding and modeling clay elasticity and organic maturity on the overall rock behavior which is of critical importance for a practical rock physics model that accounts for time dependent phenomena which can be employed for seismic inversion.

Permeability Evolution of Slowly Slipping Faults in Shale Reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Wei; Reece, Julia S.; Gensterblum, Yves; Zoback, Mark D.

2017-11-01

Slow slip on preexisting faults during hydraulic fracturing is a process that significantly influences shale gas production in extremely low permeability "shale" (unconventional) reservoirs. We experimentally examined the impacts of mineralogy, surface roughness, and effective stress on permeability evolution of slowly slipping faults in Eagle Ford shale samples. Our results show that fault permeability decreases with slip at higher effective stress but increases with slip at lower effective stress. The permeabilities of saw cut faults fully recover after cycling effective stress from 2.5 to 17.5 to 2.5 MPa and increase with slip at constant effective stress due to asperity damage and dilation associated with slip. However, the permeabilities of natural faults only partially recover after cycling effective stress returns to 2.5 MPa and decrease with slip due to produced gouge blocking fluid flow pathways. Our results suggest that slowly slipping faults have the potential to enhance reservoir stimulation in extremely low permeability reservoirs.

Oil shale retort apparatus

DOEpatents

Reeves, Adam A.; Mast, Earl L.; Greaves, Melvin J.

1990-01-01

A retorting apparatus including a vertical kiln and a plurality of tubes for delivering rock to the top of the kiln and removal of processed rock from the bottom of the kiln so that the rock descends through the kiln as a moving bed. Distributors are provided for delivering gas to the kiln to effect heating of the rock and to disturb the rock particles during their descent. The distributors are constructed and disposed to deliver gas uniformly to the kiln and to withstand and overcome adverse conditions resulting from heat and from the descending rock. The rock delivery tubes are geometrically sized, spaced and positioned so as to deliver the shale uniformly into the kiln and form symmetrically disposed generally vertical paths, or "rock chimneys", through the descending shale which offer least resistance to upward flow of gas. When retorting oil shale, a delineated collection chamber near the top of the kiln collects gas and entrained oil mist rising through the kiln.

Redistribution of elements between wastes and organic-bearing material in the dispersion train of gold-bearing sulfide tailings: Part I. Geochemistry and mineralogy.

PubMed

Saryg-Ool, B Yu; Myagkaya, I N; Kirichenko, I S; Gustaytis, M A; Shuvaeva, O V; Zhmodik, S M; Lazareva, E V

2017-03-01

Migration and redistribution of elements during prolonged interaction of cyanide wastes with the underlying natural organic-bearing material have been studied in two ~40cm deep cores that sample primary ores and their weathering profile (wastes I and II, respectively) in the dispersion train of gold-bearing sulfide tailings in Siberia. Analytical results of SR-XRF, whole-rock XRF, AAS, CHNS, and SEM measurements of core samples show high K, Sr, Ti, and Fe enrichments and correlation of P 2 O 5 and Mn with LOI and C org . Organic material interlayered or mixed with the wastes accumulates Cu, Zn, Se, Cd, Ag, Au, and Hg. The peat that contacts wastes II bears up to 3wt.% Zn, 1000g/t Se, 100g/t Cd, and 8000g/t Hg. New phases of Zn and Hg sulfides and Hg selenides occur as abundant sheaths over bacterial cells suggesting microbial mediation in sorption of elements. Organic-bearing material in the cores contains 10-30g/t Au in 2-5cm thick intervals, both within and outside the intervals rich in sulfides and selenides. Most of gold is invisible but reaches 345g/t and forms 50nm to 1.5μm Au 0 particles in a thin 2-3cm interval of organic remnants mixed with wastes I. Vertical and lateral infiltration of AMD waters in peat and oxidative dissolution of wastes within the dispersion train of the Ursk tailings lead to redistribution of elements and their accumulation by combined physical (material's permeability, direction AMD), chemical (complexing, sorption by organic matter and Fe(III) hydroxides) and biochemical (metabolism of sulfate-reducing bacteria) processes. The accumulated elements form secondary sulfates, and Hg and Zn selenides. The results provide insights into accumulation of elements in the early history of coal and black shale deposits and have implications for remediation of polluted areas and for secondary enrichment technologies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Iridium contents in the Late Cretaceous-Early Tertiary clays in relation to the K/T boundary, North Jordan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abboud, Iyad Ahmed

2016-06-01

The mineralogy, lithology, and geochemistry of five discrete laminations across the K/T boundary of clayey shale at the Yarmouk River area, Jordan, were examined. There were no marked changes in the mineralogy of the clayey shale within the K/T boundary. This outcrop consists of more than 100 m of Maastrichtian oil shale overlying about 20 m limestone. Marly limestone included many clay laminations from organic and volcanic origins, which are considered an evidence of the K/T boundary through detected iridium anomalies. Any of these particular lamellae range from 2 mm to 5 mm in thickness. Smectite was the predominant clay mineral in smectitic shale laminations. It was located at eight meters above the K/T boundary and includes some anomalous concentrations of iridium and traces of other elements. The analysis of geochemical platinum group at the K/T boundary clays showed anomalous enrichments of iridium, compared with other carbonate rocks as a result of weathering processes of oil shale, or through concentration from weathering of basalt flows, but not pointing to an impact process. The clays in late Maastrichtian have Ir-Sc prevailed anomalies and synchronize with increasing of terrigenous and volcanogenic traced elements. Kaolin, smectite, and volkonskoite were the dominant clay minerals at the K/T boundary with high concentrations of iridium. The concentration levels of iridium in some laminations of the Yarmouk sediments ranged between 1.6 and 7.8 ppb.

Public and stakeholder participation for managing and reducing the risks of shale gas development.

PubMed

North, D Warner; Stern, Paul C; Webler, Thomas; Field, Patrick

2014-01-01

Emerging technologies pose particularly strong challenges for risk governance when they have multidimensional and inequitable impacts, when there is scientific uncertainty about the technology and its risks, when there are strong value conflicts over the perceived benefits and risks, when decisions must be made urgently, and when the decision making environment is rife with mistrust. Shale gas development is one such emerging technology. Drawing on previous U.S. National Research Council committee reports that examined risk decision making for complex issues like these, we point to the benefits and challenges of applying the analytic-deliberative process recommended in those reports for stakeholder and public engagement in risk decision making about shale gas development in the United States. We discuss the different phases of such a process and conclude by noting the dangers of allowing controversy to ossify and the benefits of sound dialogue and learning among publics, stakeholders, industry, and regulatory decision makers.

Sharing Water Data to Encourage Sustainable Choices in Areas of the Marcellus Shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brantley, S. L.; Abad, J. D.; Vastine, J.; Yoxtheimer, D.; Wilderman, C.; Vidic, R.; Hooper, R. P.; Brasier, K.

2012-12-01

Natural gas sourced from shales but stored in more permeable formations has long been exploited as an energy resource. Now, however, gas is exploited directly from the low-porosity and low-permeability shale reservoirs through the use of hydrofracturing. Hydrofracturing is not a new technique: it has long been utilized in the energy industry to promote flow of oil and gas from traditional reservoirs. To exploit gas in reservoirs such as the Marcellus shale in PA, hydrofracturing is paired with directional drilling. Such hydrofracturing utilizes large volumes of water to increase porosity in the shale formations at depth. Small concentrations of chemicals are added to the water to improve the formation and maintenance of the fractures. Significant public controversy has developed in response to the use of hydrofracturing especially in the northeastern states underlain by the Marcellus shale where some citizens and scientists question whether shale gas recovery will contaminate local surface and ground waters. Researchers, government agencies, and citizen scientists in Pennsylvania are teaming up to run the ShaleNetwork (www.shalenetwork.org), an NSF-funded research collaboration network that is currently finding, collating, sharing, publishing, and exploring data related to water quality and quantity in areas that are exploiting shale gas. The effort, focussed initially on Pennsylvania, is now developing the ShaleNetwork database that can be accessed through HydroDesktop in the CUAHSI Hydrologic Information System. In the first year since inception, the ShaleNetwork ran a workshop and reached eight conclusions, largely focussed on issues related to the sources, entry, and use of data. First, the group discovered that extensive water data is available in areas of shale gas. Second, participants agreed that the Shale Network team should partner with state agencies and industry to move datasets online. Third, participants discovered that the database allows participants to assess data gaps. Fourth, the team was encouraged to search for data that plug gaps. Fifth, the database should be easily sustained by others long-term if the Shale Network team simplifies the process of uploading data and finds ways to create community buy-in or incentives for data uploads. Sixth, the database itself and the workshops for the database should drive future agreement about analytical protocols. Seventh, the database is already encouraging other groups to publish data online. Finally, a user interface is needed that is easier and more accessible for citizens to use. Overall, it is clear that sharing data is one way to build bridges among decision makers, scientists, and citizens to understand issues related to sustainable development of energy resources in the face of issues related to water quality and quantity.

Thermal alterations of organic matter in coal wastes from Upper Silesia, Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Misz-Kennan, Magdalena

2010-01-01

Self-heating and self-combustion are currently taking place in some coal waste dumps in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin, Poland, e.g. the dumps at Rymer Cones, Starzykowiec, and the Marcel Coal Mine, all in the Rybnik area. These dumps are of similar age and self-heating and combustion have been occurring in all three for many years. The tools of organic petrography (maceral composition, rank, etc.), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and proximate and ultimate analysis are used to investigate the wastes. Organic matter occurs in quantities up to 85 vol.%, typically a few to several vol.%, in the wastes. All three maceral groups (vitrinite, liptinite, and inertinite) are present as unaltered and variously-altered constituents associated with newly-formed petrographic components (bitumen expulsions, pyrolytic carbon). The predominant maceral group is vitrinite with alterations reflected in the presence of irregular cracks, oxidation rims and, rarely, devolatilisation pores. In altered wastes, paler grey-vitrinite and/or coke dominates. The lack of plasticity, the presence of paler-coloured particles, isotropic massive coke, dispersed coked organic matter, and expulsions of bitumens all indicate that heating was slow and extended over a long time. Macerals belonging to other groups are present in unaltered form or with colours paler than the colours of the parent macerals. Based on the relative contents of organic compounds, the most important groups of these identified in the wastes are n-alkanes, acyclic isoprenoids, hopanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their derivatives, phenol and its derivatives. These compounds occur in all wastes except those most highly altered where they were probably destroyed by high temperatures. These compounds were generated mainly from liptinite-group macerals. Driven by evaporation and leaching, they migrated within and out of the dump. Their presence in some wastes in which microscopically visible organic matter is lacking suggests that they originated elsewhere and subsequently migrated through the dump piles. During their migration, the compounds fractionated, were adsorbed on minerals and/or interacted. The absence of alkenes, and of other unsaturated organic compounds, may reflect primary diagenetic processes that occurred in coals and coal shales during burial and/or organic matter type. Their absence may also be a consequence of heating that lasted many years, hydropyrolysis, and/or the participation of minerals in the reactions occurring within the dumps. The wastes contain compounds typical of organic matter of unaltered kerogen III type and the products of pyrolytic processes, and mixtures of both. In some wastes, organic compounds are completely absent having been destroyed by severe heating. The distributions of n-alkanes in many samples are typical of pyrolysates. In some wastes, narrow n-alkane distributions reflect their generation over small temperature ranges. In others, wider distributions point to greater temperature ranges. Other wastes contain n-alkane distributions typical of unaltered coal and high pristane content or mixtures of pyrolysates and unaltered waste material. The wastes also contain significant amounts of final αβ hopanes. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are represented only by two- to five-ring compounds as is typical of the thermal alteration of hard coal. Correlations between the degree of organic matter alteration and the relative contents of individual PAHs and hopanes and geochemical indicators of thermal alteration are generally poor. The properties of the organic matter (its composition and rank), temperature fluctuations within the dumps, migration of organic compounds and mineral involvement are probably responsible for this. The processes taking place in coal waste dumps undergoing self-heating and self-combustion are complicated; they are very difficult to estimate and define. The methods of organic petrology and geochemistry give complementary data allowing the processes to be described. However, each of the dumps investigated represents a separate challenge to be surmounted in any regional attempt to delineate the regional environmental impact of these waste dumps.

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

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".

Investigating GHGs and VOCs emissions from a shale gas industry in Germany and the UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cremonese, L.; Weger, L.; Denier Van Der Gon, H.; Bartels, M. P.; Butler, T. M.

2017-12-01

The shale gas and shale oil production boom experienced in the US led the country to a significant reduction of foreign fuel imports and an increase in domestic energy security. Several European countries are considering to extract domestic shale gas reserves that might serve as a bridge in the transition to renewables. Nevertheless, the generation of shale gas leads to emissions of CH4 and pollutants such as PM, NOx and VOCs, which in turn impact local and regional air quality and climate. Results from numerous studies investigating greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions from shale oil and shale gas extraction in North America can help in estimating the impact of such industrial activity elsewhere, when local regulations are taken into consideration. In order to investigate the extent of emissions and their distribution from a potential shale gas industry in Germany and the United Kingdom, we develop three drilling scenarios compatible with desired national gas outputs based on available geological information on potential productivity ranges of the reservoirs. Subsequently we assign activity data and emissions factors to wells under development, as well as to producing wells (from activities at the well site up until processing plants) to enable emissions quantification. We then define emissions scenarios to explore different shale gas development pathways: 1) implementation of "high-technology" devices and recovery practices (low emissions); 2) implementation of "low-technology" devices and recovery practices (high emissions), and 3) intermediate scenarios reflecting assumptions on local and national settings, or extremely high emission events (e.g. super-emitters); all with high and low boundaries of confidence driven by uncertainties. A comparison of these unconventional gas production scenarios to conventional natural gas production in Germany and the United Kingdom is also planned. The aim of this work is to highlight important variables and their ranges, to promote discussion and communication of potential impacts, and to construct possible visions for a future shale gas development in the two study countries. In a follow-up study, the impact of pollutant emissions from these scenarios on air quality will be explored using the Weather Research and Forecasting model with chemistry (WRF-Chem) model.

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.

Hydrogeologic controls on water quality at a university dairy farm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKay, L. D.; Hunter, R. W.; Lee, J.

2010-12-01

Dairy farms typically produce large quantities of manure and other waste products which are often stored or treated in lagoons and then applied to local fields as fertilizer. Contamination of nearby streams by dairy farm wastes through surface runnoff, drainage tile discharge, direct release of wastes or inundation of waste storage facilities during seasonal flooding have long been recognized as major environmental concerns. However, much less attention has been paid to fate and transport of dairy wastes in the subsurface and their potential impact on water quality in aquifers or in groundwater discharge to streams. One of the challenges in evaluating the environmental impact of dairy operations is that there are relatively few field research sites where all of the potential pathways for waterborne transport of dairy wastes are monitored and quantititatively evaluated. There are even fewer sites where extensive baseline water quality monitoring programs were established prior to operation of the dairy. This is essential to distinguish between environmental impacts from dairy operations and other nearby sources, such as beef production and human sewage from septic fields. This talk describes the development of a an integrated hydrogeologic/hydrologic site assessment and groundwater/surface water quality monitoring program at the University of Tennessee - Little River Dairy Farm, located near Townsend, TN. The dairy is currently under construction and the first cows are expected to arrive in late 2010. Hydrologic/hydrogeologic investigations of streams and groundwater at the site have been underway for more than 3 years, and these are expected to provide background data for assessing impacts of dairy wastes and for testing the effectiveness of different management practises. The lower half of the ~180 ha site consists of low-relief fields used for row crops, which are underlain by 4 - 8 m of alluvial deposits (mainly interbedded silt and fine-grained sands) on top of by black shale or limestone. Several active sinkholes are present in the portion of the fields underlain by limestone. The fields are bounded on two sides by the Little River, a popular recreational river, and on the third side by Ellejoy Creek, which is on the state’s 303(d) list for impairment by nutrients, sediment and fecal microorganisms, which are derived from upstream agricultural and rural residential development. These fields will be fertilized with treated dairy wastes and are the main area of concern for offsite migration of contaminants through groundwater, drainage ditches and (eventually) a tile drain system. A secondary area of concern is the dairy waste treatment pond which is located, along with the dairy barns, on the upland portion of the site, which is underlain by 1-2 m of clay-rich residual soils developed on fractured shale bedrock. Long term water quality monitoring of runnoff, streams, drainage ditches and groundwater is planned, with the intent of measuring environmental impact of dairy operations and testing the effectiveness of different management practises.

Estimation of anisotropy parameters in organic-rich shale: Rock physics forward modeling approach

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

Herawati, Ida, E-mail: ida.herawati@students.itb.ac.id; Winardhi, Sonny; Priyono, Awali

Anisotropy analysis becomes an important step in processing and interpretation of seismic data. One of the most important things in anisotropy analysis is anisotropy parameter estimation which can be estimated using well data, core data or seismic data. In seismic data, anisotropy parameter calculation is generally based on velocity moveout analysis. However, the accuracy depends on data quality, available offset, and velocity moveout picking. Anisotropy estimation using seismic data is needed to obtain wide coverage of particular layer anisotropy. In anisotropic reservoir, analysis of anisotropy parameters also helps us to better understand the reservoir characteristics. Anisotropy parameters, especially ε, aremore » related to rock property and lithology determination. Current research aims to estimate anisotropy parameter from seismic data and integrate well data with case study in potential shale gas reservoir. Due to complexity in organic-rich shale reservoir, extensive study from different disciplines is needed to understand the reservoir. Shale itself has intrinsic anisotropy caused by lamination of their formed minerals. In order to link rock physic with seismic response, it is necessary to build forward modeling in organic-rich shale. This paper focuses on studying relationship between reservoir properties such as clay content, porosity and total organic content with anisotropy. Organic content which defines prospectivity of shale gas can be considered as solid background or solid inclusion or both. From the forward modeling result, it is shown that organic matter presence increases anisotropy in shale. The relationships between total organic content and other seismic properties such as acoustic impedance and Vp/Vs are also presented.« less

Study on nickel and vanadium removal in thermal conversion of oil sludge and oil shale sludge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sombral, L. G. S.; Pickler, A. C.; Aires, J. R.; Riehl, C. A.

2003-05-01

The petroleum refining processes and of oil shale industrialization generate solid and semi-solid residues. In those residues heavy metals are found in concentrations that vary according to the production sector. The destination of those residues is encouraging researches looking for new technologies that reach the specifications of environmental organisms, and are being developed and applied to the industry. In this work it is shown that the heavy metals concentrations, previously in the petroleum oily solid residues and in those of the oils shale, treated by low temperature thermal conversion, obtaining in both cases concentrations below Ippm to Nickel and below 5ppm to vanadium.

Cytotoxic and mutagenic properties of shale oil byproducts. II. Comparison of mutagenic effects at five genetic markers induced by retort process water plus near ultraviolet light in Chinese hamster ovary cells

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

Chen, D.J.C.; Strniste, G.F.

1982-01-01

A Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line heterozygous at the adenine phosphoribosyl transferase (APRT) locus was used for selection of induced mutants resistant to 8-azaadenine (8AA), 6-thioguanine (6TG), ouabain (OUA), emetine (EMT) and diphtheria toxin (DIP). The expression times necessary for optimizing the number of mutants recovered at the different loci have been determined using the known direct acting mutagen, far ultraviolet light (FUV), and a complex aqueous organic mixture (shale oil process water) activated with near ultraviolet light (NUV). The results indicate that optimal expression times following treatment with either mutagen was between 2 and 8 days. For CHOmore » cells treated with shale oil process water and subsequently exposed to NUV a linear dose response for mutant induction was observed for all five genetic loci. At 10% surviving fraction of cells, between 35- and 130-fold increases above backgound mutation frequencies were observed for the various markers examined.« less

Geochemical and multi-isotopic ( 87Sr/ 86Sr, 143Nd/ 144Nd, 238U/ 235U) perspectives of sediment sources, depositional conditions, and diagenesis of the Marcellus Shale, Appalachian Basin, USA

DOE PAGES

Phan, Thai T.; Gardiner, James B.; Capo, Rosemary C.; ...

2017-10-25

Here, we investigate sediment sources, depositional conditions and diagenetic processes affecting the Middle Devonian Marcellus Shale in the Appalachian Basin, eastern USA, a major target of natural gas exploration. Multiple proxies, including trace metal contents, rare earth elements (REE), the Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr isotope systems, and U isotopes were applied to whole rock digestions and sequentially extracted fractions of the Marcellus shale and adjacent units from two locations in the Appalachian Basin. The narrow range of εNd values (from –7.8 to –6.4 at 390 Ma) is consistent with derivation of the clastic sedimentary component of the Marcellus Shale from amore » well-mixed source of fluvial and eolian material of the Grenville orogenic belt, and indicate minimal post-depositional alteration of the Sm-Nd system. While silicate minerals host >80% of the REE in the shale, data from sequentially extracted fractions reflect post-depositional modifications at the mineralogical scale, which is not observed in whole rock REE patterns.« less

Reservoir properties of submarine- fan facies: Great Valley sequence, California.

USGS Publications Warehouse

McLean, H.

1981-01-01

Submarine-fan sandstones of the Great Valley sequence west of the Sacramento Valley, California, have low porosities and permeabilities. However, petrography and scanning electron microscope studies indicate that most sands in almost all submarine-fan environments are originally porous and permeable. Thin turbidite sandstones deposited in areas dominated by shale in the outer-fan and basin-plain are cemented mainly by calcite; shale dewatering is inferred to contribute to rapid cementation early in the burial process. Sands deposited in inner- and middle-fan channels with only thin shale beds have small percentrages of intergranular cement. The original porosity is reduced mechanically at shallow depths and by pressure solution at deeperlevels. Permeability decreases with increasing age of the rocks, as a result of increasing burial depths. Computer-run stepwise regression analyses show that the porosity is inversely related to the percentage of calcite cement. The results reported here indicate original porosity and permeability can be high in deep-water submarine fans and that fan environments dominated by sand (with high sand/shale ratios) are more likely to retain higher porosity and permeability to greater depths than sand interbedded with thick shale sequences.-from Author

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

Geochemical and multi-isotopic ( 87Sr/ 86Sr, 143Nd/ 144Nd, 238U/ 235U) perspectives of sediment sources, depositional conditions, and diagenesis of the Marcellus Shale, Appalachian Basin, USA

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

Phan, Thai T.; Gardiner, James B.; Capo, Rosemary C.

Here, we investigate sediment sources, depositional conditions and diagenetic processes affecting the Middle Devonian Marcellus Shale in the Appalachian Basin, eastern USA, a major target of natural gas exploration. Multiple proxies, including trace metal contents, rare earth elements (REE), the Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr isotope systems, and U isotopes were applied to whole rock digestions and sequentially extracted fractions of the Marcellus shale and adjacent units from two locations in the Appalachian Basin. The narrow range of εNd values (from –7.8 to –6.4 at 390 Ma) is consistent with derivation of the clastic sedimentary component of the Marcellus Shale from amore » well-mixed source of fluvial and eolian material of the Grenville orogenic belt, and indicate minimal post-depositional alteration of the Sm-Nd system. While silicate minerals host >80% of the REE in the shale, data from sequentially extracted fractions reflect post-depositional modifications at the mineralogical scale, which is not observed in whole rock REE patterns.« less

Responses of soil microbial and nematode communities to aluminum toxicity in vegetated oil-shale-waste lands.

PubMed

Shao, Yuanhu; Zhang, Weixin; Liu, Zhanfeng; Sun, Yuxin; Chen, Dima; Wu, Jianping; Zhou, Lixia; Xia, Hanping; Neher, Deborah A; Fu, Shenglei

2012-11-01

Both soil nematodes and microorganisms have been shown to be sensitive bioindicators of soil recovery in metal-contaminated habitats; however, the underlying processes are poorly understood. We investigated the relationship among soil microbial community composition, nematode community structure and soil aluminum (Al) content in different vegetated aluminum-rich ecosystems. Our results demonstrated that there were greater soil bacterial, fungal and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal biomass in Syzygium cumini plantation, greater abundance of soil nematodes in Acacia auriculiformis plantation, and greater abundance of soil predatory and herbivorous nematodes in Schima wallichii plantation. The concentration of water-soluble Al was normally greater in vegetated than non-vegetated soil. The residual Al and total Al concentrations showed a significant decrease after planting S. cumini plantation onto the shale dump. Acid extractable, reducible and oxidisable Al concentrations were greater in S. wallichii plantation. Stepwise linear regression analysis suggests the concentrations of water-soluble Al and total Al content explain the most variance associated with nematode assembly; whereas, the abundance of early-successional nematode taxa was explained mostly by soil moisture, soil organic C and total N rather than the concentrations of different forms of Al. In contrast, no significant main effects of either Al or soil physico-chemical characteristics on soil microbial biomass were observed. Our study suggests that vegetation was the primary driver on soil nematodes and microorganisms and it also could regulate the sensitivity of bio-indicator role mainly through the alteration of soil Al and physico-chemical characteristics, and S. cumini is effective for amending the Al contaminated soils.

Superfund Record of Decision (EPA Region 5): New Lyme, Ashtabula County, Ohio, September 1985. Final report

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

Not Available

1985-09-27

The New Lyme Landfill is located near State Route 11 on Dodgeville Road in Ashtabula County, approximately 20 miles south of the City of Ashtabula, Ohio. The landfill occupies about 40 acres of a 100-acre tract. Operations began at the site in 1969, and were initially managed by two farmers. In 1971, the landfill was licensed by the State of Ohio and operations were taken over by a licensed landfill operator. According to documentation, the New Lyme Landfill received household, industrial, commercial, and institutional wastes and construction and demolition debris. However, numerous violations of the license occurred, including: open dumping;more » improper spreading and compacting of wastes; no State approval for disposal of certain industrial wastes; and excavation of trenches into the shale bedrock. In August 1978, the landfill was closed by the Ashtabula County Health Department. Documents indicate that wastes at the New Lyme Landfill site included: coal tar distillates, asbestos, coal tar, resins and resin tar, paint sludge, oils, paint lacquer thinner, peroxide, corrosive liquids, acetone, xylene, toluene, kerosene, naptha, benzene, linseed oil, mineral oil, fuel oil, chlorinated solvents, 2,4-D, and laboratory chemicals. The selected remedial action is included.« less

Pressurized fluidized-bed hydroretorting of Eastern oil shales -- Sulfur control

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

Roberts, M.J.; Abbasian, J.; Akin, C.

