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a

d

THE PRODUCTION OF OIL FROM INTERMOUNTAIN WEST TAR SANDS DEPOSITS

BY

Joseph M . Glassett and

J o e l A. Glassett

1 s 3

3 1 I

s I 1

F i n a l Report T O

United S t a t e s Department of t h e I n t e r i o r Bureau of Mines

Con t rac t N o . SO241129

March 1 9 7 6

The views and conclus ions conta ined i n t h i s document are those of t h e a u t h o r s and should n o t be i n t e r p r e t e d as neces- s a r i l y r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e o f f i c i a l p o l i c i e s o r recommendations of t h e I n t e r i o r Depart- ments Bureau of M i n e s of the U . S . Govern- ment. - N o i nven t ions o r p a t e n t s have re- s u l t e d from work on t h i s c o n t r a c t .

EYRING RESEARCH INSTITUTE 1455 W . 820 N.

Provo, Utah 8 4 6 0 1 ( 8 0 1 ) 375-2434

3

- . .

TABLE OF CONTENTS

3

I

I

7

I I

I 3

Page Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Acknowledgment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Location of Largest Deposits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

SurfaceMining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Chemical Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Environmental Aspects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Economics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Comparison of Utah and Athabasca Tar Sand Deposits . . . . . 2 0

Asphalt Ridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4

Geology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 Surface Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 Chemical Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Environmental Aspects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4

Circle Cliffs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Geology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 7 Surface Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 7 Chemical Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 0 Environmental Aspects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 1 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 1

Hill Creek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2

Geology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2

Chemical Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 4 Environmental Aspects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 4 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Surface Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2

ii

~ ~~

Table of Contents (cont.)

P.R. Spring . . .' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Geology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Surface Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Chemical Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Environmental Aspects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1

Sunnyside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 3

Geology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 3 Surface Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 3 Chemical Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 8 Environmental Aspects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 9

Tar Sand Triangle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

Geology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Surface Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Chemical Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Environmental Aspects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Research Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 9

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 7

C iii

Gs 1 -7

LIST OF FIGURES

rl Figure Page -

1. Northeastern Utah Tar Sand Deposits. . . . . . . . . . . 3 3 2. Southeastern Utah Tar Sand Deposits. . . . . . . . . . . 5

3 . Flow Diagram of Cities Service Process . . . . . . . . . 1 3 3 J 4 .

5. I

3 3 J1

I I

6.

7.

8.

9 .

1 0 .

11.

1 2 .

Geologic Cross Profile - Asphalt Ridge Area. . . . . . 25

Vicinity Map - Proposed Bituminous Sand Mine . . . . . 2 7

Location - Proposed Bituminous Sand Mine . . . . . . 2 8

Location - Sohio Coreholes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1

Diagrammatic Cross Section - Circle Cliffs Uplift. . . . 38

Circle Cliffs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Hill Creek Overlay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 3

Bituminous Sandstone Deposits Near Sunnyside . . . . . . 5 5

Geologic Map of Sunnyside Quarry Area. . . . . . . . . . 5 6

LIST OF TABLES

Table

I. Surface Mining Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

11. Tar Sand Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

111. Sohio Corehole Analyses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

IV. Asphalt Ridge Tar Sand and Oil Analyses. . . . . . . . . 3 2

V. Tertiary Formations of the Southeastern Uinta Basin. . . 4 7

VI. P.R. Spring Tar Sand and Oil Analyses. . . . . . . . . . 48

d 3

I iv

VII. Comparison Of P . R . Spring and Athabasca Tar Sands. . . . 49 VIII. Distillation Data for P.R . Spring Bitumens . . . . . . . 5 0

IX. Surface Mining Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 5

~ ~-

List of Tables (cont.)

V

3 J” 1

THE PRODUCTION O F OIL FROM IiiTERT?OUNTAIIJ WEST TAR SXJDS DEPOSITS

Josepn M. G l a s s e t t k and J o e l A . G l a s s e t t * * by

3 ABSTRACT

I 3 I 3 I 3 1 a I I J

\

Six t a r sand d e p o s i t s i n t h e Intermountain West, eacn con ta in ing more than one b i l l i o n b a r r e l s of oil i n p l a c e , a r e i d e n t i f i e d . All of these d e p o s i t s a r e i n e a s t e r n Utah and con ta in a t o t a l Of twenty-eight b i l l i o n b a r r e l s of o i l . T n e names of the s i x d e p o s i t s a r ranged i n descending o rde r of d e s i r a b i l i t y f o r l a r g e s c a l e s u r f a c e mining o i l recovery o p e r a t i o n s a r e a s fo l lows : Sunnyside, Tar Sand T r i a n g l e , Asphal t Ridge, P , R , S p r i n g , Circle C l i f f s , and H i l l Creek. An overview o€ eacn d e p o s i t i s presented inc lud ing geology, s u r f a c e mining v a r i a b l e s , chemical process ing v a r i a b l e s , environmental a s p e c t s ? and economics. A comparison of Utah t a r sands and Athabasca, A l b e r t a , Canada t a r sands i s a l s o p re sen ted .

INTRODUCTION

There i s an u r g e n t need fo r o r d e r l y development of a d d i t i o n a l sources of hydrocarbons i f t h e n a t i o n a l goa l of “energy independence” i s t o be reacned. Tne t a r sand d e p o s i t s of t h e in te rmounta in reg ion of t he western United S t a t e s nave an e s t ima ted r e s e r v e ,of more than twenty-eignt ( 2 8 ) b i l l i o n b a r r e l s of o i l i n p l a c e . Most of t h e d e p o s i t s a r e l o c a t e d i n e a s t e r n Utah. resource is on ly a small fraction of tne total u .S . ment, i t could be an impor tan t source of nydrocarbons on a r e g i o n a l b a s i s .

Although t h i s oil require-

T h e hydrocarbons wi th in t n e t a r sands resemble normal crude o i l except t h a t due t o abnormally n igh v i s c o s i t y , t ney cannot oe produced i n their n a t i v e s ta te by or,dinary o i l f i e l d product ion t ecnn iques . recovery o p e r a t i o n s have a l l ended i n f a i l u r e due t o t n e n igne r c o s t of producing o i l from t a r sands compared w i t h o t n e r o i l sou rces e x i s t e n t a t t h a t t i m e . Recent cnanges i n o i l p r i c e s t r u c t u r e p l u s s u c c e s s f u l development of Canadian t a r sand d e p o s i t s g i v e nope t h a t a t a r sand i n d u s t r y may be p o s s i b l e i n e a s t e r n Utah.

P a s t s p o r a t i c e f f o r t s by i n d u s t r y t o develop o i l

t Associa te P ro fes so r of Chemical Engineering a t Brignam Youn U n i v e r s i t ** Resegrch A s s l s t & l t

The Bureau of Mines i s conduct ing r e s e a r c h on t h e s u r f a c e mining of t a r sands wi th t h e fo l lowing o b j e c t i v e s : (1) To i d e n t i f y and c h a r a c t e r i z e t h e t a r sand d e p o s i t s of t h e Intermountain West; ( 2 ) To provide an e v a l u a t i o n of s u r f a c e mining and p rocess ing of t h e l a r g e r d e p o s i t s ; and ( 3 ) T o provide informat ion on research t h a t may be conducted t o speed up the development of t h e t a r sand r e source .

T h i s p a r t i c u l a r s tudy has been l i m i t e d t o the s i x t a r sand d e p o s i t s t h a t are known t o c o n t a i n more than one b i l l i o n b a r r e l s of o i l i n p l a c e . Recoverable r e s e r v e s of t h i s magnitude would supply a 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 b a r r e l per day p l a n t f o r a pe r iod of a t least twenty y e a r s . 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 b a r r e l pe r day p l a n t would be t n e minimum economical p l a n t c a p a c i t y f o r o i l e x t r a c t i o n , upgrading, and r e f i n i n g o p e r a t i o n s .

I t has been assumed t h a t a

T h e Utah Geological and Mineral Survey ( U G M S ) , a d i v i s i o n of U tah ' s Department of Na tu ra l Resources, has i d e n t i f i e d more tnan f i f t y t a r sand d e p o s i t s i n Utah con ta in ing a t o t a l of more than twenty-eight b i l l i o n barrels of o i l i n p l a c e . o i l r e s e r v e r e p r e s e n t s more than n i n e t y ' p e r c e n t of t n e known t a r sand o i l i n t n e United S ta t e s and i s a larger o i l r e source t n a n t h e Alaskan North Slope. While t h i s r e p r e s e n t s on ly a s m a l l f r a c t i o n of t he o i l conta ined i n t h e 700 b i l l i o n barrel Athabasca r e s e r v e s of t a r sand o i l i n A l b e r t a , Canada, the recovery of a s i g n i f i c a n t p o r t i o n of t n i s o i l r e s e r v e would c o n t r i b u t e g r e a t l y toward t h e f u t u r e o i l needs of t h e Intermountain Region.

T h i s

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Eyring Research I n s t i t u t e wishes t o e x p r e s s a p p r e c i a t i o n t o those who c o n t r i b u t e d informat ion t o t h i s s tudy of the t a r sands of t h e Intermountain West. Only a few of those who c o n t r i b u t e d d a t a are mentioned i n t h e r e f e r e n c e s .

LOCATION OF LARGEST DEPOSITS

UGMS i n d i c a t e s t h a t on ly s i x of t h e known t a r sand d e p o s i t s i n Utah are i n d i v i d u a l l y l a r g e r t han one b i l l i o n b a r r e l s of e s t ima ted o i l i n p l a c e . A l l s i x of t h e s e l a r g e d e p o s i t s are i n e a s t e r n Utah. Four ? f ) t h e s e are shown i n F igu re 1 which i s a map of n o r t h e a s t e r n Utah. The f o u r major d e p o s i t s shown i n t h i s f i g u r e are as fo l lows: (1) Asphal t Ridge, southwest of Vernal i n Uintah County, con ta in ing about 1.1 b i l l i o n b a r r e l s of o i l i n p l a c e ; ( 2 ) Sunny- s i d e , n o r t h e a s t of Sunnyside i n Carbon County, con ta in ing 3.5 t o 4 . 0 b i l l i o n b a r r e l s of o i l ; ( 3 ) H i l l Creek i n Uintah County, con ta in ing 1 . 2 b i l l i o n b a r r e l s of o i l ; and ( 4 ) P.R. Spr ings i n Uintah and Grand Coun t i e s , con ta in ing 4 . 0 t o 4 . 5 b i l l i o n b a r r e l s of o i l i n p l a c e . The b lack areas on t h e map show where t n e t a r

2

F i g u r e 1, NORTHEASTERN UTAH TAR SAND DEPOSITS

REPRINT JULY, 1974

Based on published, unpublished and contributed data and on original field investigations of U.G.& M.S. personnel

Principal investigators, 1965-72: R.L. Blakey, J.L. Bowman, W.D. Byrd I l l , J.W. Gwynn, D.C. Mann, P.R. Peterson, A.R. Pratt, S. Quigley, H.R. Ritzma

C . - - - E - . 50 Miles 10 20 30 40 10 0 ,

Y 0 M I N G

sands ou tc rop o r are exposed t o t h e atmosphere. a r e a s p e n e t r a t i n g t h e P . R . Spr ing and H i l l Creek d e p o s i t s mark canyons t h a t have been eroded completely through t h e t a r sand o r e bodies. These f o u r major d e p o s i t s w e r e formed dur ing t h e T e r t i a r y Age more than f o r t y m i l l i o n y e a r s ago. r i c h l y o rgan ic Lake Uinta covered the depress ion Uin ta Basin f o r about twenty m i l l i o n y e a r s . i n t h e product ion of t a r sand , crude o i l , o i l sha le , g i l s o n i t e , and o t h e r f o s s i l energy m a t e r i a l s .

F igu re 2 i s a map'') of the sou theas t e rn corner of Utah showing t h e other t w o of t h e s i x l a r g e t a r sand d e p o s i t s . As i n d i c a t e d on t h e map, t h e y are as fo l lows: ( 5 ) T a r Sand T r i a n g l e i n G a r f i e l d and Wayne Count ies , which c o n t a i n s 12.5 t o 1 6 b i l l i o n barrels of o i l ; and ( 6 ) Circle C l i f f s i n Gar f i e ld County, con ta in ing 1 .3 b i l l i o n b a r r e l s of o i l .

T h e t a r sand i n these t w o d e p o s i t s occurs i n o l d e r rocks t h a t are more than 2 0 0 m i l l i o n y e a r s o l d . Most of t n e o i l i n t h e T a r Sand T r i a n g l e occurs i n t h e Permian White R i m Sandstone. The C i r c l e Cliffs deposits occur most ly i n Triassic sands tones .

The w h i t e

The l a r g e , now known as the

Lake Uinta r e s u l t e d

e Area 011 Reserve Deposit Sq. Mi. Pay zones Feet Billion B a r r e l s

10 t o 135 1.05 5 to 35 1.16

Asphalt Ridge 20 to 25 2 t o 5 H i l l Creek 115 to 125 1 to 3 P.R. Spring 240 t o 270 2 to 6 1 0 t o 80 4.0 to 4.5 Sunny side 35 t o 90 3 to 12 15 to 550 3.5 t o 4.0 C i r c l e Cliffs Tar Sand Triangle 200 t o 230 1 t o 2

28 1 t o 3 5 t o 310 1.31 5 to 300 16

SURFACE M I M I N G

All of t h e s i x major Utan t a r sand d e p o s i t s l i e i n rough, mountainous t e r r a i n . one can expec t a wide v a r i a t i o n i n overburden t h i c k n e s s . pay zones seldom occur s i n c e dur ing the i r formation t h e o i l probably migrated i n t o t h e porous sandstone i n which it i s found. T h i s e r r a t i c behavior of t a r sand d e p o s i t s f u r t h e r compl ica tes t h e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n of areas r i c h enough i n o i l s a t u r a t i o n and wi th t h e minimuin of overburden necessary f o r economical mining.

Table I c o n t a i n s d a t a ob ta ined from UGMS Map 3 3 ' l ) on t h e a r e a i n square m i l e s , number of pay zones, pay t h i c k n e s s i n f e e t , and t h e o i l r e s e r v e of t h e s i x major Utah d e p o s i t s . t h i c k n e s s a t each d e p o s i t var ies from zero a t t h e outcrop t o more than 500 f ee t .

A s a consequence of t h e rough t e r r a i n , Uniform

T h e overburden

Table I

SURFACE M I N I N G VARIABLES

4

Figure 2. SOUTHEASTERPi UTAH TAR SAND DEPOSITS

5 3 i PUBLISHED AND SOLD BY THE

DONALD T. McMILLAN, DIRECTOR

UNIVERSITY OF UTAH SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, 84112

UTAH GEOLOGICAL AND MINERAL SU

103 UTAH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BUlLDl

, --_-

G T h e o i l r e s e r v e va lues i n T a b l e I r e f e r t o g r o s s o i l i n p l a c e and inc lude t h e t o t a l of measured, i n d i c a t e d , and i n f e r r e d / c o n j e c t u a l c a t e g o r i e s of r e s e r v e s . Reserves i n each of these c a t e g o r i e s w e r e c a l c u l a t e d based on t h e r e l i a b i l i t y of t h e data a v a i l a b l e on each t a r sand d e p o s i t . O i l r e s e r v e d a t a c a l c u l a t i o n s made by UGMS w e r e based on c o r e - d r i l l i n g d a t a , f i e l d mapping, f i e l d i n s p e c t i o n , and publ i shed d e s c r i p t i o n s . "In most areas t h e d e p o s i t w a s assumed t o p e r s i s t f o r a t l eas t 1 , 3 2 0 f e e t back of t h e ou tc rop o r f o r one m i l e where f i e l d mapping o r co re d a t a i n d i c a t e d c o n d i t i o n s of b l a n k e t s a t u r a t i o n . II (1)

Probably t h e most impor tan t v a r i a b l e i n s u r f a c e mining i s the overburden t o pay r a t i o . Mining must s t o p when t h e maximum economical overburden t o pay r a t i o i s reached s i n c e beyond t h a t l i m i t f i n a n c i a l l o s s e s r e s u l t i n s t e a d of p r o f i t s . Overburden t o pay r a t i o s i n t h e s u r f a c e mining of t a r sand w i l l be much lower than i n t h e s u r f a c e mining of c o a l s i n c e t h e va lue of a t o n of t a r sand i s much lower than t h e va lue of a t o n of c o a l . Tne fundamental reason f o r t h i s d i f f e r e n c e i n va lue i s t h a t t a r sand c o n t a i n s only about t e n p e r c e n t o i l whereas c o a l u s u a l l y c o n t a i n s more than n i n e t y percent hydrocarbon. Maximum overburden t o pay r a t i o s f o r the s u r f a c e mining of t a r sand i n Utah are expected' t o be less than u n i t y u n t i l t h e va lue of o i l i n c r e a s e s d r a s t i c a l l y .

Maximum economical overburden t o pay r a t i o w i l l va ry wi th t h e o i l c o n t e n t of t h e t a r sand o r e . The t r u e economic y a r d s t i c k i n t a r sand s u r f a c e mining i s t h e b a r r e l s of bitumen e x t r a c t e d p e r cub ic yard of material (overburden p l u s o r e ) moved. I n Athabasca, A l b e r t a , Canada mines are planned where o i l c o n t e n t i s twelve weight p e r c e n t or more and t h e average overburden t o pay r a t i o i s 0 . 5 o r less. I f t h e o i l c o n t e n t of t n e pay zone drops below e i g h t pe rcen t a t t h e GCOS mine t h e o r e i s r e j e c t e d ( n o t mined) . Decreasing t h e o r e c u t o f f g rade below e i g h t p e r c e n t i n c r e a s e s mining c o s t s and decreases t h e o i l producing c a p a c i t y of an e x i s t i n g e x t r a c t i o n p l a n t .

Before a s u r f a c e mine can be planned the o r e body must be de f ined . T h i s r e source e v a l u a t i o n work i s u s u a l l y done i n l o g i c a l s t e p s . When ou tc rop d a t a i n d i c a t e t h a t a l a r g e and f a v o r a b l e o r e body may e x i s t a more thorough g e o l o g i c a l s tudy needs t o be made. S t r a t i g r a p h i c s e c t i o n i n g of t h e ou tc rops w i l l h e l p t o d e f i n e t h e o r e body i n a p re l imina ry way. I f such a s tudy i n d i c a t e s t h e e x i s t e n c e of a good ore body c o r e d r i l l i n g should beg in . During t h e f i r s t co re d r i l l i n g program two t o f o u r c o r e s should be d r i l l e d p e r square m i l e ( p e r s e c t i o n ) . Th i s c o r e spac ing is adequate t o dec ide whether t o reject t h e mine s i t e o r t o i n v e s t i g a t e f u r t h e r . Seve ra l co re h o l e s p e r s e c t i o n can g i v e s i g n i f i c a n t in format ion r e l a t i v e t o overburden t n i c k n e s s , pay t h i c k n e s s , degree of c o n s o l i d a t i o n of overburden and pay , pe rcen t of o i l s a t u r a t i o n , t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of t h e o i l , and

6

G

t h e presence of excess ive s i l t and c l a y which might s e r i o u s l y i n t e r f e r e wi th p rocess ing . f a v o r a b l e t h e c o r e spac ing should be decreased t o from t e n t o twenty c o r e h o l e s p e r s e c t i o n . needed t o e s t a b l i s h t h e o r e body c o n t i n u i t y , t h e e x t e n t of v a r i a - t i o n s , and t o a c c u r a t e l y determine t h e maximum e x t r a c t i o n p l a n t c a p a c i t y . If l a r g e areas, o r bands, of low grade o r e o r ba r ren mater ia l must be r e j e c t e d p l a n t c a p a c i t y , mining c a p a c i t y , and mining p lan w i l l be a f f e c t e d . S e l e c t i v e mining i s more expensive than t h e mining of a uniform and cont inuous pay zone. F i n a l l y , a co r ing program u t i l i z i n g f o r t y t o s i x t y c o r e s p e r s e c t i o n w i t h sample a n a l y s i s of every f i v e o r t e n f e e t of co re may be r e q u i r e d f o r o p e r a t i o n a l c o n t r o l of an o p e r a t i n g mine.

I f p re l imina ry c o r e d r i l l i n g i s

Th i s t i g n t e r c o r e spac ing i s

Much a d d i t i o n a l r e source e v a l u a t i o n work needs t o be done on t h e s i x l a r g e s t t a r sand d e p o s i t s i n Utah. The l o c a t i o n of ou tc rops i s probably q u i t e complete. Some mapping, s t r a t i - g raph ic s e c t i o n i n g , and c o r e d r i l l i n g has been done b u t more is needed. Resource e v a l u a t i o n work h a s been g r e a t e s t a t t h e P . R . Spr ing and Asphal t Ridge d e p o s i t s . Cons iderabls e v a l u a t i o n work remains t o be done a t t he o t h e r f o u r l a r g e d e p o s i t s .

There are pronounced d i f f e r e n c e s i n the p h y s i c a l p r o p e r t i e s and appearance of t h e d i f f e r e n t t a r sand d e p o s i t s and even of d i f f e r e n t areas wi th in a s i n g l e d e p o s i t . For example, t h e Asphal t Ridge d e p o s i t i s h igh ly o i l s a t u r a t e d . T h e sands tone i s n o t f i r m l y c o n s o l i d a t e d , having t h e appearance t h a t t h e bitumen ho lds t h e sand g r a i n s t o g e t h e r . a s p h a l t s u r f a c i n g of a road on a h o t day i n i t s cons i s t ency . Th i s material i s p r e s e n t l y be ing s u r f a c e mined us ing r i p p e r b l a d e s on a c a t e r p i l l a r t r a c t o r . D r i l l i n g and b l a s t i n g a r e unnecessary. By c o n t r a s t , t h e bitumen of t h e T a r Sand T r i a n g l e occurs i n f ine -g ra ined , h i g h l y conso l ida t ed sands tone . and b l a s t i n g both t h e overburden and the o r e body5yf l l be required a t this depos i t . C e c i l Q . Cupps, e t a1 p r e s e n t a summary of some average p r o p e r t i e s of t h e s i x l a r g e s t Utah d e p o s i t s i n Table 11. These data i n d i c a t e t h a t t h e l a r g e U t a h d e p o s i t s a re less than f i f t y p e r c e n t s a t u r a t e d wi th o i l , have low water c o n t e n t , and have compressive s t r e n g t h s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of conso l ida t ed rocks . I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e d a t a i n Table I1 t h e s e writers i n d i c a t e t h a t t h e Asphal t Ridge d e p o s i t samples had an average compressive s t r e n g t h of 1 , 6 3 2 p s i a f t e r o i l e x t r a c t i o n . i s a good i n d i c a t i o n of whether o r n o t the m a t e r i a l should be d r i l l e d and b l a s t e d p r i o r t o excavat ion .

