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<br />" <br /> <br />36 372 :3 RUEDI DAM AND RESERVOIR, COLO. <br /> <br />has not kept pace with demand during the past decade. It is predicted <br />in the Cameron & Jones report that domestic production of petroleum <br />will continue to increase until the period 1965 to 1970 and then will <br />begin a ~adual decline. It is stated in the report that the reason for <br />this declme will not necessarily be that the industry carulOt locate new <br />sources of petroleum but rather that the cost of oil from alternative <br />sources, such as oil shale, will be less than the cost of locating and <br />producing petroleum from new sources. <br />The wIdening gap between demand and petroleum production in <br />the United States has been filled with imports from foreign sources. <br />It is stated in the Cameron & Jones repOli; that this practice can <br />probably be followed through 1965 without the nation becoming overly <br />dependent upon oversea oil. It was concluded that t.he 1960-65 period <br />would be a logical time for initial commercial development of the oil <br />shale industry. <br />Development of t.he oil shale industry is expected to proceed in <br />the following four distinct phases: phase I, experimental; phase II, <br />protot.J:pej phase III, primary expansion; phase IV, secondary <br />expanSIOn. <br />The experime-ntal phase started about 15 years ago and is now in <br />its final stages. Durlll[[ t,his period methods have been develupeu for <br />each step in the production of shale fuels. <br />The prototype phase wonld involve the first commercial develop- <br />ment of an oil shale industry which would probably be located III <br />the Grand Valley-De Bcqne area. The objective of the prototype <br />phase would not be. to produce large quantities of oil, bnt to firmly <br />est..blish t.he technology and eCDnomics of shale fuels before making <br />the large capital ill\'estments re{luired for shnle oil to contribute <br />significantly to overall oil supply. Existing refineries, oil transporta- <br />tion facilities, and local labor' would probably be utilized insofar <br />as possible during this phase. <br />After operation of the prototvpe development for a sufficient period <br />to demonstrate the soundness of initially adopted mining and retort- <br />ing met.hods or to make improvements in t.he methods, it is antici- <br />pated that the oil shale industry would be expanded. Refining fa- <br />cilities would be establislwd in the local area, additional pipeline <br />facilities for transporting oil would be constructed, and means of <br />processing and utilizing the shale oil by products would be dm'eloped. <br />The primary expansion would probably occur during the W65-1970 <br />period and would be located along the Colorado River between Rifle <br />and De Beque and in the Parachute and Roan Creek arMS. <br />The gl'Owth of the oil shale industry following the primary ex- <br />pansion period would be rapid. In the Cameron & .Tones report it <br />was estimated that by 197;' shale oil production would rench 1,250,000 <br />barrels pe,r day nnd thnt a locnl popuh1tion increase of 340,000 would <br />be supported by (,he oil shale development und related industries. <br />About SO percent of the shnle oil production would be from the area <br />. along; the Colorado Ri,'er between the Rifle and De Beqlle and in <br />t.he adjacent, Parachute and Roan Creek arens. The remaining 20 <br />percent. of the prorluctioIl would he from the. Piceance Creek area t.o <br />t.he nort.h nnd from northeastern Utah. Ammonia and sulfur would <br />probably he the principal byproducts. <br />