Demonstration of high-yield-retorting at 500 lbs/(hr)(ft2) shale rate

Abstract

The former United States Bureau of Mines facility at Anvil Points, near Rifle, Colorado, was reactivated starting in May 1964 and was operated during 1965, 1966, and 1967. A research and development program was conducted to investigate the technical feasibility of room-and-pillar mining with explosives, crushing and Gas-Combustion Retorting techniques for oil shale. Mobil Oil Corporation acted as Project Manager for the cooperative industry group at Rifle which included Continental Oil Company, Humble Oil and Refining Company, Pan American Petroleum Corporation, Phillips Petroleum Company, and Sinclair Research, Inc. as Participating Parties. The runs recorded from the Gas Combustion No. 3 Retort are part of the Technical Memorandum reported to the Technical Advisory Committee. The primary object of the Anvil Points Oil Shale Research Center Technical memorandum is to advise authorized personnel employed by the Participating Parties that various activities are in progress or that certain significant data have been obtained within the Research Center. Costs of the Rifle operation were shared equally by the six participants. Each Participating Party was represented by personnel on the technical staff. The Colorado School of Mines Research Foundation, Inc. acted as lessor-of-record and supplied nontechnical personnel for administrative and logistic support.