I t resembles t h e

D r i l l i n g

The degree of c o n s o l i d a t i o n of overburden and pay

I n g e n e r a l , i t i s expected t h a t d r i l l i n g and b l a s t i n g w i l l be needed a t each of t h e d e p o s i t s w i t h t h e p o s s i b l e excep t ion of t h e Asphal t Ridge d e p o s i t .

7

Table I1

TAR SAND CHARACTERISTICS

Water sat., % P.V.

2.7

-- 2.1

20.2

3 .O

--- --- -e-

Deposit

Asphalt Ridge

Cqressive s t r e n g t h ,

psi.

2,491

--- 6,555

1,598

4,784

7 , 805

3,242 ---

C i r c l e Cliffs

H i l l C r e e k

N.W. Asphalt Ridge

P.R. Spring

Sunny side

T a r Sand Triangle

Samples No. Typd./

120 c

6 C

203 C

1,087 C

1,038 C

129 C

29 S 1 4 C

lorosity , % P.V.

19.6

12.3

20.2

22.8

25.0

21.3

20 .o 19.7

Pema- b i l i t y ,

In3

49 7

228

325

603

1,510

729

20 7 788

3itumen sat. ,

k P.V.

51.4

17.7

29.7

45.2

42.5

44.8

6 .* 70.7

- l/ s = Surface; C = Core - 2/ T o t a l liquid saturation, precent by e i g h t

The magnitude of t h e s u r f a c e mining o p e r a t i o n r e q u i r e d t o supply t a r sand f e e d t o a 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ba r r e l pe r day o i l e x t r a c t i o n p l a n t a lmost boggles t h e mind. c o n t e n t of twenty g a l l o n s of o i l p e r cub ic yard of t a r sand and complete o i l recovery , 210,000 cub ic ya rds of pay would have t o be mined pe r day. If t h e t a r sand weighs 3 ,500 pounds pe r cubic yard then 368,000 t o n s pe r day must be mined. mining o p e r a t i o n i s about e i g h t y - f i v e p e r c e n t of t h e s i z e of t h e mining o p e r a t i o n of t h e Kennecott Copper Corpora t ion a t t h e i r Bingham Canyon mine i n Utah. The Kennecott o p e r a t i o n i s t h e l a r g e s t s u r f a c e mining o p e r a t i o n i n t h e world.

I f one assumes an average o i l

Such a

I f s i g n i f i c a n t q u a n t i t i e s of overburden must be removed o r i f o i l recovery e f f i c i e n c y i s less than e i g h t y - f i v e p e r c e n t , t h e t a r sand mining o p e r a t i o n would be l a r g e r than t h e Kennecott open p i t mining o p e r a t i o n .

T o ass is t t h e r e a d e r i n t h e concept ion of a 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 b a r r e l of o i l p e r day t a r sand mining o p e r a t i o n , t h e fo l lowing d a t a ( 2 ) r e l a t i v e t o Kennecott Copper C o r p o r a t i o n ' s Bingham Canyon mine a re p resen ted .

8

Through December 1 9 7 4 , Kennecott h a s m i l l e d 1,313,988,300 t o n s of o r e , removed 2 , 2 8 1 , 1 2 4 , 0 8 9 t o n s of waste, and produced 10,711,436 t o n s of copper . The mine i s t h e l a r g e s t s i n g l e mining o p e r a t i o n eve r undertaken and t h e l a r g e s t man-made excavat ion i n t h e world. The excavat ion covers 1 8 0 0 a c r e s , i s 2.25 m i l e s wide a t t h e t o p , and n e a r l y one-half m i l e deep. The mine h a s f i f t y - f i v e benches which vary i n h e i g h t from f o r t y t o f i f t y f e e t , and i n width from t h i r t y - f i v e t o 125 f e e t . Twenty-one of t h e benches are used f o r hau l ing o r e by r a i l over 1 0 0 m i l e s of track i n t h e mine. Th i r ty - fou r of the benches are used f o r hau l ing waste by t r u c k t o a huge canyon d i s p o s a l area.

Curren t KCC o p e r a t i o n s inc lude t h e d a i l y g o a l of mining 1 0 8 , 0 0 0 t o n s of o r e and 324,500 t o n s of waste f o r a s t r i p p i n g r a t i o of 2 . 9 8 . To accomplish t h i s monumental t a s k , c i g h t e e n r o t a r y d r i l l s are i n s e r v i c e , t h i r t y - s e v e n e lec t r ic shovels naving a t o t a l c a p a c i t y of 336 cub ic ya rds are i n s e r v i c e , s ixty- two bcamotives having a t o t a l c a p a c i t y of 5 , 6 0 0 t o n s are i n s e r v i c e , and ninety-seven t r u c k s having a t o t a l c a p a c i t y of 9 , 7 0 0 t o n s are i n s e r v i c e . About 4.3 t o n s of ore and waste are moved p e r pound of exp los ive and 9 7 , 0 0 0 pounds of exp los ives a r e used p e r day.

Of t h e v a r i o u s p o s s i b l e s u r f a c e mining methods; namely, area mining, contour mining, open-pi t mining, mountain-top removal, and auger mining, t h e method which w i l l be used t h e most e x t e n s i v e l y f o r Utah t a r sand mining w i l l be mountain-top removal. The s i x l a r g e Utah d e p o s i t s a l l l i e i n mountainous topography. Typ ica l ly t h e pay zones a r e exposed i n ou tc rops on both s i d e s of a mountain. Where overburden t o pay r a t i o i s n o t t o o g r e a t , f o r example, a t t h e Sunnyside d e p o s i t , mining can b e s t be accomplished by removing t h e mountain-top and f i l l i n g nearby canyons wi th overburden and c l e a n p rocess sand. Reclaimed areas w i l l be more n e a r l y l e v e l t han t h e o r i g i n a l topography and r e v e g e t a t i o n w i l l be easier than i f the pre-mined contours w e r e s t r i c t l y preserved . Open-pit mining m a y be p o s s i b l e i n areas wnere a t h i c k pay zone happens t o occur near t h e t o p of a canyon. if any, a r e a s are l i k e l y t o be found t h a t are l e v e l enough f o r area mining. A f t e r t h e b e s t mountain-top removal and open-pi t areas are mined it may become economical t o employ contour mining where overburden t h i c k n e s s becomes p r o h i b i t i v e . Auger mining can be u t i l i z e d along wi th contour mining. The wr i t e r s estimate t h a t less than twenty pe rcen t of t h e known oil reserves of t h e s i x l a r g e d e p o s i t s can be s u r f a c e mined. T h i s percentage w i l l be h i g h e s t f o r t h e Sunnyside and C i r c l e C l i f f s d e p o s i t s and lowes t f o r the Asphal t Ridge and Tar Sand T r i a n g l e d e p o s i t s .

Sur face mining equipment t h a t may be cons idered i n t h e mining of t a r sand i n c l u d e s d r a g l i n e s , power s h o v e l s , f ron t -end l o a d e r s , d o z e r s , bucket wheel e x c a v a t o r s , s c r a p e r s , t r u c k s , r a i l r o a d cars ,

Few,

9

and conveyor b e l t s . F a c t o r s which a f f e c t t h e choice of equipment f o r a p a r t i c u l a r mining p lan inc lude t h e t h i c k n e s s of t h e overburden and pay, t h e degree of c o n s o l i d a t i o n or c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of t h e overburden and pay, t h e t r a n s p o r t d i s t a n c e , t h e machine suppor t c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of the overburden and pay, and t h e m o b i l i t y , f l e x i b i l i t y , p roduct ion c a p a b i l i t y and seg rega t ion c a p a b i l i t y of t h e equipment. I n g e n e r a l , l a r g e equipment i s more economical t o o p e r a t e ; however, equipment s i z e l i m i t a t i o n s may be encountered when mining t a r sand s i n c e t h e l a r g e d e p o s i t s are a l l i n mountainous t e r r a i n .

Dragl ines w i l l be favored over o t h e r equipment f o r overburden removal s i n c e t h e y minimize o r e l i m i n a t e overburden t r a n s p o r t a t i o n c o s t , have a long reach wi th boom l e n g t h s up t o 3 6 0 f e e t , can o p e r a t e wi th a h igh h ighwal l hence may r e q u i r e less advance s t r i p p i n g , and have g r e a t e r f l e x i b i l i t y and maneuverabi l i ty t h a n shovels o r bucketwheel excava to r s . Dragl ines do n o t i n t e r f e r e w i t h o p e r a t i o n s i n t h e p i t s i n c e they o p e r a t e from a working bench above t h e pay zone. Drag l ines have t h e d isadvantages of l ack of v i s i b i l i t y of t h e h ighwa l l , a high in s t an taneous power demand whi le filling t h e bucket , c r i t i c a l bank s t a b i l i t y , and may produce l a r g e lumps which a r e d i f f i c u l t t o reclaim.

Bucketwheel excava to r s are n o t l i k e l y t o be used i n mining Utah t a r sand d e p o s i t s s i n c e they r e q u i r e a working f l o o r having a g rade of f i v e p e r c e n t o r less. 'Most of t h e Utah t a r sand pay zones d i p more t h a n f i v e p e r c e n t and do n o t l end themselves t o bucketwheel excavator area mining. Other d i sadvantages of t n e bucketwheel excavator i nc lude t h e need f o r and t h e c o s t of a t r a n s p o r t a t i o n system f o r overburden and re ject m a t e r i a l , a bench h e i g h t l i m i t a t i o n ofabout one hundred f e e t , and t h e d i f f i c u l t y i n mining mater ia l c o n t a i n i n g bou lde r s . Bucketwheel mining has t h e advantages of mine face v i s a b i l i t y , good mining s e l e c t i v i t y , proven technology i n Athabasca, and t h e e l i m i n a t i o n of double handl ing of mater ia l .

Shovels may n o t b e adequate i f t h e r e i s a load bea r ing problem s i n c e t h e y o p e r a t e from t h e s u r f a c e of t h e pay t o move overburden. Shovels do n o t r e q u i r e t he working bench of t h e d r a g l i n e b u t t hey r e q u i r e a much s h o r t e r h ighwal l than t h e d r a g l i n e . Shovels are used i n s t e a d of d r a g l i n e s i f t h e overburden must be t r a n s p o r t e d away from t h e mine.

I f overburden t h i c k n e s s i s less t h a n t h i r t y f e e t f ront-end l o a d e r s , d o z e r s , and s c r a p e r s may be cons idered . Conventional s c r a p e r s are n o t adequate f o r mining t a r sand ore b u t some r u b b e r - t i r e d f ront -end l o a d e r s are adequate .

The fo l lowing f a c t o r s must be cons idered i n t h e s e l e c t i o n of mining t r a n s p o r t a t i o n equipment : (1) magnitude of t h e o p e r a t i o n ,

10

( 2 ) hau l d i s t a n c e , ( 3 ) d e s t i n a t i o n of t he m a t e r i a l , ( 4 ) s o i l s t a b i l i t y , ( 5 ) climate, ( 6 ) topography and grades , and ( 7 ) t h e a v a i l a b i l i t y of c o n s t r u c t i o n mater ia l f o r roads . TransDortat ion equipment t o be cons idered inc ludes t r u c k s , r a i l r o a d cars , and conveyors. Trucks may be favored f o r sho r t hau l s o r f o r i n t e r m i t t e n t ope ra t ions . They are very f l e x i b l e and can be u t i l i z e d i n i r r e g u l a r excavat ions o r where s e l e c t i v e mining i s r equ i r ed . Trucks as l a r g e a s 2 0 0 t on c a p a c i t y a r e a v a i l a b l e wi th d r i v e motors i n each rear wheel . Haul roads f o r t r u c k s may be cons t ruc t ed of l e a n r e j e c t t a r sand. Blacktop highways con ta in about s i x pe rcen t a s p h a l t . T a r sand con ta in ing less than s i x p e r c e n t bitumen w i l l probably be too l e a n f o r economical p rocess ing , b u t w i l l be e x c e l l e n t f o r road b u i l d i n g . Truck and shovel s i z e s should be matched so t h a t from t h r e e t o f i v e d ippe r loads w i l l f i l l t h e t r u c k .

Rai l road cars are seldom used except f o r very long h a u l s . They r e q u i r e a good road bed, and good t rack maintenance. Bearing p r e s s u r e s and t h e f r e e z i n g o r s t i c k i n g of t a r sand i n t h e cars may be a s e r i o u s problem.

Conveyors have t h e advantages of cont inuous o p e r a t i o n and t h e a b i l i t y t o handle l a r g e volumes. A high speed conveyor can handle up t o 2 0 , 0 0 0 t ons of m a t e r i a l s p e r hour. Conveyors l ack f l e x i b i l i t y . I f t h e conveyor must be s topped, t hen mining s t o p s

‘ a l s o . Conveyors must be matched t o t h e d igging equipment. They o p e r a t e very w e l l wi th bucketwheel excavators and can be used wi th o t h e r mining equipment by us ing conveyor loading dev ices . Caremust be taken t o avoid p u t t i n g l a r g e lumps of mater ia l on conveyors or maintenance may become excess ive .

CHEMICAL PROCESSING

A f t e r t a r sand has been s u r f a c e mined, there are a number of a l t e r n a t i v e methods of s e p a r a t i n g t h e bitumen from t h e mine ra l matter. These methods may be c l a s s i f i e d as the rma l , co ld w a t e r , h o t wa te r , s o l v e n t , and a combination of s o l v e n t and water. Thermal methods r e q u i r e temperatures high enough t o cause t h e hydrocarbon components of t h e bitumen t o flow r e a d i l y , vapor i ze some of them, or t o coke t h e bitumen by thermal o r c a t a l y t i c c racking . Coking processes may be s imi l a r i n man r e s p e c t s t o t h e r e t o r t i n g of o i l s h a l e . D r . Alex G . Oblad, (37 who heads a r e s e a r c h team a t t h e Univers i ty of Utah, i s working on t h e thermal e x t r a c t i o n of t a r sand us ing a f l u i d i z e d bed. P a r t i c u l a r emphasis i s being p laced on t h e development of techniques t o recover h e a t from t h e h o t spen t sand a f t e r r e s i d u a l coke has been burned from it. They a l s o a r e s tudy ing h o t water and s o l v e n t e x t r a c t i o n methods i n s t i r r e d r e a c t o r s .

11

Fai rbr im Company, a c o n t r a c t i o n of Fa i rbanks and Br imha l l , has c a combination c o l d water and s o l v e n t e x t r a c t o r . The i r p i l o t p l a n t e x t r a c t o r u s e s a h o r i z o n t a l r e c t a n g u l a r tank e i g h t f ee t w i d e , f o r t y fee t long , and f o u r fee t deep. T h e t a r sand o r e i s crushed , s a t u r a t e d wi th a s o l v e n t , and f e d i n t o t h e h o r i z o n t a l tank con ta in ing co ld chemical ly t rea ted w a t e r . M r . John B . Fa i rbanks , J r . , P r e s i d e n t of F a i r b r i m , s ta ted dur ing t h e Sohio Petroleum Corpora t ion mining a p p l i c a t i o n hea r ing i n Vernal , Utah on 28 August 1 9 7 4 , t h a t i f the w a t e r were s p i l l e d , t h e chemical conta ined i n it would n e i t h e r enhance nor harm p l a n t growth. Gent le a g i t a t i o n i s provided by t h e a c t i o n of a rake mechanism t h a t drags t h e sand along t h e bottom of t h e t a n k . The o i l - s o l v e n t mixture s e p a r a t e s f r o m t h e t a r sand , rises t o t h e s u r f a c e of t h e water , and i s skimmed f r o m t h e t o p of the e x t r a c t o r . T h e c leaned sand i s dragged up a ramp and emerges from t h e water b a t h . The bitumen product ion c a p a c i t y of t h i s e x t r a c t o r i s claimed t o be 2 0 0 bar re l s per day a t a cost of approximately t h r e e d o l l a r s p e r b a r r e l a t 1 0 0 0 B/D c a p a c i t y . T h i s Fa i rbr im e x t r a c t o r h a s been i n use a t a t a r sand d e p o s i t i n Kyrock, Kentucky nea r Mammoth Cave, but is presently shut down while a feasibility s tudy i s be ing made r e l a t i v e t o l a r g e r scale product ion .

Arizona Fue l s Corpora t ion has developed a combination s o l v e n t and h o t water e x t r a c t i o n u n i t . M r . Eu ene Dal ton , P r e s i d e n t of Arizona Fue l s .Corpora t ion , d e s c r i b e s (47 t h e i r p rocess as fo l lows : The mined t a r sand i s dumped i n t o a cond i t ion ing t ank c o n t a i n i n g a hea ted hydrocarbon s o l v e n t . The sand/so lvent mixture i s then s l u r r i e d t o t h e t o p of a columnar v e s s e l which i s s i x f e e t i n d iameter and f i f t y f e e t h igh c o n t a i n i n g hea ted s o l v e n t . A s t h e sand g r a i n s f a l l through t h e s o l v e n t e i g h t y t o n i n e t y p e r c e n t of t h e bitumen i s e x t r a c t e d . The sand g r a i n s then pass through a w a r m c a u s t i c water s o l u t i o n which removes the remaining bitumen. T h e s o l v e n t bitumen mixture i s withdrawn from t h e column i n a cont inuous p rocess . M o s t of t h e mixture i s t r a n s p o r t e d by t r u c k t o a r e f i n e r y and t h e remainder i s r e t u r n e d t o t h e s o l v e n t h e a t e r w i th make-up s o l v e n t . A f t e r t h e sand f a l l s through t h e e n t i r e column it i s removed a t t h e bottom and t h e c l e a n sand i s s l u r r i e d w i t h cold water t o t h e rec lamat ion a r e a . A 600-horsepower steam b o i l e r i s used f o r a l l h e a t i n g requi rements . The c a p a c i t y of t h e e x t r a c t i o n u n i t i s expected t o be 1 , 0 0 0 b a r r e l s p e r day under cont inuous o p e r a t i o n .

By 1 9 6 1 , C i t i e s Service Athabasca I n c . had developed a l a b o r a t o r y scale anhydrous s o l v e n t e x t r a c t i o n p rocess f o r e x t r a c t i n g bitumen from Athasbas t h e f lowshee t of which i s i l l u s t r a t e d

mixing of r e c y c l e s o l v e n t and t a r sand f o r about f i v e minutes . I t i s claimed ( 5 ) t h a t i f t h i s i s done p r o p e r l y , t h e bitumen between t h e sand g r a i n s and t h e bitumen c o a t i n g t h e water-clay

i n F igure 3 . (57 tar A key sand, element of t h e p rocess i s t h e g e n t l e

c 12

-l

-l I

ii 3 s

In

I

*I- n

3.

0

c

L

m

ar L 3 0 'i

u,

1 J

13

envelope around t h e sand g r a i n s w i l l be removed wi thou t breaking t h e water-clay envelope. T h e sand i s then s u b ' e c t e d t o a t h r e e - s t a g e c o u n t e r c u r r e n t s o l v e n t wash which Camp (6? d e s c r i b e s a s a d r a i n i n g o p e r a t i o n . Drain r a t e s of 1 0 gal/min/sq. f t . w e r e ob ta ined wi th a d i f f e r e n t i a l p r e s s u r e of f i f t e e n inches of mercury. I f water w a s added t o t h e d r a i n i n g beds , they qu ick ly became plugged due t o t h e movement of s i l t and c l a y from t h e water-clay envelopes around t h e sand g r a i n s . Seve ra l methods w e r e t r i e d t o r ecove r s o l v e n t from t h e spen t sand. Solvent was recovered from t h e bitumen by d i s t i l l a t i o n . Camp ( 6 ) p r e s e n t s a material ba lance f o r t h e p rocess which snows n i n e t y - t h r e e pe rcen t bitumen recovery and one pe rcen t s o l v e n t loss.

Guardian Chemical Corporat ion ( N e w York, has a 400-pound pe r hour p i l o t p l a n t t h a t u s e s water and a modified form of Polycomplex. Guardian claims t h a t t h e i r p rocess r e c y c l e s chemicals and water used and has low energy consumption and c a p i t a l equipment c o s t . A d i l u t e s o l u t i o n of Polycomplex A - 1 1 a t 95OF i s mixed wi th t a r sand i n r o t a r y e x t r a c t i o n drums where t h r e e s e p a r a t e p roduc t s form. The oil product on t o p i s skimmed o f f . The water conta in ing most of t h e complex i s r e c y c l e d , and t h e c l e a n w e t sand bot toms, a f t e r an a d d i t i o n a l wash, are d i s c a r d e d . Guardian c la ims n i n e t y - f i v e pe rcen t o i l recovery and p r e d i c t s a commercial p rocess c o s t of $ 5 . 0 0 pe r b a r r e l . Guardian h a s p l a n s t o b u i l d a p i l o t p l a n t i n Edmonton, A l b e r t a , Canada.

Minerals Research Corpora t ion of Ogden, Utah ( 8 ) h a s b u i l t and ope ra t ed a small s o l v e n t e x t r a c t o r which u t i l i z e s a cont inuous moving porous sc reen o r conveyor b e l t f o r moving t h e t a r sand. Solvent sp rays above t h e b e l t wash t h e bitumen from t h e sand i n a coun te r - cu r ren t manner. n ine pe rcen t bitumen recovery . M R C ' s U . S . P a t e n t 3,856,474 i s s u e d 2 4 December 1 9 7 4 , sugges t s t h e use of one of s e v e r a l c h l o r i n a t e d hydrocarbon s o l v e n t s because they have l o w b o i l i n g p o i n t s , low h e a t s of v a p o r i z a t i o n , low s p e c i f i c h e a t s , and are n o t flammable. D i s t i l l a t i o n i s used t o r ec l a im t h e s o l v e n t from t h e o i l f o r r e u s e .

Bison Petroleum and Minerals L t d . , J a v e l i n Ltd. of Montreal , has a s o l v e n t e x t r a c t i o n p rocess s i m i l a r t o t h a t of Minera ls Research Corp. The i r e x t r a c t o r u ses a moving sc reen t o t r a n s p o r t t h e t a r sand under coun te r - c u r r e n t s o l v e n t sp rays and an i n f r a r e d h e a t sou rce . I t i s claimed t h a t t h e h e a t from t h e propane o r n a t u r a l gas bu rne r s above t h e conveying s c r e e n s s o f t e n s t h e t a r sand and improves t h e e f f i c i e n c y of s o l v e n t e x t r a c t i o n . t han n i n e t y p e r c e n t . The e x t r a c t e d sand i s washed wi th f r e s h s o l v e n t and c e n t r i f u g e d t o recover a s much s o l v e n t a s p r a c t i c a l . Bison p l a n s t o b u i l d a two-ton p e r hour p i l o t p l a n t i n Canada i n t h e nea r f u t u r e .

of Hauppauge , Long I s l a n d ,

E x t r a c t o r tes ts i n d i c a t e a n i n e t y -

a s u b s i d i a r y of Canadian

Bitumen recovery i s more

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Stanfo rd Research I n s t i t u t e (12) h a s one o r more c l i e n t s i n t e r e s t e d i n and doing work on t h e s o l v e n t e x t r a c t i o n of bitumen from t a r sands . The d e t a i l e d n a t u r e of t h i s work i s no t known. However, bo th U . S . and Canadian t a r sands a r e being s t u d i e d .