1992-05-01

This topical report on Sulfur Control'' presents the results of work conducted by the Institute of Gas Technology (IGT), the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), and the Ohio State University (OSU) to develop three novel approaches for desulfurization that have shown good potential with coal and could be cost-effective for oil shales. These are (1) In-Bed Sulfur Capture using different sorbents (IGT), (2) Electrostatic Desulfurization (IIT), and (3) Microbial Desulfurization and Denitrification (OSU and IGT). The objective of the task on In-Bed Sulfur Capture was to determine the effectiveness of different sorbents (that is, limestone, calcined limestone, dolomite, and siderite)more » for capturing sulfur (as H{sub 2}S) in the reactor during hydroretorting. The objective of the task on Electrostatic Desulfurization was to determine the operating conditions necessary to achieve a high degree of sulfur removal and kerogen recovery in IIT's electrostatic separator. The objectives of the task on Microbial Desulfurization and Denitrification were to (1) isolate microbial cultures and evaluate their ability to desulfurize and denitrify shale, (2) conduct laboratory-scale batch and continuous tests to improve and enhance microbial removal of these components, and (3) determine the effects of processing parameters, such as shale slurry concentration, solids settling characteristics, agitation rate, and pH on the process.« less

On the origin of a phosphate enriched interval in the Chattanooga Shale (Upper Devonian) of Tennessee-A combined sedimentologic, petrographic, and geochemical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yifan; Schieber, Juergen

2015-11-01

The Devonian Chattanooga Shale contains an uppermost black shale interval with dispersed phosphate nodules. This interval extends from Tennessee to correlative strata in Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio and represents a significant period of marine phosphate fixation during the Late Devonian of North America. It overlies black shales that lack phosphate nodules but otherwise look very similar in outcrop. The purpose of this study is to examine what sets these two shales apart and what this difference tells us about the sedimentary history of the uppermost Chattanooga Shale. In thin section, the lower black shales (PBS) show pyrite enriched laminae and compositional banding. The overlying phosphatic black shales (PhBS) are characterized by phosbioclasts, have a general banded to homogenized texture with reworked layers, and show well defined horizons of phosphate nodules that are reworked and transported. In the PhBS, up to 8000 particles of P-debris per cm2 occur in reworked beds, whereas the background black shale shows between 37-88 particles per cm2. In the PBS, the shale matrix contains between 8-16 phosphatic particles per cm2. The shale matrix in the PhBS contains 5.6% inertinite, whereas just 1% inertinite occurs in the PBS. The shale matrix in both units is characterized by flat REE patterns (shale-normalized), whereas Phosbioclast-rich layers in the PhBS show high concentrations of REEs and enrichment of MREEs. Negative Ce-anomalies are common to all samples, but are best developed in association with Phosbioclasts. Redox-sensitive elements (Co, U, Mo) are more strongly enriched in the PBS when compared to the PhBS. Trace elements associated with organic matter (Cu, Zn, Cd, Ni) show an inverse trend of enrichment. Deposited atop a sequence boundary that separates the two shale units, the PhBS unit represents a transgressive systems tract and probably was deposited in shallower water than the underlying PBS interval. The higher phosphate content in the PhBS is interpreted as the result of a combination of lower sedimentation rates with reworking/winnowing episodes. Three types of phosphatic beds that reflect different degrees of reworking intensity are observed. Strong negative Ce anomalies and abundant secondary marcasite formation in the PhBS suggests improved aeration of the water column, and improved downward diffusion of oxygen into the sediment. The associated oxidation of previously formed pyrite resulted in a lowering of pore water pH and forced dissolution of biogenic phosphate. Phosphate dissolution was followed by formation of secondary marcasite and phosphate. Repeated, episodic reworking caused repetitive cycles of phosphatic dissolution and reprecipitation, enriching MREEs in reprecipitated apatite. A generally "deeper" seated redox boundary favored P-remineralization within the sediment matrix, and multiple repeats of this process in combination with wave and current reworking at the seabed led to the formation of larger phosphatic aggregates and concentration of phosphate nodules in discrete horizons.

Understanding the Radioactive Ingrowth and Decay of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials in the Environment: An Analysis of Produced Fluids from the Marcellus Shale

PubMed Central

Nelson, Andrew W.; Eitrheim, Eric S.; Knight, Andrew W.; May, Dustin; Mehrhoff, Marinea A.; Shannon, Robert; Litman, Robert; Burnett, William C.; Forbes, Tori Z.

2015-01-01

Background The economic value of unconventional natural gas resources has stimulated rapid globalization of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. However, natural radioactivity found in the large volumes of “produced fluids” generated by these technologies is emerging as an international environmental health concern. Current assessments of the radioactivity concentration in liquid wastes focus on a single element—radium. However, the use of radium alone to predict radioactivity concentrations can greatly underestimate total levels. Objective We investigated the contribution to radioactivity concentrations from naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), including uranium, thorium, actinium, radium, lead, bismuth, and polonium isotopes, to the total radioactivity of hydraulic fracturing wastes. Methods For this study we used established methods and developed new methods designed to quantitate NORM of public health concern that may be enriched in complex brines from hydraulic fracturing wastes. Specifically, we examined the use of high-purity germanium gamma spectrometry and isotope dilution alpha spectrometry to quantitate NORM. Results We observed that radium decay products were initially absent from produced fluids due to differences in solubility. However, in systems closed to the release of gaseous radon, our model predicted that decay products will begin to ingrow immediately and (under these closed-system conditions) can contribute to an increase in the total radioactivity for more than 100 years. Conclusions Accurate predictions of radioactivity concentrations are critical for estimating doses to potentially exposed individuals and the surrounding environment. These predictions must include an understanding of the geochemistry, decay properties, and ingrowth kinetics of radium and its decay product radionuclides. Citation Nelson AW, Eitrheim ES, Knight AW, May D, Mehrhoff MA, Shannon R, Litman R, Burnett WC, Forbes TZ, Schultz MK. 2015. Understanding the radioactive ingrowth and decay of naturally occurring radioactive materials in the environment: an analysis of produced fluids from the Marcellus Shale. Environ Health Perspect 123:689–696; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1408855 PMID:25831257

Assessing Microbial Activity in Marcellus Shale Hydraulic Fracturing Fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wishart, J. R.; Morono, Y.; Itoh, M.; Ijiri, A.; Hoshino, T.; Inagaki, F.; Verba, C.; Torres, M. E.; Colwell, F. S.

2014-12-01

Hydraulic fracturing (HF) produces millions of gallons of waste fluid which contains a microbial community adapted to harsh conditions such as high temperatures, high salinities and the presence of heavy metals and radionuclides. Here we present evidence for microbial activity in HF production fluids. Fluids collected from a Marcellus shale HF well were supplemented with 13C-labeled carbon sources and 15N-labeled ammonium at 25°C under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. Samples were analyzed for 13C and 15N incorporation at sub-micrometer scale by ion imaging with the JAMSTEC NanoSIMS to determine percent carbon and nitrogen assimilation in individual cells. Headspace CO2 and CH4 were analyzed for 13C enrichment using irm-GC/MS. At 32 days incubation carbon assimilation was observed in samples containing 1 mM 13C-labeled glucose under aerobic and anaerobic conditions with a maximum of 10.4 and 6.5% total carbon, respectively. Nitrogen assimilation of 15N ammonium observed in these samples were 0.3 and 0.8% of total nitrogen, respectively. Head space gas analysis showed 13C enrichment in CH4 in anaerobic samples incubated with 1mM 13C-labeled bicarbonate (2227 ‰) or methanol (98943 ‰). Lesser 13C enrichment of CO2 was observed in anaerobic samples containing 1 mM 13C-labeled acetate (13.7 ‰), methanol (29.9 ‰) or glucose (85.4 ‰). These results indicate metabolic activity and diversity in microbial communities present in HF flowback fluids. The assimilation of 13C-labeled glucose demonstrates the production of biomass, a critical part of cell replication. The production of 13CO2 and 13CH4 demonstrate microbial metabolism in the forms of respiration and methanogenesis, respectively. Methanogenesis additionally indicates the presence of an active archaeal community. This research shows that HF production fluid chemistry does not entirely inhibit microbial activity or growth and encourages further research regarding biogeochemical processes occurring in Marcellus shale HF wells. Biogeochemical activity may impact the efficacy of HF and natural gas production as well as the chemistry of produced fluids which have become an environmental and public health concern.

Micromechanisms of deformation in shales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonnelye, A.; Gharbi, H.; Hallais, S.; Dimanov, A.; Bornert, M.; Picard, D.; Mezni, M.; Conil, N.

2017-12-01

One of the envisaged solutions for nuclear wastes disposal is underground repository in shales. For this purpose, the Callovo Oxfordian (Cox) argillaceous formation is extensively studied. The hydro-mechanical behavior of the argillaceous rock is complex, like the multiphase and multi-scale structured material itself. The argilaceous matrix is composed of interstratified illite-smectite particles, it contains detritic quartz and calcite, accessory pyrite, and the rock porosity ranges from micrometre to nanometre scales. Besides the bedding anisotropy, structural variabilities exist at all scales, from the decametric-metric scales of the geological formation to the respectively millimetric and micrometric scales of the aggregates of particles and clay particles Our study aims at understanding the complex mechanisms which are activated at the micro-scale and are involved in the macroscopic inelastic deformation of such a complex material. Two sets of experiments were performed, at two scales on three bedding orientations (90°, 45° and 0°). The first set was dedicated to uniaxial deformation followed with an optical set-up with a pixel resolution of 0.55µm. These experiments allowed us to see the fracture propagation with different patterns depending on the bedding orientation. For the second set of experiments, an experimental protocol was developed in order to perform uniaxial deformation experiment at controlled displacement rate, inside an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM), under controlled relative humidity, in order to preserve as much as possible the natural state of saturation of shales. We aimed at characterizing the mechanical anisotropy and the mechanisms involved in the deformation, with an image resolution below the micormeter. The observed sample surfaces were polished by broad ion beam in order to reveal the fine microstructures of the argillaceous matrix. In both cases, digital images were acquired at different loading stages during the deformation process and Digital Image Correlation Technique (DIC) was applied in order to retrieve full strain fields at various scales from sample scale to microstructure scale. The analysis allows for identification of the active mechanisms, their relationships to the microstructure and their interactions.

Pb-210 and Po-210 atmospheric releases via fly ash from oil shale-fired power plants.

PubMed

Vaasma, Taavi; Loosaar, Jüri; Gyakwaa, Francis; Kiisk, Madis; Özden, Banu; Tkaczyk, Alan H

2017-03-01

During high temperature processes in the furnace volatile and semi-volatile elements and radionuclides are partially emitted to the environment, depending on their chemical form in the original fuel, the technological set-up of the combustion system, and the prevailing combustion conditions. Two of the world's largest oil shale-fired power plants (PPs) have been operational in Estonia from the 1960s, during which time creation of significant environmental emissions and waste containing naturally occurring radionuclides has occurred. Pb-210 and 210 Po are considered natural radionuclides with the highest emission rates from PPs and possess elevated potential radiation exposure risks to humans and the environment. These radionuclides have the highest activity concentration values in fine ash fractions, especially in fractions remaining below 2.5 μm. To determine the activity concentrations of 210 Pb and 210 Po in the PPs' outlet, sampling was conducted from boilers operating on pulverized fuel (PF) technology with novel integrated desulphurization (NID) system and bag filters as well as with electrostatic precipitators (ESPs). The 210 Pb and 210 Po activity concentrations remained around 300 Bq kg -1 for the NID system compared to 60-80 Bq kg -1 in the ESP system. The dominant ash fraction in both systems was PM2.5, constituting over 50% of the fly ash mass collected from the outlet. The authors estimate that the total atmospherically emitted activity for the modernized PPs remains dominantly below 1% of the activity that is inserted via fuel. The implementation of higher efficiency purifications systems has significantly reduced the negative effect of these PPs. Based on annually emitted fly ash and boilers' working hours, the 210 Pb and 210 Po activity released relative to energy production were up to 68.3 kBq GWh el -1 for 210 Pb and 64.6 kBq GWh el -1 for 210 Po. These values are 1 to 2 orders of magnitude lower compared to the situation in the 1980s. These findings represent the first publicly available quantitative results estimating the 210 Po emissions from large oil shale-fired PPs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developing America's Shale Reserves - Water Strategies For A Sustainable Future (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shephard, L. E.; Oshikanlu, T.

2013-12-01

The development of shale oil and gas reserves over the last several years has had a significant impact on securing America's energy future while making substantial contributions to our nation's economic prosperity. These developments have also raised serious concerns about potential detrimental impacts to our environment (i.e., land, air and water) with much media attention focused on the impacts to our nation's fresh water supply. These concerns are being discussed across the nation often with little or no distinction that the nature of the water issues vary depending on local circumstances (e.g., depth of aquifer and reservoir zone, water demand and availability, availability of discharge wells, regulatory framework, etc.) and regional shale reservoir development strategies (depth of wells, length of laterals, fluid-type used for fracturing, etc.). Growing concerns over long standing drought conditions in some areas and competing demands for water from other sectors (e.g., agriculture, domestic, etc.) add even greater uncertainty relative to fresh water. Water demands for gas and oil wells vary from region to region but nominally range from 10 to 15 acre feet of water (4 to 6 million gallons) for drilling and hydraulic fracturing applications. Flowback water from the hydraulic fracturing process varies and can range from 5 to 40 % of the water used for drilling and 'fracing'. Produced water can be substantial, leading to significant volumes of 'disposed water' where injection wells are available. A science-based systems approach to water lifecycle management that incorporates leading-edge technology development and considers economic and social impacts is critical for the long-term sustainable development of shale reserves. Various water recycling and reuse technologies are being deployed within select regions across the nation with each having limited success depending on region. The efficacy of reuse technology will vary based on produced water quantity and quality, flow back rates and the associated economics. A significant contributor to the economics can be offsite transportation costs from hauling water to and from the drill site. While economics often drive decisions on technology and reuse, available water and infrastructure (water pipelines, injection wells, etc.) are also important contributors. In some regions effluent water (i.e., treated or untreated waste water) is playing an increasing role to reduce impacting 'fresh' water supplies for communities in regions where supply is limited and demand continues to increase. In many communities effluent water provides additional revenue to support infrastructure needs arising from accelerated population growth and economic expansion. The development strategy for shale reservoirs can be optimized to assure a sustainable future for water resources. A systems-based sustainable water strategy should be integrated into the regional reservoir development approach at the earliest possible stage with full consideration of the nature of regional water issues and reservoir development strategies impacting water demand and supply, available technology and potential social and economic impacts.

Sediment Sources, Depositional Environment, and Diagenetic Alteration of the Marcellus Shale, Appalachian Basin, USA: Nd, Sr, Li and U Isotopic Constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phan, T. T.; Capo, R. C.; Gardiner, J. B.; Stewart, B. W.

2017-12-01

The organic-rich Middle Devonian Marcellus Shale in the Appalachian Basin, eastern USA, is a major target of natural gas exploration. Constraints on local and regional sediment sources, depositional environments, and post-depositional processes are essential for understanding the evolution of the basin. In this study, multiple proxies, including trace metals, rare earth elements (REE), the Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr isotope systems, and U and Li isotopes were applied to bulk rocks and authigenic fractions of the Marcellus Shale and adjacent limestone/sandstone units from two locations separated by 400 km. The range of ɛNd values (-7.8 to -6.4 at 390 Ma) is consistent with a clastic sedimentary component derived from a well-mixed source of fluvial and eolian material of the Grenville orogenic belt. The Sm-Nd isotope system and bulk REE distributions appear to have been minimally affected by post-depositional processes, while the Rb-Sr isotope system shows evidence of limited post-depositional redistribution. While REE are primarily associated with silicate minerals (80-95%), REE patterns of sequentially extracted fractions reflect post-depositional alteration at the intergranular scale. Although the chemical index of alteration (CIA = 54 to 60) suggests the sediment source was not heavily weathered, Li isotope data are consistent with progressively increasing weathering of the source region during Marcellus Shale deposition. δ238U values in bulk shale and reduced phases (oxidizable fraction) are higher than those of modern seawater and upper crust. The isotopically heavy U accumulated in these authigenic phases can be explained by the precipitation of insoluble U in anoxic/euxinic bottom water. Unlike carbonate cement within the shale, the similarity between δ238U values and REE patterns of the limestone units and those of modern seawater indicates that the limestone formed under open ocean (oxic) conditions.

Microbial metabolisms in a 2.5-km-deep ecosystem created by hydraulic fracturing in shales

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

Daly, Rebecca A.; Borton, Mikayla A.; Wilkins, Michael J.

Hydraulic fracturing is the industry standard for extracting hydrocarbons from shale formations. Attention has been paid to the economic benefits and environmental impacts of this process, yet the biogeochemical changes induced in the deep subsurface are poorly understood. Recent single-gene investigations revealed that halotolerant microbial communities were enriched after hydraulic fracturing. Here the reconstruction of 31 unique genomes coupled to metabolite data from the Marcellus and Utica shales revealed that methylamine cycling supports methanogenesis in the deep biosphere. Fermentation of injected chemical additives also sustains long-term microbial persistence, while sulfide generation from thiosulfate represents a poorly recognized corrosion mechanism inmore » shales. Extensive links between viruses and microbial hosts demonstrate active viral predation, which may contribute to the release of labile cellular constituents into the extracellular environment. Our analyses show that hydraulic fracturing provides the organismal and chemical inputs for colonization and persistence in the deep terrestrial subsurface.« less

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.

Geochemical and multi-isotopic (87Sr/86Sr, 143Nd/144Nd, 238U/235U) perspectives of sediment sources, depositional conditions, and diagenesis of the Marcellus Shale, Appalachian Basin, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phan, Thai T.; Gardiner, James B.; Capo, Rosemary C.; Stewart, Brian W.

2018-02-01

We investigate sediment sources, depositional conditions and diagenetic processes affecting the Middle Devonian Marcellus Shale in the Appalachian Basin, eastern USA, a major target of natural gas exploration. Multiple proxies, including trace metal contents, rare earth elements (REE), the Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr isotope systems, and U isotopes were applied to whole rock digestions and sequentially extracted fractions of the Marcellus shale and adjacent units from two locations in the Appalachian Basin. The narrow range of εNd values (from -7.8 to -6.4 at 390 Ma) is consistent with derivation of the clastic sedimentary component of the Marcellus Shale from a well-mixed source of fluvial and eolian material of the Grenville orogenic belt, and indicate minimal post-depositional alteration of the Sm-Nd system. While silicate minerals host >80% of the REE in the shale, data from sequentially extracted fractions reflect post-depositional modifications at the mineralogical scale, which is not observed in whole rock REE patterns. Limestone units thought to have formed under open ocean (oxic) conditions have δ238U values and REE patterns consistent with modern seawater. The δ238U values in whole rock shale and authigenic phases are greater than those of modern seawater and the upper crust. The δ238U values of reduced phases (the oxidizable fraction consisting of organics and sulfide minerals) are ∼0.6‰ greater than that of modern seawater. Bulk shale and carbonate cement extracted from the shale have similar δ238U values, and are greater than δ238U values of adjacent limestone units. We suggest these trends are due to the accumulation of chemically and, more likely, biologically reduced U from anoxic to euxinic bottom water as well as the influence of diagenetic reactions between pore fluids and surrounding sediment and organic matter during diagenesis and catagenesis.

Effects of acid-volatile sulfide on metal bioavailability and toxicity to midge (Chironomus tentans) larvae in black shale sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ogendi, G.M.; Brumbaugh, W.G.; Hannigan, R.E.; Farris, J.L.

2007-01-01

Metal bioavailability and toxicity to aquatic organisms are greatly affected by variables such as pH, hardness, organic matter, and sediment acid-volatile sulfide (AVS). Sediment AVS, which reduces metal bioavailability and toxicity by binding and immobilizing metals as insoluble sulfides, has been studied intensely in recent years. Few studies, however, have determined the spatial variability of AVS and its interaction with simultaneously extracted metals (SEM) in sediments containing elevated concentrations of metals resulting from natural geochemical processes, such as weathering of black shales. We collected four sediment samples from each of four headwater bedrock streams in northcentral Arkansa (USA; three black shale-draining streams and one limestone-draining stream). We conducted 10-d acute whole-sediment toxicity tests using the midge Chironomus tentans and performed analyses for AVS, total metals, SEMs, and organic carbon. Most of the sediments from shale-draining streams had similar total metal and SEM concentrations but considerable differences in organic carbon and AVS. Zinc was the leading contributor to the SEM molar sum, averaging between 68 and 74%, whereas lead and cadmium contributed less than 3%. The AVS concentration was very low in all but two samples from one of the shale streams, and the sum of the SEM concentrations was in molar excess of AVS for all shale stream sediments. No significant differences in mean AVS concentrations between sediments collected from shale-draining or limestone-draining sites were noted (p > 0.05). Midge survival and growth in black shale-derived sediments were significantly less (p < 0.001) than that of limestone-derived sediments. On the whole, either SEM alone or SEM-AVS explained the total variation in midge survival and growth about equally well. However, survival and growth were significantly greater (p < 0.05) in the two sediment samples that contained measurable AVS compared with the two sediments from the same stream that contained negligible AVS. ?? 2007 SETAC.

Coupled Fracture and Flow in Shale in Hydraulic Fracturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carey, J. W.; Mori, H.; Viswanathan, H.

2014-12-01

Production of hydrocarbon from shale requires creation and maintenance of fracture permeability in an otherwise impermeable shale matrix. In this study, we use a combination of triaxial coreflood experiments and x-ray tomography characterization to investigate the fracture-permeability behavior of Utica shale at in situ reservoir conditions (25-50 oC and 35-120 bars). Initially impermeable shale core was placed between flat anvils (compression) or between split anvils (pure shear) and loaded until failure in the triaxial device. Permeability was monitored continuously during this process. Significant deformation (>1%) was required to generate a transmissive fracture system. Permeability generally peaked at the point of a distinct failure event and then dropped by a factor of 2-6 when the system returned to hydrostatic failure. Permeability was very small in compression experiments (< 1 mD), possibly because of limited fracture connectivity through the anvils. In pure share experiments, shale with bedding planes perpendicular to shear loading developed complex fracture networks with narrow apertures and peak permeability of 30 mD. Shale with bedding planes parallel to shear loading developed simple fractures with large apertures and a peak permeability as high as 1 D. Fracture systems held at static conditions for periods of several hours showed little change in effective permeability at hydrostatic conditions as high as 140 bars. However, permeability of fractured systems was a function of hydrostatic pressure, declining in a pseudo-linear, exponential fashion as pressure increased. We also observed that permeability decreased with increasing fluid flow rate indicating that flow did not follow Darcy's Law, possibly due to non-laminar flow conditions, and conformed to Forscheimer's law. The coupled deformation and flow behavior of Utica shale, particularly the large deformation required to initiate flow, indicates the probable importance of activation of existing fractures in hydraulic fracturing and that these fractures can have adequate permeability for the production of hydrocarbon.

Deposition of sedimentary organic matter in black shale facies indicated by the geochemistry and petrography of high-resolution samples, blake nose, western North Atlantic

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barker, C.E.; Pawlewicz, M.; Cobabe, E.A.

2001-01-01

A transect of three holes drilled across the Blake Nose, western North Atlantic Ocean, retrieved cores of black shale facies related to the Albian Oceanic Anoxic Events (OAE) lb and ld. Sedimentary organic matter (SOM) recovered from Ocean Drilling Program Hole 1049A from the eastern end of the transect showed that before black shale facies deposition organic matter preservation was a Type III-IV SOM. Petrography reveals that this SOM is composed mostly of degraded algal debris, amorphous SOM and a minor component of Type III-IV terrestrial SOM, mostly detroinertinite. When black shale facies deposition commenced, the geochemical character of the SOM changed from a relatively oxygen-rich Type III-IV to relatively hydrogen-rich Type II. Petrography, biomarker and organic carbon isotopic data indicate marine and terrestrial SOM sources that do not appear to change during the transition from light-grey calcareous ooze to the black shale facies. Black shale subfacies layers alternate from laminated to homogeneous. Some of the laminated and the poorly laminated to homogeneous layers are organic carbon and hydrogen rich as well, suggesting that at least two SOM depositional processes are influencing the black shale facies. The laminated beds reflect deposition in a low sedimentation rate (6m Ma-1) environment with SOM derived mostly from gravity settling from the overlying water into sometimes dysoxic bottom water. The source of this high hydrogen content SOM is problematic because before black shale deposition, the marine SOM supplied to the site is geochemically a Type III-IV. A clue to the source of the H-rich SOM may be the interlayering of relatively homogeneous ooze layers that have a widely variable SOM content and quality. These relatively thick, sometimes subtly graded, sediment layers are thought to be deposited from a Type II SOM-enriched sediment suspension generated by turbidities or direct turbidite deposition.

Evaluating the oxidation of shale during hydraulic fracturing using SEM-EDS and spectrocolorimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, X. Y.; Nakashima, S.

2017-12-01

During hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for shale gas/oil extraction, oxygen is introduced into deep oxygen-poor environments, and Fe2+-bearing minerals in rocks can be oxidized thus leading to the degradation of rock quality. Akita diatomaceous shale is considered to be one of the source rocks for oil and gas fields in northwestern Japan. Outcrops of Akita shale often show presence of jarosite (Fe sulfate: yellow) and/or goethite (Fe hydroxide: brown to orange) as oxidation products of pyrite (FeS2). Several series of oxidation experiments of Akita shale under dry, humid, and wet conditions were conducted at temperatures of around 30 oC and 50oC for 30-40 days. Portable color spectro-colorimeters were used to monitor color changes of the rock surfaces every hour. SEM-EDS, UV-Vis, and Raman spectroscopic analyses were performed on the rock sample surface to examine the chemical and mineralogical compositions of Akita shale before and after the dry, humid, and wet experiments. In SEM-EDS analyses before the humid experiment, Fe and S containing phases show their atomic ratio close to 1:2 indicating that this is pyrite (FeS2). After the experiment, the ratio changed to around 1:1 suggesting a conversion from pyrite (FeS2) to mackinawite-like mineral (FeS). In addition, the formation of Ca sulfate (possibly gypsum: CaSO4.2H2O) and goethite-like Fe hydroxide were identified which were not present initially. Therefore, oxidation pathways of iron sulfide (pyrite: FeS2) via FeS to sulfate is confirmed by our humid experiments around 30oC on Akita shale. These oxidation processes might occur during the fracking of shale within relatively short time periods associated with precipitation of sulfates and hydroxides. Therefore, further studies are needed for their effects on rock properties and gas/oil production.

Systematic Investigation of REE Mobility and Fractionation During Continental Shale Weathering Along a Climate Gradient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, L.; Ma, L.; Dere, A. L. D.; White, T.; Brantley, S. L.

2014-12-01

Rare earth elements (REE) have been identified as strategic natural resources and their demand in the United States is increasing rapidly. REE are relatively abundant in the Earth's crust, but REE deposits with minable concentrations are uncommon. One recent study has pointed to the deep-sea REE-rich muds in the Pacific Ocean as a new potential resource, related to adsorption and concentration of REE from seawater by hydrothermal iron-oxyhydroxides and phillipsite (Kato et al., 2010). Finding new REE deposits will be facilitated by understanding global REE cycles: during the transformation of bedrock into soils, REEs are leached into natural waters and transported to oceans. At present, the mechanisms and factors controlling release, transport, and deposition of REE - the sources and sinks - at Earth's surface remain unclear. Here, we systematically studied soil profiles and bedrock in seven watersheds developed on shale bedrock along a climate transect in the eastern USA, Puerto Rico and Wales to constrain the mobility and fractionation of REE during chemical weathering processes. In addition, one site on black shale (Marcellus) bedrock was included to compare behaviors of REEs in organic-rich vs. organic-poor shale end members under the same environmental conditions. Our investigation focused on: 1) the concentration of REEs in gray and black shales and the release rates of REE during shale weathering, 2) the biogeochemical and hydrological conditions (such as redox, dissolved organic carbon, and pH) that dictate the mobility and fractionation of REEs in surface and subsurface environments, and 3) the retention of dissolved REEs on soils, especially onto secondary Fe/Al oxyhydroxides and phosphate mineral phases. This systematic study sheds light on the geochemical behaviors and environmental pathways of REEs during shale weathering along a climosequence.

The Impact of a Potential Shale Gas Development in Germany and the United Kingdom on Pollutant and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weger, L.; Cremonese, L.; Bartels, M. P.; Butler, T. M.

