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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated

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To: JDN who wrote (202481)	4/13/2007 5:31:57 PM
From: carranza2	Read Replies (2) of 793800

This study dealt specifically with the problem I immediately noted in the Shell approach which is what happens to the water table once the ground is unfrozen because the shale oil has been extracted. It doesn't have an answer and neither do I, but I will be reading the Shell patent application to see how it deals with the issue. pangea.stanford.edu <<<Shells in-situ method is often touted as a clean alternative because it does not require surface mining or waste piles, but this approach can still cause groundwater contamination. The freeze-barrier would only protect groundwater during production; once the kerogen has been removed the hydraulic conductivity of the remaining shale increases allowing groundwater to flow through and leach salts from the newly toxic aquifer (RAND). Because the Green River formation lies within the greater Colorado River drainage basin, any surface or groundwater contamination will not only affect the local population but will likely have a significant impact on water quality for the millions of downstream users.>>>>> The patent application talks about dewatering wells to control water entry into the formation. Here's the application. appft1.uspto.gov And here's the language about dewatering wells [caution, I'm not an engineer]. <<<[0547] Dewatering wells 110 may be placed in one or more rings surrounding selected portions of the formation. New dewatering wells may need to be installed as an area being treated by the in situ conversion process expands. An outermost row of dewatering wells may inhibit a significant amount of water from flowing into the portion of formation that is heated or to be heated. Water produced from the outermost row of dewatering wells should be substantially clean, and may require little or no treatment before being released. An innermost row of dewatering wells may inhibit water that bypasses the outermost row from flowing into the portion of formation that is heated or to be heated. The innermost row of dewatering wells may also inhibit outward migration of vapor from a heated portion of the formation into surrounding portions of the formation. Water produced by the innermost row of dewatering wells may include some hydrocarbons. The water may need to be treated before being released. Alternately, water with hydrocarbons may be stored and used to produce synthesis gas from a portion of the formation during a synthesis gas phase of the in situ conversion process. The dewatering wells may reduce heat loss to surrounding portions of the formation, may increase production of vapors from the heated portion, and/or may inhibit contamination of a water table proximate the heated portion of the formation. >>>>> Would be very nice if the environmental concerns can be accommodated. Most of the land containing the shale oil is federal land.

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