Bingham Mechanical and Metal Products Corpora t ion , (13) Idaho F a l l s , Idaho, h a s developed a c o l d s o l v e n t e x t r a c t i o n p rocess and has b u i l t and ope ra t ed a 300 b a r r e l pe r day p i l o t p l a n t . I n t h e c o n d i t i o n i n g s t e p of t h e i r p r o c e s s , t h e o i l i s sepa ra t ed from t h e sand g r a i n s a lmost i n s t a n t l y . The w a t e r used i n t h e p rocess i s r ecyc led . They nave been a b l e t o reduce t h e f i n e s c o n t e n t of t h e bitumen t o 0 . 1 p e r c e n t . a p a t e n t pending and i s postponing f u r t h e r development work u n t i l i t i s i s s u e d . They e s t i m a t e t h a t t h e y can b u i l d a 1,500 b a r r e l pe r day p l a n t f o r $ 1 , 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 .

LDK, I n c . a S a l t Lake C i t y f i r m , has invented an anhydrous s o l v e n t e x t r a c t o r t h a t d i s s o l v e s t h e o i l from the t a r sand almost i n s t a n t a n e o u s l y . Solvent i s recovered and r ecyc led and l i t t l e water i s needed i n t h e i r p rocess . A p o r t a b l e 1 0 0 b a r r e l p e r day u n i t has been b u i l t and i s p r e s e n t l y be ing tested. LDK b e l i e v e s t h a t the poor econmics of s m a l l t a r sand e x t r a c t i o n p l a n t s can be more than o f f s e t by p o r t a b l e equipment t h a t can e a s i l y be moved t o t h e r i c h e s t d e p o s i t a r e a s having a minimum of overburden t o be removed.

Bingham h a s

ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS

The recovery of o i l from Utah t a r sands has many problems inc lud ing economics, l and ownership and u s e , w a t e r a v a i l a b i l i t y , remoteness of the d e p o s i t s , l and r ec l ama t ion , urban development, and environmental p o l l u t i o n .

P r e s e n t l a n d ownership and use p r e s e n t s d i f f i c u l t problems which d e t e r t h e recovery of o i l f r o m - t h e s i x main d e p o s i t s . Much of t h e a r e a of t h e d e p o s i t s i s on Fede ra l l and with a s c a t t e r i n g of school s e c t i o n s (one square m i l e each) owned by t h e S t a t e . The Glen Canyon Rec rea t iona l A r e a covers p a r t of t h e Tar Sand T r i a n g l e d e p o s i t and Canyonlands Na t iona l Park i s j u s t east of it. C l i f f s d e p o s i t and most of i t s remainder may soon become des igna ted a s p r i m i t i v e or wi lde rness a r e a . Creek d e p o s i t l i es on t h e Uintah and Ouray Indian Reserva t ion .

The water a v a i l a b i l i t y f o r t h e p o t e n t i a l development of each t a r sand d e p o s i t i s c r i t i c a l . Basin a r e a l l o t t e d from between 5 .8 and 7 . 5 m i l l i o n a c r e - f e e t of water p e r yea r . Current a l l o c a t i o n e s t i m a t e s a r e about 5.8

C a p i t a l R e e f Na t iona l Monument covers much of t h e Circle

Much of t h e H i l l

S t a t e s i n t h e Upper Colorado River

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t o 6 . 0 m i l l i o n a c r e - f e e t . Of t h i s , Utah i s allowed 2 3 . 0 % o r from 1 . 3 t o 1 . 4 m i l l i o n a c r e - f e e t p e r y e a r . I n 1 9 7 4 , d e p l e t i o n s i n t h e s t a t e were about 8 2 5 , 0 0 0 a c r e - f e e t l eav ing approximately 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 a c r e - f e e t of water unused by Utah. With t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n of au tho r i zed Bureau of Reclamation p r o j e c t s , Utah w i l l have committed a l l b u t 1 0 7 , 0 0 0 a c r e - f e e t pe r annum and w i l l have t o select p r i o r i t i e s c a r e f u l l y f o r t h e b e s t u s e of i t s remaining e n t i t l e m e n t s .

Most l a r g e Utah d e p o s i t s a r e w i t h i n pumping d i s t a n c e of t h e Green River which carr ies over t h r e e m i l l i o n a c r e - f e e t pe r yea r a t any p o i n t where d i v e r s i o n f o r t a r sand development might be d e s i r a b l e . Only on t h e Circle C l i f f s d e p o s i t would pumping be from a r i v e r o t h e r t han t h e Green ( o r Colorado) River a s t h i s d e p o s i t i s bypassed by t h e Esca lan te River . T o provide flow i n t o t h e Green River water might be used from Flaming Gorge Reservoi r which has approximately 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 a c r e - f e e t p e r yea r a v a i l a b l e f o r u se . Also t h e proposed Tyzack Reservoi r could make a v a i l a b l e 8 , 0 0 0 acre-feet p e r yea r i n t o t h e Green River .

Of t h e 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 a c r e - f e e t p r e s e n t l y unused, unper fec ted c l a ims e x i s t f o r 1 3 , 0 5 6 , 0 0 0 a c r e - f e e t . I n o t h e r words t h e a v a i l a b l e water i s p o t e n t i a l l y all used twenty-s ix t i m e s ove r . Of cour se , many of these c la ims w i l l a e v e r be g ran ted and energy r e source development i s c u r r e n t l y high on t h e l i s t of p r i o r i t i e s . Tne f i g u r e s do n o t i n c l u d e d e p l e t i o n s due t o water r i g h t s under W i n t e r ' s Doct r ine ( f o r Ind ian R e s e r v a t i o n s ) , development of Naval O i l Sha le by t h e Department of t h e Navy, Bureau of Land Management p r o j e c t s , water r e q u i r e d by t h e F o r e s t S e r v i c e t o ma in ta in w i l d l i f e and f i s h e r i e s , and w a t e r p o s s i b l y wi thhe ld by t h e Wild and Scen ic Rivers A c t .

I t i s e v i d e n t t h a t some water i s a v a i l a b l e and should n o t prevent t a r sand o i l development i n Utah; however, n e g o t i a t i n g t h e s p e c i f i c s of provid ing water t o deve lopers has h i s t o r i c a l l y t aken t i m e . As Governor Calvin L . Rampton ( 1 5 ) s t a t e d concerning water f o r development of o i l s h a l e , "1 am s u r e w e can provide them t h e i r a l l o c a t i o n of w a t e r , " b u t he s a i d t h e p rocedura l a s p e c t s of making w a t e r a v a i l a b l e would t a k e most of a y e a r , r e q u i r i n g l e g i s l a t i v e a c t i o n .

Coal, o i l s h a l e , and t a r sand energy developments w i l l have t o compete keenly wi th o t h e r s t o o b t a i n r i h t s t o t h e water they need. f o r new power p l a n t s i n c e n t r a l and southern Utah by purchasing o r l e a s i n g t h e water from t h e fa rmers . Utah Power and L igh t Company h a s completed t h e f i r s t of s i x 430 megawatt coal-burning power p l a n t s t o be i n s e r v i c e by 1 9 8 4 . Four of t h e s e p l a n t s w i l l be b u i l t i n Utah. Each w i l l r e q u i r e 7 , 0 0 0 a c r e f e e t of water p e r y e a r i f convent iona l water coo l ing towers a r e used. Utah Power

Utah Power and L igh t Company (167 has ob ta ined water

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and L igh t p r e s e n t l y h a s t h e c a p a c i t y t o g e n e r a t e 1 7 6 8 megawatts of e lec t r ic power. megawatts by t h e y e a r 2000. acre feet of wa te r per y e a r w i l l be r e q u i r e d i f conven t iona l c o o l i n g towers are used. reduced i f t h e new wet-dry c o o l i n g towers are used. Wet-dry c o o l i n g towers u s e a i r f o r c o o l i n g i n t h e w i n t e r and t h e con- v e n t i o n a l e v a p o r a t i v e water c o o l i n g t echn ique i n t h e s u m e r .

The remoteness of t h e d e p o s i t s p r e s e n t s a d d i t i o n a l problems. A c c e s s i b i l i t y t o several of t h e s i x d e p o s i t s i s d i f f i c u l t s i n c e only unimproved roads are p r e s e n t l y a v a i l a b l e . Remoteness makes it d i f f i c u l t and c o s t l y t o o b t a i n s u p p l i e s , equipment and s p a r e p a r t s and t o market t h e p r o d u c t s .

Reclamation of s u r f a c e mined land may b e r e q u i r e d even though m o s t of t h e la rge t a r sand d e p o s i t s a r e i n areas where t h e r e i s l i t t l e vegetat ion o r w i l d l i f e . The S t a t e of Utah i s i n t h e p r o c e s s of d e f i n i n g r e g u l a t i o n s cove r ing s u r f a c e mining and r ec l ama t ion requi rements . saved s e p a r a t e l y , t h e overburden r e p l a c e d t o t h e approximate con tour of t h e premined area, t h e t o p s o i l r e p l a c e d , and t h e area revege ta t ed . I n a semi-ar id climate, it may be n e c e s s a r y t o i r r i g a t e reclaimed areas f o r a y e a r o r more t o r e - e s t a b l i s h v e g e t a t i o n . With water a v a i l a b i l i t y a l r e a d y c r i t i c a l , t h i s p r e s e n t s a d i f f i c u l t problem.

D r . Cyrus McKell (17) , Professor of Range Sc ience and Director of t h e I n s t i t u t e f o r Land R e h a b i l i t a t i o n a t Utah S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y , b e l i e v e s t h a t most of e a s t e r n Utah i s too a r i d and water i s t oo costly to e s t a b l i s h new productive crops on reclaimed a r e a s a f te r s u r f a c e mining. I n s t e a d , h e i s s t u d y i n g t h e r e -e s t ab l i shmen t of v e g e t a t i o n n a t i v e t o t h e mined areas.

They p r o j e c t a need t o expand t o 9500

T h i s w a t e r requi rement might be

I n 2000, a t o t a l of 1 4 0 , 0 0 0

Some s ta tes r e q u i r e top soil t o be

The Utah S t a t e L e g i s l a t u r e and o t h e r Utah o f f i c i a l s are p lann ing c a r e f u l l y f o r energy r e s o u r c e development i n Utah. A package of "Energy B i l l s " w a s passed d u r i n g 1974 and 1975 and o t h e r b i l l s are p r e s e n t l y under c o n s i d e r a t i o n . Mining b i l l s which were passed i n c l u d e SB256, SB257, SB260, SB230, SJR19, HB323, and HB111. Energy r e s e a r c h b i l l HB243 w a s passed . SB258 and SB259 r e l a t e t o t h e prepayment o f t a x e s for funding roads and o t h e r needed f a c i l i t i e s .

P u b l i c h e a r i n g s a r e h e l d as needed t o inform t h e p u b l i c of t h e s e new laws and t h e i r implementat ion. A p u b l i c h e a r i n g w a s

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he ld on 22 J u l y 1 9 7 5 by t h e S t a t e Board of O i l , Gas and c Mining, A D iv i s ion of t h e S t a t e ' s Department of Na tu ra l Resources, onthe proposed r u l e s f o r t h e d Reclamation A c t of 1 9 7 5 . I' Represen ta t ive Genevieve ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ( ' ' J ] I chief sponsor of t h e A c t , s a i d t h a t t h e law i s g e n e r a l i n i t s requi rements a l though s p e c i f i c i n i n t e n t so t h a t t h e O i l , Gas and Mining Board has t o formula te mined-land rec lamat ion r u l e s t o c a r r y o u t t h e i n t e n t . The r u l e s r e q u i r e each mining comgany t o s t a t e what they w i l l do t o r ec l a im t h e l a n d and t o p o s t s u r e t y t o guarantee i t w i l l be done. The O i l , G a s and Mining Board dec ides whether t h e proposed r ec l ama t ion i s adequate and sees t h a t it g e t s done.

M r . Cleon Fe igh t (18), D i r e c t o r of t h e Div is ion of O i l , G a s and Mining, s a i d t h a t t h e Board had no i n t e n t i o n of p u t t i n g any company o u t of b u s i n e s s . H e s a i d t h a t i n some c a s e s t h e s u r e t y f o r rec lamat ion r e q u i r e d by t h e law could be a w r i t t e n , non- monetary c o n t r a c t i n s t e a d of s u r e t y bonds. The new law i n c l u d e s t h e requirement t h a t reclaimed l and be safe , and e c o l o g i c a l l y and h y d r o l o g i c a l l y s t a b l e a s judged by t h e Board.

Rapid u r b a n development i n t h e energy r i c h Uintah Basin i s a l r e a d y a s e r i o u s problem. Roosevelt and Duchesne have become boom towns because of t h e r e c e n t development of t h e Altamont- B l u e b e l l o i l f i e l d . Tar sand and o i l s h a l e developments would cause an a d d i t i o n a l r a p i d i n f l u x of workers and produce new boom towns wherever p rocess ing f a c i l i t i e s a r e b u i l t . I t is very d i f f i c u l t t o supply adequate l i v i n g accommodations, i n f r a - s t r u c t u r e , and community s e r v i c e s f o r such r a p i d l y growing a r e a s i n a s h o r t pe r iod of t i m e . Loca l ized popu la t ion "growing p a i n s " a r e ano the r cha l l enge which w i l l a cc rue wi th t a r sand o i l recovery.

ECONOMICS

A comparison of t a r sand o i l recovery wi th convent iona l crude o i l recovery may h e l p t o e x p l a i n why companies have been r e l u c t a n t t o engage i n t a r sand o i l recovery . The c a p i t a l investment r e q u i r e d b e f o r e oil product ion begins i s very l a r g e i n t h e c a s e of a t a r sand o i l f a c i l i t y . The average c o s t of d r i l l i n g a 1 3 , 0 0 0 f o o t deep crude o i l w e l l i n Utah i s only $ 1 , 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 and o i l p roduct ion b e g i n s immediately, u n l e s s t h e w e l l i s a "dry hole. 'I The e x i s t e n c e of an o i l r e source i s c e r t a i n i n t h e c a s e of a t a r sand d e p o s i t , whereas crude o i l development i s p rob lema t i ca l when d r i l l i n g a convent iona l w e l l . The e x t e n t of a t a r sand d e p o s i t i s u s u a l l y de f ined by ou tc rops and by shal low core d r i l l i n g . The e x t e n t of a c rude o i l f i e l d i s unknown u n t i l many w e l l s have been d r i l l e d . The economics of a t a r sand o i l p roduct ion p r o j e c t a r e s p e c u l a t i v e . Unless

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t h e p l a n t o p e r a t e s cont inuous ly n e a r des ign c a p a c i t y , l o s s e s w i l l occur . Even wi th o p e r a t i o n s above des ign c a p a c i t y only a modest p r o f i t can be expected s i n c e h igh expenses cont inue f o r t h e l i f e of t h e p l a n t . Once a good producing crude o i l w e l l i s found, t h e p r o b a b i l i t y i s high t h a t a d d i t i o n a l w e l l s can be d r i l l e d nearby and h i g h ' p r o f i t s can be r ea l i zed s i n c e both r i s k and expenses are low. Large companies have acqu i red leases and ownership of t a r sand and o i l shale l a n d s , b u t are wa i t ing u n t i l t h e r e l a t i v e economics of p l a n t c o n s t r u c t i o n improve b e f o r e going ahead on such p r o j e c t s . "The ' ( o i l ) i n d u s t r y w i l l have t o t u r n t o t h e Utah ( t a r ) sands be fo re long . . . I 1 s a i d an o f f i c i a l of Tom Brown D r i l l i n g Company of Midland, Texas.

( 1 9 )

T h e economics of o i l recovery from t h e t a r sands of Athabasca, A l b e r t a , Canada w i l l n o t be a p p l i c a b l e t o e a s t e r n Utah, b u t may g i v e an i n d i c a t i o n of t he o r d e r of magnitude of t h e v a r i o u s c o s t s .

G r e a t Canadian O i l Sands L t d . ( 2 0 ) produced 4 5 , 7 0 0 barrels of s y n t h e t i c crude o i l p e r ca l enda r day dur ing 1 9 7 4 and s o l d i t f o r $6.48 per b a r r e l . T o t a l product ion c o s t s and f a c i l i t i e s w e r e $5.76 pe r b a r r e l . The c a p i t a l investment of t h e GCOS p l a n t i n 1973 d o l l a r s w a s $5,270 p e r b a r r e l d a i l y c a p a c i t y . O f t h i s c a p i t a l investment t h i r ty - seven pe rcen t went - f o r mining and e x t r a c t i o n , t h i r t y - o n e pe rcen t f o r bitumen upgrading t o s y n t h e t i c cr y g ~ ~ and th i r ty - two pe rcen t f o r u t i l i t i e s . t h e Syncrude p r o j e c t p r e s e n t l y under c o n s t r u c t i o n , annual o p e r a t i n g c o s t s of $31,700,000 on 5 0 , 0 0 0 b a r r e l s pe r day a r e expected t o be d i s t r i b u t e d as fo l lows: for ty-one pe rcen t f o r mining, twenty-two pe rcen t f o r o i l e x t r a c t i o n , and t h i r t y - pe rcen t for o i l upgrading t o s y n t h e t i c c rude o i l . B a i l l i e ( p r e s e n t s curves w h i c h show t h e e f fec t of o i l c o n t e n t and overburden r a t i o on r e l a t i v e ope ra t ing c o s t s . are exposed (no overburden) and t h e o i l con ten t i s n i n e p e r c e n t , o p e r a t i n g c o s t s a r e t he same as w i t h an overburden r a t i o of 0 . 4 and twelve pe rcen t o i l c o n t e n t o r wi th an overburden r a t i o of 1 . 0 and s i x t e e n pe rcen t o i l c o n t e n t . A t a cons t an t o i l c o n t e n t of n i n e p e r c e n t ope ra t ing c o s t s i n c r e a s e by f i f t y - f i v e pe rcen t f o r a 0.5 overburden r a t i o and by 113 pe rcen t f o r a 1 . 0 overburden r a t i o compared t o c o s t s wi thout overburden. Camp(6) s a y s t h a t t h e Athabasca t a r sands have a maximum t h i c k n e s s of about 300 f e e t and an average t h i c k n e s s of about 150 f e e t . t h i c k n e s s of 1 2 0 f e e t i s normally regarded a s t h e p r a c t i c a l l i m i t f o r su r f ace mining a t Athabasca.

A t

%Yen I f t h e t a r sands

An overburden

A number of s m a l l Utah companies b e l i e v e t h a t an o i l from t a r sands p l a n t designed f o r l o w volume can o p e r a t e p r o f i t a b l y . Seve ra l such companies are Arizona F u e l s , Bingham Mechanical and Metal Products . D . G i l l

LDK, and Fairb?By s ays t h a t

i 1 9

c Arizona Fue l s and Fa i rb r im expec t t o spend $450,000 t o $ 7 0 0 , 0 0 0 each f o r 5,000 b a r r e l p e r day p l a n t s t o produce o i l a t c o s t s of $6 t o $8 p e r b a r r e l o r from $90 t o $ 1 4 0 pe r b a r r e l d a i l y c a p a c i t y . These o p t i m i s t i c c a p i t a l investments are f a r below t h e $5,270 p e r b a r r e l ca l enda r day c a p a c i t y f o r t h e GCOS p l a n t a t Athabasca, A l b e r t a , Canada. D. G i l l s a y s , " A t c u r r e n t p r i c e s , e x t r a c t i n g c rude from o i l sands i n Albe r t a and Utah looks o paper a s though it ought t o t u r n a p r o f i t . " An e a r l i e r r e p o r t s a y s t h a t Arizona F u e l s expec t t h e i r s o l v e n t and h o t water p rocess t o be p r o f i t a b l e a t about $ 6 p e r b a r r e l , compared wi th $11 o r more pe r b a r r e l e s t i m a t e s f o r o i l from s h a l e . Peters and T i m m e r h a ~ s ( ~ ~ ) i n d i c a t e t h a t doubl ing p l a n t c a p a c i t y of many i n d u s t r i a l p l a n t s i n c r e a s e s c a p i t a l investment by a f a c t o r of 1.50 (two t o t h e 0 . 6 power). I n s p i t e of t h i s r u l e t o b u i l d l a r g e p l a n t s , small p l a n t s may be economical i f o i l c o n t e n t i s h igh and overburden t h i c k n e s s i s low.

( 2 2 )

D . Van DeGraaf ( 2 6 ) w a s no t q u i t e a s o p t i m i s t i c a s Arizona Fue l s and Fa i rbr im. H e s a i d t h a t depending on t h e degree of Federal f i n a n c i n g t h e i n d u s t r y r e c e i v e s , t a r sand o i l w i l l have t o s e l l f o r $ 9 t o $ 1 2 pe r b a r r e l and o i l s h a l e o i l f o r perhaps a s much a s $15 p e r ba r r e l t o be economical. H e said that e a r l y i n 1 9 7 5 , crude o i l i n Utah s o l d f o r $ 6 . 2 8 p e r b a r r e l with 1 9 7 4 sales t o t a l i n g $237,000,000. The average o i l w e l l c o s t s $ 1 , 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 t o d r i l l and i s 1 3 , 0 0 0 f e e t deep.

John Oakason ( 2 7 ) , owner of Petroleum Investment and Research Corpora t ion , i s an energy r e source wholesa le r who bought and r e s o l d much of t h e Tar Sand T r i a n g l e t a r sand d e p o s i t . H e i s of t h e opin ion t h a t t a r sand o i l recovery w i l l be less c o s t l y than c o a l g a s i f i c a t i o n . o r o i l recovery from o i l s h a l e . H e e s t i m a t e s t h a t t a r sand o i l may c o s t $ 1 2 per b a r r e l .

( 2 8 ) H . C . H o t t e l and J . B . Howard t e c h n o l o g i c a l s o p h i s t i c a t i o n i n recover ing o i l from non-petroleum f o s s i l d e p o s i t s i n c r e a s e s from t a r sands t o o i l s h a l e t o c o a l . Also t h e atomic hydrogen t o carbon r a t i o of 1 . 5 f o r t a r sands and 1 . 6 f o r o i l s h a l e i s more f a v o r a b l e than t h e 0.'7 t o 0 .9 r a t i o range f o r c o a l .

i n d i c a t e t h a t the need f o r

COMPARISON OF UTAH AND ATHABASCA TAR SAND DEPOSITS

The l a r g e s t tar sand d e p o s i t i n t h e world i s i n t h e Athabasca a r e a i n A l b e r t a , Canada. T h i s d e p o s i t c o n t a i n s more than 700 b i l l i o n b a r r e l s of oil; however, only about t e n pe rc n t of t h i s q u a n t i t y i s recoverable by s u r f a c e mining methods. ( S F By comparison, t h e t a r sand d e p o s i t s of Utah a r e much smaller a t 28 b i l l i o n b a r r e l s of o i l , even though Utah h a s more than n i n e t y pe rcen t of t h e t a r sand r e s e r v e s i n t h e United S ta tes . An

20

1 Gs 1 I a J

1 1

1 1 13 1 a 1

a c c u r a t e de te rmina t ion of t h e percentage of U tah ' s t a r sand o i l t h a t i s r ecove rab le by s u r f a c e mining methods has n o t y e t been made. S i m i l a r t o Athabasca, t h i s percentage f o r Utah i s b e l i e v e d t o be q u i t e low. twelve pe rcen t of t h e Asphal t Ridge d e p o s i t can be economically s u r f ace mined.