2016-12-01

Several European countries with domestic shale gas reserves are considering extracting this natural gas resource to complement their energy transition agenda. Natural gas, which produces lower CO2 emissions upon combustion compared to coal or oil, has the potential to serve as a bridge in the transition from fossil fuels to renewables. However, the generation of shale gas leads to emissions of CH4 and pollutants such as PM, NOx and VOCs, which in turn impact climate as well as local and regional air quality. In this study, we explore the impact of a potential shale gas development in Europe, specifically in Germany and the United Kingdom, on emissions of greenhouse gases and pollutants. In order to investigate the effect on emissions, we first estimate a range of wells drilled per year and production volume for the two countries under examination based on available geological information and on regional infrastructural and economic limitations. Subsequently we assign activity data and emissions factors to the well development, gas production and processing stages of shale gas generation to enable emissions quantification. We then define emissions scenarios to explore different storylines of potential shale gas development, including low emissions (high level of regulation), high emissions (low level of regulation) and middle emissions scenarios, which influence fleet make-up, emission factor and activity data choices for emissions quantification. The aim of this work is to highlight important variables and their ranges, to promote discussion and communication of potential impacts, and to construct possible visions for a future shale gas development in the two study countries. In a follow-up study, the impact of pollutant emissions from these scenarios on air quality will be explored using the Weather Research and Forecasting model with chemistry (WRF-Chem) model.

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.

Ammonia stripping, activated carbon adsorption and anaerobic biological oxidation as process combination for the treatment of oil shale wastewater.

PubMed

Alexandre, Verônica M F; do Nascimento, Felipe V; Cammarota, Magali C

2016-10-01

Anaerobic biodegradability of oil shale wastewater was investigated after the following pretreatment sequence: ammonia stripping and activated carbon adsorption. Anaerobic biological treatment of oil shale wastewater is technically feasible after stripping at pH 11 for reducing the N-NH3 concentration, adsorption with 5 g/L of activated carbon in order to reduce recalcitrance and pH adjustment with CO2 so that the sulphate concentration in the medium remains low. After this pretreatment sequence, it was possible to submit the wastewater without dilution to an anaerobic treatment with 62.7% soluble chemical oxygen demand removal and specific methane production of 233.2 mL CH4STP/g CODremoved.

Shale Oil Value Enhancement Research

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

James W. Bunger

2006-11-30

Raw kerogen oil is rich in heteroatom-containing compounds. Heteroatoms, N, S & O, are undesirable as components of a refinery feedstock, but are the basis for product value in agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, surfactants, solvents, polymers, and a host of industrial materials. An economically viable, technologically feasible process scheme was developed in this research that promises to enhance the economics of oil shale development, both in the US and elsewhere in the world, in particular Estonia. Products will compete in existing markets for products now manufactured by costly synthesis routes. A premium petroleum refinery feedstock is also produced. The technology is nowmore » ready for pilot plant engineering studies and is likely to play an important role in developing a US oil shale industry.« less

Feasibilities of a Coal-Biomass to Liquids Plant in Southern West Virginia

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

Bhattacharyya, Debangsu; DVallance, David; Henthorn, Greg

This project has generated comprehensive and realistic results of feasibilities for a coal-biomass to liquids (CBTL) plant in southern West Virginia; and evaluated the sensitivity of the analyses to various anticipated scenarios and parametric uncertainties. Specifically the project has addressed economic feasibility, technical feasibility, market feasibility, and financial feasibility. In the economic feasibility study, a multi-objective siting model was developed and was then used to identify and rank the suitable facility sites. Spatial models were also developed to assess the biomass and coal feedstock availabilities and economics. Environmental impact analysis was conducted mainly to assess life cycle analysis and greenhousemore » gas emission. Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis were also investigated in this study. Sensitivity analyses on required selling price (RSP) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of CBTL fuels were conducted according to feedstock availability and price, biomass to coal mix ratio, conversion rate, internal rate of return (IRR), capital cost, operational and maintenance cost. The study of siting and capacity showed that feedstock mixed ratio limited the CBTL production. The price of coal had a more dominant effect on RSP than that of biomass. Different mix ratios in the feedstock and conversion rates led to RSP ranging from $104.3 - $157.9/bbl. LCA results indicated that GHG emissions ranged from 80.62 kg CO 2 eq to 101.46 kg CO2 eq/1,000 MJ of liquid fuel at various biomass to coal mix ratios and conversion rates if carbon capture and storage (CCS) was applied. Most of water and fossil energy were consumed in conversion process. Compared to petroleum-derived-liquid fuels, the reduction in GHG emissions could be between -2.7% and 16.2% with CBTL substitution. As for the technical study, three approaches of coal and biomass to liquids, direct, indirect and hybrid, were considered in the analysis. The process models including conceptual design, process modeling and process validation were developed and validated for different cases. Equipment design and capital costs were investigated on capital coast estimation and economical model validation. Material and energy balances and techno-economic analysis on base case were conducted for evaluation of projects. Also, sensitives studies of direct and indirect approaches were both used to evaluate the CBTL plant economic performance. In this study, techno-economic analysis were conducted in Aspen Process Economic Analyzer (APEA) environment for indirect, direct, and hybrid CBTL plants with CCS based on high fidelity process models developed in Aspen Plus and Excel. The process thermal efficiency ranges from 45% to 67%. The break-even oil price ranges from $86.1 to $100.6 per barrel for small scale (10000 bbl/day) CBTL plants and from $65.3 to $80.5 per barrel for large scale (50000 bbl/day) CBTL plants. Increasing biomass/coal ratio from 8/92 to 20/80 would increase the break-even oil price of indirect CBTL plant by $3/bbl and decrease the break-even oil price of direct CBTL plant by about $1/bbl. The order of carbon capture penalty is direct > indirect > hybrid. The order of capital investment is hybrid (with or without shale gas utilization) > direct (without shale gas utilization) > indirect > direct (with shale gas utilization). The order of thermal efficiency is direct > hybrid > indirect. The order of break-even oil price is hybrid (without shale gas utilization) > direct (without shale gas utilization) > hybrid (with shale gas utilization) > indirect > direct (with shale gas utilization).« less

Production of valuable hydrocarbons by flash pyrolysis of oil shale

DOEpatents

Steinberg, M.; Fallon, P.T.

1985-04-01

A process for the production of gas and liquid hydrocarbons from particulated oil shale by reaction with a pyrolysis gas at a temperature of from about 700/sup 0/C to about 1100/sup 0/C, at a pressure of from about 400 psi to about 600 psi, for a period of about 0.2 second to about 20 seconds. Such a pyrolysis gas includes methane, helium, or hydrogen. 3 figs., 3 tabs.

Refining of Military Jet Fuels from Shale Oil. Part II. Volume III. Above Ground Shale Oil Process Data.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-03-01

system. Regenerator flue gas composi- tion, spent catalyst carbon content and regenerated cata- lyst content are monitored for material balance purposes...and good material balance closures obtained. During each run pro- duct gas samples, regenerator flue gas samples, spent and -85- regenerated...TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE OF DENITROGENATION AT 2 LHSV ON CO/MO ......................... 26 111-2 TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE OF DESULFURIZATION AT 2 LHSV ON

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.

Environmental baselines: preparing for shale gas in the UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bloomfield, John; Manamsa, Katya; Bell, Rachel; Darling, George; Dochartaigh, Brighid O.; Stuart, Marianne; Ward, Rob

2014-05-01

Groundwater is a vital source of freshwater in the UK. It provides almost 30% of public water supply on average, but locally, for example in south-east England, it is constitutes nearly 90% of public supply. In addition to public supply, groundwater has a number of other uses including agriculture, industry, and food and drink production. It is also vital for maintaining river flows especially during dry periods and so is essential for maintaining ecosystem health. Recently, there have been concerns expressed about the potential impacts of shale gas development on groundwater. The UK has abundant shales and clays which are currently the focus of considerable interest and there is active research into their characterisation, resource evaluation and exploitation risks. The British Geological Survey (BGS) is undertaking research to provide information to address some of the environmental concerns related to the potential impacts of shale gas development on groundwater resources and quality. The aim of much of this initial work is to establish environmental baselines, such as a baseline survey of methane occurrence in groundwater (National methane baseline study) and the spatial relationships between potential sources and groundwater receptors (iHydrogeology project), prior to any shale gas exploration and development. The poster describes these two baseline studies and presents preliminary findings. BGS are currently undertaking a national survey of baseline methane concentrations in groundwater across the UK. This work will enable any potential future changes in methane in groundwater associated with shale gas development to be assessed. Measurements of methane in potable water from the Cretaceous, Jurassic and Triassic carbonate and sandstone aquifers are variable and reveal methane concentrations of up to 500 micrograms per litre, but the mean value is relatively low at < 10 micrograms per litre. These values compare with much higher levels of methane in aquicludes and thermal waters, for example from the Carboniferous and Triassic which have concentrations in excess of 1500 micrograms per litre. It is important to understand the spatial relationships between potential shale gas source rocks and overlying aquifers if shale gas is to be developed in a safe and sustainable manner. The BGS and the Environment Agency have undertaken a national-scale study of the UK to assess the vertical separation between potential shale gas source rocks and major aquifers (iHydrogeology project). Aquifer - shale separations have been documented in the range <200m to >2km. The geological modelling process will be presented and discussed along with maps combining the results of the methane baseline study, the distribution of Principal Aquifers and shale/clay units, and aquifer - shale separation maps for the UK.

The environmental consequences of the oil shale utilization in Jordan: The effect of combustion processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Hasan, Tayel

2015-04-01

The geochemical analysis of the upper Cretaceous organic rich oil shale of El-Lajjoun revealed that it contains considerable concentrations of trace element when compared to the average world shale. The aim of this study was to deduce the effect of various combustion processes on the geochemical and mineralogical characteristics of the produced ashes.The oil shale powder samples were burned under Aerobic Combustion Process (ACP) at 700˚C, 850˚C and 1000˚C respectively, beside the anaerobic (pyrolysis) combustion process (PCP) at 600, 650, 700, 750 and 800˚C respectively.The ashes produced from the (ACP) caused almost all major oxides contents to increase with increasing burning temperature, particularly SiO2 and CaO were nearly doubled at temperature 1000 ˚C. Moreover, trace elements showed the same trend where ashes at higher temperatures (i.e. 1000 ˚C) have doubled its contents of trace elements such as Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu and U. This was reflected through enrichment of calcite and quartz beside the anhydrite as the main mineral phases in the ACP ashes. As for the PCP ash show similar trend but relatively with lower concentrations as evident from its lowerEnrichment Factor (EF) values. This might be due to the higher organic matter remained in the PCP ashes compared with ACP ashes. However, PCP is more likely associated with toxic Cd and Asgasses as evident from their lowerconcentrations in the ashes.Moreover, recent results using the synchrotron-based XANES technique confirm that toxic elements are found in higher oxidation state due to ACP. The investigation was concerned on As and Cr. Thechromium in the original shales was in the form of Cr (III) and then it was converted to Cr(VI) in the ashes due of the ACP. Similarly, As (III) the XANES results showed that it was converted into As(V) too. These findingsare alarming and should be taken seriously. Because elements with higher oxidation states became more mobile, thus they can easily leached from the ash tailing into the nearby water resources. The most important species is Cr(VI) because itis easily leachable and very harmful species. It could cause pollution to surface and ground water resources.Therefore, allot of concerns should be paid on the ongoing oil shale utilization enterprises due to its pollution potential.Further investigation regarding the speciation of vanadium and cadmium are on the way.

Oil shale combustor model developed by Greek researchers

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

Not Available

1986-09-01

Work carried out in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece has resulted in a model for the combustion of retorted oil shale in a fluidized bed combustor. The model is generally applicable to any hot-solids retorting process, whereby raw oil shale is retorted by mixing with a hot solids stream (usually combusted spent shale), and then the residual carbon is burned off the spent shale in a fluidized bed. Based on their modelling work, the following conclusions were drawn by the researchers. (1) For the retorted particle size distribution selected (average particle diameter 1600more » microns) complete carbon conversion is feasible at high pressures (2.7 atmosphere) and over the entire temperature range studied (894 to 978 K). (2) Bubble size was found to have an important effect, especially at conditions where reaction rates are high (high temperature and pressure). (3) Carbonate decomposition increases with combustor temperature and residence time. Complete carbon conversion is feasible at high pressures (2.7 atmosphere) with less than 20 percent carbonate decomposition. (4) At the preferred combustor operating conditions (high pressure, low temperature) the main reaction is dolomite decomposition while calcite decomposition is negligible. (5) Recombination of CO/sub 2/ with MgO occurs at low temperatures, high pressures, and long particle residence times.« less

Baseflow recession analysis across the Eagle Ford shale play (Texas, USA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arciniega, Saul; Brena-Naranjo, Agustin; Hernandez-Espriu, Jose Antonio; Pedrozo-Acuña, Adrian

2016-04-01

Baseflow is an important process of the hydrological cycle as it can be related to aquatic ecosystem health and groundwater recharge. The temporal and spatial dynamics of baseflow are typically governed by fluctuations in the water table of shallow aquifers hence groundwater pumping and return flow can greatly modify baseflow patterns. More recently, in some regions of the world the exploitation of gas trapped in shale formations by means of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) has raised major concerns on the quantitative and qualitative groundwater impacts. Although fracking implies massive amounts of groundwater withdrawals, its contribution on baseflow decline has not yet been fully investigated. Furthermore, its impact with respect to other human activities or climate extremes such as irrigation or extreme droughts, respectively, remain largely unknown. This work analyzes baseflow recession time-space patterns for a set of watersheds located across the largest shale producer in the world, the Eagle Ford shale play in Texas (USA). The period of study (1985-2014) includes a pre-development and post-development period. The dataset includes 56 hydrometric time series located inside and outside the shale play. Results show that during the development and expansion of the Eagle Ford play, around 70 % of the time series displayed a significant decline wheras no decline was observed during the pre-development)

A new laboratory approach to shale analysis using NMR relaxometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Washburn, Kathryn E.; Birdwell, Justin E.; Baez, Luis; Beeney, Ken; Sonnenberg, Steve

2013-01-01

Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) relaxometry is a non-invasive technique commonly used to assess hydrogen-bearing fluids in petroleum reservoir rocks. Measurements made using LF-NMR provide information on rock porosity, pore-size distributions, and in some cases, fluid types and saturations (Timur, 1967; Kenyon et al., 1986; Straley et al., 1994; Brown, 2001; Jackson, 2001; Kleinberg, 2001; Hurlimann et al., 2002). Recent improvements in LF-NMR instrument electronics have made it possible to apply methods used to measure pore fluids to assess highly viscous and even solid organic phases within reservoir rocks. T1 and T2 relaxation responses behave very differently in solids and liquids; therefore the relationship between these two modes of relaxation can be used to differentiate organic phases in rock samples or to characterize extracted organic materials. Using T1-T2 correlation data, organic components present in shales, such as kerogen and bitumen, can be examined in laboratory relaxometry measurements. In addition, implementation of a solid-echo pulse sequence to refocus T2 relaxation caused by homonuclear dipolar coupling during correlation measurements allows for improved resolution of solid-phase protons. LF-NMR measurements of T1 and T2 relaxation time distributions were carried out on raw oil shale samples from the Eocene Green River Formation and pyrolyzed samples of these shales processed by hydrous pyrolysis and techniques meant to mimic surface and in-situ retorting. Samples processed using the In Situ Simulator approach ranged from bitumen and early oil generation through to depletion of petroleum generating potential. The standard T1-T2 correlation plots revealed distinct peaks representative of solid- and liquid-like organic phases; results on the pyrolyzed shales reflect changes that occurred during thermal processing. The solid-echo T1 and T2 measurements were used to improve assessment of the solid organic phases, specifically kerogen, thermally degraded kerogen, and char. Integrated peak areas from the LF-NMR results representative of kerogen and bitumen were found to be well correlated with S1 and S2 parameters from Rock-Eval programmed pyrolysis. This study demonstrates that LFNMR relaxometry can provide a wide range of information on shales and other reservoir rocks that goes well beyond porosity and pore-fluid analysis.

Characteristics of activated carbon produced from biosludge and its use in wastewater post-treatment.

PubMed

Pikkov, L; Kallas, J; Rüütmann, T; Rikmann, E

2001-02-01

Experimental research into the bench-scale production of activated carbon from waste-activated sludge from water purification, sawdust, peat, and their mixtures, by carbonisation and activation was undertaken. The research work was carried out to determine possible methods of production of cheap activated carbon from local raw materials and to use it in water purification technology. Along with the samples produced, several commercial activated carbons (namely RB-1, F 100, CA (adsorbent from military gas masks), BAY (product of the USSR)) were tested to compare adsorption properties in the adsorption of phenols, xylidines, amines, methylene blue and molasses. It has been found that the activated carbon produced from waste biosludge was of higher quality than that produced from either sawdust or peat, and performed similarly to RB-1 and F100 in adsorption tests. It was also determined that the activated carbon produced from biosludge could possibly be used in the post-treatment of wastewater. Residual sludge from the biological treatment of the wastewater from the purification of oil-shale in the chemical processing industry could cover up to 80% of the need for activated carbon. Some of this activated carbon could be used in the post-treatment of the same water, adsorbing polyalcaline phenols from the initial content of 4 mg l-1 to the demanded level of 1 mg l-1.

Bacterial communities associated with hydraulic fracturing fluids in thermogenic natural gas wells in North Central Texas, USA.

PubMed

Struchtemeyer, Christopher G; Elshahed, Mostafa S

2012-07-01

Hydraulic fracturing is used to increase the permeability of shale gas formations and involves pumping large volumes of fluids into these formations. A portion of the frac fluid remains in the formation after the fracturing process is complete, which could potentially contribute to deleterious microbially induced processes in natural gas wells. Here, we report on the geochemical and microbiological properties of frac and flowback waters from two newly drilled natural gas wells in the Barnett Shale in North Central Texas. Most probable number studies showed that biocide treatments did not kill all the bacteria in the fracturing fluids. Pyrosequencing-based 16S rRNA diversity analyses indicated that the microbial communities in the flowback waters were less diverse and completely distinct from the communities in frac waters. These differences in frac and flowback water communities appeared to reflect changes in the geochemistry of fracturing fluids that occurred during the frac process. The flowback communities also appeared well adapted to survive biocide treatments and the anoxic conditions and high temperatures encountered in the Barnett Shale. © 2011 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing 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.

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.

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.

The source of groundwater and solutes to Many Devils Wash at a former uranium mill site in Shiprock, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robertson, Andrew J.; Ranalli, Anthony J.; Austin, Stephen A.; Lawlis, Bryan R.

2016-04-21

The Shiprock Disposal Site is the location of the former Navajo Mill (Mill), a uranium ore-processing facility, located on a terrace overlooking the San Juan River in the town of Shiprock, New Mexico. Following the closure of the Mill, all tailings and associated materials were encapsulated in a disposal cell built on top of the former Mill and tailings piles. The milling operations, conducted at the site from 1954 to 1968, created radioactive tailings and process-related wastes that are now found in the groundwater. Elevated concentrations of constituents of concern—ammonium, manganese, nitrate, selenium, strontium, sulfate, and uranium—have also been measured in groundwater seeps in the nearby Many Devils Wash arroyo, leading to the inference that these constituents originated from the Mill. These constituents have also been reported in groundwater that is associated with Mancos Shale, the bedrock that underlies the site. The objective of this report is to increase understanding of the source of water and solutes to the groundwater beneath Many Devils Wash and to establish the background concentrations for groundwater that is in contact with the Mancos Shale at the site. This report presents evidence on three working hypotheses: (1) the water and solutes in Many Devils Wash originated from the operations at the former Mill, (2) groundwater in deep aquifers is upwelling under artesian pressure to recharge the shallow groundwater beneath Many Devils Wash, and (3) the groundwater beneath Many Devils Wash originates as precipitation that infiltrates into the shallow aquifer system and discharges to Many Devils Wash in a series of springs on the east side of the wash. The solute concentrations in the shallow groundwater of Many Devils Wash would result from the interaction of the water and the Mancos Shale if the source of water was upwelling from deep aquifers or precipitation.In order to compare the groundwater from various wells to groundwater that has been affected by Mill activities, a classification system was developed to determine which wells were most likely to have been affected. Affects to groundwater by the Mill were determined by using the reported uranium alpha activity ratios measured in groundwater samples, along with the concentration of the uranium and the location of the wells relative to the Mill. Activity ratios of 1.2 or less were determined to be the most reliable indicator of Mill-affected groundwater. Wells with samples that had a reported activity ratio of 1.2 or less were classified as Mill affected. To compare groundwater with background water-quality, data from groundwater seeps and springs in the Upper Eagle Nest Arroyo and Salt Creek Wash, located north of the San Juan River, are also presented and analyzed.Based on groundwater elevations and tritium concentrations measured in wells located between the disposal cell and Many Devils Wash, Mill water is not likely to reach Many Devils Wash. The tritium concentrations also indicate that groundwater from the Mill has not substantially affected Many Devils Wash in the past. Upwelling from deep aquifers was also determined to be an unlikely source, primarily by comparing the composition of the stable isotopes of water in the shallow groundwater with those reported in groundwater samples from the deeper aquifers. The stable-isotope compositions of the shallow groundwater around the site are enriched relative to the San Juan River and local meteoric lines, which suggests that most of the shallow groundwater has been influenced by evaporation and therefore was recharged at the surface. Several observations indicate that focused recharge is the likely source of groundwater in the area of Many Devils Wash. The visible erosional features in Many Devils Wash provide evidence of piping and groundwater sapping, and the distribution and type of vegetation in Many Devils Wash suggest that the focused recharge of precipitation is occurring. The estimated recharge from precipitation was calculated to be 0.0008 inches per year (in/yr) by using the mass-balance approach from reported seep discharge and 0.0011 in/yr using the chloride mass-balance approach.A conceptual model of groundwater quality beneath Many Devils Wash is presented to explain the source of solutes in the groundwater beneath Many Devils Wash. The major-ion concentrations and geochemical evolution in the groundwater beneath Many Devils Wash and across the study area support the conceptual model that the underlying Mancos Shale is the source of solutes. Differences in the major-ion composition between groundwater samples collected around the site, result from the degree of weathering to the Mancos Shale. The cation distribution appears to be an indicator of effects from the Mill, with samples from the Mill-affected wells largely having a calcium/magnesium-sulfate composition that resembles the reported compositions of more weathered shale; however, that composition could change if the Mill-processed water flowed into areas where the Mancos Shale was less weathered. On the basis of the widespread presence of uranium in the Mancos Shale and the distribution of aqueous uranium in the analog sites and other sites in the region, it appears likely that uranium in the groundwater of Many Devils Wash is naturally sourced from the Mancos Shale.

Superfund Record of Decision (EPA Region 7): Doepke Disposal (Holliday), KS. (First remedial action), September 1989. Final report

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

Not Available

1989-09-21

The Doepke Disposal (Holliday) site is an inactive industrial-waste landfill located east of Holliday, Johnson County, Kansas. During the 1950s and early 1960s the site was used as a landfill for residential refuse. In 1963 Doepke Disposal Service, Inc. leased the property and operated a commercial and industrial waste landfill until 1970, when the State shut down the operation. Materials such as fiberglass, fiberglass resins, paint sludges, spent solvents, metal sludges, soaps, and pesticides were reportedly disposed of at the landfill. In 1966 fire debris and up to 374 drums of solvents and organochlorine and organophosphate pesticides were disposed ofmore » at the site as a result of a fire at a Kansas City chemical plant. Initially wastes and residues brought to the site were burned, however, in the late 1960s burning operations ceased and solid wastes were buried onsite and liquids were disposed of in two surface impoundments. In 1977 rock material excavated during the construction of an interstate was dumped onsite and in some cases over the deposited waste. The current owner uses portions of the site for storage of clay, crushed shales, and crushed limestone. The primary contaminants of concern affecting the soil and ground water are VOCs including benzene, toluene, and xylene; other organics including PAHs, PCBs, and pesticides, and metals including chromium and lead.« less

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.

Effects of Microwave Radiation on Oil Recovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esmaeili, Abdollah

2011-12-01

A variety of oil recovery methods have been developed and applied to mature and depleted reservoirs in order to improve the efficiency. Microwave radiation oil recovery method is a relatively new method and has been of great interest in the recent years. Crude oil is typically co-mingled with suspended solids and water. To increase oil recovery, it is necessary to remove these components. The separation of oil from water and solids using gravitational settling methods is typically incomplete. Oil-in-water and oil-water-solid emulsions can be demulsified and separated into their individual layers by microwave radiation. The data also show that microwave separation is faster than gravity separation and can be faster than conventional heating at many conditions. After separation of emulsion into water and oil layers, water can be discharged and oil is collected. High-frequency microwave recycling process can recover oil and gases from oil shale, residual oil, drill cuttings, tar sands oil, contaminated dredge/sediments, tires and plastics with significantly greater yields and lower costs than are available utilizing existing known technologies. This process is environmentally friendly, fuel-generating recycler to reduce waste, cut emissions, and save energy. This paper presents a critical review of Microwave radiation method for oil recovery.

Depositional Architecture of Late Cambrian-Early Ordovician Siliciclastic Barik Formation; Al Huqf Area, Oman

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbasi, Iftikhar Ahmed

2017-04-01

Early Paleozoic siliciclastics sediments of the Haima Supergroup are subdivided into a number of formations and members based on lithological characteristics of various rock sequences. One of the distinct sandstone sequence, the Barik Formation (Late Cambrian-Early Ordovician) of the Andam Group is a major deep gas reservoir in central Oman. The sandstone bodies are prospective reservoir rocks while thick shale and clay interbeds act as effective seal. Part of the Barik Formation (lower and middle part) is exposed in isolated outcrops in Al Huqf area as interbedded multistoried sandstone, and green and red shale. The sandstone bodies are up to 2 meters thick and can be traced laterally for 300 m to over 1 km. Most of sandstone bodies show both lateral and vertical stacking. Two types of sandstone lithofacies are identified on the basis of field characteristics; a plane-bedded sandstone lithofacies capping thick red and green color shale beds, and a cross-bedded sandstone lithofacies overlying the plane-bedded sandstone defining coarsening upward sequences. The plane-bedded sandstone at places contains Cruziana ichnofacies and bivalve fragments indicating deposition by shoreface processes. Thick cross-bedded sandstone is interpreted to be deposited by the fluvial dominated deltaic processes. Load-casts, climbing ripples and flaser-bedding in siltstone and red shale indicate influence of tidal processes at times during the deposition of the formation. This paper summarizes results of a study carried out in Al Huqf area outcrops to analyze the characteristics of the sandstone-body geometry, internal architecture, provenance and diagenetic changes in the lower and middle part of the formation. The study shows build-up of a delta complex and its progradation over a broad, low-angle shelf where fluvial processes operate beside shoreface processes in a vegetation free setting. Keywords: Andam Group, Barik Formation, Ordovician sandstone, Al Huqf, Central Oman,

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

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.

Pennsylvania's technologically enhanced, naturally occurring radioactive material experiences and studies of the oil and gas industry.

