THE FUTURE
259
these past efforts provides the foundation for ongoing advances in
shale oil production, mining, retorting, and processing technology
and supports the growing worldwide interest and activity in oil
shale development. In fact, in many cases, the technologies developed to produce and process kerogen oil from shale have not been
abandoned, but rather mothballed for adaptation and application
at a future date when market demand would increase and major
capital investments for oil shale projects could be justified.
In terms of innovative technologies, both conventional and in-situ
retorting processes result in inefficiencies that reduce the volume
and quality of the produced shale oil. Depending on the efficiency
of the process, a portion of the kerogen that does not yield liquid
is either deposited as coke on the host mineral matter, or is converted to hydrocarbon gases. For the purpose of producing shale
oil, the optimal process is one that minimizes the regressive thermal and chemical reactions that form coke and hydrocarbon gases
and maximizes the production of shale oil. Novel and advanced
retorting and upgrading processes seek to modify the processing
chemistry to improve recovery and/or create high value byproducts. Novel processes are being researched and tested in lab-scale
environments. Some of these approaches include lower heating
temperatures, higher heating rates, shorter residence time durations, introducing scavengers, such as hydrogen or hydrogen transfer/donor agents, as well as introducing solvents (Baldwin, 2002).
Finally, the development of western oil shale resources will
require water for plant operations, supporting infrastructure, and
the associated economic growth in the region. While some oil shale
technologies may require reduced process water requirements, stable and secure sources of significant volumes of water may still be
required for large-scale oil shale development. The largest demands
for water are expected to be for land reclamation and to support the
population and economic growth associated with oil shale activity.
Nevertheless, if a technology can be developed to economically
recover oil from oil shale and for meeting energy demand in an
environmentally acceptable manner, the potential for oil shale is
enormous (Bartis et al., 2005; Andrews, 2006). If the kerogen could
be converted to oil, the quantities would be far beyond all known
conventional oil reserves. Unfortunately, the prospects for oil shale
development are uncertain. The estimated cost of surface retorting remains high and many consider it unwise to move towards
near-term commercial efforts.
259
these past efforts provides the foundation for ongoing advances in
shale oil production, mining, retorting, and processing technology
and supports the growing worldwide interest and activity in oil
shale development. In fact, in many cases, the technologies developed to produce and process kerogen oil from shale have not been
abandoned, but rather mothballed for adaptation and application
at a future date when market demand would increase and major
capital investments for oil shale projects could be justified.
In terms of innovative technologies, both conventional and in-situ
retorting processes result in inefficiencies that reduce the volume
and quality of the produced shale oil. Depending on the efficiency
of the process, a portion of the kerogen that does not yield liquid
is either deposited as coke on the host mineral matter, or is converted to hydrocarbon gases. For the purpose of producing shale
oil, the optimal process is one that minimizes the regressive thermal and chemical reactions that form coke and hydrocarbon gases
and maximizes the production of shale oil. Novel and advanced
retorting and upgrading processes seek to modify the processing
chemistry to improve recovery and/or create high value byproducts. Novel processes are being researched and tested in lab-scale
environments. Some of these approaches include lower heating
temperatures, higher heating rates, shorter residence time durations, introducing scavengers, such as hydrogen or hydrogen transfer/donor agents, as well as introducing solvents (Baldwin, 2002).
Finally, the development of western oil shale resources will
require water for plant operations, supporting infrastructure, and
the associated economic growth in the region. While some oil shale
technologies may require reduced process water requirements, stable and secure sources of significant volumes of water may still be
required for large-scale oil shale development. The largest demands
for water are expected to be for land reclamation and to support the
population and economic growth associated with oil shale activity.
Nevertheless, if a technology can be developed to economically
recover oil from oil shale and for meeting energy demand in an
environmentally acceptable manner, the potential for oil shale is
enormous (Bartis et al., 2005; Andrews, 2006). If the kerogen could
be converted to oil, the quantities would be far beyond all known
conventional oil reserves. Unfortunately, the prospects for oil shale
development are uncertain. The estimated cost of surface retorting remains high and many consider it unwise to move towards
near-term commercial efforts.