For example, it appears t h a t only

That p o r t i o n of t h e Athabasca t a r sand d e p o s i t t h a t can be s u r f a c e mined economical ly , about t e n p e r c e n t , l a r g e , l e v e l , t h i c k and cont inuous. These amenable character- i s t ics l e d GCOS i n t o us ing huge bucketwheel excava to r s and conveyor b e l t s f o r mining t h e o r e and d r a g l i n e s f o r moving t h e overburden. e lec t r ic power shovel and t r u c k method of mining.

i s r e l a t i v e l y

Syncrude p l a n s t o use t h e smaller convent iona l

Most of Utah ' s t a r sand o r e bod ies are r e l a t i v e l y s m a l l , t h i n and d iscont inuous and occur i n beds w i t h cons ide rab le d i p . Overburden t h i c k n e s s i s h igh ly v a r i a b l e s i n c e the d e p o s i t s are i n mountainous t e r r a i n . The huge equipment used by GCOS could n o t be used a t any of t h e Utah d e p o s i t s because such equipment l a c k s maneuverabi l i ty . b l a s t i n g of both t h e overburden and the t a r sand o r e w i l l be r e q u i r e d a t f i v e of t h e s i x l a r g e s t Utah d e p o s i t s due t o rock c o n s o l i d a t i o n . Much of t h e Asphal t Ridge d e p o s i t seems t o be s o f t enough t o mine w i t h r i p p e r s and e l e v a t e d s c r a p e r s wi thout d r i l l i n g and shoot ing .

I t seems probable t h a t d r i l l i n g and

Great Canadian O i l Sands, Ltd ( G C O S , A Sun O i l Company s u b s i d i a r y ) has pioneered the product ion of s y n t h e t i c crude o i l from Athabasca t a r sands us ing t h e K.A. C l a r k h o t water e x t r a c t i o n p rocess . ( 6 ) GCOS h a s been i n o p e r a t i o n on a commercial basis s i n c e 1 9 6 7 , b u t 1 9 7 4 w a s t h e i r f i r s t p r o f i t a b l e y e a r . annual i n f l a t i o n ra tes have c o n t r i b u t e d s t r o n g l y t o t he improved p r o f i t a b i l i t y of the GCOS o p e r a t i o n .

Recent double-d ig i t

Proposed t a r sand p r o j e c t s o t h e r t han GCOS have encountered economic d i f f i c u l t i e s . ( 2 9 ) Syncrude Canada Ltd. planned a 125,000 b a r r e l p e r day h o t water e x t r a c t i o n p l a n t w i t h coking and h y d r o t r e a t i n g t o upgrade the recovered bitumen. One member of t h e Syncrude team, A t l a n t i c R i c h f i e l d Company, withdrew from t h e ven tu re due t o a four - fo ld i n f l a t i o n a r y i n c r e a s e i n c o n s t r u c t i o n c o s t estimates s i n c e 1 9 7 2 . Imper ia l Oil L t d . , and Gulf O i l Canada L t d .

A team of companies under t h e name

The remaining p a r t n e r s are Canada-Cities Se rv ice L t d . ,

A second p r o j e c t , a steam d r i v e i n S i t u process w i t h thermal c rack ing and h y d r o t r e a t i n g of t h e recovered bitumen, scheduled f o r completion i n 1 9 8 1 by S h e l l Canada Ltd. and p a r t n e r Houston 's S h e l l O i l Company has encountered s i m i l a r i n f l a t i o n problems. An a d d i t i o n a l d e t e r r e n t i s t h e p rospec t of n o t be ing a b l e t o e x p o r t t h e s y n t h e t i c crude produced t o r e f i n e r i e s i n t h e U.S. because Canada has decided t o phase o u t such e x p o r t s .

J 2 1

A t h i r d 1 0 3 , 0 0 0 b a r r e l pe r day p l a n t proposa l has been she lved by Home O i l Company f o r lack of p a r t n e r s i n a consortium.

f-

A f o u r t h group of companies c o n s i s t i n g of P e t r o f i n a Canada, P a c i f i c Petroleum Company, Hudson Bay O i l and Gas Company, Murphy O i l Company, and CanDel O i l L td . are re-examining t h e i r p l a n s f o r a 122,500 B/D e x t r a c t i o n p l a n t o r i g i n a l l y scheduled f o r completion i n 1 9 8 2 .

By comparison t h e r e a r e no e x i s t i n g commercial t a r sand o p e r a t i o n s i n Utah and only one company, Arizona Fue l s Corpora t ion , i s a c t i v e l y engaged i n b u i l d i n g small p rocess f a c i l i t i e s . I t i s a n t i c i p a t e d , however, t h a t t h e r e w i l l be inc reased i n t e r e s t i n o i l recovery from Utah t a r sands i n t h e nea r f u t u r e a s crude o i l becomes more expensive because of t h e need t o d r i l l deeper w e l l s and t o depend upon secondary and t e r t i a r y o i l recovery methods.

T h e sand g r a i n s of t h e Athabasca t a r sands a r e t y p i c a l l y encapsula ted i n a f i l m of c lay- laden water. The w e t sand g r a i n s are then-cenented t o g e t h e r by t h e f i l m of bitumen, t h e remainin vo ids b e i n g f i l l e d w i t h w a t e r , a i r , and sometimes methane. The water and bitumen combined c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a l l y r e p r e s e n t about seventeen p e r c e n t by weight of the Athabasca t a r sand. Of t h e e i g h t y - t h r e e p e r c e n t mine ra l m a t t e r i n Athabasca t a r sand, a s u b s t a n t i a l percentage of it i s extremely s m a l l . Camp(6) d e f i n e s t h e s e f i n e s a s c l a y ( p a r t i c l e s smaller than two microns) and s i l t ( p a r t i c l e s between two and f o r t y - f o u r mic rons ) . I f t h e percentage of t h e s e f i n e s i s t o o h igh (above twelve p e r c e n t ) d i f f i c u l t i e s a r e encountered i n t h e Clark h o t water p rocess and an e x c e s s i v e amount of f i n e s become suspended i n t h e water from t h e e x t r a c t i o n p rocess and do n o t se t t le o u t a t any apprec iab le r a t e . The r e s u l t i s t h a t most of t h e used p rocess w a t e r cannot be r ecyc led and i s ponded i n s t e a d .

Utah t a r sands donot have t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c Athabasca water envelope around t h e sand g r a i n s . I n c o n t r a s t , t h e water c o n t e n t of Utah t a r sand i s u s u a l l y below one p e r c e n t . Although t h e f i n e s c o n t e n t of Utah t a r sand i s h i g h l y v a r i a b l e even w i t h i n a p a r t i c u l a r d e p o s i t , it i s s i g n i f i c a n t l y less than t h e f i n e s c o n t e n t of Athabasca t a r sand. Utah t a r sands a r e probably less water-wet t han Athabasca t a r sand due t o j3E)absence of t h e water envelope; however, Shea and Higgins i n d i c a t e t h a t t h e use of a we t t ing agen t a t pH of 8 t o 8.5 w i l l enhance t h e s e p a r a t i o n of t h e sand from t h e bitumen.

Camp") i n d i c a t e s t h a t bitumen from Athabasca c o n t a i n s from f o u r t o s i x pe rcen t by weight s u l f u r . Bitumen from t h e two s o u t h e a s t e r n Utah d e p o s i t s , Tar Sand T r i a n g l e and Circle C l i f f s , have s u l f u r c o n t e n t s of about 3.5 weight p e r c e n t . R i t z m a ( l )

f-

2 2

1 J 3

1

I

3

p o i n t s o u t t h a t t h e f o u r g i a n t Uintah Basin d e p o s i t s are low i n s u l f u r c o n t e n t averaging 0 .35 weight pe rcen t s u l f u r . High s u l f u r feed s t o c k s a r e of less va lue t o an o i l r e f i n e r s i n c e they demand e x t r a co r ros ion p r o t e c t i o n and p o l l u t i o n c o n t r o l measures.

The Athabasca t a r sand o p e r a t i o n s have been plagued by extremely long co ld w i n t e r s and s h o r t w e t summers. Water must be d ra ined from t h e muskeg f o r a yea r o r more b e f o r e t h e overburden on t o p of the t a r sand o r e can be removed. Winter tempera tures reach -60°F. GCOS are stopped *hen t h e tempera ture f a l l s below -30°F because t h e f rozen t a r sand, which resembles c o n c r e t e , causes extremely

e e t h of t h e g i a n t bucketwheel Vlf In Canada, water f o r t h e Clark excess ive wear on the c u t t i excava to r s used t o mine it. h o t water e x t r a c t i o n p rocess i s abundant. Disposa l of waste water con ta in ing suspended p a r t i c l e s of s i l t and c l a y p r e s e n t s a major problem which has n o t y e t been s a t i s f a c t o r i l y r e so lved . Waste water impoundment i s being p r a c t i c e d and s o l a r evapora t ion i s minimal i n t h e c o l d w e t climate.

Winter mining o p e r a t i o n s a t

I n Utah, t h e w i n t e r s are n o t so long o r co ld and w a t e r i n tne forms of p r e c i p i t a t i o n and f lowing r i v e r s i s scarce i n s t e a d of abundant. Most of t h e Utah t a r sand d e p o s i t s a r e l o c a t e d i n areas t h a t have less than f i f t e e n inches of p r e c i p i t a t i o n annua l ly . S u f f i c i e n t water' e x i s t s i n Utah r i v e r s f o r t a r sand water p rocess ing , b u t there a r e many energy r e source developments and o t h e r water uses which a r e competing keenly f o r t h e l i m i t e d water t h a t i s a v a i l a b l e .

I

3

1 2 3

ASPHALT RIDGE

Geology

The Asphalt Ridge bituminous sandstone deposit is located a few miles west and south of the city of Vernal, Utah in Uintah County. Asphalt Ridge is a hogback or cuesta about fifteen miles long which cuts diagonally across Township 5 South, Range 21 East in a northwest to southeast direction. The north end of the deposit cuts across the southwest corner of T4S, R21E and penetrates slightly into T4S, R20E. southwest corner of TSS, R22E and extends more than halfway across the northern portion of T6S, R22E.

Ritzma tells us that tar sand deposits occur in the Duchesne River Formation of Eocene Age and the Rimrock Sandstone member of the Mesaverde Formation of Upper Cretaceous Age. The areal extent of the deposit is between 20 and 25 square miles. There are from two to five separate pay zones more than five feet thick. The total thickness of all pay zones varies from ten to 135 feet. The oil in place reserve totals 1,048,000,000 barrels. Of this, 435 million is measured, 438 million is indicated, and 175 million is inferred.

The south end of the deposit cuts the

Figure 4 is a geologic cross profile of the Asphalt Ridge deposit presented by Covington(32), which shows the locations of the five pay zones and the various geologic formations in the area. viewer of this profile is looking to the southeast. The pay zones dip to the southwest at angles of from 8 to 30 degrees. These dip angles severely limit the percentage of oil in place that can be recovered by surface mining.

The

The oil content of Asphalt Ridge tar sand varies widely from very low percentages to as high as 15 weight percent oil. The oil content at the Uintah County asphalt pit is about 10 weight percent oil or 4 0 to 45 gallons of oil per cubic yard. Water content is low, about one weight percent. Shea and Higgins(33) say that the sand grains are "mainly clear quartz and dark-gray quartzite, with minor quantities of cream chert, rose quartz, amethyst, and chalcedony." Asphalt Ridge tar sand weathers to a gray color, but the freshly exposed material is black and often soft enough to be molded in the hand.

Surface Mining

Open pit mining of tar sand has been in progress at various

24

Figure 4. G n LOGIC CROSS PROFlLE

N" I

ASPHALT RIDGE AREA T.5 S., R.21 E .

NORTHEAST UINTAH COUNTV. UTAH

GCOIOGI l l O l f l I I COYINGION

h) uc

_-

I

I

\ A- \

\\. *. ',\a , \ \

. '...I -

SOUTHWEST

Y R n I n

\

\ \ ., \ '..

'''Dip 30' ?

locations on Asphalt Ridge for at least 70 years as evidenced by several abandoned excavations. at least the last 35 years at the present Uintah County ten acre asphalt pit located about three miles west of Vernal's business district near the east boundary of Sections 30 and 31, Township 4S, Range 21E. In 1974(34), a diesel-powered tractor equipped with "ripper" teeth was being used to loosen the rich asphalt- like ore. upon how rich it is in bitumen. into dump trucks with a front-end loader. This mix is spread and rolled cold on 1100 miles of Uintah County roads and Vernal City streets as surface paving material. The economics of this operation were not studied since the oretonnage mined each year is relatively small. cubic yards of tar sand was sold in 1974 for $3.50 per cubic yard. The 1975 price has increased to $5.00 per cubic yard.

The tar sand at the Uintah County asphalt pit is so weakly consolidated that it appears that the cohesive properties of the bitumen hold the sand grains in the matrix. Because of this weak consolidation, the tar sand can be mined with a ripper and a front-end loader. Drilling and blasting are not necessary.

Tar sand has been mined for

Up to 50 percent sand is mixed with the ore depending The resulting mixture is loaded

An asphalt pit operator said that 25,000

On July 1, 1974, Sohio Petroleum Company, a subsidiary of Standard Oil Company (Ohio), applied to the Division of Oil, Gas, and Mining Conservation, Department of Natural Resources, State of Utah, to permit them to mine tar sands at Asphalt Ridge. The application requests permission to "commence mining operations for the removal and processing of the commercially mineable deposits of bituminous sands on 180 acres of Township SS, Range 21E, Section 36 owned by the State and Township 5 S , Range 22E, Section 31, fee lands owned by Sohio Petroleum Company. Sohio has water rights to five cubic feet per second of water from the Green River for the purpose of mining and processing tar sand. (36)

A public hearing was held at the Uintah County Building in Vernal, Utah on August 28, 1974 regarding Sohio Petroleum Company's application to open-pit mine tar sands seven miles south of Vernal on the Asphalt Ridge deposit. Mr. Robert M. Lowe, Tar Sands Project Manager for Sohio, read into the record a Sohio report entitled, "Proposed Plan for Mining and Process- ing Operations, Bituminous Sands Deposits, Asphalt Ridge Area, Uintah County, Utah with Particular Reference to the Environ- mental Effects of the Operations. I' In the following (36) Figure 5, taken from the above report, is a contour map of Asphalt Ridge and vicinity. The area to be mined is cross-hatched and labeled "Area of Interest." Figure 6, taken from this same report, is a contour map which shows the area to be mined in greater detail. Table 111, entitled Sohio Corehole Analyses, taken from the September, 1974 issue of "Synthetic Fuels"

26

27

28

DEPTH - 67.5 69.5 71.5 75.0 79.0 81 .O 83.0 85.0 86.0 88.5 91 .o 93.2 95.0 97.0

DEPTH 8.5

11 .o 12.5 14.5 16.5 18.0 30.0 32.0 34.0 36.0 38.0 40.0 42.0

DEPTH 32.0 34.0 36.0 42.0. 46.0 50.0 52.0 .54.0 60.0 62.0 64.0 78.0 80 .O

Gal . / Y d3 23.0 10.8 36.8 20.8 27.1 32.6 27.1 34.2 32.2 12.4 45.9 42.3 49.5 26.6

Gal ./Yd3 46.4 27.5 48.9 23.4 25.8 10.3 25.1 36.5 36.8 32.5 36.7 15.1 42.4

Gal ./Yd3 25.8 22.9 19.0 25.0 16.2 29.8 40.0 46.3 27.4

44.4 31.5 33.7

48.3

DEPTH 99.4

103.2 106.0 107.5 113.5 116.5 117.7 119.5 120.8 122.4 123.8 128.1 129.7 131.6

DEPTH 44.0 46.0 47.0 50.0 51.5 54.3 56.0 61 .'O 63.0 65.0 67.0 69.0 74.0

DEPTH

84.0 88.0 90.0 94.0 96.0

100.0 102.0 103.5 106.0 108.0 110.0

- 82.0

98. o

Table I11

SOH10 COREHOLE ANALYSES Core CE-3

Ground Elevation = 5294 F t . DEPTH

23.9 134.0 35.0 138.2 36.8 140.0 38.9 141.6 43.7 144.4

0.5 146.0 46.4 148.2 37.6 149.5 44.8 152.0 42.6 154.2 24.2 156.0 44.2 158.0 43.7 160.0 13.6 162.3

- Gal ./Yd3 Gal ./Yd3 9.2

14.7 37.2 27.0 15.9 32.8 39.0 48.0 40.7 48.1 45.5 39.1 46.1 36.3

Core CE- 2 Ground Elevation = 5200 Ft.

Gal ./Yd3 DEPTH Gal ./Yd3 33.2 78.0 54.3 31.6 80.0 16.5 50.6 82.0 46.2 14.6 84.0 40.2 37.6 86.5 31.3 20.9 88.0 21.7 8.8 105.0 12.6

20.3 106.5 7.8 18.9 108.0 20.2 30.5 111 .o 3.5 23.6 115.0 30.6 18.5 119.0 46.2 6.4

Core F-1 Ground Elevation = 5073 Ft.

DEPTH Gal . /Yd3 - Gal ./Yd3 29.5 112.0 19.6 23.6 120.0 5.6 37.1 126.0 1 .8 42.6 128.0 19.3 130.0

15.7 12.3

6.3 18.9 26.4 13.6 36.9 4.0

26.0 26.2

132.0 13.4 134.0 22.4

138.0 12.7 142.0 28.6 144.0 30.6 146.0 25.2 150.0 7.1

136.0 15.8

29

DEPTH

166.0 168.0 172.3 173.8 176.0 178.0 180.0 183.8 186.0 187.5 190.0 192.0 203.0

163.8

DEPTH 121.0 124.7 127.7 129.0 130.5 134.7 136.0 140.7 142.5 143.5 145.5 151.5

DEPTH 152.0 156.0

160.0 162.0 164.0 166.0 168.0 170.0 172.0

158.0

Gal ./Yd3 41.7 35.0 43.9 24.5 25.3

27.6 0.7 9.1

35.7 43.9 6.0

13.3 15.6

18.3

Gal ./Yd3 13.4 4.0

14.0 14.9 4.9

31.6 4.6 7.7

23.7 43.2

5.2 2.8

Gal ./Yd3 4.8

28.7 .

14.9 20.1 34.5

15.8 10.0 17.4

2.2 0.7

i

published quarterly by Cameron Engineers, Denver, Colorado, presents the depth in feet and the oil content of the tar sand core samples in gallons of oil per cubic yard of ore. According to Synthetic Fuels, September, 1 9 7 4 , 25 gallons of oil per cubic yard of tar sand corresponds to six weight percent oil. Mr. Lowe testified that the tar sand pay thickness in the area to be mined ranges up to 1 7 5 feet and averages about 65 feet. A portion of attachment number one to Sohio's mining application is presented as Figure 7. This topographic map shows the location of the three core holes and the initial mining areas. The dark areas are tar sand outcrops.

The hearing and question period afterward was very favorable for approval of Sohio's application. The only significant objection raised during the question period was some concern regarding the future maintenance required on the county road which would be used by the oil trucks to transport bitumen from the mine area.

The actual open-pit mining and chemical processing to separate the oil from the tar sand was to be done by two firms, Arizona Fuels Corporation and Fairbrim Company. The clean sand will be returned to the mined out area and the land reclaimed in a terrace plan submitted in the application. Information regarding the processing methods to be used by Arizona Fuels and Fairbrim to separate the oil from the tar sand may be found under Chemical Processing (in the following section).

The Sohio Petroleum application to mine tar sand was approved. Fairbrim Company changed their plans and moved their extraction equipment to a tar sand deposit in Kentucky near Mammoth Cave. In July, 1 9 7 5 , it was reported on the KSL-TV News that Fairbrim was producing 10 barrels per hour of bitumen with their extractor in Kentucky. Arizona Fuels began mining operations on forty acres of Sohio fee land during the summer of 1 9 7 5 . Approximately 150,000 cubic yards of overburden has been removed and about 4,000 cubic yards of tar sand has been stockpiled during 1 9 7 5 . Eleven core holes with a total footage of 1 7 1 4 feet were drilled to more accurately define the resource at the mine site. The mining operation has utilized one ripper tractor and two seven cubic yard front-end loaders.

Chemical Processing

Table IV presents analyses of Asphalt Ridge tar sand and oil reported in the literature.

30

Table IV

ASPHALT RIDGE TAR SAND AND OIL ANALYSES

Reference (37 1

Sample Location S30,T4S,R21E

Weight Percent Oil Oil Specific Gravity Weight Percent Sulfur Weight Percent Nitrogen Weight Percent Oxygen Weight Percent Ash Weight Percent Iron Ppm Vanadium Ppm Nickel Pour Point, OF Percent Distilled

Initial 2 % 5% 10%

(37)

S2 3, T4 S , R2 0 E (38 I

Sohio Enterprise 5

-- 1.006 0.35 0.81 2.06 0.4 0.09 0.9 44

110

392OF 516 OF 591°F 775OF

G

Table IV indicates that the specific gravity of extracted tar and oil from Asphalt Ridge is slightly less than that of water. The sulfur content of the oil is consistently below 0.5 weight percent. This is an important property of the oil since high sulfur oil causes corrosion and air pollution problems during refining. Kayser(39) found that the portion of his bitumen sample boiling below 572OF was free of wax as'indicated by a cloud point below c o w

Spieker(40) reports that an Asphalt Ridge bitumen sample contained 3 . 6 percent asphaltous anhydrides, 19.0 percent asphaltenes, 45.8 percent resins, and 31.6 percent oils. that this high resin content accounts for the high adhering and ductile properties of Asphalt Ridge bitumen.

C~vington(~~) tells an interesting story related to the ductile properties of Asphalt Ridge tar sand. Years ago (about 19601, a load of Asphalt Ridge tar sand was taken to Denver to patch some roads. A few years later, the patches had become bumps in the road. The road surfacing material around the patches had worn down much more rapidly than the patches. Covington describes Asphalt Ridge tar sand as being extremely tenaceous and very resistant to wear as a road paving material.