PubMed

Allard, David J

2015-02-01

This presentation provides an overview of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's experiences and ongoing studies related to technologically enhanced, naturally occurring radioactive material (TENORM) in the oil and gas industry. It has been known for many years that Pennsylvania's geology is unique, with several areas having relatively high levels of natural uranium and thorium. In the 1950s, a few areas of the state were evaluated for commercial uranium production. In the late 1970s, scoping studies of radon in homes prompted the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Bureau of Radiation Protection (BRP) to begin planning for a larger state-wide radon study. The BRP and Oil and Gas Bureau also performed a TENORM study of produced water in the early 1990s for a number of conventional oil and gas wells. More recently, BRP and the Bureau of Solid Waste developed radiation monitoring regulations for all Pennsylvania solid waste disposal facilities. These were implemented in 2001, prompting another evaluation of oil and gas operations and sludge generated from the treatment of conventionally produced water and brine but mainly focused on the disposal of TENORM solid waste in the state's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Subtitle D landfills. However, since 2008, the increase in volumes of gas well wastewater and levels of Ra observed in the unconventional shale gas well flow-back fracking water has compelled DEP to fully re-examine these oil and gas operations. Specifically, with BRP in the lead, a new TENORM study of oil and gas operations and related wastewater treatment operations has been initiated (), supported by an American National Standards Institute standard on TENORM () and a U.S. Government Accountability Office report on shale resource development and risks (). This study began in early 2013 and will examine the potential public and worker radiation exposure and environmental impact as well as re-evaluate TENORM waste disposal. This presentation summarizes conventional and unconventional oil and gas well operations, geology and respective uranium/thorium content, radium content in oil and gas wastewater, treatment solids, radon in natural gas, the scope of other TENORM issues in the state, regulatory framework, national regulations and guidance. It also provides an overview of past and the status of ongoing TENORM studies in the Commonwealth (; Rowan and Kraemer 2012; ).

Case studies in organic contaminant hydrogeology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, John A.

1989-07-01

The effective management of domestic solid waste and hazardous, toxic, and radioactive waste is a major problem in the area of environmental geology and water sciences over the world. This series of case studies of organic contaminants from both solid and hazardous waste disposal facilities provides examples of these problems. The facilities were investigated to determine risks and liabilities before acquisition, to determine the site hydrogeologic conditions for design of appropriate groundwater monitoring plans, and/or to determine the potential for groundwater contamination. The results of these studies and investigations by Waste Management Inc. (WMI) and its consultants have shown certain relationships in the distribution of organic pollutants to the different geologic and hydrogeologic charac teristics of each facility. In each of the case studies, all 129 priority pollutants were analyzed in private wells and/or monitoring wells at the request of regulatory agencies. The 31 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of the priority pollutant list were the majority of the organic compounds detected and these data are evaluated in each case study. The case studies are on disposal facilities located in glacial tills, carbonaceous weathered clay soils, weathered shale, limestone bedrock, dolomite bedrock, and alluvial and sedimentary deposits. A brief discussion of groundwater quality impacts and remedial measures also is included.

Subsurface geology of a potential waste emplacement site, Salt Valley Anticline, Grand County, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hite, R.J.

1977-01-01

The Salt Valley anticline, which is located about 32 km northeast of Moab, Utah, is perhaps one of the most favorable waste emplacement sites in the Paradox basin. The site, which includes about 7.8 km 2, is highly accessible and is adjacent to a railroad. The anticline is one of a series of northwest-trending salt anticlines lying along the northeast edge of the Paradox basin. These anticlines are cored by evaporites of the Paradox Member of the Hermosa Formation of Middle Pennsylvanian age. The central core of the Salt Valley anticline forms a ridgelike mass of evaporites that has an estimated amplitude of 3,600 m. The evaporite core consists of about 87 percent halite rock, which includes some potash deposits; the remainder is black shale, silty dolomite, and anhydrite. The latter three lithologies are referred to as 'marker beds.' Using geophysical logs from drill holes on the anticline, it is possible to demonstrate that the marker beds are complexly folded and faulted. Available data concerning the geothermal gradient and heatflow at the site indicate that heat from emplaced wastes should be rapidly dissipated. Potentially exploitable resources of potash and petroleum are present at Salt Valley. Development of these resources may conflict with use of the site for waste emplacement.

Linking preferred orientations to elastic anisotropy in Muderong Shale, Australia

DOE PAGES

Kanitpanyacharoen, Waruntorn; Vasin, Roman; Wenk, Hans -Rudolf; ...

2015-01-01

The significance of shales as unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs, nuclear waste repositories, and geological carbon storage has opened new research frontiers in geophysics. Among many of its unique physical properties, elastic anisotropy has long been investigated by both experimental and computational approaches. Here we calculate elastic properties of Cretaceous Muderong Shale from Australia with a self-consistent averaging method based on microstructural information. The volume fraction and crystallographic preferred orientation distributions of constituent minerals are based on synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments. Aspect ratios of minerals and pores, determined from scanning electron microscopy (SEM), are introduced in the self-consistent averaging. Our analysis suggestsmore » that phyllosilicates (i.e., illite-mica, illite-smectite, kaolinite, and chlorite) are dominant with ~70 vol.%. The shape of clay platelets displays an average aspect ratio of 0.05. These platelets are aligned parallel to the bedding plane with a rather high degree of preferred orientation. The estimated porosity at ambient pressure is ~17 vol.% and is divided into equiaxial pores and flat pores with an average aspect ratio of 0.01. Our model shows results (e.g. at pressure of ~50 MPa with C 11 = 26.3; C 13 =12.5; C 33 = 18.2; C 44 = 2.8; C 66 = 6.8 [GPa]) that compare satisfactorily with values derived from ultrasonic velocity measurements (C 11 = 26.6; C 13 = 16.2; C 33 = 18.3; C 44 = 4.5; C 66 = 8.8 [GPa]), confirming the validity and reliability of our approximations and averaging approach.« less

Magnetic anisotropy of Silurian organic-rich shale rocks and calcareous concretions from Northern Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niezabitowska, Dominika; Szaniawski, Rafał

2017-04-01

The research has been performed on Wenlockian shales of Pelplin formation from the Pomerania region located in Northern Poland. These organic-rich marine shales were deposited on the western shelf of the Baltica paleo-continent and currently they constitute the cover of East European Platform. The studied shales lie almost completely flat without signs of tectonic deformations. Rock magnetic studies were carried out with the aim of recognizing ferro- and paramagnetic minerals in shales and thus fully understanding the origin of the magnetic anisotropy. The typical dark shales and spherical calcareous concretions from two boreholes were sampled. Based on deflection of shales beds bordered with a concretions, we deduce that such concretions were formed in the early stage of diagenesis, before the final compaction and lithification of surrounding shales. We obtained similar rockmagnetic results for both of rock types. The results of thermal variation of magnetic susceptibility and hysteresis loops show that the magnetic susceptibility is mainly controlled by paramagnetic minerals, due to domination of phyllosilicate minerals, with a smaller impact of ferromagnetic phase. The results of the hysteresis studies documented the domination of low coercivity ferromagnetic minerals, that is magnetite and pyrrhotite. The deposition alignment of flocculated phyllosilicates and further compaction determine distinct bedding parallel foliation of the AMS (Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility) in the both drill cores. In one of the drill core the maximal AMS axes are almost randomly distributed in the bedding plane and show only a weak tendency for grouping. In the second drill core the magnetic lineation is better defined. In the case of concretions the bedding parallel magnetic foliation is also evident but it is much weaker than in shales. In turn, the magnetic lineation in the both drill cores is well developed and the maximal AMS axes are well grouped. In both of the cores the orientation of lineation from concretions complies with site mean lineation from shale rocks. To summarize, the results imply that the phyllosilicate minerals from shales are typically well aligned in the bedding plane by compaction processes. In the case of calcareous concretions the foliation is less developed due to their earlier cementation of flocculated phyllosicates in the calcareous matrix, which occurred before the end of sediments compaction. A good grouping of the maximal AMS axes within the early cemented concretions suggest that the magnetic lineation is rather sedimentary than tectonic in origin. We suggest that the magnetic lineation is probably related to the orientation of flocculated phyllosilicates due to transportation. This work has been funded by the Polish National Centre for Research and Development within the Blue Gas project (No BG2/SHALEMECH/14). Samples were provided by the PGNiG SA.

Time-dependent deformation of gas shales - role of rock framework versus reservoir fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hol, Sander; Zoback, Mark

2013-04-01

Hydraulic fracturing operations are generally performed to achieve a fast, drastic increase of permeability and production rates. Although modeling of the underlying short-term mechanical response has proven successful via conventional geomechanical approaches, predicting long-term behavior is still challenging as the formation interacts physically and chemically with the fluids present in-situ. Recent experimental work has shown that shale samples subjected to a change in effective stress deform in a time-dependent manner ("creep"). Although the magnitude and nature of this behavior is strongly related to the composition and texture of the sample, also the choice of fluid used in the experiments affects the total strain response - strongly adsorbing fluids result in more, recoverable creep. The processes underlying time-dependent deformation of shales under in-situ stresses, and the long-term impact on reservoir performance, are at present poorly understood. In this contribution, we report triaxial mechanical tests, and theoretical/thermodynamic modeling work with the aim to identify and describe the main mechanisms that control time-dependent deformation of gas shales. In particular, we focus on the role of the shale solid framework versus the type and pressure of the present pore fluid. Our experiments were mainly performed on Eagle Ford Shale samples. The samples were subjected to cycles of loading and unloading, first in the dry state, and then again after equilibrating them with (adsorbing) CO2 and (non-adsorbing) He at fluid pressures of 4 MPa. Stresses were chosen close to those persisting under in-situ conditions. The results of our tests demonstrate that likely two main types of deformation mechanisms operate that relate to a) the presence of microfractures as a dominating feature in the solid framework of the shale, and b) the adsorbing potential of fluids present in the nanoscale voids of the shale. To explain the role of adsorption in the observed compaction creep, we postulate a serial coupling between 1) stress-driven desorption of the fluid species, 2) diffusion of the desorbed species out of the solid, and 3) consequent shrinkage. We propose a model in which the total shrinkage of the solid (Step 3) that is measured as bulk compaction, is driven by a change in stress state (Step 1), and evolves in time controlled by the diffusion characteristics of the system (Step 2). Our experimental and modeling study shows that both the nature of the solid framework of the shale, as well as the type and pressure of pore fluids affect the long-term in-situ mechanical behavior of gas shale reservoirs.

An exploratory study of air emissions associated with shale gas development and production in the Barnett Shale.

PubMed

Rich, Alisa; Grover, James P; Sattler, Melanie L

2014-01-01

Information regarding air emissions from shale gas extraction and production is critically important given production is occurring in highly urbanized areas across the United States. Objectives of this exploratory study were to collect ambient air samples in residential areas within 61 m (200 feet) of shale gas extraction/production and determine whether a "fingerprint" of chemicals can be associated with shale gas activity. Statistical analyses correlating fingerprint chemicals with methane, equipment, and processes of extraction/production were performed. Ambient air sampling in residential areas of shale gas extraction and production was conducted at six counties in the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) Metroplex from 2008 to 2010. The 39 locations tested were identified by clients that requested monitoring. Seven sites were sampled on 2 days (typically months later in another season), and two sites were sampled on 3 days, resulting in 50 sets of monitoring data. Twenty-four-hour passive samples were collected using summa canisters. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometer analysis was used to identify organic compounds present. Methane was present in concentrations above laboratory detection limits in 49 out of 50 sampling data sets. Most of the areas investigated had atmospheric methane concentrations considerably higher than reported urban background concentrations (1.8-2.0 ppm(v)). Other chemical constituents were found to be correlated with presence of methane. A principal components analysis (PCA) identified multivariate patterns of concentrations that potentially constitute signatures of emissions from different phases of operation at natural gas sites. The first factor identified through the PCA proved most informative. Extreme negative values were strongly and statistically associated with the presence of compressors at sample sites. The seven chemicals strongly associated with this factor (o-xylene, ethylbenzene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, m- and p-xylene, 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, toluene, and benzene) thus constitute a potential fingerprint of emissions associated with compression. Information regarding air emissions from shale gas development and production is critically important given production is now occurring in highly urbanized areas across the United States. Methane, the primary shale gas constituent, contributes substantially to climate change; other natural gas constituents are known to have adverse health effects. This study goes beyond previous Barnett Shale field studies by encompassing a wider variety of production equipment (wells, tanks, compressors, and separators) and a wider geographical region. The principal components analysis, unique to this study, provides valuable information regarding the ability to anticipate associated shale gas chemical constituents.

Treatment of concentrated industrial wastewaters originating from oil shale and the like by electrolysis polyurethane foam interaction

DOEpatents

Tiernan, Joan E.

1991-01-01

Highly concentrated and toxic petroleum-based and synthetic fuels wastewaters such as oil shale retort water are treated in a unit treatment process by electrolysis in a reactor containing oleophilic, ionized, open-celled polyurethane foams and subjected to mixing and l BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention described herein arose in the course of, or under, Contract No. DE-AC03-76SF00098 between the U.S. Department of Energy and the University of California.

Current perspectives on unconventional shale gas extraction in the Appalachian Basin.

PubMed

Lampe, David J; Stolz, John F

2015-01-01

The Appalachian Basin is home to three major shales, the Upper Devonian, Marcellus, and Utica. Together, they contain significant quantities of tight oil, gas, and mixed hydrocarbons. The Marcellus alone is estimated to contain upwards of 500 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The extraction of these deposits is facilitated by a combination of horizontal drilling and slick water stimulation (e.g., hydraulic fracturing) or "fracking." The process of fracking requires large volumes of water, proppant, and chemicals as well as a large well pad (3-7 acres) and an extensive network of gathering and transmission pipelines. Drilling can generate about 1,000 tons of drill cuttings depending on the depth of the formation and the length of the horizontal bore. The flowback and produced waters that return to the surface during production are high in total dissolved solids (TDS, 60,000-350,000 mg L(-1)) and contain halides (e.g., chloride, bromide, fluoride), strontium, barium, and often naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORMs) as well as organics. The condensate tanks used to store these fluids can off gas a plethora of volatile organic compounds. The waste water, with its high TDS may be recycled, treated, or disposed of through deep well injection. Where allowed, open impoundments used for recycling are a source of air borne contamination as they are often aerated. The gas may be "dry" (mostly methane) or "wet," the latter containing a mixture of light hydrocarbons and liquids that need to be separated from the methane. Although the wells can produce significant quantities of natural gas, from 2-7 bcf, their initial decline rates are significant (50-75%) and may cease to be economic within a few years. This review presents an overview of unconventional gas extraction highlighting the environmental impacts and challenges.

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.

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.

Landslides: Geomorphology and Sea Cliff Hazard Potential, Santa Barbara - Isla Vista, California J.F. Klath and E.A. Keller

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klath, J. F.; Keller, E. A.

2015-12-01

Coastal areas are often characterized by high population densities in an ever changing, dynamic environment. The world's coasts are often dominated by steeply sloping sea cliffs, the morphology of which reflects rock type, wave erosion, and surface erosion, as well as human activities such changing vegetation, urban runoff, and construction of coastal defenses. The Santa Barbara and Goleta area, with over 17 km of sea cliffs and beaches, extends from Santa Barbara Point west to the hamlet of Isla Vista. A deeper understanding of the local geology and the physical processes generating slope failure and, thus, landward cliff retreat is important for general public safety, as well as future development and planning. Our research objective includes assessment of landslide hazard potential through investigation of previous landslides and how these events relate to various physical variables and characteristics within the surrounding bedrock. How does landslide frequency, volume, and type relate to varying local bedrock and structure? Two geologic formations dominate the sea cliffs of the Santa Barbara area: Monterey shale (upper, middle, and lower) and Monterey Sisquoc shale. Geology varies from hard cemented shale and diatomaceous, low specific gravity shale to compaction shale. Variations in landslide characteristics are linked closely to the geology of a specific site that affects how easily rock units are weathered and eroded by wave erosion, naturally occurring oil and water seeps, burnt shale events, and landslide type and frequency on steeply dipped bedding planes/daylighting beds. Naturally occurring features linked to human processes often weaken bedrock and, thus, increase the likelihood of landslides. We categorize landslide frequency, type, and triggers; location of beach access, drainage pipes, and water; and oil and tar seeps in order to develop suggestions to minimize landslide potential. Lastly, using previously published erosion cliff retreat rates and sea level rise estimates, a map displaying likely position of the coastline by 2100 will be created. This information will be useful to the county of Santa Barbara, California when considering future development and hazard mitigation plans.

Impact of emissions from natural gas production facilities on ambient air quality in the Barnett Shale area: a pilot study.

PubMed

Zielinska, Barbara; Campbell, Dave; Samburova, Vera

2014-12-01

Rapid and extensive development of shale gas resources in the Barnett Shale region of Texas in recent years has created concerns about potential environmental impacts on water and air quality. The purpose of this study was to provide a better understanding of the potential contributions of emissions from gas production operations to population exposure to air toxics in the Barnett Shale region. This goal was approached using a combination of chemical characterization of the volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from active wells, saturation monitoring for gaseous and particulate pollutants in a residential community located near active gas/oil extraction and processing facilities, source apportionment of VOCs measured in the community using the Chemical Mass Balance (CMB) receptor model, and direct measurements of the pollutant gradient downwind of a gas well with high VOC emissions. Overall, the study results indicate that air quality impacts due to individual gas wells and compressor stations are not likely to be discernible beyond a distance of approximately 100 m in the downwind direction. However, source apportionment results indicate a significant contribution to regional VOCs from gas production sources, particularly for lower-molecular-weight alkanes (< C6). Although measured ambient VOC concentrations were well below health-based safe exposure levels, the existence of urban-level mean concentrations of benzene and other mobile source air toxics combined with soot to total carbon ratios that were high for an area with little residential or commercial development may be indicative of the impact of increased heavy-duty vehicle traffic related to gas production. Implications: Rapid and extensive development of shale gas resources in recent years has created concerns about potential environmental impacts on water and air quality. This study focused on directly measuring the ambient air pollutant levels occurring at residential properties located near natural gas extraction and processing facilities, and estimating the relative contributions from gas production and motor vehicle emissions to ambient VOC concentrations. Although only a small-scale case study, the results may be useful for guidance in planning future ambient air quality studies and human exposure estimates in areas of intensive shale gas production.

Determinants of Clay and Shale Microfabric Signatures: Processes and Mechanisms

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

macroenvironments . The interplay of geological, chemical, and biological processes and mechanisms during transport, deposition, and burial of...and macroenviron - a function of processes and mechanisms, are antecedent to gain- ments. The interplay of geological, chemical, and biological pro

The provenance of low-calcic black shales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quinby-Hunt, M. S.; Wilde, P.

1991-04-01

The elemental concentration of sedimentary rocks depends on the varying reactivity of each element as it goes from the source through weathering, deposition, diagenesis, lithification, and even low rank metamorphism. However, non-reactive components of detrital particles ideally are characteristic of the original igneous source and thus are useful in provenance studies. To determine the source of detrital granitic and volcanic components of low-calcic (<1% CaCO3) marine black shales, the concentrations of apparently non-reactive (i.e. unaffected by diagenetic, redox and/or low-rank metamorphic processes) trace elements were examined using standard trace element discrimination diagrams developed for igneous rocks. The chemical data was obtained by neutron activation analyses of about 200 stratigraphically well-documented black shale samples from the Cambrian through the Jurassic. A La-Th-Sc ternary diagram distinguishes among contributions from the upper and bulk continental crust and the oceanic crust (Taylor and McLennan 1985). All the low-calcic black shales cluster within the region of the upper crust. Th-Hf-Co ternary diagrams also are commonly used to distinguish among the upper and bulk continental crust and the oceanic crust (Taylor and McLennan 1985). As Co is redox sensitive in black shale environments, it was necessary to substitute an immobile element (i.e. example Rb) in the diagram. With this substitution of black shales all cluster in the region of the upper continental crust. To determine the provenance of the granitic component (Pearce et al. 1984), plots of Ta vs Yb and Rb vs Yb + Ta shows a cluster at the junction of the boundaries separating the volcanic arc granite (VAG), syn-collision granite (syn-COLG), and within-plate granite (WPG) fields. The majority fall within the VAG field. There are no occurrences of ocean ridge granite (ORG). The minimal contribution of basalts to marine black shales is confirmed by the ternary Wood diagram Th-Hf/3-Ta (Wood et al. 1979). The black shales plot in a cluster in a high Th region outside the various basalt fields, which suggests contribution from the continental crust.

Mineralogy and Geochemistry of Vanadium-Bearing Black Shales at Zhangcun and Zhengfang, Eastern Jiangxi Province, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, H.; Long, H.; Nekvasil, H.; Liu, Y.

2001-12-01

As a member of Hetang Formation, lower Cambrian, the Zhangcun-Zhengfang vanadium-bearing black shales are spread in the sea basin outside of the Ancient Jiangnan Island Arc. The composition of black shales is silicalite + siltstone + detrital carbonate. A large amount of hyalophane has been discovered in the shales and the hyalophane-rich rock is the major type of vanadium-host rock. The barium content in the hyalophane is up to 18.91%. The vanadium mainly exists in vanadiferous illite and several Ti-V oxides, possibly including a new mineral. The chemical formula of this kind of Ti-V oxide is V2O3¡nTiO2, n=4¡ª9, according to the electronic microprobe studies. The micro X-ray diffraction studies show the new mineral may be triclinic. The shales are rich in Ba, K, V and contain only trace Na and Mn while all the compositions of the shales except carbonate have a low content of Mg and Ca. According to the authors¡_ study, V obviously has a relationship with Ba and Se, which are from the volcano or hydrothermal activities, and the basic elements Cr, Co, Ni, Ti and Fe. It may present that they are from the same source. Thus, it seems that they are not from the ¡rnormal¡_ sedimentary environment and may be from the hydrothermal deposition. The REE models show that silicalite may be the hydrothermal deposit that does not mix with seawater while the REE models of hyalopahne-rich rock is similar to some modern hydrothermal deposits in the seafloor. The subtle negative anomaly of Yb may reflect the REE model of basalt in the seafloor. The geology and geochemistry of the shales indicate that the shales may be of hydrothermal genesis. Silicalite may be the typical ¡r pure¡_ hydrothermal sediment and hyalophane-rich rock may be the product of hydrothermal activity while the hydrothermal fluid passes the continent source material in the sedimentary process. V, Ti, Ba and Si may be from the volcanic rock in the seafloor and the Al and K may be from the continent.

A Reactive Transport Model for Marcellus Shale Weathering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, L.; Heidari, P.; Jin, L.; Williams, J.; Brantley, S.

2017-12-01

Shale formations account for 25% of the land surface globally. One of the most productive shale-gas formations is the Marcellus, a black shale that is rich in organic matter and pyrite. As a first step toward understanding how Marcellus shale interacts with water, we developed a reactive transport model to simulate shale weathering under ambient temperature and pressure conditions, constrained by soil chemistry and water data. The simulation was carried out for 10,000 years, assuming bedrock weathering and soil genesis began right after the last glacial maximum. Results indicate weathering was initiated by pyrite dissolution for the first 1,000 years, leading to low pH and enhanced dissolution of chlorite and precipitation of iron hydroxides. After pyrite depletion, chlorite dissolved slowly, primarily facilitated by the presence of CO2 and organic acids, forming vermiculite as a secondary mineral. A sensitivity analysis indicated that the most important controls on weathering include the presence of reactive gases (CO2 and O2), specific surface area, and flow velocity of infiltrating meteoric water. The soil chemistry and mineralogy data could not be reproduced without including the reactive gases. For example, pyrite remained in the soil even after 10,000 years if O2 was not continuously present in the soil column; likewise, chlorite remained abundant and porosity remained small with the presence of soil CO2. The field observations were only simulated successfully when the specific surface areas of the reactive minerals were 1-3 orders of magnitude smaller than surface area values measured for powdered minerals, reflecting the lack of accessibility of fluids to mineral surfaces and potential surface coating. An increase in the water infiltration rate enhanced weathering by removing dissolution products and maintaining far-from-equilibrium conditions. We conclude that availability of reactive surface area and transport of H2O and gases are the most important factors affecting chemical weathering of the Marcellus shale in the shallow subsurface. This study documents the utility of reactive transport modeling for complex subsurface processes. Such modelling could be extended to understand interactions between injected fluids and Marcellus shale gas reservoirs at higher temperature and pressure.

System for producing a uniform rubble bed for in situ processes

DOEpatents

Galloway, T.R.

1983-07-05

A method and a cutter are disclosed for producing a large cavity filled with a uniform bed of rubblized oil shale or other material, for in situ processing. A raise drill head has a hollow body with a generally circular base and sloping upper surface. A hollow shaft extends from the hollow body. Cutter teeth are mounted on the upper surface of the body and relatively small holes are formed in the body between the cutter teeth. Relatively large peripheral flutes around the body allow material to drop below the drill head. A pilot hole is drilled into the oil shale deposit. The pilot hole is reamed into a large diameter hole by means of a large diameter raise drill head or cutter to produce a cavity filled with rubble. A flushing fluid, such as air, is circulated through the pilot hole during the reaming operation to remove fines through the raise drill, thereby removing sufficient material to create sufficient void space, and allowing the larger particles to fill the cavity and provide a uniform bed of rubblized oil shale. 4 figs.

The geological and microbiological controls on the enrichment of Se and Te in sedimentary rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bullock, Liam; Parnell, John; Armstrong, Joseph; Boyce, Adrian; Perez, Magali

2017-04-01

Selenium (Se) and tellurium (Te) have become elements of high interest, mainly due to their photovoltaic and photoconductive properties, and can contaminate local soils and groundwater systems during mobilisation. Due to their economic and environmental significance, it is important to understand the processes that lead to Se- and Te-enrichment in sediments. The distribution of Se and Te in sedimentary environments is primarily a function of redox conditions, and may be transported and concentrated by the movement of reduced fluids through oxidised strata. Se and Te concentrations have been measured in a suite of late Neoproterozoic Gwna Group black shales (UK) and uranium red bed (roll-front) samples (USA). Due to the chemical affinity of Se and sulphur (S), variations in the S isotopic composition of pyrite have also been measured in order to provide insights into their origin. Scanning electron microscopy of pyrite in the black shales shows abundant inclusions of the lead selenide mineral clausthalite. The data for the black shale samples show marked enrichment in Te and Se relative to crustal mean and several hundreds of other samples processed through our laboratory. While Se levels in sulphidic black shales are typically below 5 ppm, the measured values of up to 116 ppm are remarkable. The Se enrichment in roll-fronts (up to 168 ppm) is restricted to a narrow band of alteration at the interface between the barren oxidised core, and the highly mineralised reduced nose of the front. Te is depleted in roll-fronts with respect to the continental crust and other geological settings and deposits. S isotope compositions for pyrite in both the black shales and roll-fronts are very light and indicate precipitation by microbial sulphate reduction, suggesting that Se was microbially sequestered. Results show that Gwna Group black shales and U.S roll-front deposits contain marked elemental enrichments (particularly Se content). In Gwna Group black shales, Se and Te were sequestered out of seawater into pyritic shales at a higher rate than into crusts. Se enrichment in roll-fronts relates to the initial mobilisation of trace elements in oxidised conditions, and later precipitation downgradient in reduced conditions. Results highlight the potential for sedimentary types of Se- and Te-bearing deposits. The enrichment of elements of high value for future technologies in sedimentary rocks deserve careful assessment for potential future resources, and should be monitored during exploration and mobilisation due to the potential contamination effects. This work forms part of the NERC-funded 'Security of Supply of Mineral Resources' project, which aims to detail the science needed to sustain the security of supply of strategic minerals in a changing environment.

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.

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.

Organic matter from the Bunte Breccia of the Ries Crater, southern Germany: investigating possible thermal effects of the impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofmann, P.; Leythaeuser, D.; Schwark, L.

2001-07-01

In order to determine thermal effects of the Ries impact, southern Germany, on organic matter in its ejecta blanket, the maturity of organic matter of Posidonia Shale components from the Bunte Breccia at Harburg and Gundelsheim is compared with the maturity of organic matter of a reference section of Posidonia Shale outside the impact site at Hesselberg. Three black shale samples from the Bunte Breccia were identified as corresponding to the organic matter-rich Posidonia Shale based on the molecular composition of extractable organic matter. They show n-alkane patterns with a maximum of n-C 17, a predominance of odd over even n-alkanes in the range from n-C 26 to n-C 35, a dominance of unsaturated sterenes over steranes and monoaromatic over triaromatic steroids, and contain isorenieratene. The maturity of the organic matter from the Bunte Breccia samples corresponds to 0.32-0.35% random vitrinite reflectance ( Rr) and a spectral red/green quotient ( Q) of 0.32-0.34. The organic matter from the Bunte Breccia is more mature than the Posidonia Shale sample from the reference site Hesselberg (0.25% Rr; 0.21 for Q). The thermal overprint is presumed to be too high to be explained by differences in the burial history prior to the impact alone and is, therefore, attributed to processes related to the displacement of the Bunte Breccia.

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.

Inferences from Microfractures and Geochemistry in Dynamic Shale-CO2 Packed Bed Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radonjic, M.; Olabode, A.

2016-12-01

Subsurface storage of large volumes of carbondioxide (CO2) is expected to have long term rock-fluid interactions impact on reservoir and seal rocks properties. Caprocks, particularly sedimentary types, are the ultimate hydraulic barrier in carbon sequestration. The mineralogical components of sedimentary rocks are geochemically active under enormous earth stresses, which generate high pressure and temperature conditions. It has been postulated that in-situ mineralization can lead to flow impedance in natural fractures in the presence of favorable geochemical and thermodynamic conditions. This experimental modelling research investigated the impact of in-situ geochemical precipitation on conductivity of fractures. Geochemical analyses were performed on four different samples of shale rocks, effluent fluids and recovered precipitates both before and after CO2-brine flooding of crushed shale rocks at moderately high temperature and pressure conditions. The results showed that most significant diagenetic changes in shale rocks after flooding with CO2-brine, reflected in the effluent fluid with predominantly calcium based minerals dissolving and precipitating under experimental conditions. Major and trace elements in the effluent (using ICP-OES analysis) indicated that multiple geochemical reactions are occurring with almost all of the constituent minerals participating. The geochemical composition of precipitates recovered after the experiments showed diagenetic carbonates and opal as the main constituents. The bulk rock showed little changes in composition except for sharper and more refined peaks on XRD analysis, suggesting that a significant portion of the amorphous content of the rocks have been removed via dissolution by the slightly acid CO2-brine fluid that was injected. Micro-indentation results captured slight reduction in the hardness of the shale rocks and this reduction appeared dependent on diagenetic quartz content. It can be inferred that convective reactive transport of dissolved minerals are involved in nanoscale precipitation-dissolution processes in shale. This reactive transport of dissolved minerals can occlude micro-fracture flow paths, thereby improving shale caprock seal integrity with respect to leakage risk under CO2 sequestration conditions.

Beyond Consultation: First Nations and the Governance of Shale Gas in British Columbia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garvie, Kathryn Henderson

As the province of British Columbia seeks to rapidly develop an extensive natural gas industry, it faces a number of challenges. One of these is that of ensuring that development does not disproportionately impact some of the province's most marginalized communities: the First Nations on whose land extraction will take place. This is particularly crucial given that environmental problems are often caused by unjust and inequitable social conditions that must be rectified before sustainable development can be advanced. This research investigates how the BC Oil and Gas Commission's consultation process addresses, and could be improved to better address Treaty 8 First Nations' concerns regarding shale gas development within their traditional territories. Interviews were conducted with four Treaty 8 First Nations, the Treaty 8 Tribal Association, and provincial government and industry staff. Additionally, participant observation was conducted with the Fort Nelson First Nation Lands and Resources Department. Findings indicate that like many other resource consultation processes in British Columbia, the oil and gas consultation process is unable to meaningfully address First Nations' concerns and values due to fundamental procedural problems, including the permit-by-permit approach and the exclusion of First Nations from the point of decision-making. Considering the government's failure to regulate the shale gas industry in a way that protects ecological, social and cultural resilience, we argue that new governance mechanisms are needed that reallocate authority to First Nations and incorporate proposals for early engagement, long-term planning and cumulative impact assessment and monitoring. Additionally, considering the exceptional power differential between government, industry and First Nations, we argue that challenging industry's social license to operate is an important strategy for First Nations working to gain greater influence over development within their territories, and to ensure a more sustainable shale gas industry.

Mechanistic Processes Controlling Gas Sorption in Shale Reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaef, T.; Loring, J.; Ilton, E. S.; Davidson, C. L.; Owen, T.; Hoyt, D.; Glezakou, V. A.; McGrail, B. P.; Thompson, C.

2014-12-01

Utilization of CO2 to stimulate natural gas production in previously fractured shale-dominated reservoirs where CO2 remains in place for long-term storage may be an attractive new strategy for reducing the cost of managing anthropogenic CO2. A preliminary analysis of capacities and potential revenues in US shale plays suggests nearly 390 tcf in additional gas recovery may be possible via CO2 driven enhanced gas recovery. However, reservoir transmissivity properties, optimum gas recovery rates, and ultimate fate of CO2 vary among reservoirs, potentially increasing operational costs and environmental risks. In this paper, we identify key mechanisms controlling the sorption of CH4 and CO2 onto phyllosilicates and processes occurring in mixed gas systems that have the potential of impacting fluid transfer and CO2 storage in shale dominated formations. Through a unique set of in situ experimental techniques coupled with molecular-level simulations, we identify structural transformations occurring to clay minerals, optimal CO2/CH4 gas exchange conditions, and distinguish between adsorbed and intercalated gases in a mixed gas system. For example, based on in situ measurements with magic angle spinning NMR, intercalation of CO2 within the montmorillonite structure occurs in CH4/CO2 gas mixtures containing low concentrations (<5 mol%) of CO2. A stable montmorillonite structure dominates during exposure to pure CH4 (90 bar), but expands upon titration of small fractions (1-3 mol%) of CO2. Density functional theory was used to quantify the difference in sorption behavior between CO2 and CH4 and indicates complex interactions occurring between hydrated cations, CH4, and CO2. The authors will discuss potential impacts of these experimental results on CO2-based hydrocarbon recovery processes.

Temporal changes in microbial ecology and geochemistry in produced water from hydraulically fractured Marcellus shale gas wells.

PubMed

Cluff, Maryam A; Hartsock, Angela; MacRae, Jean D; Carter, Kimberly; Mouser, Paula J

2014-06-03

Microorganisms play several important roles in unconventional gas recovery, from biodegradation of hydrocarbons to souring of wells and corrosion of equipment. During and after the hydraulic fracturing process, microorganisms are subjected to harsh physicochemical conditions within the kilometer-deep hydrocarbon-bearing shale, including high pressures, elevated temperatures, exposure to chemical additives and biocides, and brine-level salinities. A portion of the injected fluid returns to the surface and may be reused in other fracturing operations, a process that can enrich for certain taxa. This study tracked microbial community dynamics using pyrotag sequencing of 16S rRNA genes in water samples from three hydraulically fractured Marcellus shale wells in Pennsylvania, USA over a 328-day period. There was a reduction in microbial richness and diversity after fracturing, with the lowest diversity at 49 days. Thirty-one taxa dominated injected, flowback, and produced water communities, which took on distinct signatures as injected carbon and electron acceptors were attenuated within the shale. The majority (>90%) of the community in flowback and produced fluids was related to halotolerant bacteria associated with fermentation, hydrocarbon oxidation, and sulfur-cycling metabolisms, including heterotrophic genera Halolactibacillus, Vibrio, Marinobacter, Halanaerobium, and Halomonas, and autotrophs belonging to Arcobacter. Sequences related to halotolerant methanogenic genera Methanohalophilus and Methanolobus were detected at low abundance (<2%) in produced waters several months after hydraulic fracturing. Five taxa were strong indicators of later produced fluids. These results provide insight into the temporal trajectory of subsurface microbial communities after "fracking" and have important implications for the enrichment of microbes potentially detrimental to well infrastructure and natural gas fouling during this process.

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.

Study of gas production from shale reservoirs with multi-stage hydraulic fracturing horizontal well considering multiple transport mechanisms.

PubMed

Guo, Chaohua; Wei, Mingzhen; Liu, Hong

2018-01-01

Development of unconventional shale gas reservoirs (SGRs) has been boosted by the advancements in two key technologies: horizontal drilling and multi-stage hydraulic fracturing. A large number of multi-stage fractured horizontal wells (MsFHW) have been drilled to enhance reservoir production performance. Gas flow in SGRs is a multi-mechanism process, including: desorption, diffusion, and non-Darcy flow. The productivity of the SGRs with MsFHW is influenced by both reservoir conditions and hydraulic fracture properties. However, rare simulation work has been conducted for multi-stage hydraulic fractured SGRs. Most of them use well testing methods, which have too many unrealistic simplifications and assumptions. Also, no systematical work has been conducted considering all reasonable transport mechanisms. And there are very few works on sensitivity studies of uncertain parameters using real parameter ranges. Hence, a detailed and systematic study of reservoir simulation with MsFHW is still necessary. In this paper, a dual porosity model was constructed to estimate the effect of parameters on shale gas production with MsFHW. The simulation model was verified with the available field data from the Barnett Shale. The following mechanisms have been considered in this model: viscous flow, slip flow, Knudsen diffusion, and gas desorption. Langmuir isotherm was used to simulate the gas desorption process. Sensitivity analysis on SGRs' production performance with MsFHW has been conducted. Parameters influencing shale gas production were classified into two categories: reservoir parameters including matrix permeability, matrix porosity; and hydraulic fracture parameters including hydraulic fracture spacing, and fracture half-length. Typical ranges of matrix parameters have been reviewed. Sensitivity analysis have been conducted to analyze the effect of the above factors on the production performance of SGRs. Through comparison, it can be found that hydraulic fracture parameters are more sensitive compared with reservoir parameters. And reservoirs parameters mainly affect the later production period. However, the hydraulic fracture parameters have a significant effect on gas production from the early period. The results of this study can be used to improve the efficiency of history matching process. Also, it can contribute to the design and optimization of hydraulic fracture treatment design in unconventional SGRs.

Study of gas production from shale reservoirs with multi-stage hydraulic fracturing horizontal well considering multiple transport mechanisms

PubMed Central

Wei, Mingzhen; Liu, Hong

2018-01-01

Development of unconventional shale gas reservoirs (SGRs) has been boosted by the advancements in two key technologies: horizontal drilling and multi-stage hydraulic fracturing. A large number of multi-stage fractured horizontal wells (MsFHW) have been drilled to enhance reservoir production performance. Gas flow in SGRs is a multi-mechanism process, including: desorption, diffusion, and non-Darcy flow. The productivity of the SGRs with MsFHW is influenced by both reservoir conditions and hydraulic fracture properties. However, rare simulation work has been conducted for multi-stage hydraulic fractured SGRs. Most of them use well testing methods, which have too many unrealistic simplifications and assumptions. Also, no systematical work has been conducted considering all reasonable transport mechanisms. And there are very few works on sensitivity studies of uncertain parameters using real parameter ranges. Hence, a detailed and systematic study of reservoir simulation with MsFHW is still necessary. In this paper, a dual porosity model was constructed to estimate the effect of parameters on shale gas production with MsFHW. The simulation model was verified with the available field data from the Barnett Shale. The following mechanisms have been considered in this model: viscous flow, slip flow, Knudsen diffusion, and gas desorption. Langmuir isotherm was used to simulate the gas desorption process. Sensitivity analysis on SGRs’ production performance with MsFHW has been conducted. Parameters influencing shale gas production were classified into two categories: reservoir parameters including matrix permeability, matrix porosity; and hydraulic fracture parameters including hydraulic fracture spacing, and fracture half-length. Typical ranges of matrix parameters have been reviewed. Sensitivity analysis have been conducted to analyze the effect of the above factors on the production performance of SGRs. Through comparison, it can be found that hydraulic fracture parameters are more sensitive compared with reservoir parameters. And reservoirs parameters mainly affect the later production period. However, the hydraulic fracture parameters have a significant effect on gas production from the early period. The results of this study can be used to improve the efficiency of history matching process. Also, it can contribute to the design and optimization of hydraulic fracture treatment design in unconventional SGRs. PMID:29320489

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.

Pressurized fluidized-bed hydroretorting of Eastern oil shales -- Sulfur control. Topical report for Subtask 3.1, In-bed sulfur capture tests; Subtask 3.2, Electrostatic desulfurization; Subtask 3.3, Microbial desulfurization and denitrification

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

Roberts, M.J.; Abbasian, J.; Akin, C.

1992-05-01

This topical report on ``Sulfur Control`` presents the results of work conducted by the Institute of Gas Technology (IGT), the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), and the Ohio State University (OSU) to develop three novel approaches for desulfurization that have shown good potential with coal and could be cost-effective for oil shales. These are (1) In-Bed Sulfur Capture using different sorbents (IGT), (2) Electrostatic Desulfurization (IIT), and (3) Microbial Desulfurization and Denitrification (OSU and IGT). The objective of the task on In-Bed Sulfur Capture was to determine the effectiveness of different sorbents (that is, limestone, calcined limestone, dolomite, and siderite)more » for capturing sulfur (as H{sub 2}S) in the reactor during hydroretorting. The objective of the task on Electrostatic Desulfurization was to determine the operating conditions necessary to achieve a high degree of sulfur removal and kerogen recovery in IIT`s electrostatic separator. The objectives of the task on Microbial Desulfurization and Denitrification were to (1) isolate microbial cultures and evaluate their ability to desulfurize and denitrify shale, (2) conduct laboratory-scale batch and continuous tests to improve and enhance microbial removal of these components, and (3) determine the effects of processing parameters, such as shale slurry concentration, solids settling characteristics, agitation rate, and pH on the process.« less

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.

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.

Geologic appraisal of Paradox basin salt deposits for water emplacement

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hite, Robert J.; Lohman, Stanley William

1973-01-01

Thick salt deposits of Middle Pennsylvanian age are present in an area of 12,000 square miles in the Paradox basin of southeast Utah and southwest Colorado. The deposits are in the Paradox Member of the Hermosa Formation. The greatest thickness of this evaporite sequence is in a troughlike depression adjacent to the Uncompahgre uplift on the northeast side of the basin.The salt deposits consist of a cyclical sequence of thick halite units separated by thin units of black shale, dolomite, and anhydrite. Many halite units are several hundred feet thick and locally contain economically valuable potash deposits.Over much of the Paradox basin the salt deposits occur at depths of more than 5,000 feet. Only in a series of salt anticlines located along the northeastern side of the basin do the salt deposits rise to relatively shallow depths. The salt anticlines can be divided geographically and structurally into five major systems. Each system consists of a long undulating welt of thickened salt over which younger rocks are arched in anticlinal form. Locally there are areas along the axes of the anticlines where the Paradox Member was never covered by younger sediments. This allowed large-scale migration of Paradox strata toward and up through these holes in the sediment cover forming diapiric anticlines.The central or salt-bearing cores of the anticlines range in thickness from about 2,500 to 14,000 feet. Structure in the central core of the salt anticlines is the result of both regional-compression and flowage of the Paradox Member into the anticlines from adjacent synclines. Structure in the central cores of the salt anticlines ranges from relatively undeformed beds to complexly folded and faulted masses, in which stratigraphic continuity is undemonstrable.The presence of thick cap rock .over many of the salt anticlines is evidence of removal of large volumes of halite by groundwater. Available geologic and hydrologic information suggests that this is a relatively slow process and that any waste-storage or disposal sites in these structures should remain dry for hundreds of thousands of years.Trace to commercial quantities of oil and gas are found in all of the black shale-dolomite-anhydrite interbeds of the Paradox Member. These hydrocarbons constitute a definite hazard in the construction and operation of underground waste-storage or disposal facilities. However, many individual halite beds are of. sufficient thickness that a protective seal of halite can be left between the openings and the gassy beds.A total of 12 different localities were considered to be potential waste-storage or disposal sites in the Paradox basin. Two Sharer dome and Salt Valley anticline, were considered to have the most favorable characteristics.

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.

Pretreatment of shale gas drilling flowback fluid (SGDF) by the microscale Fe0/persulfate/O3 process (mFe0/PS/O3).

PubMed

Zhang, Heng; Xiong, Zhaokun; Ji, Fangzhou; Lai, Bo; Yang, Ping

2017-06-01

Shale gas drilling flowback fluid (SGDF) generated during shale gas extraction is of great concern due to its high total dissolved solid, radioactive elements and organic matter. To remove the toxic and refractory pollutants in SGDF and improve its biodegradability, a microsacle Fe 0 /Persulfate/O 3 process (mFe 0 /PS/O 3 ) was developed to pretreat this wastewater obtained from a shale gas well in southwestern China. First, effects of mFe 0 dosage, O 3 flow rate, PS dosage, pH values on the treatment efficiency of mFe 0 /PS/O 3 process were investigated through single-factor experiments. Afterward, the optimal conditions (i.e., pH = 6.7, mFe 0 dosage = 6.74 g/L, PS = 16.89 mmol/L, O 3 flow rate = 0.73 L/min) were obtained by using response surface methodology (RSM). Under the optimal conditions, high COD removal (75.3%) and BOD 5 /COD ratio (0.49) were obtained after 120 min treatment. Moreover, compared with control experiments (i.e., mFe 0 , O 3 , PS, mFe 0 /O 3 , mFe 0 /PS, O 3 /PS), mFe 0 /PS/O 3 system exerted better performance for pollutants removal in SGDF due to strong synergistic effect between mFe 0 , PS and O 3 . In addition, the decomposition or transformation of the organic pollutants in SGDF was analyzed by using GC-MS. Finally, the reaction mechanism of the mFe 0 /PS/O 3 process was proposed according to the analysis results of SEM-EDS and XRD. It can be concluded that high-efficient mFe 0 /PS/O 3 process was mainly resulted from the combination effect of direct oxidation by ozone and persulfate, heterogeneous and homogeneous catalytic oxidation, Fenton-like reaction and adsorption. Therefore, mFe 0 /PS/O 3 process was proven to be an effective method for pretreatment of SGDF prior to biological treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbial diversity and methanogenic activity of Antrim Shale formation waters from recently fractured wells

PubMed Central

Wuchter, Cornelia; Banning, Erin; Mincer, Tracy J.; Drenzek, Nicholas J.; Coolen, Marco J. L.

2013-01-01

The Antrim Shale in the Michigan Basin is one of the most productive shale gas formations in the U.S., but optimal resource recovery strategies must rely on a thorough understanding of the complex biogeochemical, microbial, and physical interdependencies in this and similar systems. We used Illumina MiSeq 16S rDNA sequencing to analyze the diversity and relative abundance of prokaryotic communities present in Antrim shale formation water of three closely spaced recently fractured gas-producing wells. In addition, the well waters were incubated with a suite of fermentative and methanogenic substrates in an effort to stimulate microbial methane generation. The three wells exhibited substantial differences in their community structure that may arise from their different drilling and fracturing histories. Bacterial sequences greatly outnumbered those of archaea and shared highest similarity to previously described cultures of mesophiles and moderate halophiles within the Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and δ- and ε-Proteobacteria. The majority of archaeal sequences shared highest sequence similarity to uncultured euryarchaeotal environmental clones. Some sequences closely related to cultured methylotrophic and hydrogenotrophic methanogens were also present in the initial well water. Incubation with methanol and trimethylamine stimulated methylotrophic methanogens and resulted in the largest increase in methane production in the formation waters, while fermentation triggered by the addition of yeast extract and formate indirectly stimulated hydrogenotrophic methanogens. The addition of sterile powdered shale as a complex natural substrate stimulated the rate of methane production without affecting total methane yields. Depletion of methane indicative of anaerobic methane oxidation (AMO) was observed over the course of incubation with some substrates. This process could constitute a substantial loss of methane in the shale formation. PMID:24367357

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.

Response of Velocity Anisotropy of Shale Under Isotropic and Anisotropic Stress Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiaying; Lei, Xinglin; Li, Qi

2018-03-01

We investigated the responses of P-wave velocity and associated anisotropy in terms of Thomsen's parameters to isotropic and anisotropic stress fields on Longmaxi shales cored along different directions. An array of piezoelectric ceramic transducers allows us to measure P-wave velocities along numerous different propagation directions. Anisotropic parameters, including the P-wave velocity α along a symmetry axis, Thomsen's parameters ɛ and δ, and the orientation of the symmetry axis, could then be extracted by fitting Thomsen's weak anisotropy model to the experimental data. The results indicate that Longmaxi shale displays weakly intrinsic velocity anisotropy with Thomsen's parameters ɛ and δ being approximately 0.05 and 0.15, respectively. The isotropic stress field has only a slight effect on velocity and associated anisotropy in terms of Thomsen's parameters. In contrast, both the magnitude and orientation of the anisotropic stress field with respect to the shale fabric are important in controlling the evolution of velocity and associated anisotropy in a changing stress field. For shale with bedding-parallel loading, velocity anisotropy is enhanced because velocities with smaller angles relative to the maximum stress increase significantly during the entire loading process, whereas those with larger angles increase slightly before the yield stress and afterwards decrease with the increasing differential stress. For shale with bedding-normal loading, anisotropy reversal is observed, and the anisotropy is progressively modified by the applied differential stress. Before reaching the yield stress, velocities with smaller angles relative to the maximum stress increase more significantly and even exceed the level of those with larger angles. After reaching the yield stress, velocities with larger angles decrease more significantly. Microstructural features such as the closure and generation of microcracks can explain the modification of the velocity anisotropy due to the applied stress anisotropy.

Sedimentary processes and depositional environments of the Horn River Shale in British Columbia, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Seok-Hoon; Koh, Chang-Seong; Joe, Young-Jin; Woo, Ju-Hwan; Lee, Hyun-Suk

2017-04-01

The Horn River Basin in the northeastern British Columbia, Canada, is one of the largest unconventional gas accumulations in North America. It consists mainly of Devonian shales (Horn River Formation) and is stratigraphically divided into three members, the Muskwa, Otterpark and Evie in descending order. This study focuses on sedimentary processes and depositional environments of the Horn River shale based on sedimentary facies analysis aided by well-log mineralogy (ECS) and total organic carbon (TOC) data. The shale formation consists dominantly of siliceous minerals (quartz, feldspar and mica) and subordinate clay mineral and carbonate materials, and TOC ranging from 1.0 to 7.6%. Based on sedimentary structures and micro texture, three sedimentary facies were classified: homogeneous mudstone (HM), indistinctly laminated mudstone (ILM), and planar laminated mudstone (PLM). Integrated interpretation of the sedimentary facies, lithology and TOC suggests that depositional environment of the Horn River shale was an anoxic quiescent basin plain and base-of-slope off carbonate platform or reef. In this deeper marine setting, organic-rich facies HM and ILM, dominant in the Muskwa (the upper part of the Horn River Formation) and Evie (the lower part of the Horn River Formation) members, may have been emplaced by pelagic to hemipelagic sedimentation on the anoxic sea floor with infrequent effects of low-density gravity flows (turbidity currents or nepheloid flows). In the other hand, facies PLM typifying the Otterpark Member (the middle part of the Horn River Formation) suggests more frequent inflow of bottom-hugging turbidity currents punctuating the hemipelagic settling of the background sedimentation process. The stratigraphic change of sedimentary facies and TOC content in the Horn River Formation is most appropriately interpreted to have been caused by the relative sea-level change, that is, lower TOC and frequent signal of turbidity current during the sea-level lowstand and vice versa. Therefore, the Horn River Formation represents an earlier upward shallowing environmental change from a deep basin (Evie) to shallower marginal slope (middle Otterpark), then turning back to the deeper marine environment (Muskwa) in association with overall regression-lowstand-transgression of the sea level. (This study is supported by "Research on Exploration Technologies and an Onsite Verification to Enhance the Fracturing Efficiency of a Shale Gas Formation" of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP), granted financial resource from the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy, Republic of Korea.)

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.

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.

Contaminants from Cretaceous Black Shale Part 1: Natural weathering processes controlling contaminant cycling in Mancos Shale, southwestern United States, with emphasis on salinity and selenium

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tuttle, Michele L.W.; Fahy, Juli W.; Elliott, John G.; Grauch, Richard I.; Stillings, Lisa L.

2013-01-01

Soils derived from black shale can accumulate high concentrations of elements of environmental concern, especially in regions with semiarid to arid climates. One such region is the Colorado River basin in the southwestern United States where contaminants pose a threat to agriculture, municipal water supplies, endangered aquatic species, and water-quality commitments to Mexico. Exposures of Cretaceous Mancos Shale (MS) in the upper basin are a major contributor of salinity and selenium in the Colorado River. Here, we examine the roles of geology, climate, and alluviation on contaminant cycling (emphasis on salinity and Se) during weathering of MS in a Colorado River tributary watershed. Stage I (incipient weathering) began perhaps as long ago as 20 ka when lowering of groundwater resulted in oxidation of pyrite and organic matter. This process formed gypsum and soluble organic matter that persist in the unsaturated, weathered shale today. Enrichment of Se observed in laterally persistent ferric oxide layers likely is due to selenite adsorption onto the oxides that formed during fluctuating redox conditions at the water table. Stage II weathering (pedogenesis) is marked by a significant decrease in bulk density and increase in porosity as shale disaggregates to soil. Rainfall dissolves calcite and thenardite (Na2SO4) at the surface, infiltrates to about 1 m, and precipitates gypsum during evaporation. Gypsum formation (estimated 390 kg m−2) enriches soil moisture in Na and residual SO4. Transpiration of this moisture to the surface or exposure of subsurface soil (slumping) produces more thenardite. Most Se remains in the soil as selenite adsorbed to ferric oxides, however, some oxidizes to selenate and, during wetter conditions is transported with soil moisture to depths below 3 m. Coupled with little rainfall, relatively insoluble gypsum, and the translocation of soluble Se downward, MS landscapes will be a significant nonpoint source of salinity and Se to the Colorado River well into the future. Other trace elements weathering from MS that are often of environmental concern include U and Mo, which mimic Se in their behavior; As, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Pb, which show little redistribution; and Cd, Sb, V, and Zn, which accumulate in Stage I shale, but are lost to varying degrees from upper soil intervals. None of these trace elements have been reported previously as contaminants in the study area.

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.

Fossil fuel furnace reactor

DOEpatents

Parkinson, William J.

1987-01-01

A fossil fuel furnace reactor is provided for simulating a continuous processing plant with a batch reactor. An internal reaction vessel contains a batch of shale oil, with the vessel having a relatively thin wall thickness for a heat transfer rate effective to simulate a process temperature history in the selected continuous processing plant. A heater jacket is disposed about the reactor vessel and defines a number of independent controllable temperature zones axially spaced along the reaction vessel. Each temperature zone can be energized to simulate a time-temperature history of process material through the continuous plant. A pressure vessel contains both the heater jacket and the reaction vessel at an operating pressure functionally selected to simulate the continuous processing plant. The process yield from the oil shale may be used as feedback information to software simulating operation of the continuous plant to provide operating parameters, i.e., temperature profiles, ambient atmosphere, operating pressure, material feed rates, etc., for simulation in the batch reactor.