Kayser (39) comments

On July 16, 1975 on KSL-TV news, Mr. Lynn Packer described the maintenance problems with Utah's asphalt or black top paved roads. He and M r . Blaine Kay, Director of the Utah Department c

32

of Transportation, explained that the asphalt produced at the Salt Lake Area refineries lacks ductility because of the nature of the crude oil available to the refineries. The paving material cracks easily because the hydrocarbons in it are too brittle and do not stretch sufficiently during cold winter days. High paraffin content of the asphalt increases brittleness. Re- peated freezing and thawing causes these cracks to form chuck- holes and other failures of the paving material. Other factors contributing to high maintenance problems on Utah roads include the presence of excessive fines in the aggregate and the use of hard asphalt.

Possibly, the quality of asphalt produced by refineries in the Salt Lake Area could be improved if Asphalt Ridge bitumen were included in their crude mix. This bitumen has been found to be free of wax. ( 3 9 ) should be studied as possible disadvantages of direct processing. Nickel and vanadium are known to be fluid catalytic cracking catalyst poisons. Vacuum distillation of the bitumen should remove these catalyst poisons from the distilled oil fractions, however.

The presence of mineral matter and metals

Even if Asphalt Ridge or other bitumen is found to be useful in the production of road asphalts, this market is quite limited. It was learned from M r . C.V. Anderson, Chief Engineer of the Utah State Department of Transportation, that Utah's projected needs for asphalt paving material in 1 9 7 5 total 106,000 tons of asphalt. A tar sand extraction plant having a capacity of only 2000 barrels per day could supply this total requirement.

At the request of M r . Harvey Alford of Sohio Petroleum's Cleveland, Ohio research laboratories, several oil companies in the Salt Lake City area were contacted to determine whether or not they are interested in the future processing of tar sand oil from Asphalt Ridge near Vernal, Utah. M r . L.H. Butterworth, Manager of Amoco's North Salt Lake Refinery, expressed an interest in tar sand oil as a possible asphalt flux. Presently, Amoco is purchasing flux oil from Tenneco who has oil wells near Escalante, Utah. Mr. Butterworth indicated that Amoco would probably not be interested in tar sand oil to replace crude oil unless it were coked and hydrogen treated to produce synthetic crude oil.

Mr. D.L. Blanke of Amoco's Crude Oil Purchasing Department in Chicago, was quite interested in Utah tar sand oil as a future source of crude oil. He would like to receive physical property data on tar sand oil so that his people can make a preliminary evaluation of it.

In July, 1 9 7 5 Mr. R.M. Lowe, Sohio's Tar Sand Project Manager, sent physical property data on Asphalt Ridge bitumen, vacuum distillate, and coker distillate obtained by vacuum distilling

33

the bitumen and coking the bottoms to Mr. Blanke. These data are proprietary.

The crude purchasing people of Phillips Petroleum Corporation and Chevron Oil Company have also been contacted to determine tht pros,dctive market for tar sand oil from Asphalt Ridge near Vernal, Utah.

Mr. Robert J. Alfrey, Vice President in Chevron's Denver office, said that Chevron is not interes.ted at this time in processing tar sand oil at their North Salt Lake refinery since they do not make asphalt. Another problem arises in the transportation of tar sand oil as it is not compatible with the waxy Altamont crude which they move over their heated pipeline from the Uinta Basin to North Salt Lake, and Chevron cannot unload crude oil trucks at the Salt Lake Refinery. Before any interest could be developed in synthetic crude oil formed by coking and hydrogen treating tar sand oil, samples would have to be analyzed for determining the suitability as a refinery feedstock.

Mr. W.L. Young of Phillips Petroleum's crude evaluation section at Bartlesville, Oklahoma, seemed interested in future availability of tar sand oil for processing at Phillips' Woods Cross refinery. He indicated that the local (Salt Lake area) market for asphalt and heavy fuel oil limits the crude running rate at the Woods Cross refinery. Lighter products can be shipped by pipeline to the northwest. He estimated that tar sand oil may be worth about two dollars per barrel less than the crude produced by coking and hydrogenating it. The hydrogenated oil should have a value close to new domestic crude prices. He suggested that coke might be marketed in the Chicago area since coke is presently being shipped to Chicago from Bakersfield, California. He indicated that Phillips might be interested in receiving a two-barrel sample of tar sand oil when it becomes available so they can make evaluation tests on it.

Environmental Aspects

Surface mining operations on the Asphalt Ridge deposit should not be significantly disturbing to the environment. As has been mentioned earlier, only a strip of land about one-fourth mile wide and about 12 miles long is mineable. This type of mining could be classified as contour mining. Reasonable reclamation practice should improve the land since there is little vegetation or wildlife at the present time.

The Asphalt Ridge deposit has the advantage of being near the agricultural community of Vernal. Numerous canals and a reser- voir feed the area's farms. Ashley Creek, just north of Vernal, and its tributaries are the chief contributors to the water supply and after all depletions, Ashley Creek still has an annual

3 4

1

1

3ii

1 1 1 1

I

SJ

3 3 1 I

flow of 44,000 acre-feet into the Green River. Part of this water might be made available to an Asphalt Ridge extraction plant via an agricultural canal.

Sohio Petroleum(l0) has water rights to five cubic feet of water per second or 3600 acre-feet of water from the Green River. This volume of water should be adequate for an extraction plant associated with the surface mining of the Asphalt Ridge deposit.

The Asphalt Ridge area is hilly and already severely eroded. Vegetation is sparse because the area receives only an average of eight inches precipitation per year and most of this comes during the spring months. The scanty vegetation consists of sparse grasses, short sagebrush and an occasional juniper.

Mined land should be reclaimed by level terracing and the replanting of more useful vegetation. Surface material should be segregated and spread over spent extraction sands to promote revegetation. the replanting of Russian wild rye, crested wheat grass, yellow sweet clover, gray rabbit brush, black sage, and four-winged salt brush. The water requirements for replanting vegetation may be a problem.

The Utah State Forest Service has suggested ( 3 5 )

The most common forms of wildlife in the area are lizards and morning doves. There are also a few mice, gophers, squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, chukars, and desert birds. Surface mining is expected to cause wildlife in the mined areas to move to other nearby areas and not to be significantly destructive.

Surface mining operations can be expected to create some noise and dust. These should not be a problem except to the mine operators since Asphalt Ridge is three miles from the city of Vernal at its nearest point.

Dust problems can be minimized by paving existing dirt roads and mine traffic areas with lean tar sand. It is anticipated that little water will be available for the purpose of com- bating dust unless dust becomes a problem to residents near the mine site. Air pollutants other than dust are not expected to be a problem. Emissions from diesel-powered equipment will be insignificant. Hot or cold water tar sand processing equipment should not cause significant air pollution even if bitumen is used as fuel since Asphalt Ridge bitumen has a low sulfur content. If solvent processes are used, solvent losses to the air must be minimized for economy reasons as well as for air pollution reasons.

The socio-economic impact of surface tar sand mining and processing at Asphalt Ridge should not be severe. annual growth rate of Vernal during the years 1970 to 1973 has

The average

3 5

-

c been 7.4 percent. The 1973 population of Vernal was 4924. Petroleum estimates that two mining and extraction plants having capacities of 3500 barrels per day each will employ a total of 60 men. This many new jobs may cause a population increase of nearly 500 people or a population growth of about ten percent when the impact on local services and facilities is considered. Such growth due to tar sand resource development is not expected to occur in a single year, however. The socio-economic impact of in situ mining can be expected to be much greater than that of surface mining.

!

j

!

I

Conclusions

The Asphalt support one capacity of

Ridge tar sand deposit is only large enough to surface mining processing plant having a maximum 17,000 barrels of bitumen per calendar day. This

maximum capacity is based on a process-plant life of 20 years and the assumption that only twelve percent of the 1,048,000,000 barrel oil reserve(1) is recoverable by surface mining methods. Even if it were economical to remove up to 150 feet of overburden, a strip of land only one-fourth mile wide would be surface mined since the ore body dips southwestward at an average angle of out ten degrees. Of the 20 to 25 square mile areal extent('?, only about three square miles can be surface mined. The Asphalt Ridge deposit is the most suitable of the six deposits studied as a testing ground for pilot plants and small demonstration units. It has (1) good oil saturation, (2) good pay thickness, (3) excellent water availability, ( 4 ) low sulfur content, (5) minimal land ownership problems, and ( 6 ) good access to facilities and product market.

36

CIRCLE CLIFFS

I 1 3 I I I 3 3 P

3 1 3

One of the two giant Utah tar sand deposits in central southeast Utah is known as the "Circle Cliffs" deposit. The areal extent of this deposit is about 28 square miles in Garfield County. The Circle Cliffs deposit is divided into two major deposits which have been named the West Flank and the East Flank. The West Flank lies within Townships 34 and 35 South, Ranges 6, 7, and 8 East. The East Flank lies in Townships 33, 34, 35 and 36 South, Ranges 7 , 8, and 9 East. The Escalante River is about six miles southwest of the West Flank. The East Flank deposit is almost entirely within the Capitol Reef National Park.

Geology

Ritzma(42) describes the tar sand oil of the Circle Cliffs deposit as being "trapped in the unnamed middle sandstone member of the Triassic Moenkopi Formation in a sequence of fine-grained clayey, micaceous sandstones interspersed with occasional pods of porous and permeable beach and off-shore bar-type sandstones." Ritzma (43) presented a diagrammatic geological cross section of the Circle Cliffs Uplift (see Figure 8) and a map of the Circle Cliffs outcrops (see Figure 9).

Surf ace Minim

The Utah Geological and Mineral Survey(1) states that the tar sand oil reserve at the Circle Cliffs is as follows. The East Flank contains 420,000,000 measured barrels, plus 340,000,000 indicated barrels, and 100,000,000 conjectured barrels for a reserve of 860,000,000 barrels. The West Flank contains 287,000,000 measured barrels, 90,000,000 indicated barrels, and 70,000,000 conjectured barrels for a reserve of 447,000,000 barrels. The total reserve for both flanks is 1,307,000,000 barrels of oil in place.

It is possible to surface mine more than 30 percent of the deposit area; however, overburden thickness varies from zero to more than 500 feet. There are from one to three pay zones which vary in thickness from minimal to about 300 feet.

A number of factors discourage surface mining of the Circle Cliffs deposit. By and large, the deposit is very lean although in some areas saturated .tar sand may be found. These rich areas

J 37

w 00

CLIFFS ON WEST FLANK OF UPLIFT

NAGON BOX MESA

AREA WHERE MIDDLE MOENKOPI

PRE- SHINARUMP STRUCTURAL HIGH CIRCLE CLIFFS

UPLl FT

F i g u r e 8 . DIAGRAMMATIC GROSS SECTION CIRCLE CLIFFS UPLIFT

HRR 2-69 SHOWING OIL-IMPREGNATED SANDSTONE DEPOSITS

P

- . . . - . . . . . . . . - . . . - - . . .

3 Stu (Shinar

. -- -- 'I' . I, ,oo- Thickness in feet of Oi/-lmpregnaflon m the

Mdd/e Member o f Moenkopi formation /

I Axis of Circle C / i f f s Antic/ine: Showing dip Of beds andplunge o f axis.

0 Samp/e location.

0 We//

Note: A l l depostts 0ccur3i3 Middle Moenkopi formotion (Triassic), unless otherwise noted.

4

are widely scattered. for the largest mining equipment. required to surface mine this deposit. from pspulztion centers 2nd presently quite inaccessible.

The terrain is rugged and not well suited Drilling and blasting will be 6

The deposit is very remote

Austral Oil Company drilled two exploratory core holes near the west edge of the Circle Cliffs West Flank deposit. One core hole was drilled to 860 feet in Section 7 of T35S, R6E about two miles from the outcrop. urated with oil but the pay thickness was only one-half of the thickness at the outcrop and the tar sand was compacted. second core hole was drilled to 989 feet about one mile further south in Section 18 of T35S, R6E. found in this second core.

Core samples at that location were still sat-

The

No tar sand deposition was

Chemical Processing

Surface mining methods may be used to recover bitumen from the Circle Cliffs since much of the deposit area is near the surface. In areas where overburden thickness is prohibitive, it may not be feasible to recover the bitumen by in situ methods due to tar sand compaction, low porosity, and low bitumen content. The presence of considerable siltstone may interfere both with in situ recovery and bitumen-sand separation of surface-mined material.

%

As in the case of the Tar Sand Triangle bitumen, the Circle Cliffs bitumen has a relatively high sulfur content. relatively high sulfur content is a significant deterrent to marketing the bitumen as a feedstock to refineries. stocks are corrosive and require special processing and air pollution abatement equipment.

This

High sulfur

Wood and Ritzma (37) report analyses of twelve samples taken from the Circle Cliffs tar sand deposit. The average oil content of eleven of these samples (a seep was omitted) was only 4.6 weight percent. Oil extracted from these twelve samples had an average specific gravity of 1.103 and an average sulfur content of 3.60 weight percent. Atmospheric and vacuum distillation data are also presented by these authors. indicate that the Circle Cliffs deposit is undesirable in at least three respects when compared with the Uinta Basin deposits. The tar sand is poorly saturated with oil, the oil is unusually heavy, and the oil contains a high percentage of sulfur.

These data

Arjay Oil Company(44) drilled four cores at Circle Cliffs and found an oil content of 7 . 5 weight percent in one selected 80 foot string of core.

40

6

J J 1 J

1

d a d

J 1 J 1 1


The arid climate in the Circle Cliffs area is a major problem. The area receives less than ten inches of precipitation annually and most of this is winter snowfall and spring rains. is little vegetation or animal life in the area. irrigation will be required to re-establish vegetation in reclaimed areas. acre-feet annual flow in the Escalante River about six miles southwest of the deposit. Escalante for tar sand chemical processing and land reclamation will probably be difficult since the Escalante is being reviewed for consideration under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

There Sprinkling or

The nearest source of water is from the 50,000

Obtaining water rights from the

Land ownership and use are serious problems deterring tar sand development at Circle Cliffs. The East Flank deposit lies almost entirely within Capitol Reef National Park which is under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. The West Flank is principally on Federal land controlled by the Bureau of Land Management. As is the case with much of the Federal land in Utah, the State owns several school sections in many of the townships. Environmental groups are attempting to have the West Flank area designated as a wilderness or primitive area. Such designation will probably severely restrict the availability of the deposit to surface mining.

The remoteness of the Circle Cliffs area from possible bitumen markets is another disadvantage.

Conclusions

Of the six largest tar sand deposits in the Intermountain West that are possible candidates for a large surface mining operation, the Circle Cliffs deposit ranks next to the lowest. The principal reason for this low ranking is the low oil content of the tar sand. Other factors which discourage the exploita- tion of the Circle Cliffs tar sand deposit are as follows: (1) high clay and silt content of the ore, tent of the oil, ( 3 ) rugged terrain, ( 4 ) remoteness and inac- cessibility, ( 5 ) lack of water for processing and land reclamation, and (6) the present use of the area as a national park and possible designation as a wilderness area.

( 2 ) high sulfur con-

Circle Cliffs will probably maintain its low ranking unless core drillings can identify a large portion of the Circle Cliffs deposit with ten percent or more of oil saturation.

\

1 41

HILL CREEK

Geolosv

The giant Hill Creek tar sand deposit lies just west of the P.R. Spring deposit on the east side of the Green River. located in Townships 13, 14, and 15 South, Ranges 18, 19, 20, and 2 1 East in Uintah County. Figure 10 is an over1 of the location of the deposits as indicated by UGMS Map 33TX) and a portion of a Utah State Department of Highways map which shows the boundaries of the Hill Creek Extension of the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation. The two roughly rectangular areas indicate that more than one half of the deposit lies on the Indian reservation. Other smaller tar sand deposits which lie on the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation are as follows: Littlewater Hills (10 to 12 million barrels), Lake Fork (6.5 to 10 million barrels), and Spring Branch (1.5 to 2 million barrels).

It is

The Hill Creek tar sand is found in the Douglas Creek Member of the Green River Formation (Eocene Age). The dominant lithology of the Douglas Creek Member is sandstone and siltstone.

Surface Mining

The Utah Geological and -Mineral Survey(l) states that the tar sand oil reserve at Hill Creek is as follows: 350 million measured barrels, plus 480 million indicated barrels, and 330 million inferred or conjectured barrels for a total reserve of 1,160 million barrels of oil in place. The deposit covers an area of from 115 to 1 2 5 square miles. There are from one to three pay zones that vary from five to thirty-five feet in thickness. Overburden thickness varies from none at all at the outcrops on the sides of the canyons and washes to more than 5 0 0 feet.

Surface mining of the Hill Creek deposit would consist principally of contour mining. This is true since in many areas the deposit outcrops on canyon walls and is quickly covered by excessive overburden as the ore body is followed perpendicular to the canyon. Drilling and blasting will be required since both the overburden and pay zones are well consolidated.

The Indians (45) on the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation would like to more accurately determine the extent of the mineral resources on their tribal lands; however, they are presently not able to finance the extensive core drilling and geological work needed to do this.

c 4 2

/-

Chemical Processing

Wood and Ritzma(37) report an oil content of 11.2 percent on a sample of tar sand taken from the Hill Creek deposit at T14S, R20E, Section 30 beside the Oil Sand Canyon road. Oil extracted from this sample had a specific gravity of 1.017 and a sulfur content of 0.40 weight percent. Atmospheric and vacuum distillation data are also presented by these authors.

Environmental Aspects ’

Water for the large scale chemical processing and mined land reclamation in the Hill Creek tar sand deposit must come from the Green River. The Green flows about six miles west of the deposit at its nearest point.

The Indians(d6) on the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation are concerned about the role they will play during the development of the energy resources found on the reservation. Socio-economic and multi-cultural development can progress more smoothly if energy development on the reservation involves the Indians as much as possible. This can be accomplished, in part, by locating production facilities on the reservation near the ore bodies instead of exporting the resources for processing beyond the reservation.

Conclusions

Data on the tar sand resource at Hill Creek are extremely limited. However, it is recommended that resource evaluation efforts be concentrated on other more promising deposits. The writers rank the Hill Creek deposit lowest of the six deposits studied, as far as large-scale surface mining is concerned. The principal reasons for this low ranking are that the three pay zones are thin and widely scattered. When the oil-.reserve of 1,160 million barrels is divided by the 1 2 5 square mile area of the deposit, a quotient of 6nly 9 million barrels of oil per square mile is obtained. This is the lowest quotient for any of the six deposits studied. The quotients for the other deposits vary from 1 7 to 7 0 million barrels per square mile. Although the percentage of the oil reserve that is surface mineable was not evaluated, it is obvious that the deposit cannot support an extraction plant requiring a one billion barrel surface mineable reserve. Other disadvantages of the deposit are as follows: (1) the mountainous terrain, ( 2 ) the dry climate, (3) poor accessibility, and (4) the remoteness of the deposit from product markets. The deposit has the advantage of containing low sulfur oil. Land ownership by the Indians may be an advantage over federal or multiple private ownership.

44

1 It is recommended that a preliminary overburden thickness study be made to determine the percentage of the deposit area that can be surface mined.

3

I

3

45

P.R. S P R I N G

U t a h ' s second l a r g e s t t a r sand d e p o s i t i n o i l reserves and t h e l a r g e s t i n a rea l e x t e n t has been named "P.R. Spring" a f t e r a s p r i n g l o c a t e d nea r t h e eas t boundary of t h e d e p o s i t . may be an a b b r e v i a t i o n f o r Peor Spring which has been sa id t o mean "bad water". The writers could f i n d noth ing wrong wi th t h e w a t e r nor w i th t h e mule dee r who shared it wi th them.

P.R. Spring

P . R . Spring covers from 2 4 0 t o 2 7 0 square m i l e s i n e a s t e r n Utah i n t h e s o u t h e a s t p o r t i o n of t h e Uinta Basin. I t l i e s w i t h i n Townships 1 2 through 1 7 South, Ranges 2 1 through 25 E a s t i n Uintah and Grand Counties and extends eastward t o t h e Colorado s t a t e l i n e .

Geolosv

Marchant, e t a1 ( 4 7 ) describe t h e P .R . Spr ing area a s fol lows: "Surface e l e v a t i o n s i n t h e P .R . Spring d e p o s i t area dec rease northward from over 8 , 0 0 0 f t . a t t h e Roan C l i f f s , a t t h e south- e r n ex t r emi ty , t o about 6 , 0 0 0 f t . nea r T h r e e m i l e Canyon. The topography i s c h a r a c t e r i z e d by s teep-walled canyons d iv ided by f l a t r i d g e s . Sur face water i s l i m i t e d t o a few small spr ing-fed p e r e n n i a l streams i n t h e major canyons. Access t o t h e a r e a from t h e n o r t h i s v i a graded d i r t roads from Bonanza and Ouray. Unimproved t r a i l s descend from t h e Roan C l i f f s t o connect w i th I n t e r s t a t e Highway 7 0 t o t h e south ."

"Geologica l ly , t h e P .R . Spr ing d e p o s i t i s i n t h e s o u t h e a s t por- t i o n of t h e Uinta Basin. Most of t h e s u r f a c e i s composed of one of t h e members of t h e Eocene-Green River Formation (Table V). The f l o o r s of s e v e r a l deeper canyons are on t h e Wasatch Forma- t i o n and t h e Uinta Formation ou tc rops on a s m a l l p o r t i o n of t h e n o r t h end of t h e d e p o s i t . "

"The o i l - s a t u r a t e d beds of t h e upper Douglas Creek and lower Parachute Creek Members of t h e Green River Formation outcrop nea r t h e t o p of t h e Roan C l i f f s and d i p north-northwest a t about 2'. A t t h e poor ly de f ined n o r t h end of t h e d e p o s i t t h e t a r sands are below several hundred f e e t of overburden. The t a r sands a l so ou tc rop a long t h e w a l l s of t h e deeper canyons and s e v e r a l o i l and water seeps are found i n t h e s e outcrops ."

4 6

.- . .. .. . . .

1

T e r t i a r y

1

'0 I I J 1 1

1 -7

1 '7

Table V

TERTIARY FORMATIONS O F THE

E o c e n e

JTHEASTERN UINTA BASIN

Formation

Uinta Formation

G r e e n R i v e r

Formation

Parachute

C r e e k ~ -

Mahogany o i l - sha le bed

Member ~~ ~

Douglas C r e e k Member

Wasatch Formation

1

7

J

7 4 7

Re fer e nc e (37) (37) (37)

Sample No. 69-133 69-14E 67-1A Weight Percent Oil 12.4 14.8 97.6 3il Specific Gravity 1.012 1.031 0.969 Neight Percent Sulfur 0.45 0.35 0.36

/---

Surface Mining

Some areas of the P.R. Spring tar sand deposit can be surface mined in addition to contour mining of the outcrops along the canyon walls. Overburden thickness varies from none at all to more than 500 feet, however. Ritzma(1) tells us that there are from two to six separate pay zones that vary in thickness from zero to 80 feet. The total oil reserve is from 4.0 to 4.5 billion barrels of oil in place consisting of 2.5 billion barrels measured, 1.2 billion indicated, and 0.3 to 0.8 billion inferred or conjectured.