Dissolution of cemented fractures in gas bearing shales in the context of CO2 sequestration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwiatkowski, Kamil; Szymczak, Piotr

2016-04-01

Carbon dioxide has a stronger binding than methane to the organic matter contained in the matrix of shale rocks [1]. Thus, the injection of CO2 into shale formation may enhance the production rate and total amount of produced methane, and simultaneously permanently store pumped CO2. Carbon dioxide can be injected during the initial fracking stage as CO2 based hydraulic fracturing, and/or later, as a part of enhanced gas recovery (EGR) [2]. Economic and environmental benefits makes CO2 sequestration in shales potentially very for industrial-scale operation [3]. However, the effective process requires large area of fracture-matrix interface, where CO2 and CH4 can be exchanged. Usually natural fractures, existing in shale formation, are preferentially reactivated during hydraulic fracturing, thus they considerably contribute to the flow paths in the resulting fracture system [4]. Unfortunately, very often these natural fractures are sealed by calcite [5]. Consequently the layer of calcite coating surfaces impedes exchange of gases, both CO2 and CH4, between shale matrix and fracture. In this communication we address the question whether carbonic acid, formed when CO2 is mixed with brine, is able to effectively dissolve a calcite layer present in the natural fractures. We investigate numerically fluid flow and dissolution of calcite coating in natural shale fractures, with CO2-brine mixture as a reactive fluid. Moreover, we discuss the differences between slow dissolution (driven by carbonic acid) and fast dissolution (driven by stronger hydrochloric acid) of calcite layer. We compare an impact of the flow rate and geometry of the fracture on the parameters of practical importance: available surface area, morphology of dissolution front, time scale of the dissolution, and the penetration length. We investigate whether the dissolution is sufficiently non-uniform to retain the fracture permeability, even in the absence of the proppant. The sizes of analysed fractures varying from 0.2 x 0.2 m2 up to 4 x 4 m2, together with discussion of a further upscaling, make the study relevant to the industrial applications. While the results of this study should be applicable to different shale formations throughout the world, we discuss them in the context of preparation to gas-production from Pomeranian shale basin, located in the northern Poland. [1] Mosher, K., He, J., Liu, Y., Rupp, E., & Wilcox, J. Molecular simulation of methane adsorption in micro-and mesoporous carbons with applications to coal and gas shale systems. International Journal of Coal Geology, 109, 36-44 (2013) [2] Grieser, W. V., Wheaton, W. E., Magness, W. D., Blauch, M. E., & Loghry, R, "Surface Reactive Fluid's Effect on Shale." Proceedings of the Production and Operations Symposium, 31 March-3 April 2007, Oklahoma City (SPE-106815-MS) [3] Tao, Z. and Clarens, A., Estimating the carbon sequestration capacity of shale formations using methane production rates, Environmental Science and Technology, 47, 11318-11325 (2013). [4] Zhang, X., Jeffrey, R. G., & Thiercelin, M. (2009). Mechanics of fluid-driven fracture growth in naturally fractured reservoirs with simple network geometries. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 114, B12406 (2009) [5] Gale, J.F., Laubach, S.E., Olson, J.E., Eichhubl, P., Fall, A. Natural fractures in shale: A review and new observations. AAPG Bulletin 98(11):2165-2216 (2014)

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.

The estimation of CO2 storage potential of gas-bearing shale complex at the early stage of reservoir characterization: the case of Baltic Basin (Poland).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wójcicki, Adam; Jarosiński, Marek

2017-04-01

For the stage of shale gas production, like in the USA, prediction of the CO2 storage potential in shale reservoir can be performed by dynamic modeling. We have made an attempt to estimate this potential at an early stage of shale gas exploration in the Lower Paleozoic Baltic Basin, based on data from 3,800 m deep vertical well (without hydraulic fracking stimulation), supplemented with additional information from neighboring boreholes. Such an attempt makes a sense as a first guess forecast for company that explores a new basin. In our approach, the storage capacity is build by: (1) sorption potential of organic matter, (2) open pore space and (3) potential fracture space. the sequence. our estimation is done for 120 m long shale sequence including three shale intervals enriched with organic mater. Such an interval is possible to be fracked from a single horizontal borehole as known from hydraulic fracture treatment in the other boreholes in this region. The potential for adsorbed CO2 is determined from Langmuir isotherm parameters taken from laboratory measurements in case of both CH4 and CO2 adsorption, as well as shale density and volume. CO2 has approximately three times higher sorption capacity than methane to the organic matter contained in the Baltic Basin shales. Finally, due to low permeability of shale we adopt the common assumption for the USA shale basins that the CO2 will be able to reach effectively only 10% of theoretical total sorption volume. The pore space capacity was estimated by utilizing results of laboratory measurements of dynamic capacity for pores bigger than 10 nm. It is assumed for smaller pores adsorption prevails over free gas. Similarly to solution for sorption, we have assumed that only 10 % of the tight pore space will be reached by CO2. For fracture space we have considered separately natural (tectonic-origin) and technological (potentially produced by hydraulic fracturing treatment) fractures. From fracture density profile and typical permeability of fractures under lithostatic stress we inferred negligible open space of natural fractures. Technological fracture space was calculated as an potential for hydraulic stimulation of vertical fractures until, due to elastic expansion of reservoir, the horizontal minimum stress equals the vertical one. In such a case, horizontal fractures start to open and the stimulation process gets to fail. Based on elastic anisotropy and tectonic stress differentiation, the maximum hydraulic horizontal extension was calculated for separated shale complexes. For further storage capacity we assumed that technological fracture space create primary pathway for CO2 transport is entirely accessible for the CO2. In general, the CO2 sorption capacity makes the predominant contribution and fracture space capacity is comparable or smaller than pore space contribution. When compare this with the best recognized Marcellus shale basin we can see that our calculations for the 35 m depth interval comprising formations with the higher TOC content show a slightly lower value than in the case of Marcellus.

The Role of the Rock on Hydraulic Fracturing of Tight Shales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suarez-Rivera, R.; Green, S.; Stanchits, S.; Yang, Y.

2011-12-01

Successful economic production of oil and gas from nano-darcy-range permeability, tight shale reservoirs, is achieved via massive hydraulic fracturing. This is so despite their limited hydrocarbon in place, on per unit rock volume basis. As a reference, consider a typical average porosity of 6% and an average hydrocarbon saturation of 50% to 75%. The importance of tight shales results from their large areal extent and vertical thickness. For example, the areal extent of the Anwar field in Saudi Arabia of 3230 square miles (and 300 ft thick), while the Marcellus shale alone is over 100,000 square miles (and 70 to 150 ft thick). The low permeability of the rock matrix, the predominantly mineralized rock fabric, and the high capillary forces to both brines and hydrocarbons, restrict the mobility of pore fluids in these reservoirs. Thus, one anticipates that fluids do not move very far within tight shales. Successful production, therefore results from maximizing the surface area of contact with the reservoir by massive hydraulic fracturing from horizontal bore holes. This was the conceptual breakthrough of the previous decade and the one that triggered the emergence of gas shales, and recently oily shales, as important economic sources of energy. It is now understood that the process can be made substantially more efficient, more sustainable, and more cost effective by understanding the rock. This will be the breakthrough of this decade. Microseismic monitoring, mass balance calculations, and laboratory experiments of hydraulic fracturing on tight shales indicate the development of fracture complexity and fracture propagation that can not be explained in detail in this layered heterogeneous media. It is now clear that in tight shales the large-scale formation fabric is responsible for fracture complexity. For example, the presence and pervasiveness of mineralized fractures, bed interfaces, lithologic contacts, and other types of discontinuities, and their orientation in relation to the in-situ stresses, have a dominant role in promoting fracture branching and abrupt changes in direction. In general, the problem can be conceptualized as a competition between the effect of stresses (traditional mechanics of homogeneous media) and the effect of rock fabric (the mechanics of heterogeneous media). When the stress difference is low and the rock fabric pronounced, the rock fabric defines the direction of propagation. When the stress difference is high and the fabric is weak, the stress contrast dominates the process. In real systems, both effects compete and result in the complexity that we infer from indirect observations. In this paper we discuss the role of rock fabric on fracture complexity during hydraulic fracture propagation. We show that understanding the far field stresses is not enough to understand fracture propagation and complexity. Understanding the rock-specifically the larger-scale textural features that define the reservoir fabric-is fundamental to understand fracture complexity and fracture containment. We use laboratory experiments with acoustic emission localization to monitor fracturing and making inferences about the large-scale rock behavior. We also show that the fracture geometry, even for the same connected surface area, has significant well production and reservoir recovery implications.

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.

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

Evaluation of the geologic and hydrologic factors related to the waste-storage potential of Mesozoic aquifers in the southern part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, South Carolina and Georgia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, Philip M.; Brown, D.L.; Reid, M.S.; Lloyd, O.B.

1979-01-01

The report describes the subsurface distribution of rocks of Cretaceous to Late Jurassic( ) age in the Atlantic Coastal Plain , South Carolina, and Georgia, and examines their potential for deep-well waste storage into th part of the regional sediment mass which lies below the deepest zones containing usable ground waters. For the study, usable ground water is considered to be that which contains less than 10,000 mg/L dissolved solids. Using a group of geohydrologic parameters derived from or combining 21 categories of basic data, established from study and interpretation of well cuttings and geophysical logs, a series of 32 regional maps and 8 stratigraphic cross sections was constructed. For each of the eight geologic units delineated in the subsurface, the maps illustrate the distribution of waste-storage potential in terms of areal extent, depth below land surface, sand-shale geometry, and the approximate sodium chloride concentration of a unit 's nonusable ground water. In areas where the geologic units contain nonusable ground water, the depth below land surface and the thickness of potential waste-storage reservoir and reservoir-seal combinations are variable. The range in variability appears to be broad enough to meet the need for a wide choice among the geologic requirements that would normally be considered in selecting specific waste-storage sites for detailed examination. (Woodard-USGS)

Effect of thermal maturity on remobilization of molybdenum in black shales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ardakani, Omid H.; Chappaz, Anthony; Sanei, Hamed; Mayer, Bernhard

2016-09-01

Molybdenum (Mo) concentrations in sedimentary records have been widely used as a method to assess paleo-redox conditions prevailing in the ancient oceans. However, the potential effects of post-depositional processes, such as thermal maturity and burial diagenesis, on Mo concentrations in organic-rich shales have not been addressed, compromising its use as a redox proxy. This study investigates the distribution and speciation of Mo at various thermal maturities in the Upper Ordovician Utica Shale from southern Quebec, Canada. Samples display maturities ranging from the peak oil window (VRo ∼ 1%) to the dry gas zone (VRo ∼ 2%). While our data show a significant correlation between total organic carbon (TOC) and Mo (R2 = 0.40, n = 28, P < 0.0003) at lower thermal maturity, this correlation gradually deteriorates with increasing thermal maturity. Intervals within the thermally overmature section of the Utica Shale that contain elevated Mo levels (20-81 ppm) show petrographic and sulfur isotopic evidence of thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR) along with formation of recrystallized pyrite. X-ray Absorption Fine Structure spectroscopy (XAFS) was used to determine Mo speciation in samples from intervals with elevated Mo contents (>30 ppm). Our results show the presence of two Mo species: molybdenite Mo(IV)S2 (39 ± 5%) and Mo(VI)-Organic Matter (61 ± 5%). This new evidence suggests that at higher thermal maturities, TSR causes sulfate reduction coupled with oxidation of organic matter (OM). This process is associated with H2S generation and pyrite formation and recrystallization. This in turn leads to the remobilization of Mo and co-precipitation of molybdenite with TSR-derived carbonates in the porous intervals. This could lead to alteration of the initial sedimentary signature of Mo in the affected intervals, hence challenging its use as a paleo-redox proxy in overmature black shales.

Four dimensional X-ray imaging of deformation modes in organic-rich Green River Shale retorted under uniaxial compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobchenko, M.; Pluymakers, A.; Cordonnier, B.; Tairova, A.; Renard, F.

2017-12-01

Time-lapse imaging of fracture network development in organic-rich shales at elevated temperatures while kerogen is retorted allows characterizing the development of microfractures and the onset of primary migration. When the solid organic matter is transformed to hydrocarbons with lower molecular weight, the local pore-pressure increases and drives the propagation of hydro-fractures sub-parallel to the shale lamination. On the scale of samples of several mm size, these fractures can be described as mode I opening, where fracture walls dilate in the direction of minimal compression. However, so far experiments coupled to microtomography in situ imaging have been performed on samples where no load was imposed. Here, an external load was applied perpendicular to the sample laminations and we show that this stress state slows down, but does not stop, the propagation of fracture along bedding. Conversely, microfractures also propagate sub-perpendicular to the shale lamination, creating a percolating network in three dimensions. To monitor this process we have used a uniaxial compaction rig combined with in-situ heating from 50 to 500 deg C, while capturing three-dimensional X-ray microtomography scans at a voxel resolution of 2.2 μm; Data were acquired at beamline ID19 at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. In total ten time-resolved experiments were performed at different vertical loading conditions, with and without lateral passive confinement and different heating rates. At high external load the sample fails by symmetric bulging, while at lower external load the reaction-induced fracture network develops with the presence of microfractures both sub-parallel and sub-perpendicular to the bedding direction. In addition, the variation of experimental conditions allows the decoupling of the effects of the hydrocarbon decomposition reaction on the deformation process from the influence of thermal stress heating on the weakening and failure mode of immature shale.

Seep carbonates and chemosynthetic coral communities in the Early Paleocene alpine accretionary wedge: evidences from the Bocco Shale (Internal Liguride ophiolitic sequence, Northern Apennine, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandolfi, Luca; Boschi, Chiara; Luvisi, Edoardo; Alessandro, Ellero; Marroni, Michele; Meneghini, Francesca

2014-05-01

In Northern Apennines, the Internal Liguride units are characterized by an ophiolite sequence that represents the stratigraphic base of a Late Jurassic-Early Paleocene sedimentary cover. The Bocco Shale represents the youngest deposit recognized in the sedimentary cover of the ophiolite sequence, sedimented just before the inception of subduction-related deformation history. The Bocco Shale has been interpreted as a fossil example of deposits related to the frontal tectonic erosion of the alpine accretionary wedge slope. The frontal tectonic erosion resulted in a large removal of material from the accretionary wedge front reworked as debris flows and slide deposits sedimented on the lower plate above the trench deposits. These trench-slope deposits may have been successively deformed and metamorphosed during the following accretion processes. The frontal tectonic erosion can be envisaged as a common process during the convergence-related evolution of the Ligure-Piemontese oceanic basin in the Late Cretaceous-Early Tertiary time span. In the uppermost Internal Liguride tectonic unit (Portello Unit of Pandolfi and Marroni. 1997), that crops-out in Trebbia Valley, several isolated blocks of authigenic carbonates, unidentificated corals and intrabasinal carbonatic arenites have been recognized inside the fine-grained sediments that dominate the Early Paleocene Lavagnola Fm. (cfr. Bocco Shale Auctt.). The preliminary data on stable isotopes from blocks of authigenic carbonates (up to 1 m thick and 3 m across) and associated corals archive a methane signatures in their depleted carbon isotope pattern (up to δ13C -30‰ PDB) and suggest the presence of chemosynthetic paleocommunities. The seep-carbonates recognized at the top of Internal Liguride succession (cfr. Bocco Shale Auctt.) occur predominantly as blocks in very thick mudstone-dominated deposits and probably developed in an environment dominated by the expulsion of large volume of cold methane-bearing fluids focused in the frontal part of the Early Paleocene alpine accretionary wedge.

Staged fluidized bed

DOEpatents

Mallon, R.G.

1983-05-13

The invention relates to oil shale retorting and more particularly to staged fluidized bed oil shale retorting. Method and apparatus are disclosed for narrowing the distribution of residence times of any size particle and equalizing the residence times of large and small particles in fluidized beds. Particles are moved up one fluidized column and down a second fluidized column with the relative heights selected to equalize residence times of large and small particles. Additional pairs of columns are staged to narrow the distribution of residence times and provide complete processing of the material.

Review of buried crystalline rocks of eastern United States in selected hydrogeologic environments potentially suitable for isolating high-level radioactive wastes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, R.W.

1984-01-01

Among the concepts suggested for the deep disposal of high-level radioactive wastes from nuclear power reactors is the excavation of a repository in suitable crystalline rocks overlain by a thick sequence of sedimentary strata in a hydrogeologic environment that would effectively impede waste transport. To determine the occurrence of such environments in the Eastern United States, a review was made of available sources of published or unpublished information, using the following hydrogeologic criteria:The top of the crystalline basement rock is 1,000 to 4,000 feet below land surface.The crystalline rock is overlain by sedimentary rock whose lowermost part, at least, contains ground water with a dissolved-solids concentration of 10,000 milligrams per liter or more.Shale or clay confining beds overlie the saline-water aquifer.The flow system in the saline-water aquifer is known or determinable from presently available data.All of these hydrogeologic conditions occur in two general areas: (1) parts of Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky, underlain by part of the geologic structure known as the Cincinnati arch, and (2) parts of the Atlantic Coastal Plain from Georgia to New Jersey.

Microbially mediated barite dissolution in anoxic brines

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ouyang, Bingjie; Akob, Denise M.; Dunlap, Darren S.; Renock, Devon

2017-01-01

Fluids injected into shale formations during hydraulic fracturing of black shale return with extraordinarily high total-dissolved-solids (TDS) and high concentrations of barium (Ba) and radium (Ra). Barite, BaSO4, has been implicated as a possible source of Ba as well as a problematic mineral scale that forms on internal well surfaces, often in close association with radiobarite, (Ba,Ra)SO4. The dissolution of barite by abiotic processes is well quantified. However, the identification of microbial communities in flowback and produced water necessitates the need to understand barite dissolution in the presence of bacteria. Therefore, we evaluated the rates and mechanisms of abiotic and microbially-mediated barite dissolution under anoxic and hypersaline conditions in the laboratory. Barite dissolution experiments were conducted with bacterial enrichment cultures established from produced water from Marcellus Shale wells located in northcentral Pennsylvania. These cultures were dominated by anaerobic halophilic bacteria from the genus Halanaerobium. Dissolved Ba was determined by ICP-OES and barite surfaces were investigated by SEM and AFM. Our results reveal that: 1) higher amounts of barium (up to ∼5 × ) are released from barite in the presence of Halanaerobium cultures compared to brine controls after 30 days of reaction, 2) etch pits that develop on the barite (001) surface in the presence of Halanaerobium exhibit a morphology that is distinct from those that form during control experiments without bacteria, 3) etch pits that develop in the presence of Halanaerobium exhibit a morphology that is similar to the morphology of etch pits formed in the presence of strong organic chelators, EDTA and DTPA, and 4) experiments using dialysis membranes to separate barite from bacteria suggest that direct contact between the two is not required in order to promote dissolution. These results suggest that Halanaerobium increase the rate of barite dissolution in anoxic and high ionic strength solutions. Additionally, the increase in rate occurs without direct microbe-mineral contact suggesting that metabolites secreted by the bacteria may be responsible for promotion of dissolution. The findings of this study have implications for understanding barium cycling in marine/hypersaline environments, release of barium (and associated radium) from waste solids generated from energy and mining industries, as well as potential for developing new anti-scaling chemicals.

Effect of organic matter properties, clay mineral type and thermal maturity on gas adsorption in organic-rich shale systems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zhang, Tongwei; Ellis, Geoffrey S.; Ruppel, Stephen C.; Milliken, Kitty; Lewan, Mike; Sun, Xun; Baez, Luis; Beeney, Ken; Sonnenberg, Steve

2013-01-01

A series of CH4 adsorption experiments on natural organic-rich shales, isolated kerogen, clay-rich rocks, and artificially matured Woodford Shale samples were conducted under dry conditions. Our results indicate that physisorption is a dominant process for CH4 sorption, both on organic-rich shales and clay minerals. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area of the investigated samples is linearly correlated with the CH4 sorption capacity in both organic-rich shales and clay-rich rocks. The presence of organic matter is a primary control on gas adsorption in shale-gas systems, and the gas-sorption capacity is determined by total organic carbon (TOC) content, organic-matter type, and thermal maturity. A large number of nanopores, in the 2–50 nm size range, were created during organic-matter thermal decomposition, and they significantly contributed to the surface area. Consequently, methane-sorption capacity increases with increasing thermal maturity due to the presence of nanopores produced during organic-matter decomposition. Furthermore, CH4 sorption on clay minerals is mainly controlled by the type of clay mineral present. In terms of relative CH4 sorption capacity: montmorillonite ≫ illite – smectite mixed layer > kaolinite > chlorite > illite. The effect of rock properties (organic matter content, type, maturity, and clay minerals) on CH4 adsorption can be quantified with the heat of adsorption and the standard entropy, which are determined from adsorption isotherms at different temperatures. For clay-mineral rich rocks, the heat of adsorption (q) ranges from 9.4 to 16.6 kJ/mol. These values are considerably smaller than those for CH4 adsorption on kerogen (21.9–28 kJ/mol) and organic-rich shales (15.1–18.4 kJ/mol). The standard entropy (Δs°) ranges from -64.8 to -79.5 J/mol/K for clay minerals, -68.1 to -111.3 J/mol/K for kerogen, and -76.0 to -84.6 J/mol/K for organic-rich shales. The affinity of CH4 molecules for sorption on organic matter is stronger than for most common clay minerals. Thus, it is expected that CH4 molecules may preferentially occupy surface sites on organic matter. However, active sites on clay mineral surfaces are easily blocked by water. As a consequence, organic-rich shales possess a larger CH4-sorption capacity than clay-rich rocks lacking organic matter. The thermodynamic parameters obtained in this study can be incorporated into model predictions of the maximum Langmuir pressure and CH4- sorption capacity of shales under reservoir temperature and pressure conditions.

Tectono-thermal Evolution of the Lower Paleozoic Petroleum Source Rocks in the Southern Lublin Trough: Implications for Shale Gas Exploration from Maturity Modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Botor, Dariusz

2018-03-01

The Lower Paleozoic basins of eastern Poland have recently been the focus of intensive exploration for shale gas. In the Lublin Basin potential unconventional play is related to Lower Silurian source rocks. In order to assess petroleum charge history of these shale gas reservoirs, 1-D maturity modeling has been performed. In the Łopiennik IG-1 well, which is the only well that penetrated Lower Paleozoic strata in the study area, the uniform vitrinite reflectance values within the Paleozoic section are interpreted as being mainly the result of higher heat flow in the Late Carboniferous to Early Permian times and 3500 m thick overburden eroded due to the Variscan inversion. Moreover, our model has been supported by zircon helium and apatite fission track dating. The Lower Paleozoic strata in the study area reached maximum temperature in the Late Carboniferous time. Accomplished tectono-thermal model allowed establishing that petroleum generation in the Lower Silurian source rocks developed mainly in the Devonian - Carboniferous period. Whereas, during Mesozoic burial, hydrocarbon generation processes did not develop again. This has negative influence on potential durability of shale gas reservoirs.

Multiscale Porosity and Mechanical Properties of Mancos Shale: Evaluation of REV and Scale Separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heath, J. E.; Dewers, T. A.; Yoon, H.; Mozley, P.

2016-12-01

Heterogeneity from the nanometer to core and larger length scales is a major challenge to understanding coupled processes in shale. To develop methods to address this challenge, we present application of high throughput multi-beam scanning electron microscopy (mSEM) and nano-to-micro-scale mechanics to the Mancos Shale. We use a 61-beam mSEM to collect 6 nm resolution SEM images at the scale of several square millimeters. These images are analyzed for pore size and shape characteristics including spatial correlation and structure. Nano-indentation, micropillar compression, and axisymmetric testing at multiple length scales allows for examining the influence of sampling size on mechanical response. The combined data set is used to: investigate representative elementary volumes (and areas for the 2D images) for the Mancos Shale; determine if scale separation occurs; and determine if transport and mechanical properties at a given length scale can be statistically defined. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Adequacy of Current State Setbacks for Directional High-Volume Hydraulic Fracturing in the Marcellus, Barnett, and Niobrara Shale Plays.

PubMed

Haley, Marsha; McCawley, Michael; Epstein, Anne C; Arrington, Bob; Bjerke, Elizabeth Ferrell

2016-09-01

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. We attempted to determine whether legal setback distances between well-pad sites and the public are adequate in three shale plays. 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. 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. 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. 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.

The role of ethics in shale gas policies.

PubMed

de Melo-Martín, Inmaculada; Hays, Jake; Finkel, Madelon L

2014-02-01

The United States has experienced a boom in natural gas production due to recent technological innovations that have enabled natural gas to be produced from unconventional sources, such as shale. There has been much discussion about the costs and benefits of developing shale gas among scientists, policy makers, and the general public. The debate has typically revolved around potential gains in economics, employment, energy independence, and national security as well as potential harms to the environment, the climate, and public health. In the face of scientific uncertainty, national and international governments must make decisions on how to proceed. So far, the results have been varied, with some governments banning the process, others enacting moratoria until it is better understood, and others explicitly sanctioning shale gas development. These policies reflect legislature's preferences to avoid false negative errors or false positive ones. Here we argue that policy makers have a prima facie duty to minimize false negatives based on three considerations: (1) protection from serious harm generally takes precedence over the enhancement of welfare; (2) minimizing false negatives in this case is more respectful to people's autonomy; and (3) alternative solutions exist that may provide many of the same benefits while minimizing many of the harms. © 2013.

Hydrothermal, biogenic, and seawater components in metalliferous black shales of the Brooks Range, Alaska: Synsedimentary metal enrichment in a carbonate ramp setting

USGS Publications Warehouse

Slack, John F.; Selby, David; Dumoulin, Julie A.

2015-01-01

Trace element and Os isotope data for Lisburne Group metalliferous black shales of Middle Mississippian (early Chesterian) age in the Brooks Range of northern Alaska suggest that metals were sourced chiefly from local seawater (including biogenic detritus) but also from externally derived hydrothermal fluids. These black shales are interbedded with phosphorites and limestones in sequences 3 to 35 m thick; deposition occurred mainly on a carbonate ramp during intermittent upwelling under varying redox conditions, from suboxic to anoxic to sulfidic. Deposition of the black shales at ~335 Ma was broadly contemporaneous with sulfide mineralization in the Red Dog and Drenchwater Zn-Pb-Ag deposits, which formed in a distal marginal basin.Relative to the composition of average black shale, the metalliferous black shales (n = 29) display large average enrichment factors (>10) for Zn (10.1), Cd (11.0), and Ag (20.1). Small enrichments (>2–<10) are shown by V, Cr, Ni, Cu, Mo, Pd, Pt, U, Se, Y, and all rare earth elements except Ce, Nd, and Sm. A detailed stratigraphic profile over 23 m in the Skimo Creek area (central Brooks Range) indicates that samples from at and near the top of the section, which accumulated during a period of major upwelling and is broadly correlative with the stratigraphic levels of the Red Dog and Drenchwater Zn-Pb-Ag deposits, have the highest Zn/TOC (total organic carbon), Cu/TOC, and Tl/TOC ratios for calculated marine fractions (no detrital component) of these three metals.Average authigenic (detrital-free) contents of Mo, V, U, Ni, Cu, Cd, Pb, Ge, Re, Se, As, Sb, Tl, Pd, and Au show enrichment factors of 4.3 × 103 to 1.2 × 106 relative to modern seawater. Such moderate enrichments, which are common in other metalliferous black shales, suggest wholly marine sources (seawater and biogenic material) for these metals, given similar trends for enrichment factors in organic-rich sediments of modern upwelling zones on the Namibian, Peruvian, and Chilean shelves. The largest enrichment factors for Zn and Ag are much higher (1.4 × 107 and 2.9 × 107, respectively), consistent with an appreciable hydrothermal component. Other metals such as Cu, Pb, and Tl that are concentrated in several black shale samples, and are locally abundant in the Red Dog and Drenchwater Zn-Pb-Ag deposits, may have a partly hydrothermal origin but this cannot be fully established with the available data. Enrichments in Cr (up to 7.8 × 106) are attributed to marine and not hydrothermal processes. The presence in some samples of large enrichments in Eu (up to 6.1 × 107) relative to modern seawater and of small positive Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* up to 1.12) are considered unrelated to hydrothermal activity, instead being linked to early diagenetic processes within sulfidic pore fluids.Initial Os isotope ratios (187Os/188Os) calculated for a paleontologically based depositional age of 335 Ma reveal moderately unradiogenic values of 0.24 to 0.88 for four samples of metalliferous black shale. A proxy for the ratio of coeval early Chesterian seawater is provided by initial (187Os/188Os)335 Ma ratios of four unaltered black shales of the coeval Kuna Formation that average 1.08, nearly identical to the initial ratio of 1.06 for modern seawater. Evaluation of possible sources of unradiogenic Os in the metalliferous black shales suggests that the most likely source was mafic igneous rocks that were leached by externally derived hydrothermal fluids. This unradiogenic Os is interpreted to have been leached by deeply circulating hydrothermal fluids in the Kuna basin, followed by venting of the fluids into overlying seawater.We propose that metal-bearing hydrothermal fluids that formed Zn-Pb-Ag deposits such as Red Dog or Drenchwater vented into seawater in a marginal basin, were carried by upwelling currents onto the margins of a shallow-water carbonate platform, and were then deposited in organic-rich muds, together with seawater- and biogenically derived components, by syngenetic sedimentary processes. Metal concentration in the black shales was promoted by high biologic productivity, sorption onto organic matter, diffusion across redox boundaries, a low sedimentation rate, and availability of H2S in bottom waters and pore fluids.

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...

Energy trump for Morocco: the oil shales (in French)

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

Rosa, S.D.

1981-10-01

The mainstays of the economy in Morocco are still agriculture and phosphates; the latter represent 34% of world exports. Energy demand in 1985 will be probably 3 times that in 1975. Most of the oil, which covers 82% of its energy needs, must be imported. Other possible sources are the rich oil shale deposits and nuclear energy. Four nuclear plants with a total of 600 MW are projected, but shale oil still will play an important role. A contract for building a pilot plant has been met recently. The plant is to be located at Timahdit and cost $13 million,more » for which a loan from the World Bank has been requested. If successful in the pilot plant, the process will be used in full scale plants scheduled to produce 400,000 tons/yr of oil. Tosco also has a contract for a feasibility study.« less

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

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.

Fluidized-bed pyrolysis of oil shale: oil yield, composition, and kinetics

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

Richardson, J H; Huss, E B; Ott, L L

1982-09-01

A quartz isothermal fluidized-bed reactor has been used to measure kinetics and oil properties relevant to surface processing of oil shale. The rate of oil formation has been described with two sequential first-order rate equations characterized by two rate constants, k/sub 1/ = 2.18 x 10/sup 10/ exp(-41.6 kcal/RT) s/sup -1/ and k/sub 2/ = 4.4 x 10/sup 6/ exp(-29.7 kcal/RT) s/sup -1/. These rate constants together with an expression for the appropriate weighting coefficients describe approximately 97/sup +/% of the total oil produced. A description is given of the results of different attempts to mathematically describe the data inmore » a manner suitable for modeling applications. Preliminary results are also presented for species-selective kinetics of methane, ethene, ethane and hydrogen, where the latter is clearly distinguished as the product of a distinct intermediate. Oil yields from Western oil shale are approximately 100% Fischer assay. Oil composition is as expected based on previous work and the higher heating rates (temperatures) inherent in fluidized-bed pyrolysis. Neither the oil yield, composition nor the kinetics varied with particle size between 0.2 and 2.0 mm within experimental error. The qualitatively expected change in oil composition due to cracking was observed over the temperature range studied (460 to 540/sup 0/C). Eastern shale exhibited significantly faster kinetics and higher oil yields than did Western shale.« less

Development of Nuclear Renewable Oil Shale Systems for Flexible Electricity and Reduced Fossil Fuel Emissions

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

Daniel Curtis; Charles Forsberg; Humberto Garcia

2015-05-01

We propose the development of Nuclear Renewable Oil Shale Systems (NROSS) in northern Europe, China, and the western United States to provide large supplies of flexible, dispatchable, very-low-carbon electricity and fossil fuel production with reduced CO2 emissions. NROSS are a class of large hybrid energy systems in which base-load nuclear reactors provide the primary energy used to produce shale oil from kerogen deposits and simultaneously provide flexible, dispatchable, very-low-carbon electricity to the grid. Kerogen is solid organic matter trapped in sedimentary shale, and large reserves of this resource, called oil shale, are found in northern Europe, China, and the westernmore » United States. NROSS couples electricity generation and transportation fuel production in a single operation, reduces lifecycle carbon emissions from the fuel produced, improves revenue for the nuclear plant, and enables a major shift toward a very-low-carbon electricity grid. NROSS will require a significant development effort in the United States, where kerogen resources have never been developed on a large scale. In Europe, however, nuclear plants have been used for process heat delivery (district heating), and kerogen use is familiar in certain countries. Europe, China, and the United States all have the opportunity to use large scale NROSS development to enable major growth in renewable generation and either substantially reduce or eliminate their dependence on foreign fossil fuel supplies, accelerating their transitions to cleaner, more efficient, and more reliable energy systems.« less

Environmental performance, mechanical and microstructure analysis of concrete containing oil-based drilling cuttings pyrolysis residues of shale gas.

PubMed

Wang, Chao-Qiang; Lin, Xiao-Yan; He, Ming; Wang, Dan; Zhang, Si-Lan

2017-09-15

The overall objective of this research project is to investigate the feasibility of incorporating oil-based drilling cuttings pyrolysis residues (ODPR) and fly ash serve as replacements for fine aggregates and cementitious materials in concrete. Mechanical and physical properties, detailed environmental performances, and microstructure analysis were carried out. Meanwhile, the early hydration process and hydrated products of ODPR concrete were analyzed with X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The results indicated that ODPR could not be categorize into hazardous wastes. ODPR had specific pozzolanic characteristic and the use of ODPR had certain influence on slump and compressive strength of concrete. The best workability and optimal compressive strength were achieved with the help of 35% ODPR. Environmental performance tests came to conclusion that ODPR as recycled aggregates and admixture for the preparation of concrete, from the technique perspective, were the substance of mere environmental contamination. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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.

Slip behaviour of experimental faults subjected to fluid pressure stimulation: carbonates vs. shales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collettini, C.; Scuderi, M. M.; Marone, C.

2017-12-01

Fluid overpressure is one of the primary mechanisms for triggering tectonic fault slip and human-induced seismicity. This mechanism has been invoked to explain the dramatic increase in seismicity associated with waste water disposal in intra-plate setting, and it is appealing because fluids lubricate the fault and reduce the effective normal stress that holds the fault in place. Although, this basic physical mechanism is well understood, several fundamental questions remain including the apparent delay between fluid injection and seismicity, the role of fault zone rheology, and the relationship between injection volume and earthquake size. Moreover, models of earthquake nucleation predict that a reduction in normal stress, as expected for fluid overpressure, should stabilize fault slip. Here, we address these questions using laboratory experiments, conducted in the double direct shear configuration in a true-triaxial machine on carbonates and shale fault gouges. In particular, we: 1) evaluate frictional strength and permeability, 2) characterize the rate- and state- friction parameters and 3) study fault slip evolution during fluid pressure stimulations. With increasing fluid pressure, when shear and effective normal stresses reach the failure condition, in calcite gouges, characterized by slightly velocity strengthening behaviour, we observe an acceleration of slip that spontaneously evolves into dynamic failure. For shale gouges, with a strong rate-strengthening behaviour, we document complex fault slip behavior characterized by periodic accelerations and decelerations with slip velocity that remains slow (i.e. v 200 µm/s), never approaching dynamic slip rates. Our data indicate that fault rheology and fault stability is controlled by the coupling between fluid pressure and rate- and state- friction parameters suggesting that their comprehensive characterization is fundamental for assessing the role of fluid pressure in natural and human induced earthquakes.

Comparison of organic geochemistry and metal enrichment in two black shales: Cambrian Alum Shale of Sweden and Devonian Chattanooga Shale of United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leventhal, J.S.

1991-01-01

In most black shales, such as the Chattanooga Shale and related shales of the eastern interior United States, increased metal and metalloid contents are generally related to increased organic carbon content, decreased sedimentation rate, organic matter type, or position in the basin. In areas where the stratigraphic equivalents of the Chattanooga Shale are deeply buried and and the organic material is thermally mature, metal contents are essentially the same as in unheated areas and correlate with organic C or S contents. This paradigm does not hold for the Cambrian Alum Shale Formation of Sweden where increased metal content does not necessarily correlate with organic matter content nor is metal enrichment necessarily related to land derived humic material because this organic matter is all of marine source. In southcentral Sweden the elements U, Mo, V, Ni, Zn, Cd and Pb are all enriched relative to average black shales but only U and Mo correlate to organic matter content. Tectonically disturbed and metamorphosed allochthonous samples of Alum Shale on the Caledonian front in western Sweden have even higher amounts for some metals (V, Ni, Zn and Ba) relative to the autochthonous shales in this area and those in southern Sweden. ?? 1991 Springer-Verlag.

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.

Sedimentary provenance of Maastrichtian oil shales, Central Eastern Desert, Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fathy, Douaa; Wagreich, Michael; Mohamed, Ramadan S.; Zaki, Rafat

2017-04-01

Maastrichtian oil shales are distributed within the Central Eastern Desert in Egypt. In this study elemental geochemical data have been applied to investigate the probable provenance of the sedimentary detrital material of the Maastrichtian oil shale beds within the Duwi and the Dakhla formations. The Maastrichtian oil shales are characterized by the enrichment in Ca, P, Mo, Ni, Zn, U, Cr and Sr versus post-Archean Australian shales (PAAS). The chondrite-normalized patterns of the Maastrichtian oil shale samples are showing LREE enrichment, HREE depletion, slightly negative Eu anomaly, no obvious Ce anomaly and typical shale-like PAAS-normalized patterns. The total REE well correlated with Si, Al, Fe, K and Ti, suggesting that the REE of the Maastrichtian oil shales are derived from terrigenous source. Chemical weathering indices such as Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA), Chemical Proxy of Alteration (CPA) and Plagioclase Index of Alteration (PIA) indicate moderate to strong chemical weathering. We suggest that the Maastrichtian oil shale is mainly derived from first cycle rocks especially intermediate rocks without any significant inputs from recycled or mature sources. The proposed data illustrated the impact of the parent material composition on evolution of oil shale chemistry. Furthermore, the paleo-tectonic setting of the detrital source rocks for the Maastrichtian oil shale is probably related to Proterozoic continental island arcs

Speciation and weathering of selenium in upper cretaceous chalk and shale from South Dakota and Wyoming, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulp, Thomas R.; Pratt, Lisa M.

2004-09-01

In geologic materials, petroleum, and the environment, selenium occurs in various oxidation states (VI, IV, 0, -II), mineralized forms, and organo-Se complexes. Each of these forms is characterized by specific chemical and biochemical properties that control the element's solubility, toxicity, and environmental behavior. The organic rich chalks and shales of the Upper Cretaceous Niobrara Formation and the Pierre Shale in South Dakota and Wyoming are bentoniferous stratigraphic intervals characterized by anomalously high concentrations of naturally occurring Se. Numerous environmental problems have been associated with Se derived from these geological units, including the development of seleniferous soils and vegetation that are toxic to livestock and the contamination of drinking water supplies by Se mobilized in groundwater. This study describes a sequential extraction protocol followed by speciation treatments and quantitative analysis by Hydride Generation-Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. This protocol was utilized to investigate the geochemical forms and the oxidation states in which Se occurs in these geologic units. Organic Se and di-selenide minerals are the predominant forms of Se present in the chalks, shales, and bentonites, but distinctive variations in these forms were observed between different sample types. Chalks contain significantly greater proportions of Se in the form of di-selenide minerals (including Se associated with pyrite) than the shales where base-soluble, humic, organo-Se complexes are more prevalent. A comparison between unweathered samples collected from lithologic drill cores and weathered samples collected from outcrop suggest that the humic, organic-Se compounds in shale are formed during oxidative weathering and that Se oxidized by weathering is more likely to be retained by shale than by chalk. Selenium enrichment in bentonites is inferred to result from secondary processes including the adsorption of Se mobilized by groundwater from surrounding organic rich sediments to clay mineral and iron hydroxide surfaces, as well as microbial reduction of Se within the bentonitic intervals. Distinct differences are inferred for the biogeochemical pathways that affected sedimentary Se sequestration during periods of chalk accumulation compared to shale deposition in the Cretaceous seaway. Mineralogy of sediment and the nature of the organic matter associated with each of these rock types have important implications for the environmental chemistry and release of Se to the environment during weathering.

System for producing a uniform rubble bed for in situ processes

DOEpatents

Galloway, Terry R.

1983-01-01

A method and a cutter for producing a large cavity filled with a uniform bed of rubblized oil shale or other material, for in situ processing. A raise drill head (72) has a hollow body (76) with a generally circular base and sloping upper surface. A hollow shaft (74) extends from the hollow body (76). Cutter teeth (78) are mounted on the upper surface of the body (76) and relatively small holes (77) are formed in the body (76) between the cutter teeth (78). Relatively large peripheral flutes (80) around the body (76) allow material to drop below the drill head (72). A pilot hole is drilled into the oil shale deposit. The pilot hole is reamed into a large diameter hole by means of a large diameter raise drill head or cutter to produce a cavity filled with rubble. A flushing fluid, such as air, is circulated through the pilot hole during the reaming operation to remove fines through the raise drill, thereby removing sufficient material to create sufficient void space, and allowing the larger particles to fill the cavity and provide a uniform bed of rubblized oil shale.

Organic / inorganic carbon content and isotope analysis of 3.1Ga Cleaverville Formation in Pilbara, Australia: Result of DXCL project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miki, T.; Kiyokawa, S.; Ito, T.; Yamaguchi, K. E.; Ikehara, M.

2014-12-01

DXCL project was targeted for 3.2-3.1 Ga hydrothermal chert-black shale (Dixon Island Formation) and black shale-banded iron formation (Cleaverville Formation). CL3 core (200m long) was drilled from 1) upper part of Black Shale Member (35m thick) to 2) lower part of BIF Member (165m thick) of the Cleaverville Formation. Here, the BIF Member can be divided into three submembers; Greenish shale-siderite (50m thick), Magnetite-siderite (55m thick) and Black shale-siderite (60m) submembers. In this study, we used bulk samples and samples treated by hot hydrochloric acid in order to extract organic carbon. 　The Black shale Member consists of black carbonaceous　matter and fine grain quartz (< 100μm). Organic carbon content (Corg) of black shale is 1.2% in average and organic carbon isotope ratio (δ13Corg) is -31.4 to -28.7‰. On the other hand, inorganic carbon isotope ratio of siderite (δ13Ccarb) was -5.2 to +12.6‰. 　In the BIF Member, the Greenish shale-siderite submember is composed of well laminated greenish sideritic shale and white chert (<7mm thick), which is gradually increase from black shale of the Black shale Member through about 10m. Magnetite-siderite submember contains very fine magnetite lamination with inter-bedded greenish sideritic shale and siderite lamination. Hematite is identified near fractured part. The Black shale-siderite submember is composed of black shale, siderite and chert bands. 　1) Siderite layers of these three submembers showedδ13Ccarb value of -14.6 to -3.8‰. Corg and δ13Corg content are 0.2% and -18.3 to -0.3‰. 2) Siderite grains within greenish sideritic shales showedδ13Ccarb value of -12.9 to +15.0‰. 3) Black shale of Corg and δ13Corg content in the BIF Member are 0.1% and -36.3 to -17.1‰ respectively. 　We found great difference in values of δ13Ccarb of siderite. One is Corg-rich shale (up to +15.0‰) and the other is Corg-poor siderite layers (up to -3.8‰). The lighter value of siderite layers may be originated from precursor organic carbon which is strongly affected by biological activity.

Characterization of drilling waste from shale gas exploration in Central and Eastern Poland.

PubMed

Mikos-Szymańska, Marzena; Rusek, Piotr; Borowik, Krzysztof; Rolewicz, Maciej; Bogusz, Paulina; Gluzińska, Joanna

2018-05-28

The purpose of this research was to determine and evaluate the chemical properties of drilling waste from five well sites in Central and Eastern Poland. It was found that spent drilling fluids can contain high values of nickel and mercury (270 and 8.77 mg kg -1 , respectively) and can exceed the maximum permissible limits recommended by the EC regulations for safety of soils (75 mg kg -1 for nickel and 1.5 mg kg -1 for mercury). The heavy metal concentrations in the studied drill cuttings did not exceed the maximum permissible limits recommended by the EC regulation. Drilling wastes contain macroelements (e.g., calcium, magnesium, and potassium) as well as trace elements (e.g., copper, iron, zinc, and manganese) that are essential for the plant growth. It was stated that water extracts of drilling fluids and drill cuttings, according to anions presence, had not any specific constituents of concern based on FAO irrigation guidelines, the USEPA WQC, and toxicity values. X-ray diffraction analysis was used to understand the structure and texture of waste drilling fluid solids and drill cuttings. Analysis of the mineralogical character of drilling fluid solids revealed that they contained calcite, quartz, muscovite, sylvite, barite, dolomite, and orthoclase. Drill cuttings contained calcite quartz, muscovite, barite, dolomite, and barium chloride.

Gas shale/oil shale

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fishman, N.S.; Bereskin, S.R.; Bowker, K.A.; Cardott, B.J.; Chidsey, T.C.; Dubiel, R.F.; Enomoto, C.B.; Harrison, W.B.; Jarvie, D.M.; Jenkins, C.L.; LeFever, J.A.; Li, Peng; McCracken, J.N.; Morgan, C.D.; Nordeng, S.H.; Nyahay, R.E.; Schamel, Steven; Sumner, R.L.; Wray, L.L.

2011-01-01

The production of natural gas from shales continues to increase in North America, and shale gas exploration is on the rise in other parts of the world since the previous report by this committee was published by American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Energy Minerals Division (2009). For the United States, the volume of proved reserves of natural gas increased 11% from 2008 to 2009, the increase driven largely by shale gas development (Energy Information Administration 2010c). Furthermore, shales have increasingly become targets of exploration for oil and condensate as well as gas, which has served to greatly expand their significance as ‘‘unconventional’’ petroleum reservoirs.This report provides information about specific shales across North America and Europe from which gas (biogenic or thermogenic), oil, or natural gas liquids are produced or is actively being explored. The intent is to reflect the recently expanded mission of the Energy Minerals Division (EMD) Gas Shales Committee to serve as a single point of access to technical information on shales regardless of the type of hydrocarbon produced from them. The contents of this report were drawn largely from contributions by numerous members of the EMD Gas Shales Advisory Committee, with much of the data being available from public websites such as state or provincial geological surveys or other public institutions. Shales from which gas or oil is being produced in the United States are listed in alphabetical order by shale name. Information for Canada is presented by province, whereas for Europe, it is presented by country.

Study of shale reservoir nanometer-sized pores in Member 1 of Shahejie Formation in JX area, Liaozhong sag

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Yong; Zhang, Yu; Wen, Yiming

2018-02-01

The microscopic pore structure is the key of the shale reservoir study; however, traditional Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) methods cannot identify the irregular morphology caused by mechanical polishing. In this work, Scanning Electron Microscopy combined argon ion polishing technology was taken to study the characteristics of shale reservoir pores of Member 1 of Shahejie Formation (E3s1) located in JX1-1 area of Liaozhong Sag. The results show that pores between clay platelets, intraplatelet pores within clay aggregates and organic-matter pores are very rich in the area and with good pore connectivity, so these types of pores are of great significance for oil-gas exporation. Pores between clay platelets are formed by directional or semi-directional contact between edge and surface, edge and edge or surface and surface of laminated clay minerals, whose shapes are linear, mesh, and irregular with the size of 500 nm to 5 μm. The intraplatelet pores within clay aggregates are formed in the process of the transformation and compaction of clay minerals, whose shapes are usually linear with the width of 30 to 500 nm and the length of 2 to 50 μm. The organic-matter pores are from the process of the conversion from organic matters to the hydrocarbon under thermal evolution, whose shapes are gneissic, irregular, pitted and elliptical with the size of 100 nm to 2 μm. This study is of certain guiding significance to selecting target zones, evaluating resource potential and exploring & developing of shale gas in this region.

Stratigraphic architecture and depositional history of lower Miocene, Planulina Zone, Southern Louisiana

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

Gates, B.C.; Galloway, W.E.

1988-01-01

The Planulina zone is a wedge of clastic sediment positioned between the Anahuac shale below and the Oakville sandstone interval above. Planulna sediments were deposited on an erosional surface, during a general rise in the sea level, and formed a retrogradational wedge. Within the study area, the Planulina zone consists of two large depositional complexes: the Mud Lake complex in west Cameron Parish, Louisiana, and the East Cameron complex in east Cameron Parish. The lowermost depositional sequence in the East Cameron complex is preserved in a network of submarine canyons that were eroded into the upper slope. Framework sands weremore » deposited in channel systems confined to the axis of the canyons, and the sands are encased in marine shale containing benthonic foraminifera indicative of an upper to middle slope paleoenvironment. Two younger depositional sequences overlie the submarine canyon facies and were deposited by deltaic systems that prograded basinward. A zone of expansion extends east to west through the Planulina interval and is named the ''Planulina flexure.'' The flexure is a large fault located at the relict shelf edge and soles out downdip inn the Anahuac shale. Several thousand feet of sediment downthrown on the flexure is equivalent to several hundred feet upthrown, and the flexure represented the boundary dividing updip deltaic processes from downdip slope processes during the beginning of Planulina deposition. The Planulina depositional history and stratigraphic architecture are directly related to the displacement along the flexure and the structural deformation of the underlying Anahuac shale.« less

Analysis of the effectiveness of steam retorting of oil shale

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

Jacobs, H.R.; Pensel, R.W.; Udell, K.S.

A numerical model is developed to describe the retorting of oil shale using superheated steam. The model describes not only the temperature history of the shale but predicts the evolution of shale oil from kerogen decomposition and the breakdown of the carbonates existing in the shale matrix. The heat transfer coefficients between the water and the shale are determined from experiments utilizing the model to reduce the data. Similarly the model is used with thermogravimetric analysis experiments to develop an improved kinetics expression for kerogen decomposition in a steam environment. Numerical results are presented which indicate the effect of oilmore » shale particle size and steam temperature on oil production.« less

Fractal Characteristics of Continental Shale Pores and its Significance to the Occurrence of Shale Oil in China: a Case Study of Biyang Depression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jijun; Liu, Zhao; Li, Junqian; Lu, Shuangfang; Zhang, Tongqian; Zhang, Xinwen; Yu, Zhiyuan; Huang, Kaizhan; Shen, Bojian; Ma, Yan; Liu, Jiewen

Samples from seven major exploration wells in Biyang Depression of Henan Oilfield were compared using low-temperature nitrogen adsorption and shale oil adsorption experiments. Comprehensive analysis of pore development, oiliness and shale oil flowability was conducted by combining fractal dimension. The results show that the fractal dimension of shale in Biyang Depression of Henan Oilfield was negatively correlated with the average pore size and positively correlated with the specific surface area. Compared with the large pore, the small pore has great fractal dimension, indicating the pore structure is more complicated. Using S1 and chloroform bitumen A to evaluate the relationship between shale oiliness and pore structure, it was found that the more heterogeneous the shale pore structure, the higher the complexity and the poorer the oiliness. Clay minerals are the main carriers involved in crude oil adsorption, affecting the mobility of shale oil. When the pore complexity of shale was high, the content of micro- and mesopores was high, and the high specific surface area could enhance the adsorption and reduce the mobility of shale oil.

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.

Preliminary Results from Outcrop-Based Spectral Gamma-Ray Measurements on the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Shale, in Chongqing and Its Adjacent Areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, C.; Nie, X.; Qiao, L.; Pan, L.; Hou, S.

2013-12-01

The Longmaxi Shale in the Lower Silurian has been recognized as a favorable target of shale gas exploration in Sichuan basin, China. One important feature of shale gas reservoirs is of high total organic carbon (TOC). Many studies have shown that the spectral gamma-ray measurements are positively correlated to the TOC contents. In this study, the spectral gamma ray responses of five shale outcrop profiles are measured in Chongqing and its adjacent areas, Sichuan basin. Three of the five profiles are located in Qijiang, Qianjiang and Changning in Chongqing, and the other two are located in Qilong and Houtan in Guizhou. The main lithologies of the profiles include mainly black shale, gray shale and silty shale. The spectral gamma-ray measurements provide the contents of potassium (K), uranium (U), and thorium (Th). The result of the five profiles shows that the K and Th contents of gray shale are close to the ones of black shale, while the U contents in the black shale are significantly higher than that in the other rocks. The TOC contents are estimated by using the outcrop-based measurements with an empirical formula. The result shows that the TOC contents are the highest in black shale of Changning profile. It indicates that there is a most promising exploration potential for shale gas in this area. In the future, the outcrop data will be used to construct detailed lithofacies profiles and establish relationships between lithofacies both in outcrop and the subsurface gamma-ray logs. Acknowledgment: We acknowledge the financial support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41274185) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.

Study of Cetane Properties of ATJ Blends Based on World Survey of Jet Fuels

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-28

49.84 N/A N/A N/A 46.92 N/A N/A N/A 12 (100% Syn.) 1 57.79 N/A N/A N/A 53.48 N/A N/A N/A a - Conventional petroleum based jet fuel; b - Oil Shale ...Australia (% Nitrogen content unknown) c - Oil Shale , Australia (Low Nitrogen); d - Oil Shale , Australia (High Nitrogen) U/A – Unavailable in PQIS...fuel b - Oil Shale , Australia (% Nitrogen content unknown) c - Oil Shale , Australia (Low Nitrogen) d - Oil Shale , Australia (High Nitrogen) U/A

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.