Tar sand outcrops sampled by the writers were well consolidated indicating that drilling and blasting will be required to surface mine the P.R. Spring deposit.

Chemical Processing

Wood and Ritzma (37) report analyses on three samples taken from the P.R. Spring tar sand deposit. Table VI presents these data.

Table VI

P.R. SPRING TAR SAND AND OIL ANALYSES

Sample 69-133 was taken in the Dragon-Asphalt Wash area (SW NE 8, T12S, R25E) from the uppermost Douglas Creek Member of the Green River Formation (Eocene Age). The second sample (69-14E) was taken in the Dragon-Asphalt Wash area (NW NW 4, T12S, R25E) from the Parachute Creek Member of the Green River Formation oolite in contact with the Black Dragon gilsonite vein. The third sample (67-1A) was taken from an oil seep in Main Canyon (Center NE5, T16S, R24E) in the Douglas Creek Member of the Green River Formation. The sulfur content of these samples is low as with other Uinta Basin tar sand oil samples.

J.W. B~nger(~~)has made a comparison of the properties of oil extracted from P.R. Spring tar sand and typical Athabasca tar sand. This comparison.is presented in the following table.

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Table VI1

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COMPARISON OF P.R. SPRING AND ATHABASCA TAR SANDS

Property I P.R. Spring Athabasca*

API Gravity Specific Gravity Heating Value, Btu/lb C/H, Atomic Ratio

Elemental Analyses

10.3 0.998

0.637 1,800

I 7.6 1.018

0.669 17,800

Carbon, Wt. % Hydrogen, Wt.% Sulfur, Wt.% Nitrogen, Wt.%

84.44 11.05 0.75 1.00

83.28 10.40 2 to 6

0.35 to 0.65

*Average for Athabasca (Ref. 6, Camp, 1974, p.23)

The carbon-hydrogen ratio of 0.637 is average for Utah tar sand oil. The higher API gravity, higher hydrogen content, and lower sulfur content of P.R. Spring tar sand oils tend to make them more valuable than Athabasca oils as an energy resource.

I I '

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d

Recent unpublished work by Bunger (I1) confirms these earlier observations and extends the comparison to Asphalt Ridge and Tar Sand Triangle samples. The Asphalt Ridge sample parallels the P.R. Spring while the Tar Sand Triangle sample, which is much higher in sulfur and lower in hydrogen, parallels the Athabasca sample. However, the Uinta Basin'samples are of a higher average molecular weight and viscosity and of a lower volatility which tends to offset the aforementioned advantages over the Tar Sand Triangle and Athabasca samples. The most significant compositional difference between the Uinta Basin oils on the one hand and the Tar Sand Triangle and Athabasca oils on the other, and which explains the property trends, is the higher concentration of saturated hydrocarbons in the Uinta Basin samples.

J.W. Bunger (48 compares simulated distillation results on a P.R. Spring tar sand oil sample, A, using gas-liquid chroma- J

7 tography with convent'onal distillations of other P.R. Sprinqj7) samples by J.W. G ~ y n n ? ~ ~ ) B, C, and D and by Wood and Ritzma

d E and F in Table VIII. Bunger suggests that the large volume of low boiling fractions in samples E and F may be due to thermal cracking of the original tar sand oil during distillation.

Bunger's 1974 paper also presents information about the major compound types in a P.R. Spring tar sand oil and shows that

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Table VI11

DISTILLATION DATA FOR P.R. SPRING BITUMENS(48) - Weight Percent D i s t i l l e d

A a B C D E F Outcrop Outcrop

D i s t i l l e d

F r a c t i o n

1-4 5 6 7 8 9

1 0 11 1 2 1 3 1 4 15

Residue 1 6 1 7 18 1 9

Residue

as imula ted b T h e t o t a l ( )Numbers

cut P o i n t

OC

1 2 5 1 5 0 175 2 0 0 2 2 5 250 2 7 5 308 3 3 6 364 3 9 2 4 2 0

4 4 8 4 7 6 5 0 4 5 3 2

--

d i s t i l l ;

T h i s Study

(core)

0 . 4

0 . 5 1 .0 2 . 1 2 . 8 4 . 1 3 . 2 5 .1

( 8 0 . 8 ) 6 . 4 8 . 1 7 . 1 8 . 1

51.1

; ion data.

Main Canyon

Seep ( 4 9 )

1 . 9 2 . 3 3 .1 3 . 4 9 . 5

7 5 . 8

4 1 1 others

Core 7 9 t o 8 3 f t ( 4 9 )

1 . 6 2 . 2 2 .9 5 .6

1 1 . 8 7 4 . 8

re actual (

v a l u e of 2 . 2 was found i n f rac t ion 4 . i n parentheses refer t o references ci ted.

Core Sample 1 3 7 t o 1 4 1 N o .

f t ( 4 9 ) 69-13E (37

3 .1 2 . 8 4 . 5 4 . 1

1 2 . 5 71.0

- s t i l l a t i o n .

2 .2b 2 .4 1 . 2 1 . 2 1 . 4 5 . 9

31.1

0 . 2 2 . 2 2 . 5 2 . 6

4 7 . 1

Sample N o .

67-1A (37 )

1.4 6.5

6 4 . 4 3.1

3 .4 2 1 . 3

is 7

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1 1 1 7

it differed significantly from high-boiling petroleum residues. These differences were most notable in the higher percentage of bitumen which contained heteroatoms as well as the greater tendency for heteroatoms to be concentrated as a function of decreasing volatility. Because the absolute concentration of heteroatoms was not significantly different from a comparable high nitrogen Wilmington, California residue, these results were attributed to a higher average molecular weight for the P.R. Spring residue of comparable initial boiling point.


As is the case with the other tar sand deposits studied, the climate is arid and little water is available w thin the vicinity of the deposit. Willow Creek contribute respectively 1 7 , 5 0 0 and 13,000 acre- feet annually to the Upper Colorado River Basin system. However, 1 1 , 5 0 0 acre-feet of this is used for cropland and wet land de- pletion, leaving 19,000 acre-feet flowing into the Green River each year. This volume of water is not adequate for a sizeable tar sand industry. Water for a large mining and processing facility would have to be taken from the Green River which is at least 20 miles west of the deposit.

The drainages of Willow Creek t 5 O ) and Upper

P.R. Spring has more vegetation than Asphalt Ridge, Circle Cliffs, or Tar Sand Triangle. Reclamation of surface-mined land may be more difficult than at Sunnyside but less difficult than at other deposits. The annual precipitation is about 15 inches. The most prominent plant in the area is sagebrush. The abundance of browse, the rolling hills of the plateau, and steep canyons have contributed to the production of an ideal mule deer hunting area.

Conclusions

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The writers rank the P.R. Spring tar sand deposit the f o u r t h most promising candidate for a large scale surface-mining operation. Although the deposit contains from 4 . 0 to 4 . 5 billion barrels of oil in place, the tar sand ore is widely scattered over a 2 7 0 square mile area. When the oil reserve of 4 . 5 billion barrels is divided by this 2 7 0 square mile area, a quotient of only 1 7 million barrels of oil per square mile is obtained. This quotient is the second lowest of the six deposits studied. Other factors which contribute to the low ranking of the P.R. Spring deposit are as follows: (1) heavy overburden coverage except near the south end of the deposit, ( 2 ) wide separation of the two to six pay zones by barren material, ( 3 ) remoteness and in- accessibility, ( 4 ) lack o f water for processing and land reclamation, and ( 5 ) predominant land ownership by the Federal

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government. The deposit is very remote from population centers, good roads, a railroad, electric power, and oil markets. Con- sideration could be given to the installation of a products pipeline or gravity-conveying system southward down the Book Cliffs to the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad and Inter- state Highway 70 which pass through the towns of Thompson and Cisco.

Much of the P.R. Spring deposit may be found to be satisfactory for in situ oil recovery.

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SUNNY S I DE

Geology

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The Sunnyside t a r sand d e p o s i t i s l o c a t e d i n Carbon County, Utah i n Townships 1 2 , 13 and 1 4 South, Ranges 13, 1 4 and 15 E a s t . The d e p o s i t ou tcrops f o r n i n e m i l e s a long t h e southwest s i d e and n e a r t h e t o p of t h e Book C l i f f s . t h e d e p o s i t i s f o u r m i l e s n o r t h e a s t of t h e coal mining town of Sunnyside, which is a t e rmina l p o i n t of t h e Denver and R i o Grande Western Railroad. The d e p o s i t can be reached by d r i v i n g about t h r e e m i l e s up Whitmore Canyon and then about f i v e m i l e s v i a an

A t i t s closest p o i n t ,

unimproved road up Water Canyon.

Most of t h e o i l s a t u r a t i o n occurs i n t h e upper t h i r d of t h e 3700 f o o t t h i c k Wasatch Formation of L o w e r Eocene Age. s a t u r a t i o n occurs i n t h e lower ove r ly ing beds of t h e Green River Formation of Middle Eocene Age. t h a t t h e pay zones are from 1 0 t o 350 f e e t t h i c k w i t h i n a 1 0 0 0 f o o t i n t e r v a l between t h e e l e v a t i o n s of 9 0 0 0 and 1 0 , 0 0 0 ’ f e e t . The outcropping beds d i p g e n t l y northeastward i n t o t h e Uin ta Basin a t a n g l e s from 3 t o 1 0 degrees . t h e canyons of Dry Creek and Range Creek on t h e d i p s l o p e n o r t h e a s t of t h e crest of t h e Book C l i f f s .

Some

Holmes, e t a l ( 5 1 ) i n d i c a t e d

Outcrops can be found i n

E i t z m a ( l ) s ays t h a t t h e r e a r e from t h r e e t o twelve pay zones t h a t vary i n t h i c k n e s s up t o 550 f e e t .

The miles and the quantity of o i l i n place is estimated to be between 3.5 and 4 . 0 b i l l i o n b a r r e l s . o i l reserve i s the sum of 1 . 2 5 b i l l i o n b a r r e l s measured, b i l l i o n b a r r e l s i n d i c a t e d , and 0 .5 t o 1 . 0 b i l l i o n b a r r e l s i n f e r r e d . t h i r d i n s i z e i n Utah.

a rea l e x t e n t of t h e d e p o s i t i s between 35 and 9 0 squa re

Ritzma(1) says t h a t t h i s 1 . 7 5

T h i s o i l reserve p l a c e s t h e Sunnyside t a r sand d e p o s i t Only t h e Tar Sand Tr i ang le and P.R. Spr ing

d e p o s i t s are known t o be l a r g e r .

I Surf ace Mining

1 On October i n t e r e s t e d were Howard and Mineral D r . Alex G. I n d u s t r i e s

17, 1 9 7 4 , J.M. Glasset t accompanied three o t h e r men i n t a r sand d e p o s i t s t o Sunnyside, Utah. These men

R. R i t z m a , A s s i s t a n t Director of t h e Utah Geologic Survey, Jock Campbell, Geo log i s t f o r UGMS, and Oblad, Dean of t h e College of Mines and Mineral

This group t r a v e l e d a t t h e Un ive r s i ty of Utah.

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southward t o Pr ice , Utah and then eastward about 30 m i l e s t o Sunnyside i n a four-wheel d r i v e v e h i c l e . Sunnyside, they t r a v e l e d northward up Whitmore Canyon about t h r e e m i l e s and then turned n o r t h e a s t i n t o Water Canyon. F igure 11 i s a map of t h e a r e a n o r t h of Sunnyside taken from a r e p o r t by C.N. H o l m e s ( 5 1 ) and *B.11. Page e n t i t l e d "Geology of t h e Bituminous Sandstone Deposi ts Near Sunnyside, Carbon County, Utah." A one square m i l e a r e a surrounding a rock a s p h a l t o r t a r sand quar ry w a s c a r e f u l l y mapped by t h e s e men i n 1945 and i s included i n t h i s r e p o r t as F igure 12.

From t h e C i t y of

F igure 12 shows t h a t t h e t a r sand d e p o s i t exposure i s e x t e n s i v e , extending from t h e 9100 f o o t t o t h e 1 0 , 0 0 0 f o o t e l e v a t i o n . a s p h a l t qua r ry i s a t about t h e 9,200 f o o t e l e v a t i o n . Open p i t mining a t one quar ry began i n 1892, t o o b t a i n paving material f o r t h e streets of S a l t Lake C i ty . A second quar ry was opened i n 1915. To 1945, about 330,000 t ons of t a r sand had been mined from t h i s second qua r ry s i t e and used d i r e c t l y t o pave highways and a i r p o r t l anding s t r i p s . D r i l l i n g and b l a s t i n g was r e q u i r e d dur ing t h e s e mining o p e r a t i o n s s i n c e t h e Sunnyside t a r sand i s q u i t e w e l l consol ida ted .

Ea r ly i n t h e h i s t o r y of t h e q u a r r y , an a e r i a l tramway w a s b u i l t t o t r a n s p o r t t h e t a r sand down Water Canyon about fou r m i l e s t o t h e base of t h e Roan C l i f f s . The t a r sand w a s t hen t r a n s f e r r e d t o t r u c k s , hauled t o a c rush ing p l a n t a t Sunnyside, and then t r a n s f e r r e d t o r a i l r o a d c a r s f o r d e l i v e r y t o t h e p o i n t of use. The tramway has appa ren t ly n o t been used f o r about 3 0 y e a r s , b u t i s q u i t e p i c tu re sque . and t h e r u s t y buckets a r e s t i l l hanging on t h e cab le . R i t z m a t o l d us t h a t t h e tramway w a s s t e e p enough f o r t h e buckets t o move down t h e canyon by g r a v i t y . Many of t h e workmen rode i n t h e buckets on t h e i r r e t u r n t r i p up t h e canyon t o g e t t o work.

The

The wooden t r a m towers are s t i l l t h e r e Howard

In 1949, Utah O i l Refining Company 25 Yorth S a l t Lake began t o produce road a s p h a l t w i t h t h e i r propane deaspha l t ing u n i t and s e v e r a l y e a r s l a t e r , P h i l l i p s Petroleum Corporat ion a t Woodscross a l s o began a s p h a l t p roduct ion by vacuum d i s t i l l a t i o n . a s p h a l t producers may have caused t h e demise of t h e Sunnyside "rock a s p h a l t " mining ope ra t ion . a s p h a l t because t h e demand f o r b l ack f u e l o i l decreased s i g n i - f i c a n t l y a f t e r World War I1 ended.

On May 20, 1 9 6 5 , a hea r ing was he ld and S h e l l O i l Company was g ran ted permission by Utah ' s O i l , Gas, and !lining Conservation Commission t o d r i l l f i v e w e l l s on one-acre spac ing i n Sec t ion 3 , T14S, R14E i n Carbon County. The a p p l i c a t i o n s t a t e s t h a t t h e Sunnyside Experimental P r o j e c t involved t h e i n j e c t i o n of steam t o see i f bitumen could be produced from t h e i n j e c t i o n w e l l o r from a d j a c e n t w e l l s . s p e c i f i e d . t h i s s tudy .

These

These r e f i n e r s began producing

A maximum d r i l l i n g depth of 1500 f e e t w a s The r e s u l t s of t h i s p r o j e c t were n o t found dur ing

54

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INTERMOUNTAIN ASSOCIATIOY OF PETROLEUM GEOLOGISTS

E X P L A N A T I O N

B

SEVENTH ANNUAL f IELD CONFERENCE - 1956

G E O L O G I C MAP A N D

CROSS S E C T I O N OF

BITUMINOUS

Surveyed 1945

0 500 5 0 0 1000 FELT * - - I Scale

Contour lntrrvol IOOfreI

SANDSTONE

DEPOSITS

OF THE ROCK A S P H A L T CQ

OF U T A H

N E A R Q U A R R I E S 9800'

94 00'

9000'

8600'

8200' CROSS SECTION ALONG L I N E A - A *

1 ? u 7 ld

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d 3 II I 3 1 J

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On J u l y 13 , 1 9 7 0 , M r . Pau l Burche l l , Petroleum Engineer f o r t h e O i l , G a s , and Mining Conservat ion Commission, Department of Na tu ra l Resources, S t a t e of Utah, t e s t i f i e d t o Senator Moss(52) regard ing experiments which had been conducted by S h e l l O i l Company and S i g n a l O i l Company a t t h e Sunnyside t a r sand d e p o s i t . H e s a i d , "The S h e l l O i l Company d r i l l e d a f i v e - s p o t program and they conducted two experiments , one i n a huf f and puf f and one i n a steam d r i v e . The S i g n a l O i l Company d r i l l e d h o r i z o n t a l h o l e s i n t h e s i d e of t h e bituminous sandstone c l i f f , t h r e e h o l e s , and i n j e c t e d a i r and f i r e i n t h e c e n t e r and produced o i l i n t h e two o u t s i d e ones ."

Evidence of t h e S i g n a l O i l Company f i r e f l o o d experiment remains a t t h e Sunnyside "rock a s p h a l t " qua r ry . S e v e r a l d r i l l h o l e s extend almost h o r i z o n t a l l y i n t o t h e t a r sand c l i f f f a c e . Pools of s o l i d i f i e d bitumen may s t i l l be found n e a r t h e d r i l l h o l e s . Wooden framework wh'ch suppor ted t es t equipment i s s t i l l i n p l a c e . M r . Cleon Fe igh t (53 f s a i d t h a t S i g n a l O i l recovered a t l eas t 90 b a r r e l s of bitumen dur ing t h i s f i r e f lood t e s t .

A l a r g e t a r sand specimen weighing about 1 5 0 pounds w a s t aken from t h e qua r ry f o r e x h i b i t i n t h e Minerals Sc ience Bui ld ing a t t h e Un ive r s i ty of Utah. The s u r f a c e of t h i s specimen had s e v e r a l streamlets of bitumen on it which had seeped from t h e t a r sand d e p o s i t .

During t h e October 1 7 , 1 9 7 4 v i s i t t o t h e Sunnyside d e p o s i t , w e drove t o t h e t o p of t h e mountain r i d g e which d i v i d e s t h e d ra inages i n t o Whitmore Canyon on t h e w e s t and Range Creek on t h e e a s t . The e l e v a t i o n of Bruin P o i n t on t h e r i d g e i s 1 0 , 2 8 5 f e e t . There i s a microwave t r ansmiss ion f a c i l i t y a t Bruin P o i n t . During a second v i s i t t o t h e Sunnyside d e p o s i t on June 6 , 1 9 7 5 , t h i s road w a s blocked by snow d r i f t s .

H o l m e s (51)et a1 named three areas i n t h e Sunnyside depos i t w h e r e t h e overburden i s shal low enough t o cons ide r s u r f a c e mining. "Among t h e s e are t h e long r i d g e t h a t forms t h e wes tern boundary of t h e area shown on Figure 1 2 ; t h e sadd le northwest o f Bruin P o i n t between Bruin Creek and South Fork of Dry Creek (F igu re 11); and t h e area of broad outcrops on t h e d i v i d e between t h e heads of L e f t Fork and S l i d e Fork of Right Fork (F igu re 11) .I' H e a l so provides a c r o s s s e c t i o n of t h e bituminous sands tone d e p o s i t n e a r t h e q u a r r i e s of t h e Rock Asphal t Company of Utah. Th i s p a r t i c u l a r c r o s s s e c t i o n shows about 680 f e e t of overburden ( n o t count ing t h e t h i n o r e beds i n t h i s upper l a y e r ) and about 1 1 6 0 f e e t of pay c o n t a i n i n g some ba r ren zones. The overburden t o pay r a t i o f o r t h i s c r o s s s e c t i o n i s about 0 . 4 . The pay zone i n t h i s f i g u r e i s more than one-half m i l e wide and c o n t a i n s a c r o s s s e c t i o n of about 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 squa re ya rds of o i l sand. S i m i l a r c r o s s s e c t i o n s ex tending f o r on ly one m i l e might con ta in about 0 . 9 b i l l i o n cub ic ya rds of pay and 0.34 b i l l i o n cubic ya rds of overburden. Th i s amount of

5 7

Day would contain 430 million barrels of oil if the average oil saturation were 20 gallons per cubic yard. This small part of the Sunnyside tar sand reserve would provide feed for a 59,000 barrel per calendar day extraction plant for 20 years.

Such a 59,000 barrel per calendar day production facility would involve a huge surface mining operation. More than 123,000 cubic yards of tar sand would be mined each day and about 47,000 cubic yards of overburden would have to be relocated. This operation would be about) four-tenths the size of Kennecott Copper Corp- oration's mkdng operation at Bingham, Utah. KCC has a daily target to move 324,500 tons of overburden and 108,000 tons of low grade copper ore. KCC uses 35 power S~lovelS, 86 trucks, and a large number of railroad cars in their operation. The proposed Sunnyside mining operation should utilize the advantage of the high elevation of the deposit by moving both overburden and tar sand ore by a gravity flow operation. The aerial tramway used during the early history of tar sand mining at Sunnyside was inefficient because the buckets had a very limited capacity. Conveyor belts would be much more efficient in moving large volumes of material from the mine site. But even these would be quite large since more than 85 cubic yards of ore per minute must be moved continuously.

Combined Metals Reduction Company of Salt Lake City(5*) has offered 600 acres of Sunnyside tar sand property for sale at auction in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 3, 1975 and again on June 6, 1975. No bids satisfactory to the owners were made. The property overlaps the area surrounding the rock asphalt quarry that was mapped in 1945 by Holmes, et al. Combined Metals claims that this property offers a probable recovery of 187,500,000 barrels of oil and contains more than 0.5 billion tons of tar sand. If one uses the weight of 1.77 tons per cubic yard, the calculated average oil content advertised is 28 gallons of oil per cubic yard. The property is adjacent to 900 acres owned by Shell Oil Company.

Chemical Processinq

Shea and Higgins(33) found that Sunnyside tar sand contained more fines than their Asphalt Ridge samples: consequently, bitumen recovery was only 90 percent for Sunnyside ore compared to 96 percent for Asphalt Ridge ore during their laboratory hot water separation tests. An aqueous solution of sodium silicate was added to increase the pH of the pulp to 8 to enhance the bitumen-sand separation. They found that bitumen recovered from Sunnyside tar sand contained only 0.50 weight percent sulfur and contained very little wax. A good quality asphalt was prepared in the laboratory by removing the lowest boiling 3.9 percent of the bitumen by vacuum distillation.

58

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Holmes, et a1 ( ” ) indicate that the b.itumen content of the (1) Sunnyside tar sand varies up to more than 13 percent. indicates that the bitumen contains little sulfur. Two extracted bitumen samples showed contents of only 0.50 and 0.60 weight percent sulfur.

Ritzma


Probably the most distinctive environmental feature of the Sunny- side deposit is the high altitude. is 1 0 , 2 8 5 feet and the tar sand pay zones lie between 9,000 and 10,000 feet elevation. The terrain is mountainous and rugged, but there is sufficient precipitation for the growth of pine and quaking aspen trees. The re-establishment of native vegetation on reclaimed land should not be as difficult as at other deposits since annual precipitation is about 18 inches.