Discussion on upper limit of maturity for marine shale gas accumulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Jinliang; Dong, Dazhong; Zhang, Chenchen; Wang, Yuman; Li, Xinjing; Wang, Shufang

2017-04-01

The sedimentary formations of marine shale in China are widely distributed and are characterized by old age, early hydrocarbon-generation and high thermal evolution degree, strong tectonic deformation and reformation and poor preservation conditions. Therefore whether commercial shale gas reservoirs can be formed is a critical issue to be studied. The previous studies showed that the upper threshold of maturity (Ro%) for the gas generation of marine source rocks is 3.0%. Based on comparative studies of marine shale gas exploration practices at home and abroad and reservoir experimental analysis results, we proposed in this paper that the upper threshold of maturity (Ro%) for marine shale gas accumulation is 3.5%. And the main proofs are as follows: (1) There is still certain commercial production in the area with the higher than 3.0% in Marcellus and Woodford marine shale gas plays in North America; (2) The Ro of the Silurian Longmaxi shale in the Sichuan Basin in China is between 2.5% and 3.3%. However, the significant breakthrough has been made in shale gas exploration and the production exceeds 7 billion m3 in 2016; (3) The TOC of the Cambrian Qiongzhusi organic-rich shale in Changning Region in the Sichuan Basin ranges 2% to 7.1% and the Ro is greater than 3.5%. And the resistivity logging of organic-rich shale appears low-ultra low resistivity and inversion of Rt curve. It's suggested that the organic matters in Qiongzhusi organic-rich shale occurs partial carbonization which leads to stronger conductivity; (4) Thermal simulation experiments showed that the specific surface of shale increases with Ro. And the specific surface and adsorptive capacity both reach maximum when the Ro is 3.5%; (5) The analysis of physical properties and SEM images of shale reservoirs indicated that when Ro is higher than 3.5%, the dominant pores of Qiongzhusi shale are micro-pores while the organic pores are relatively poor-developed, and the average porosity is less than 2%.

Morbidity survey of US oil shale workers employed during 1948-1969

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

Rom, W.N.; Krueger, G.; Zone, J.

The health status of 325 oil shale workers employed at the Anvil Points, Colorado, demonstration facility from 1948 to 1969 was evaluated. As a comparison population, 323 Utah coal miners frequency matched for age were studied. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms among oil shale workers who smoked were similar to the coal miners who smoked, although nonsmoking oil shale workers had fewer symptoms compared to nonsmoking coal workers. Four cases of skin cancers were found on the oil shale workers and eight cases in the controls. Similar numbers of nevi, telangiectasiae, possible pitch warts, pigment changes (solar/senile lentigo), and papillomatamore » (seborrheic keratoses and skin tags) were seen in both groups, while actinic keratoses were more frequent in the oil shale workers. The prevalence of actinic keratoses was significantly associated with oil shale work after allowing for age, sun exposure, and other exposures. The prevalence of pulmonary cytology metaplasia was associated with years of production work in oil shale among both smokers and ex-smokers. More of the oil shale workers had atypical cells in the urine, but the excess mostly found among ex-smokers. Although these workers had short-term and limited oil shale exposure work exposure, the authors recommend that medical surveillance of oil shale workers consider the skin, respiratory, and urinary systems for special observation.« less

Duvernay shale lithofacies distribution analysis in the West Canadian Sedimentary Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Houqin; Kong, Xiangwen; Long, Huashan; Huai, Yinchao

2018-02-01

In the West Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB), Duvernay shale is considered to contribute most of the Canadian shale gas reserve and production. According to global shale gas exploration and development practice, reservoir property and well completion quality are the two key factors determining the shale gas economics. The two key factors are strongly depending on shale lithofacies. On the basis of inorganic mineralogy theory, all available thin section, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) data were used to assist lithofacies analysis. Gamma ray (GR), acoustic (AC), bulk density (RHOB), neutron porosity (NPHI) and photoelectric absorption cross-section index (PE) were selected for log response analysis of various minerals. Reservoir representative equation was created constrained by quantitative core analysis results, and matrix mineral percentage of quartz, carbonate, feldspar and pyrite were calculated to classify shale lithofacies. Considering the horizontal continuity of seismic data, rock physics model was built, and acoustic impedance integrated with core data and log data was used to predict the horizontal distribution of different lithofacies. The results indicate that: (1) nine lithofacies can be categorized in Duvernay shale, (2) the horizontal distribution of different lithofacies is quite diversified, siliceous shale mainly occurs in Simonette area, calcareous shale is prone to develop in the vicinity of reef, while calcareous-siliceous shale dominates in Willesdon Green area.

A Tale of Two Regions: Landscape Ecological Planning for Shale Gas Energy Futures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murtha, T., Jr.; Schroth, O.; Orland, B.; Goldberg, L.; Mazurczyk, T.

2015-12-01

As we increasingly embrace deep shale gas deposits to meet global energy demands new and dispersed local and regional policy and planning challenges emerge. Even in regions with long histories of energy extraction, such as coal, shale gas and the infrastructure needed to produce the gas and transport it to market offers uniquely complex transformations in land use and landcover not previously experienced. These transformations are fast paced, dispersed and can overwhelm local and regional planning and regulatory processes. Coupled to these transformations is a structural confounding factor. While extraction and testing are carried out locally, regulation and decision-making is multilayered, often influenced by national and international factors. Using a geodesign framework, this paper applies a set of geospatial landscape ecological planning tools in two shale gas settings. First, we describe and detail a series of ongoing studies and tools that we have developed for communities in the Marcellus Shale region of the eastern United States, specifically the northern tier of Pennsylvania. Second, we apply a subset of these tools to potential gas development areas of the Fylde region in Lancashire, United Kingdom. For the past five years we have tested, applied and refined a set of place based and data driven geospatial models for forecasting, envisioning, analyzing and evaluating shale gas activities in northern Pennsylvania. These models are continuously compared to important landscape ecological planning challenges and priorities in the region, e.g. visual and cultural resource preservation. Adapting and applying these tools to a different landscape allow us to not only isolate and define important regulatory and policy exigencies in each specific setting, but also to develop and refine these models for broader application. As we continue to explore increasingly complex energy solutions globally, we need an equally complex comparative set of landscape ecological planning tools to inform policy, design and regional planning. Adapting tools and techniques developed in Pennsylvania where shale gas extraction is ongoing to Lancashire, where industry is still in the exploratory phase offers a key opportunity to test and refine more generalizable models.

The Architecture and Frictional Properties of Faults in Shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Paola, N.; Imber, J.; Murray, R.; Holdsworth, R.

2015-12-01

The geometry of brittle fault zones in shale rocks, as well as their frictional properties at reservoir conditions, are still poorly understood. Nevertheless, these factors may control the very low recovery factors (25% for gas and 5% for oil) obtained during fracking operations. Extensional brittle fault zones (maximum displacement < 3 m) cut exhumed oil mature black shales in the Cleveland Basin (UK). Fault cores up to 50 cm wide accommodated most of the displacement, and are defined by a stair-step geometry. Their internal architecture is characterised by four distinct fault rock domains: foliated gouges; breccias; hydraulic breccias; and a slip zone up to 20 mm thick, composed of a fine-grained black gouge. Hydraulic breccias are located within dilational jogs with aperture of up to 20 cm. Brittle fracturing and cataclastic flow are the dominant deformation mechanisms in the fault core of shale faults. Velocity-step and slide-hold-slide experiments at sub-seismic slip rates (microns/s) were performed in a rotary shear apparatus under dry, water and brine-saturated conditions, for displacements of up to 46 cm. Both the protolith shale and the slip zone black gouge display shear localization, velocity strengthening behaviour and negative healing rates, suggesting that slow, stable sliding faulting should occur within the protolith rocks and slip zone gouges. Experiments at seismic speed (1.3 m/s), performed on the same materials under dry conditions, show that after initial friction values of 0.5-0.55, friction decreases to steady-state values of 0.1-0.15 within the first 10 mm of slip. Contrastingly, water/brine saturated gouge mixtures, exhibit almost instantaneous attainment of very low steady-state sliding friction (0.1), suggesting that seismic ruptures may efficiently propagate in the slip zone of fluid-saturated shale faults. Stable sliding in faults in shale can cause slow fault/fracture propagation, affecting the rate at which new fracture areas are created and, hence, limiting oil and gas production during reservoir stimulation. However, fluid saturated conditions can favour seismic slip propagation, with fast and efficient creation of new fracture areas. These processes are very effective at dilational jogs, where fluid circulation may be enhanced, facilitating oil and gas production.

Subsurface stratigraphy of upper Devonian clastics in southern West Virginia

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

Neal, D.W.; Patchen, D.G.

Studies of upper Devonian shales and siltstones in southern West Virginia have resulted in a refinement of the stratigraphic framework used in characterizing the gas-producing Devonian shales. Gamma-ray log correlation around the periphery of the Appalachian Basin has extended the usage of New York stratigraphic nomenclature for the interval between the base of the Dunkirk shale and the top of the Tully limestone to southern West Virginia. Equivalents of the Dunkirk shale and younger rocks of New York are recognized in southwestern West Virginia and are named according to Ohio usage. Gas production is primarily from the basal black shalemore » member of the Ohio shale. Gas shows from older black shale units (Rhinestreet and Marcellus shales) are recorded from wells east of the major producing trend. Provided suitable stimulation techniques can be developed, these older and deeper black shales may prove to be another potential gas resource.« less

High liquid yield process for retorting various organic materials including oil shale

DOEpatents

Coburn, Thomas T.

1990-01-01

This invention is a continuous retorting process for various high molecular weight organic materials, including oil shale, that yields an enhanced output of liquid product. The organic material, mineral matter, and an acidic catalyst, that appreciably adsorbs alkenes on surface sites at prescribed temperatures, are mixed and introduced into a pyrolyzer. A circulating stream of olefin enriched pyrolysis gas is continuously swept through the organic material and catalyst, whereupon, as the result of pyrolysis, the enhanced liquid product output is provided. Mixed spent organic material, mineral matter, and cool catalyst are continuously withdrawn from the pyrolyzer. Combustion of the spent organic material and mineral matter serves to reheat the catalyst. Olefin depleted pyrolysis gas, from the pyrolyzer, is enriched in olefins and recycled into the pyrolyzer. The reheated acidic catalyst is separated from the mineral matter and again mixed with fresh organic material, to maintain the continuously cyclic process.

A high liquid yield process for retorting various organic materials including oil shale

DOEpatents

Coburn, T.T.

1988-07-26

This invention is a continuous retorting process for various high molecular weight organic materials, including oil shale, that yields an enhanced output of liquid product. The organic material, mineral matter, and an acidic catalyst, that appreciably adsorbs alkenes on surface sites at prescribed temperatures, are mixed and introduced into a pyrolyzer. A circulating stream of olefin enriched pyrolysis gas is continuously swept through the organic material and catalyst, whereupon, as the result of pyrolysis, the enhanced liquid product output is provided. Mixed spent organic material, mineral matter, and cool catalyst are continuously withdrawn from the pyrolyzer. Combustion of the spent organic material and mineral matter serves to reheat the catalyst. Olefin depleted pyrolysis gas, from the pyrolyzer, is enriched in olefins and recycled into the pyrolyzer. The reheated acidic catalyst is separated from the mineral matter and again mixed with fresh organic material, to maintain the continuously cyclic process. 2 figs.

Unconventional oil and gas extraction and animal health.

PubMed

Bamberger, M; Oswald, R E

2014-08-01

The extraction of hydrocarbons from shale formations using horizontal drilling with high volume hydraulic fracturing (unconventional shale gas and tight oil extraction), while derived from methods that have been used for decades, is a relatively new innovation that was introduced first in the United States and has more recently spread worldwide. Although this has led to the availability of new sources of fossil fuels for domestic consumption and export, important issues have been raised concerning the safety of the process relative to public health, animal health, and our food supply. Because of the multiple toxicants used and generated, and because of the complexity of the drilling, hydraulic fracturing, and completion processes including associated infrastructure such as pipelines, compressor stations and processing plants, impacts on the health of humans and animals are difficult to assess definitively. We discuss here findings concerning the safety of unconventional oil and gas extraction from the perspectives of public health, veterinary medicine, and food safety.

Brittle Creep of Tournemire Shale: Orientation, Temperature and Pressure Dependences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geng, Zhi; Bonnelye, Audrey; Dick, Pierre; David, Christian; Chen, Mian; Schubnel, Alexandre

2017-04-01

Time and temperature dependent rock deformation has both scientific and socio-economic implications for natural hazards, the oil and gas industry and nuclear waste disposal. During the past decades, most studies on brittle creep have focused on igneous rocks and porous sedimentary rocks. To our knowledge, only few studies have been carried out on the brittle creep behavior of shale. Here, we conducted a series of creep experiments on shale specimens coming from the French Institute for Nuclear Safety (IRSN) underground research laboratory located in Tournemire, France. Conventional tri-axial experiments were carried under two different temperatures (26˚ C, 75˚ C) and confining pressures (10 MPa, 80 MPa), for three orientations (σ1 along, perpendicular and 45˚ to bedding). Following the methodology developed by Heap et al. [2008], differential stress was first increased to ˜ 60% of the short term peak strength (10-7/s, Bonnelye et al. 2016), and then in steps of 5 to 10 MPa every 24 hours until brittle failure was achieved. In these long-term experiments (approximately 10 days), stress and strains were recorded continuously, while ultrasonic acoustic velocities were recorded every 1˜15 minutes, enabling us to monitor the evolution of elastic wave speed anisotropy. Temporal evolution of anisotropy was illustrated by inverting acoustic velocities to Thomsen parameters. Finally, samples were investigated post-mortem using scanning electron microscopy. Our results seem to contradict our traditional understanding of loading rate dependent brittle failure. Indeed, the brittle creep failure stress of our Tournemire shale samples was systematically observed ˜50% higher than its short-term peak strength, with larger final axial strain accumulated. At higher temperatures, the creep failure strength of our samples was slightly reduced and deformation was characterized with faster 'steady-state' creep axial strain rates at each steps, and larger final axial strain accumulated. At each creep step, ultrasonic wave velocities first decreased, and then increased gradually. The magnitude of elastic wave velocity variations showed an important orientation and temperature dependence. Velocities measured perpendicular to bedding showed increased variation, variation that was enhanced at higher temperature and higher pressure. The case of complete elastic anisotropy reversal was even observed for sample deformed perpendicular to bedding, with a reduction amount of axial strain needed to reach anisotropy reversal at higher temperature. Our data were indicative of competition between crack growth, sealing/healing, and possibly mineral rotation or anisotropic compaction during creep. SEM investigation confirmed evidence of time dependent pressure solution and crack sealing/healing. Our research not only has practical engineering consequence but, more importantly, can provide valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms of creep in complex media like shale. In particular, our study highlights that the short-term peak strength has little meaning in shale material, which can over-consolidate importantly by 'plastic' flow. In addition, we showed that elastic anisotropy can switch and even reverse over relatively short time periods (<10 days) and for relatively small amount of plastic deformation (<5%).

Activity concentrations of 238U and 226Ra in two European black shales and their experimentally-derived leachates.

PubMed

Wilke, Franziska D H; Schettler, Georg; Vieth-Hillebrand, Andrea; Kühn, Michael; Rothe, Heike

2018-05-18

The production of gas from unconventional resources became an important position in the world energy economics. In 2012, the European Commission's Joint Research Centre estimate 16 trillion cubic meters (Tcm) of technically recoverable shale gas in Europe. Taking into account that the exploitation of unconventional gas can be accompanied by serious health risks due to the release of toxic chemical components and natural occurring radionuclides into the return flow water and their near-surface accumulation in secondary precipitates, we investigated the release of U, Th and Ra from black shales by interaction with drilling fluids containing additives that are commonly employed for shale gas exploitation. We performed leaching tests at elevated temperatures and pressures with an Alum black shale from Bornholm, Denmark and a Posidonia black shale from Lower Saxony, Germany. The Alum shale is a carbonate free black shale with pyrite and barite, containing 74.4 μg/g U. The Posidonia shales is a calcareous shale with pyrite but without detectable amounts of barite containing 3.6 μg/g U. Pyrite oxidized during the tests forming sulfuric acid which lowered the pH on values between 2 and 3 of the extraction fluid from the Alum shale favoring a release of U from the Alum shale to the fluid during the short-term and in the beginning of the long-term experiments. The activity concentration of 238 U is as high as 23.9 mBq/ml in the fluid for those experiments. The release of U and Th into the fluid is almost independent of pressure. The amount of uranium in the European shales is similar to that of the Marcellus Shale in the United States but the daughter product of 238 U, the 226 Ra activity concentrations in the experimentally derived leachates from the European shales are quite low in comparison to that found in industrially derived flowback fluids from the Marcellus shale. This difference could mainly be due to missing Cl in the reaction fluid used in our experiments and a lower fluid to solid ratio in the industrial plays than in the experiments due to subsequent fracking and minute cracks from which Ra can easily be released. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigating the Potential Impacts of Energy Production in the Marcellus Shale Region Using the Shale Network Database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brantley, S.; Pollak, J.

2016-12-01

The Shale Network's extensive database of water quality observations in the Marcellus Shale region enables educational experiences about the potential impacts of resource extraction and energy production with real data. Through tools that are open source and free to use, interested parties can access and analyze the very same data that the Shale Network team has used in peer-reviewed publications about the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on water. The development of the Shale Network database has been made possible through efforts led by an academic team and involving numerous individuals from government agencies, citizen science organizations, and private industry. With these tools and data, the Shale Network team has engaged high school students, university undergraduate and graduate students, as well as citizens so that all can discover how energy production impacts the Marcellus Shale region, which includes Pennsylvania and other nearby states. This presentation will describe these data tools, how the Shale Network has used them in educational settings, and the resources available to learn more.

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

Microbial methane from in situ biodegradation of coal and shale: A review and reevaluation of hydrogen and carbon isotope signatures

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vinson, David S.; Blair, Neal E.; Martini, Anna M.; Larter, Steve; Orem, William H.; McIntosh, Jennifer C.

2017-01-01

Stable carbon and hydrogen isotope signatures of methane, water, and inorganic carbon are widely utilized in natural gas systems for distinguishing microbial and thermogenic methane and for delineating methanogenic pathways (acetoclastic, hydrogenotrophic, and/or methylotrophic methanogenesis). Recent studies of coal and shale gas systems have characterized in situ microbial communities and provided stable isotope data (δD-CH4, δD-H2O, δ13C-CH4, and δ13C-CO2) from a wider range of environments than available previously. Here we review the principal biogenic methane-yielding pathways in coal beds and shales and the isotope effects imparted on methane, document the uncertainties and inconsistencies in established isotopic fingerprinting techniques, and identify the knowledge gaps in understanding the subsurface processes that govern H and C isotope signatures of biogenic methane. We also compare established isotopic interpretations with recent microbial community characterization techniques, which reveal additional inconsistencies in the interpretation of microbial metabolic pathways in coal beds and shales. Collectively, the re-assessed data show that widely-utilized isotopic fingerprinting techniques neglect important complications in coal beds and shales.Isotopic fingerprinting techniques that combine δ13C-CH4 with δD-CH4 and/or δ13C-CO2have significant limitations: (1) The consistent ~ 160‰ offset between δD-H2O and δD-CH4 could imply that hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis is the dominant metabolic pathway in microbial gas systems. However, hydrogen isotopes can equilibrate between methane precursors and coexisting water, yielding a similar apparent H isotope signal as hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis, regardless of the actual methane formation pathway. (2) Non-methanogenic processes such as sulfate reduction, Fe oxide reduction, inputs of thermogenic methane, anaerobic methane oxidation, and/or formation water interaction can cause the apparent carbon isotope fractionation between δ13C-CH4 and δ13C-CO2(α13CCO2-CH4) to differ from the true methanogenic fractionation, complicating interpretation of methanogenic pathways. (3) Where little-fractionating non-methanogenic bacterial processes compete with highly-fractionating methanogenesis, the mass balance between CH4 and CO2 is affected. This has implications for δ13C values and provides an alternative interpretation for net C isotope signatures than solely the pathways used by active methanogens. (4) While most of the reviewed values of δD-H2O - δD-CH4 and α13CCO2-CH4 are apparently consistent with hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis as the dominant pathway in coal beds and shales, recent microbial community characterization techniques suggest a possible role for acetoclastic or methylotrophic methanogenesis in some basins.

Eastern Devonian shales: Organic geochemical studies, past and present

USGS Publications Warehouse

Breger, I.A.; Hatcher, P.G.; Romankiw, L.A.; Miknis, F.P.

1983-01-01

The Eastern Devonian shales are represented by a sequence of sediments extending from New York state, south to the northern regions of Georgia and Alabama, and west into Ohio and to the Michigan and Ilinois Basins. Correlatives are known in Texas. The shale is regionally known by a number of names: Chattanooga, Dunkirk, Rhinestreet, Huron, Antrim, Ohio, Woodford, etc. These shales, other than those in Texas, have elicited much interest because they have been a source of unassociated natural gas. It is of particular interest, however, that most of these shales have no associated crude oil, in spite of the fact that they have some of the characteristics normally attributed to source beds. This paper addresses some of the organic geochemical aspects of the kerogen in these shales, in relation to their oil generating potential. Past organic geochemical studies on Eastern Devonian shales will be reviewed. Recent solid state 13C NMR studies on the nature of the organic matter in Eastern Devonian shales show that Eastern Devonian shales contain a larger fraction of aromatic carbon in their chemical composition. Thus, despite their high organic matter contents, their potential as a petroleum source rock is low, because the kerogen in these shales is of a "coaly" nature and hence more prone to producing natural gas.

Eastern Devonian shales: Organic geochemical studies

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

Berger, I.A.; Hatchner, P.G.; Miknis, F.P.

The Eastern Devonian shales are represented by a sequence of sediments extending from New York state, south to the northern regions of Georgia and Alabama, and west into Ohio and to the Michigan and Illinois Basins. Correlatives are known in Texas. The shale is regionally known by a number of names: Chattanooga, Dunkirk, Rhinestreet, Huron, Antrim, Ohio, Woodford, etc. These shales, other than those in Texas, have elicited much interest because they have been a source of unassociated natural gas. It is of particular interest, however, that most of these shales have no associated crude oil, in spite of themore » fact that they have some of the characteristics normally attributed to source beds. This paper addresses some of the organic geochemical aspects of the kerogen in these shales, in relation to their oil generating potential. Past organic geochemical studies on Eastern Devonian shales are reviewed. Recent solid state /sup 13/C NMR studies on the nature of the organic matter in Eastern Devonian shales show that Eastern Devonian shales contain a larger fraction of aromatic carbon in their chemical composition. Thus, despite their high organic matter contents, their potential as a petroleum source rock is low, because the kerogen in these shales is of a ''coaly'' nature and hence more prone to producing natural gas.« less

A Model To Estimate Carbon Dioxide Injectivity and Storage Capacity for Geological Sequestration in Shale Gas Wells.

PubMed

Edwards, Ryan W J; Celia, Michael A; Bandilla, Karl W; Doster, Florian; Kanno, Cynthia M

2015-08-04

Recent studies suggest the possibility of CO2 sequestration in depleted shale gas formations, motivated by large storage capacity estimates in these formations. Questions remain regarding the dynamic response and practicality of injection of large amounts of CO2 into shale gas wells. A two-component (CO2 and CH4) model of gas flow in a shale gas formation including adsorption effects provides the basis to investigate the dynamics of CO2 injection. History-matching of gas production data allows for formation parameter estimation. Application to three shale gas-producing regions shows that CO2 can only be injected at low rates into individual wells and that individual well capacity is relatively small, despite significant capacity variation between shale plays. The estimated total capacity of an average Marcellus Shale well in Pennsylvania is 0.5 million metric tonnes (Mt) of CO2, compared with 0.15 Mt in an average Barnett Shale well. Applying the individual well estimates to the total number of existing and permitted planned wells (as of March, 2015) in each play yields a current estimated capacity of 7200-9600 Mt in the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania and 2100-3100 Mt in the Barnett Shale.

Detection of cretaceous incised-valley shale for resource play, Miano gas field, SW Pakistan: Spectral decomposition using continuous wavelet transform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naseer, Muhammad Tayyab; Asim, Shazia

2017-10-01

Unconventional resource shales can play a critical role in economic growth throughout the world. The hydrocarbon potential of faults/fractured shales is the most significant challenge for unconventional prospect generation. The continuous wavelet transforms (CWT) of spectral decomposition (SD) technology is applied for shale gas prospects on high-resolution 3D seismic data from the Miano area in the Indus platform, SW Pakistan. Schmoker' technique reveals high-quality shales with total organic carbon (TOC) of 9.2% distributed in the western regions. The seismic amplitude, root-mean-square (RMS), and most positive curvature attributes show limited ability to resolve the prospective fractured shale components. The CWT is used to identify the hydrocarbon-bearing faulted/fractured compartments encased within the non-hydrocarbon bearing shale units. The hydrocarbon-bearing shales experience higher amplitudes (4694 dB and 3439 dB) than the non-reservoir shales (3290 dB). Cross plots between sweetness, 22 Hz spectral decomposition, and the seismic amplitudes are found more effective tools than the conventional seismic attribute mapping for discriminating the seal and reservoir elements within the incised-valley petroleum system. Rock physics distinguish the productive sediments from the non-productive sediments, suggesting the potential for future shale play exploration.

Formation resistivity as an indicator of oil generation in black shales

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

Hester, T.C.; Schmoker, J.W.

1987-08-01

Black, organic-rich shales of Late Devonian-Early Mississippi age are present in many basins of the North American craton and, where mature, have significant economic importance as hydrocarbon source rocks. Examples drawn from the upper and lower shale members of the Bakken Formation, Williston basin, North Dakota, and the Woodford Shale, Anadarko basin, Oklahoma, demonstrate the utility of formation resistivity as a direct in-situ indicator of oil generation in black shales. With the onset of oil generation, nonconductive hydrocarbons begin to replace conductive pore water, and the resistivity of a given black-shale interval increases from low levels associated with thermal immaturitymore » to values approaching infinity. Crossplots of a thermal-maturity index (R/sub 0/ or TTI) versus formation resistivity define two populations representing immature shales and shales that have generated oil. A resistivity of 35 ohm-m marks the boundary between immature and mature source rocks for each of the three shales studied. Thermal maturity-resistivity crossplots make possible a straightforward determination of thermal maturity at the onset of oil generation, and are sufficiently precise to detect subtle differences in source-rock properties. For example, the threshold of oil generation in the upper Bakken shale occurs at R/sub 0/ = 0.43-0.45% (TTI = 10-12). The threshold increases to R/sub 0/ = 0.48-0.51% (TTI = 20-26) in the lower Bakken shale, and to R/sub 0/ = 0.56-0.57% (TTI = 33-48) in the most resistive Woodford interval.« less

The Devonian Marcellus Shale and Millboro Shale

USGS Publications Warehouse

Soeder, Daniel J.; Enomoto, Catherine B.; Chermak, John A.

2014-01-01

The recent development of unconventional oil and natural gas resources in the United States builds upon many decades of research, which included resource assessment and the development of well completion and extraction technology. The Eastern Gas Shales Project, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy in the 1980s, investigated the gas potential of organic-rich, Devonian black shales in the Appalachian, Michigan, and Illinois basins. One of these eastern shales is the Middle Devonian Marcellus Shale, which has been extensively developed for natural gas and natural gas liquids since 2007. The Marcellus is one of the basal units in a thick Devonian shale sedimentary sequence in the Appalachian basin. The Marcellus rests on the Onondaga Limestone throughout most of the basin, or on the time-equivalent Needmore Shale in the southeastern parts of the basin. Another basal unit, the Huntersville Chert, underlies the Marcellus in the southern part of the basin. The Devonian section is compressed to the south, and the Marcellus Shale, along with several overlying units, grades into the age-equivalent Millboro Shale in Virginia. The Marcellus-Millboro interval is far from a uniform slab of black rock. This field trip will examine a number of natural and engineered exposures in the vicinity of the West Virginia–Virginia state line, where participants will have the opportunity to view a variety of sedimentary facies within the shale itself, sedimentary structures, tectonic structures, fossils, overlying and underlying formations, volcaniclastic ash beds, and to view a basaltic intrusion.