Water for tar sand chemical processing will have to be pumped to a significantly higher elevation from the Green River which flows less than ten miles east of the deposits’ most eastern mineable extremity. Competition with other users of the Green River water will be keen.

The elevation at Bruin Point

The deposit includes significant areas of privately-owned land. Some of the choicest mineable area is presently for sale.

Conclusions

The Sunnyside tar sand deposit is rated by the writers to be the deposit most favorable for large scale surface mining. principal reason for this rating is the thick pay zones.

The

Serious consideration should be given to the installation of a large surface mining and oil extraction facility on the Sunnyside tar sand deposit. Even though the overburden thickness s e e m s excessive, the average overburden to pay ratio is well below the cutoff ratio of unity used by tar sand operators in Athabasca.(G)

A detailed overburden thickness study is needed to identify areas where surface mining would be most economical. Also additional core drilling should be done to more accurately define the pertinent surface mining variables.

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3 59

TAR SAND TRIANGLE

Utah's largest tar sand deposit is known as the "Tar Sand Triangle." The Tar Sand Triangle covers more than 200 square miles in central southeast Utah. It lies within Townships 29, 30, 30.5, 31, 32, and 33 South, Ranges 14, 15, 16, and 17 East, in Garfield and Wayne Counties. The Green and Colorado Rivers lie east of this huge tar sand deposit and the Dirty Devil River lies on the west. The east boundary of the deposit is very close to Lake Powell on the Colorado River and the west boundary of Canyonlands National Park. lies within the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The National Park Service has jurisdiction over these two areas. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has jurisdiction over most of the remaining area of the deposit. Several smaller areas of the deposit lie on State of Utah lands.

About forty percent of the deposit

Geology

Ritzma(d.2) said, "The Tar Sand Triangle deposit appears to be the residue of a gigantic oil field formed by the updip pinch out of the Permian White Rim Sandstone draped across the northwest plunge of the Monument Upwarp of Southeast Utah." Utah Geological and Mineral Survey Map 33(l) indicates that the oil apparently origi- nated in organic Permian or possibly Pennsylvanian rocks. Later the oil migrated upward via faults, fractures, and joints and penetrated into the uppermost Permian and lower Triassic sandstones. The formation of the canyons on each side of the deposit resulted in the formation of outcrops on both the updip and downdip sides of the huge deposit. This erosion removed the upward water drive and released the lighter hydrocarbons of the oil field to the atmosphere. With pressure from below released, considerable migration downward later occurred due to gravity.

Six areas within the Tar Sand Triangle have been named: (1) Elaterite Basin, ( 2 ) Red Cove, (3) Teapot Rock, ( 4 ) Fault Point, ( 5 ) The Cove, and (6) Hatch Canyon. The geologic formations and relative location of these areas are as follows. The Elaterite Basin lies in Township 30 South, Range 17 East, at the northeast corner of Tar Sand Triangle. The tar sand deposits of the Ela- terite Basin lie in the White Rim Sandstone portion of the Cutler Formation (Permian Age). The Red Cove area is just south of the Elaterite Basin and its deposits are in both the White Rim and the Cedar Mesa Sandstone members of the Cutler Formation. The Teapot Rock area is in Township 31 South, Range 16 East, at the

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3 3 I 3 I 3

I

I

d

mideastern edge of the triangle. The Teapot Rock tar sand lies in the White Rim and the Cedar Mesa Sandstone members of the Cutler Formation. Fault Point is located southwest of Teapot Rock at the bottom of the triangle in Township 32 South, Ranges 15 and 16 East. Fault Point tar sands are in the White Rim and Cedar Mesa Sandstone also. The Cove area is just west of Fault Point in Township 32 South, Range 15 East. The Cove area includes smaller areas bearing the names Cove, Fiddler Cove Can- yon, French Seep, North Hatch Canyon, Orange Cliffs, and South Hatch Canyon. The geologic formations in which these tar sand deposits occur are the White Rim Sandstone in the Cutler Forma, tion (Permian), the Moenkopi Formation (Triassic), and the Shinarump Conglomerate, a basal member of the Chinle Formation (Triassic). More than 99 percent of The Cove's tar sand lies in the White Rim Sandstone. The Hatch Canyon Tar Sand Triangle area is on the west edge of the triangle in Township 31 South, Range 14 east. Its tar sand lies in the same formations as The Cove Area.

Surface Mining

Much of the huge Tar Sand Triangle tar sand deposit can be surface mined although overburden thickness varies from zero to more than 1500 feet over the more than 200 square mile area of the deposit. There is only one pay zone or tar sand vein and it varies in thickness from five to three hundred feet. In his December 1973 speech to the Interstate Oil Compact Commission, Rit~ma(~1) described the Tar Sand Triangle as follows: "The area is exceedingly rugged and the deposit is found exposed along nearly vertical cliffs and extends downdip beneath an intricately dissected plateau. Access to exposed areas is difficult and is easiest from the plateau above where a sizeable number of coreholes and wells have intercepted the saturated sandstone at various depths and distances from the outcrop."

Mr. James H. Wardle of Springville, Utah, has leased a State school section (640 acres) at Fault Point one-half mile from Lake Powell. The tar sand pay zone is 80 feet thick and visible in the cliff face on his lease. At this location there is 30 feet of overburden and another 30 feet of barren sandstone below the pay zone. To reach his lease northeast of the confluence of the Colorado and Dirty Devil Rivers, you must travel about 25 miles over unimproved road to go six miles "as the crow flies".

Based on limited data, it appears that the Tar Sand Triangle deposit is quite lean. The bitumen content of the pay zone appears to be less than 1 5 gallons per ton of tar sand. Although the sandstone is fine-grained, it is quite porous and permeable. Samples gathered by the writers from various outcrop locations

3 61

indicate that drilling and blasting will be required to surface mine this largest of the Utah tar sand deposits. c Chemical Processing

Both in-situ and surface mining methods may be used to recover bitumen from the Tar Sand Triangle deposits since overburden thickness varies from zero to more than 1500 feet. It is probably not economical to move more than 100 feet of overburden for surface mining processing: however, this depends upon the market price of the bitumen and the thickness of the pay zone.

The relatively high sulfur content of Tar Sand Triangle bitumen may be a significant deterrent to the early development of this huge deposit. had an average sulfur content of 3.56 weight percent. The Uinta Basin tar sand deposits all show well below one percent sulfur. High sulfur content of oil refinery raw material necessitates additional processing equipment for Sulfui removal and the use of expensive metal alloys for corrosion protection.

Fifteen oil samples reported by Wood and Ritzma(37)

The Tar Sand Triangle samples reported by Wood and Ritzma had oil c o n t e n t s from 1 . 3 t o 9 .8 p e r c e n t . The e x t r a c t e d oil had an average specific gravity of 1.043.

Little data havebeen found regarding test work on the Tar Sand Triangle deposit. The Oil Development Company of Utah has filed a formal request to perform an in-situ combustion pilot test in the Gordon Flat area of Wayne County. This firm's 16,640 acre tract lies in the Glen Canyon National Recreational Area. A copy of the mining application for this test was obtained from the U . S . Geological Survey Office in Salt Lake City.


The arid climate in the Tar Sand Triangle area is a major problem. The plateau only receives from six to ten inches of precipitation per year and most of this occurs in the winter and early spring. The annual water runoff is only about one inch. There is little vegetation or animal life in the area. Reclamation of surface mined land will be difficult if the re-establishment of vegetation is required.

Ample water for tar sand resource development is nearby in the Green and Colorado Rivers on the east of the deposit and the Dirty Devil River on the west. At the confluence of the Colorado and the Dirty Devil, the Dirty Devil has a flow of 79,000 acre feet per year, and the Colorado's flow is well over 8 million acre feet. The allocation of water from these rivers for tar sand recovery will be a serious problem since all of Utah's

62

1 7

7

3 II I 3 3 I I I 1 3 I

share of the Upper Colorado River Basin water (1,400,000 acre feet per year) is either in use (800,000 acre feet) or has already been allocated (600,000 acre feet) for other purposes. This tar sand resource cannot be developed unless allocations of presently unused water from one of these rivers can be made available in some way.

Another serious "people problem" is the ownership of the Tar Sand Triangle land. About forty percent of the deposit lies on Glen Canyon National Recreational Area land under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. Much of the remaining area is on Bureau of Land Management land. Prior to any extensive tar sand resource development in this area, it will be necessary for the Federal Government to issue leases for such use of the land. There are some small areas owned by the State of Utah which presumably can be made available for experimental demonstration type installations.

The remoteness of the Tar Sand Triangle from a market for the bitumen is another serious problem. It would be quite costly to transport this semi-solid to the Salt Lake City area for refining and quite illogical to build a large refinery in an unpopulated area near Lake Powell.

Conclusions

Although the Tar Sand Triangle is larger than the sum of all the other tar sand deposits in Utah, as far as oil reserve in place is concerned, the writers rank it the second best prospect for surface mining and oil extraction. The Sunnyside deposit was ranked first due to its thick pay zones, high oil content, and low sulfur content.

An overburden thickness study should be made to identify specific areas in the large Tar Sand Triangle deposit t h a t can be surface mined. After mineable areas have been identified, a core drilling program should be initiated to further.evaluate this large oil resource.

I J

3 63

CONCLUSIONS

1. Only six of the more than 50 tar sand deposits in the Inter- mountain West contain more than one billion barrels of oil in place. All of these six deposits are located in Eastern Utah in semi-arid mountainous terrain. A surface mineable reserve of at least one billion barrels of oil is required to feed a 100,000 barrel per day oil extraction plant for a 20 year period. of 25 billion barrels of oil, only three of them, Sunnyside, Tar Sand Triangle, and P.R. Spring, can possibly contain one billion barrels of oil that is surface mineable. The names of the six deposits arranged in descending order of desirability for large scale surface mining oil recovery operations are as follows: Sunnyside, Tar Sand Triangle, Asphalt Ridge, P.R. Spring, Circle Cliffs and Hill Creek.

Although these six tar sand deposits contain a total

2 . Table IX presents a summary of some pertinent surface mining variables for the six largest deposits. Column one is the largest area of the range of areas presented for each deposit by the Utah Geological and Mineral Survey in their Map 33 . Columns two, pay thickness, and three, oil reserve, were taken from Map 33 without modification. Since overburden thickness for each deposit varies from zero at outcrops to more than 300 feet according to Map 33, this variable has been omitted. Column four, millions of barrels of oil per square mile, was calculated by dividing column three by column one. Column five, average pay thickness, was calculated by assuming that the average oil saturation of each pay zone was 20 gallons of oil per cubic yard of pay. The tar sand deposits in Table IX are listed in descending order of overall desirability for large scale surface mining.

3. The Sunnyside deposit has been ranked number one because it has (1) a good surface mineable oil reserve, (2) excellent pay thickness, (3) high' oil saturation, (4) moderate overburden to pay ratio, ( 5 ) low bitumen sulfur content, and ( 6 ) good access by road ana rail. Although overburden thickness may seem excessive at Sunnyside, the average overburden to pay ratio is well below unity at the south end of the deposit where the pay zones are thickest.

4 . The Tar Sand Triangle tar sand deposit has been ranked as the second most desirable deposit for surface mining because it has (1) the largest total oil reserve and probably the largest surface mineable oil reserve, ( 2 ) the thickest average pay, and (3) good water access. Negative aspects for this deposit are (1) high bitumen sulfur content, ( 2 ) reclamation difficulty, and (3) remoteness from roads, rail and product markets.

64

Table IX

SURFACE MINING VARIABLES -

Depo s it

Sunnyside

Tar Sand Triangle

Asphalt Ridge

P.R. Spring

Circle Cliffs

Hill Creek

Pay Area Thickness

Sq. Miles Feet

9 0 15-550

230 5-300+

25 10-135

270 10-80

28 5-310

125 5-35

Oil Reserve Billion bbls.

3.5-4.0

1 6

1.05

4.0-4.5

1.31

1.16

Average Pay* Million bbls. Thickness Per Sq. Mile Feet

44 90

70 142

42 85

17 34

47 96

9 1 9

5 . has (1) good oil saturation, ( 2 ) good pay thickness, ( 3 ) excellent water availability, ( 4 ) low sulfur content, and (5) good access to roads and markets. It would have ranked first except for the Ldct that it i s a comparatively small deposit with excessive overburden on more than 8 5 percent of the oil reserve. It is the only deposit studied which can be surface mined ef- fectively without drilling and blasting. deposit can support one extraction plant having a maximum capacity of about 17,000 barrels of oil per day. should be located near the center of the deposit to limit maximum ore haulage distance to about seven miles.

6. The P.R. Spring tar sand deposit has been ranked fourth by the writers because it has (1) a good oil reserve, ( 2 ) good oil saturation, (3) low overburden thickness at the northeast and south ends of the deposit, and ( 4 ) low bitumen sulfur content. Table IX indicated that pay thickness is poor. A significant amount of core drilling has been done and published. Core data indicate a wide separation of the two to six pay zones by barren material.

The Asphalt Ridge deposit has been ranked third because it

The Asphalt Ridge

The plant

/-

7 . The Circle Cliffs tar sand deposit has been ranked fifth because it has (1) poor oil saturation, ( 2 ) a high silt and clay content, and (3) high bitumen sulfur content. This deposit has thick pay and low overburden thickness.

8. The Hill Creek tar sand deposit has been given the sixth or lowest rating because it has (1) low oil saturation, ( 2 ) the lowest average pay thickness, and (3) high overburden thickness.

9. Mountain-top removal is expected to be the most extensively used surface mining method to recover o i l from Utah tar sand since the large deposits all lie in mountainous terrain. In many cases the pay zones outcrop on both sides of a mountain.

10. Based on limited consolidation data, drilling and blasting of both overburden and pay zones may be required at each of the large Utah tar sand deposits with the possible exception of the Asphalt Ridge deposit.

11. A preliminary equipment study indicates that draglines will be favored for moving overburden at the tar sand deposits studied. Trucks will probably be favored over railroad cars and conveyors for moving the ore to the extraction plant. No generalization can be made regarding the best equipment for mining the tar sand ore.

12. The surface mining operation required to supply tar sand feed to a 100,000 barrel per day oil extraction plant is mind boggling.

66

1

The mine would be as large as the Bingham Canyon, Utah, Kenne- cott Copper open pit which is the largest surface mining operation in the world. Careful planning of the mining operation is required since mining costs may be as much as forty percent of the total cost of producing a low quality oil from a low grade ore containing only ten percent oil. should be considered to improve the economics of oil recovery

i,

The following basic factors

from Utah tar sands:

a. containing a high oil content and having a low overburden to pay ratio. Remoteness from crude o i l markets is of secondary impor- tance since in a large operation, the bitumen can be coked, hydrogenated and pipelined.

Select a mine site containing a large ta? sand reserve,

b. cal equipment type, equipment size, and mining method for a particular open pit mine.

Minimize the cost of mining by determining the most economi-

c. Minimize the cost of transporting the ore from the mine to the processing plant. Consider conveying (gravity if possible) instead of truck or rail haulage. If scrapers are Used, employ driveover dump stations so that ore-laden scrapers can unload without stopping.

d. Minimize the cost of handling the ore and sand during extraction. Avoid rapid agitation unless it can be justified by reduced equipment size. requires large shear forces and that the sand in the ore is very abrasive.

Recognize that mining tar sand ore

e. and continuously the year around to reduce equipment size and the need f o r many multiple units. Utah winters should permit year around m i n i n g .

Operate both the mine and the extraction plant day and night

f. Minimize the cost of transporting the spent sand from the processing plant. Possibly overburden alone could be used to reclaim mined out areas and spent sand could be used for fill in canyons near the process plant. may be more economical than trucking it.

Conveying the spent sand

13. eastern Utah is a serious problem. Although water is available in rivers within ten miles of the six large deposits, competition for the limited water supply will be keen,with many more potential uses being proposed than there is water available. Other potential water users include coal-burning electric power plants, oil shale development, coal gasification, Bureau of Land Management projects, Forest Service Wildlife and Fisheries

Water availability for tar sand resource development in

\

67

c p r o j e c t s , new a g r i c u l t u r a l and municipal u ses , and t h e Wild and Scenic Rivers A c t . Coal-burning e lec t r ic power p l a n t s are expec ted t o r e c e i v e t h e major p o r t i o n of t h e a v a i l a b l e water because they are developing more qu ick ly and r e q u i r e less techno- l o g i c a l s o p h i s t i c a t i o n than o t h e r l a r g e water consumers.

1 4 . Due t o t h e s c a r c i t y of w a t e r i n e a s t e r n Utah where t h e l a r g e t a r sand d e p o s i t s are found, chemical process ing methods which employ a s o l v e n t are c e r t a i n l y of i n t e r e s t . Solvent e x t r a c t i o n processes r e q u i r e much less water than t h e Clark h o t w a t e r process which is i n use by GCOS a t Athabasca, A lbe r t a , Canada. I t i s be l i eved t h a t s o l v e n t processes can be economically competi- t i v e wi th water processes i f s o l v e n t losses are minimized. The adequate recovery of s o l v e n t from s p e n t sand is t h e m o s t cha l - l enging and c r i t i c a l problem i n s o l v e n t e x t r a c t i o n p rocesses .

15. Much a d d i t i o n a l r e source e v a l u a t i o n work needs t o be done on t h e s i x l a r g e s t t a r sand d e p o s i t s i n Utah. The l o c a t i o n of ou tcrops i s probably q u i t e complete. Some mapping, s t r a t i - g raph ic sect ion ' ing, and core d r i l l i n g has been done, b u t more i s needed. Resource e v a l u a t i o n work has been g r e a t e s t a t t h e P.R. Spr ing and Asphal t Ridge d e p o s i t s . Considerable r e source evalua- t i o n w o r k remains t o be done a t t h e o t h e r four l a r g e deposits.

68

1 RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS

1 1 1 1 1

1 1

I 3 I ij

Additional eresearch is needed to encourage the early commercial recovery of oil from the Utah tar sand resource. The following research projects are recommended by the writers:

1. The Sunnyside tar sand deposit has been identified as the deposit having the greatest overall potential for large scale surface mining in the United States. detailed resource evaluation study be pursued to more completely evaluate the surface mining possibilities of this deposit. Visits should be made to the oil companies who have drilled holes north and east of the Book Cliff outcrops in an effort to obtain information. Additional mapping and stratigraphic sectioning work should be done in the field in conjunction with the Utah Geological and Mineral Survey and a plan formulated for additional core drilling. program should be executed and a mining system should be designed. be given the initiation of an overburden removal program while a tar sand processing plant is being designed and built.

It is recommended that a

The formulated core drilling

If mining is found to be feasible, consideration should

2 . The Tar Sand Triangle deposit has been ranked by the writers as the second most desirable deposit for large scale surface mining. Much of the single thick pay zone is covered by excessive overburden; however, it is recommended that a detailed overburden to pay ratio study be made to identify specific surface mineable areas in this huge deposit. An exploratory core drilling program is recommended to provide badly needed resource evaluation data in the areas that are believed to be surface mineable.

3 . Although only twelve percent of the oil reserve of the Asphalt Ridge tar sand deposit is surface mineable, this deposit has an important role to play in the early commercial development of Utah tar sand resources. one 17,000 barrel per day extraction plant. It is recommended that Asphalt Ridge be utilized as a testing ground for early pilot plants and demonstration units since it has (a) the most favorable accessibility to facilities and product markets, (b) good oil saturation, (c) good pay thickness, (d) excellent water availability, (e) low sulfur content, and (f) minimal land ownership problems. is vital to develop the Utah tar sand technology so that it will be available for the design of future commercial scale plants.

This deposit can support only

The operation of demonstration plants

1 69

c 4 . A significant number of core holes have been drilled and the information published on the fourth ranking P.R. Spring deposit. It is not recommended that additional coring be done at this time since resource evaluation effort should be concentrated on other deposits. An overburden thickness and overburden to pay ratio study should be made, however, to identify the best surface mineable areas in this large deposit.

5. It is recommended that the extracted oil from the six giant deposits be studied as a possible supplement or substitute for commercial asphalt presently used in road paving material. The Utah State Department of Transportation has adequate laboratory facilities to perform the necessary tests on both the oil and the paving material produced using the bil. It is possible that Utah road maintenance may be reduced by the proper use of tar sand oil from one of these deposits as a substitute for asphalt in road paving material.

6. It is recommended that a laboratory extraction study be made using low cost solvents and samples from each of the six giant deposits since competition for water will be keen in the arid regions of the Utah tar sand deposits. Of particular interest would be a study of the extraction of Circle Cliffs tar sand with a low specific gravity solvent such as hexane. This deposit has thick pay zones and low overburden thickness, but the high siltstone and mudstone content of the ore will probably prevent economical extraction using water. Fine mineral material is more easily separated from a low specific gravity solvent than from water.

7 . It is recommended that a detailed study be made of the characteristics of the'overburden, the tar sand ore, and the extracted oil from each of the six giant Utah deposits. J.W. Bunger has done and is continuing to work on the characteriza- tion of the oil. This work must be extended to all six deposits and to overburden and ore characteristics to accurately identify the differences between the deposits. The results obtained from this study should be compared with similar data obtained from the Alberta, Canada, deposits.

8. It is recommended that a mining equipment study applicable to the surface mining of Utah tar sand be made. This study should include the optimum cost and selection of both excavating and transportation equipment. The recommendations from this study may be different for each of the six giant tar sand deposits.

9. It is recommended that a master water management plan be formulated for eastern Utah to obtain the greatest long-range benefits from the available unused Upper Colorado River Basin water. Tar sand resource development should be given appropri- ate water allocations since oil recovery from tar sand is c

70

1 u 1 d

1 I I I

probably more economical than oil recovery from oil shale or from coal liquefaction.

10. It is recommended that research on the Hill Creek tar sand deposit be given a low priority even though the data available on the deposit are quite limited since the deposit has been ranked sixth as a large scale surface mining prospect.

11. It is recommended that a review be made of known tar sand oil extraction methods. It is also recommended that preliminary extraction plant designs and cost estimates be pre- Pared for the more favorable extraction methods identified dur- *

ing the methods review.

12. studies be made on each of the six giant tar sand deposit areas.

13. made on each of the six giant tar sand deposit areas.

It is recommended that preliminary environmental impact

It is recommended that mined land reclamation studies be

I

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71

c REFERENCES

1. Ritzma, H . R . Oil-Impregnated Rock Deposi ts of Utah. Utah Geological and Minera logica l Survey Map 33. S a l t Lake C i t y , Utah 1 9 7 4 .

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3 . Oblad, A. and Seader , J . D . Recovery of O i l from Utah ' s T a r Sands. Proposal t o NSF-RA". Un ive r s i ty of Utah. A p r i l 30, 1 9 7 4 .

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B a i l l i e , R .A. , and Mertes, T .S. of O i l from t h e Athabasca Tar Sands ," pp. 241-271 of Proceed- i n g s of t h e Southwestern Legal Foundat ion, Exp lo ra t ion and Economics of t h e Petroleum I n d u s t r y , Vol. 6 , M . Bender Company, N e w York, 1968.

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Bennet t , Pau l . "Mining t h e O i l Sands of Canada." B I G , - 30, N O . 1 ( 1 9 7 4 ) , pp. 3-7.

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Shea, G.B. and R.V. Higgins . Separa t ion and U t i l i z a t i o n S t u d i e s of Bi tumens from Bituminous Sandstones of t h e Vernal and Sunnysiae, Utah, Deposi ts . Bureau of Mines R I 4871. Washington: Government P r i n t i n g O f f i c e , 1952.

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. . . d

and Minera logica l Survey S p e c i a l S t u d i e s 39. S a l t Lake-City : UGMS, 1 9 7 2 .

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Spieker , E . M . Bituminous Sandstone Near Vernal , Utah. U . S. Geological Survey B u l l e t i n 8 2 2 - C . Washington: Government P r i n t i n g O f f i c e , 1930.

Covington, R.E . 'IBituminous Sands apd Viscous Crude O i l s . Proceedings of t h e F i r s t Intermountain Symposium on F o s s i l Hydrocarbons. Eds, B . J . Pope, L .V . Harry and L.B. Lyon. S a l t L ake C i t y : Brigham Young Unive r s i ty , 1 9 6 4 , p. 370.

74

3 1

3 I I 1 3 I 1 1

I

1

4 2 .

43.

4 4 .

45 .

4 6 .

4 7 .

48.

4 9 .

50.

51.

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53.

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Gwynn, J . W . I n s t rumen ta l Analys is of Tars and T h e i r C o r r e l a t i o n s i n Oil-Impregnated Sandstone Beds, Uintah and Grand Coun t i e s , Utah. Utah Geological and Mine ra log ica l Survey S p e c i a l S t u d i e s 37. S a l t Lake C i t y : UGMS, 1 9 7 1 .

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Moss, Senator Frank E . i n T a r Sands Hearing Before t h e Subcommittee on Mine ra l s , Materials and F u e l s or t n e Commi on I n t e r i o r and I n s u l a r A f t a i r s , United S t a tes Senate . N ine ty -F i r s t Congress, Second Sess ion . J u l y 1 3 , 1 9 7 0 . S a l t L ake C i t y , Utah.

t t ee

Personal Communication on October 2 1 , 1975, w i t h M r . Cleon F e i g h t , D i r e c t o r of t h e O i l , G a s and Mining Conservat ion Commission, Department of Na tu ra l Resources, S t a t e of Utah.

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54. Western O i l Repor te r . May 1975, p. 5 2 .

55. Cupps, C.W., C . S . Land and L . C . Marciiant. F i e l d Experiment - of I n S i t u O i l Recovery from a Utan T ? r Sand by Reverse Combustion. U . S . Bureau of Mines Report of I n v e s t i g a t i o n paper p re sen ted a t t n e American I n s t i t u t e of Chemical Engineers Meeting i n Los Angeles, C a l i f o r n i a , dovember 2 0 , 1975.

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Marchant, L . C . , L.A. Johnson and C.Q. Cupps. P r o p e r t i e s of Utah T a r Sands, Threemile Canyon Area, P . R . Sp r ing Deposi t . Bureau ot Mines Report of I n v e s t i g a t i o n s 792 3. Washington : Government P r i n t i n g O f f i c e , 1 9 7 4 .

Markley, Klare S. and Warren H . Goss. l tProcessing by Means of Continuous Solvent E x t r a c t o r s . " Soybean Chemistry and Technology. Chemical Pub l i sh ing Co., I n c . 1 9 4 4 .

Mathematica/Ford, Bacon and Davis. Overburden Handling C h e c k l i s t , November 1 5 , 1 9 7 4 . S a l t Lake C i t y : Mathematica, 1974 .

Mathison, Ruby. S y n t h e t i c Fuel Research - A Bib l iography. Ar l ing ton : American G a s Assn., 1973.

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Mauger, R . L . , R.G. Kayser and J . W . Gwynn. A Sulphur I s o t o p i c Study of Uinta Basin Hydrocarbons. Utah Geologica l and Mine ra log ica l Survey S p e c i a l S t u d i e s 4 1 . S a l t L a k e C i t y : Utah Geologica l and Mine ra log ica l Survey, 1973.

McConville , L .B . "The Athabasca Tar Sands, *I Mining Engineer ing , January , 1975, 19-38.

McDermott, John. Liquid F u e l s from Oil Sha le and Ta r Sands 1 9 7 2 . Park Ridge, N . J . : Noyes Data Corpora t ion , 1912.

Moschopedis , S .E. and J .G. Spe ight . IIOxidative Degradation of Athabasca Asphal tenes . 'I Fue l - , 50, No. 2 ( 1 9 7 1 ) , 211-17.

F u e l , 50, No. 1 ( 1 9 7 1 ) 34-40 . ----- . "Water So lub le D e r i v a t i v e s of Athabasca Asphal tenes . " -

Mullens, M.C. and A.E. Rober t s . S e l e c t e d Annotated Bib l iography on Asphalt-Bearing Rocks of t h e United S t a t e s and Canada t o 1970 . Geolos i ca l Survey B u l l e t i n 1352 . Washington: Government P r i n t i n g Off ice; 1 9 72 .

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Murany , E .E . ItWasatch Formation of t h e Uinta Basin. Guidebook t o t h e Geology and Mineral Resources of t h e Uinta Basin - Utah I s Hydrocarbon Storehouse. E d . Edward F . Sabatka . S a l t Lak e c i t y : In te rmounta in Assn. Petroleum G e o l o g i s t s , 1 9 6 4 .

t v O i l From Tar Sands," Course of Center f o r P r o f e s s i o n a l Advancement, D r . F .W. Camp, Course D i r e c t o r , Ca lga ry , A l b e r t a , June 2-4 , 1975.

Pe te r son , P a r l e y R. and Howard R. Ritzma. In fo rma t iona l Core D r i l l i n g i n Utah ' s Oil-Impregnated Sandstone D e p o s i t s , S o u t h e a s t n , Uintah County, Utah. Utah Geologica l and Mine ra log ica l Survey Report of I n v e s t i g a t i o n s 8 8 . S a l t Lake C i t y : Utah Geologica l and Mine ra log ica l Survey, 1 9 7 4 .

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85

c ----- . L i t h o l o g i c Logs and C o r r e l a t i o n of Coreholes , P .R. Spring and H i l l Creek Oil-Impregnated Sandstone Deposits, Uintah County, U t a h . U t a h Geological and Mineral Survey Report of I n v e s t i g a t i o n s 1 0 0 . S a l t Lake C i t y : Utah Geological and Mineral Survey , 1 9 7 5 .

----- and Howard Ritzma. IfOil-Impregnated Sandstone, T h i s t l e A r e a , Utah County, Utah. I t Plateau-Basin and Range T r a n s i t i o n Zone, C e n t r a l Utah. Utah Geological A s s n . P u b l i c a t i o n 2 . S a l t L ake C i t y : Utah Geological A s s n . , 1 9 7 2 .

Ph izacker ley , P.H. and L.O. Sco t t . "Major T a r Sand Depos i t s of t h e World.I1 Seventh World Petroleum Congress Proceedings , Vol. 3. Essex, England: E l s e v i e r , 1 9 6 7 .

* P i c a r d , M. Duane. "Green River and L o w e r Uinta Formations - Subsurface S t r a t i g r a p h i c Changes i n C e n t r a l and Eas t e rn Uinta Basin, Utah." Guidebook t o t h e Geology of the Uinta Basin. Ed. O t t o G . Seal. S a l t Lake C i t y : Intermountain A s s n . P e t r o l e u m G e o l o g i s t s , 1957.

----- and Andersen. I8Paleocurrent Analys is and O r i e n t a t i o n of Sandstone Bodies , Duchesne River Formation. I' Utah Geology, 2 , N o . 1 (1975) .

----- . Pe t rog raph ic C r i t e r i a f o r Recognition of Lacus t r ine and F l u v i a l Sandstone, P . R . S p r i n s Oi l - Impremated . . - Sandstone Area, Southeas t Uinka & & i n , Utah. Geological and Minera logica l and Survey S p e c i a l S t u d i e s 36. S a l t Lake C i t y : Utah Geological and Minera logica l Survey, 1 9 7 1 .

Utah

----- and L . R . High, Jr. Sedimentology of Oil-Impregnated, L a c u s t r i n and F l u v i a l Sandstone, P . R . Spr ing Area, Southeas t Uinta Bas in , Utah. Utah Geological and Minera logica l Survey S p e c i a l S t u d i e s 33. S a l t Lake C i t y : Utah Geological and Minera logica l S u r v e y , 1 9 7 0 .

P r u i t t , R o b e r t G . , Jr. ItBituminous Sands and Some Legal Aspects of Leasing.I1 Proceedings of t h e F i r s t Intermountain Symposium on F o s s i l Hydrocarbdns. Eds. B . J . Pope, J . V . Har ry , L.B. Lyon. S a l t L ake C i t y : Brigham Young Unive r s i ty , 1 9 6 4 .

----- . IINatural O i l v s . Converted O i l - A Lawyer's V i e w . " I n t e r s t a t e O i l Compact Commission Committee B u l l e t i n , 11, N o . 2 ( 1 9 6 9 1 , 22 -23.

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R a l l . Cleo G . and D . B . T a l i a f e r r o . A Method f o r Determininq ' Simultaneously t h e O i l and Water S a t u r a t i o n s ot O i l Sands.

Bureau ot Mines Report ot I n v e s t i g a t i o n s 4 0 0 4 , Washington : Government P r i n t i n g O f f i c e , 1 9 4 6 . '

----- , N . C . Hamontre and D . B . T a l i a f e r r o . Determina t ion of P o r o s i t y by a Bureau of Mines Method: A L i s t ot P o r o s i t i e s of O i l Sands. Bureau of Mines Report of I n v e s t i g a t i o n s 5 0 2 5 . Washington: Government P r i n t i n g O f f i c e , 1954.

R a m m l e r , R.W. "The R e t o r t i n g of Coa l , O i l Shale and Tar Sand by Means of C i r c u l a t e d , Fine-Grained Heat C a r r i e r s a s t h e Pre l iminary S t a s e i n t h e Product ion of S y n t h e t i c Crude O i l . " Qua;terly of t h e Colorado School of Mines, V o l . 6 5 , No. 4 , Golden: Colorado School ot Mines, 19'/0.

R i c k l e s , Robert N . "Liquid-Sol id E x t r a c t i o n . 'I Chemical Ens inee r inq , March 1 5 , 1965, 157-164.

Ritzma, Howard R. "Commercial Aspects of U t a h ' s O i l Impregnated Sandstone Depos i t s . " Paper presented t o j o i n t s e s s i o n of I n t e r s t a t e O i l Compact Commission, N e w Or l eans , December 3 , 1 9 7 3 .

----- . "Explora t ion and Development of O i l Sha le and O i l - Impregnated Rock, 1970-1975. It Paper prepared f o r p r e s e n t a t i o n t o American Assn. P e t r o l e u m G e o l o g i s t s , Mineral Economics Symposium 11, Annual Meeting, Denver, Colorado, 1 9 72 .

----- and H.H. Doel l ing . Mineral Resources, San Juan County, Utah, and Adjacent Areas. Utah Geological and Mine ra log ica l Survey S p e c i a l S t u d i e s 24; S a l t Lake C i t y : Utah Geologica l and Mine ra log ica l Survey, 1 9 6 9 .

----- . "Petroleum P o t e n t i a l of Utah." Paper p re sen ted t o American Assn. Petroleum G e o l o g i s t s , Rocky Mountain S e c t i o n , Albuquerque, N e w Mexico, February 2 6 , 1 9 6 9 .

----- and W.P. H e w i t t . "Proposal f o r In fo rma t iona l Core D r i l l i n g i n Utah ' s Tar Sand Depos i t s . " Le t te r t o M r . Sheldon Wimpfden, A p r i l 10, 1 9 7 2 .

----- . Oil-Impregnated Rock Depos i t s of Utah. Utah Geological a n d M i n e r a l o g i c a 1 Survey Map 3 3 . S a l t Lake C i t y : Utah Geological and Minera logica l Survey, 1 9 7 4 .

----- . "Oil-Impregnated Sandstone Depos i t s of Utah." I n t e r s t a t e O i l - Compact Commission Committee B u l l e t i n , 9 , N o . 2 ( 1 9 6 7 ) , 87-98.

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----- . "Oil-Impregnated Sandstone Depos i t s of Utah - A P rogres s c Report. I' I n t e r s t a t e O i l Compact Commission Committee B u l l e t i n , 11 , N o . 2 ( 1 9 6 9 ) 2 4 - 3 4 .

----- . "Utah ' s Oil-Impregnated Sandstone Depos i t s , A Giant Undeveloped Resource. In Paper presented t o j o i n t s e s s i o n i n I n t e r s t a t e O i l Compact Commission, N e w Or l eans , 3 December 1973.

----- . U t a h ' s T a r Sand Resource: Geology, P o l i t i c s , and Economics. Paper N o . 1 0 7 a A I C H E , Los Angeles, C a l i f o r n i a , November 2 0 , 1975.

Rothberg, Paul F . Pub l i c Po l i cy I s s u e s Assoc ia ted w i t h Development of t h e U . S . T a r Sands. Washington: L ib ra ry of Congress, Congressional Research Service, 1 9 7 4 .

* Sanborn, A . F . and J . C . Goodwin. "Green River Formation a t Raven Ridge, Uintah County, Utah. Mountain Geo log i s t , 2 , N O . 3 (1965) , 1 0 9 - 1 1 4 .

Sharbaugh, H . Robert . "The C a s e f o r Canadian - U . S . Cooperation i n Energy." Our Sun, 4 0 , N o . 1 (1975) , 1 6 - 1 8 .

Shea, G.B . and R.V. Higgins. "Laboratory Hot-Water Sepa ra t ion T e s t s , " Separa t ion and U t i l i z a t i o n S t u d i e s of Bitumens from Bituminous Sandstones of t h e Vernal and Sunnyside, Utah, Deposi ts . Bureau ot Mines Report ot I n v e s t i g a t i o n s 2871. Washington: Government P r i n t i n g O f f i c e , 1952.

----- . Laboratory Study of t h e Hot Water Process f o r Sepa ra t ing Hydrocarbons from Surface Deposi ts ot Bituminous Sandstones Near Edna, C a l i f o r n i a . Bureau ot Mines Report ot I n v e s t i g a t i o n 4 2 4 6 . Washington: Government P r i n t i n g O f f i c e , 1948.

Sohio Petroleum Company. IIApplication of t h e Sohio Petroleum Company f o r Permission t o Commence Mining Opera t ions f o r t h e Removal of Bituminous Sands, Uintah County, Utah. I* Before the Board of O i l and Gas Conserva t ion , Department of Na tu ra l Resources i n and f o r t h e S ta t e of Utah, August 2 8 , 1 9 7 4 .

----- . "Notice of I n t e n t i o n t o Commence Mining Operat ions t o M r . Cleon F e i g h t , Director , Board of O i l and G a s Conservat ion, Department of Na tu ra l Resources, S t a t e of Utah." J u l y 1, 1 9 7 4 .

----- . Proposed Plan f o r Mining and Process ing Opera t ions , Bituminous Sand Depos i t s , Asphal t Ridge A r e a , Uintah County, Utah, w i tn P a r t i c u l a r Reference t o t h e Environmental E t f e c t s of t h e -

6 Operat ions. Oklahoma C i t y : Sohio Petroleum Company, 1 9 7 4 .

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Spencer, G.B. , W.E. Eckard, and F . S . Johnson. "Domestic , T a r Sands and P o t e n t i a l Recovery Methods - A Review." I n t e r s t a t e O i l Compact Commission Committee B u l l e t i n , - 11, No. 2 (1969) I ' 12.

* Spieke r , E.M. Bituminous - Sandstone Near Verna l , Utah. U . S . Geologica l Survey B u l l e t i n 8 2 2 -C. Washington: Government P r i n t i n g O f f i c e , 1 9 3 0 .

* Spraggins , F . K . "Fourth Tar Sands P l a n t Proposed a t Athabasca." O i l and G a s J o u r n a l , 7 2 , N o . 4 ( 1 9 7 4 ) , 8 6 .

"Mining a t Athabasca - A N e w Approach t o O i l P roduct ion ." Jou rna l of Petroleum Technology, 1 9 , N o . 1 0 ( 1 9 6 7 1 , 1337-43.

Mining Methods and Equipment S e l e c t i o n . Oft ice of Coal R e s e a r c K K Report 6 1 . Washington: Government P r i n t i n g O f f i c e , 1973 .

----- .

Stefanko, R . , R . V . Famani, and M.R. Ferko , An Analys is of S t r i p

"Summary of I n d u s t r y O i l Sha le Environmental S t u d i e s and S e l e c t e d Bibl iography of O i l Sha le Environmental References." Denver: Rocky Mountain O i l and G a s Assn., March, 1975.

Tan, Romeo and Rand Thurgood. So lven t E x t r a c t i o n P rocess f o r Removal of Bitumen from Tar Sand. Paper prepared f o r memica1 h'ngineerlng 6 8 3 , Advanced P l a n t Design, Brigham Young U n i v e r s i t y , June 1 9 , 1975 .

I n s t i t u t e , No. 1' , October , 1 9 7 4 . "Tar Sand. Energy P e r s p e c t i v e s . Columbus : Bat te l le Memorial

Tar Sands, Hearing Before t h e Subcommittee on M i n e r a l s , M a t e r i a l s , and F u e l s oi t h e Committee on I n t e r i o r and I n s u l a r A f f a i r s , U . S . Senate, 91st Congress. Washington: Government P r i n t i n g m c e , 1970 .

"There ' s P l e n t y of Coal - What's Behind t h e Holdup? U . S . N e w s and World Report, December 2 4 , 1973, 59-60.

Thorpe, Richard , Pre l iminary Design: T a r Sand P rocess ing P l a n t . Paper p r e p a r e d n g l n e e r i n g 683 , Advanced P l a n t Design , Brigham Young U n i v e r s i t y , June 26 , 1975.

" U l t r a s o n i c s f o r O i l Sands?" Oilweek, February 1 0 , 1975, 4 .

* Untermann, G.B. and B.R. Untermann. Geology of Uintah County, Utah. Utah Geological and Mine ra log ica l Survey B u l l e t i n 7 2 . S a l t - Lake C i t y : Utah Geologica l and Mine ra log ica l Survey, 1 9 6 4 .

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U . S . Bureau of Mines. "Applicat ion of t h e U . S . Bureau of Mines Laramie Energy Research Cen te r , f o r an Order Pe rmi t t i ng a Research F i e l d Experiment t o Employ t h e Reverse Combustion Process f o r Recovery of O i l from Tar Sands o r Oil-Impregnated Rock Depos i t s , Asphal t Ridge A r e a , Uintah County, Utah. Before t h e Board of O i l and G a s Conservation Department of Natura l Resources i n and f o r t h e S ta t e of Utah, November 2 0 , 1 9 7 4 .

- Upper Colorado Region Comprehensive Framework Study, Main Report . Prepared by t h e Upper Colorado S t a f i and Work Group Chairman of t h e Upper Colorado Region State-Federal Inter-Agency Group f o r t he P a c i f i c Southwest Inter-Agency Committee Water Resources Counci l , June , 1 9 7 1 .

Utah Mining Assn. U tah ' s Mining I n d u s t r y , 3rd ed . S a l t Lake C i t y : Utah Mining Assn., 1 9 6 7.

Walton, P .T . "Cretaceous S t r a t i g r a p h y of t h e Uinta Basin. 'I Guidebook t o t h e Geology of t h e Uinta Bas in . Ed. Edward F . Sabatka. Salt Lake C i t y : Intermountain Assn., Petroleum Geo log i s t s , 1 9 5 7 .

* ----- . IIGeology of Cretaceous of t h e Uinta Bas in , Utah." Geological Soc ie ty of America B u l l e t i n , Vol. 55 ( 1 9 4 4 1 , -

Warren, C.W. Index t o t h e S a l t Lake Mining Review, 1899-1928.. Utah Geological and Minera logica l Survey B u l l e t i n 9 1 . S a l t Lake C i t y : Utah Geological Minera logica l Survey, 1971 .

Warren, F . H . and M . I . Goldman. tsEnvironmental Impact of Future Energy Sources. I'

October 2 1 , 1 9 7 4 , 47-51. Chemical Engineer ing , Deskbook I s s u e .

Wenger, W . J . , R . L . Hubbard, and M.L. Whisman. "Ana ly t i ca l Data

Sepa ra t ion and U t i l i z a t i o n S t u d i e s of Bitumens on Asphal t P r o p e r t i e s and Cracked Products of t h e Separated Bitumens." from Bituminous Sandstones of t he Vernal and Sunnyside, Utah, Deposi ts . Bureau of Mines Report of I n v e s t i g a t i o n s 4871. Washington: Government P r i n t i n g O f f i c e , 1 9 5 2 .

West, Robert C . Non-Aqueous Process f o r t h e Recovery of Bitumen f r o m T a r Sands. P a t e n t N o . 3,131, 1 4 1 , U . S . P a t e n t O t f ' ice , Pa ten ted A p r i l 2 8 , 1 9 6 4 .

Western S ta tes Water Council . Western S ta tes Water Requirements f o r Energy - Development t o 1 9 9 0 . S a l t L ake C i t y : Western S t a t e s Water Counci l , 1 9 7 4 .

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Whiting, J e r r y M. Itplanning f o r Product ion of S y n t h e t i c Hydrocarbons Fue l s . It Mining Congress J o u r n a l , 6 0 , NO. 2 ( 1 9 7 4 ) , 50-60.

Wiley, Dennis R. Pe t ro logy of Bituminous Sandstones i n t h e Green River Formation, Southeas te rn Uin ta B a s i n , Utah. M.S. T h e s i s , Un ive r s i ty of Utah, 1 9 6 7 .

Wilson, M.T., R.H. Langford, and Ted Arnow. "Water Resources.It Mineral and Water- Resources of Utah. Minera logica l Survey B u l l e t i n 7 3 . S a l t Lake C i t y : Utah Geological and Minera logica l Survey, 1 9 6 9 .

Utah Geological and

Wood, R.E. and H.R . R i t z m a . Analyses of O i l Ex t r ac t ed from Oil-Impregnated Sandstone Deposi ts i n Utah. U t ah Geologica l =Mineralogical Survey S p e c i a l S t u d i e s 39. Utah Geological and Minera logica l Survey, 1972.

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S a l t Lake C i t y :

* Copies a v a i l a b l e b u t n o t i n possess ion of Eyring Research I n s t i t u t e . All o t h e r copies are i n possession.

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