BOARD01732

• Board Meeting Date: 3/20/1974
• Description: Agenda or Table of Contents, Minutes, Memos
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

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Mr. Stapleton: All right, assuming or admitting
problem, how much more can this project take on?
further requests? Would it be meaningful? What
in regard to this project?

that there is an energy
Should we make any
are those circumstances

Mr. Sparks: I don't know that we can make any more meaningful requests
because we are now a year ahead of schedule on the priority adopted by
this board last year. One of the problems that we are having with the
oil shale industry is to actually determine the requirements and where
these requirements must be met. We obviously will have a critical prob-
lem in the White River area. We will have to take a much further look
at the Yellow Jacket project. We may have to consider some rescheduling
of priorities. However, at this time the staff is not prepared to
recommend any readjustment in the priorities.

Within the ne~t few months we will be contacting and working directly
with the companies that have received the leases that have recently been
let by the United States in the oil shale area. We have already had
some contact with the Colony Company. There are many imponderables and
we are not sure at this time that the West Divide is the most critical
of the oil shale projects. It will take the balance of this year before
we can come up with any firm figures as to where water must be supplied
and when. For that reason, we have suggested a board meeting on the
oil shale problems to be held this summer in Rifle, at which time we
expect to have the representatives from the various companies there,
and also allow the board the opportunity to tour the Parachute Creek
area where the first development will occur. At this time, I agree that
we may have to reschedule priorities, but at this time we are not able
to make a definitive recommendation.

Mr. Bernklau: We sure appreciate that, and as long as
keep an open mind, we will keep plugging away for it.
mention that the West Divide does have a capability of
water to an oil shale industry of 120 million barrels.
you people will keep us in mind, we will keep plugging
this is a calculated guess. We do know the people are
into our area.

you folks will
I did forget to
producing enough
So as long as
away because
already moving

Mr. Stapleton: Let me ask you how you made that estimate of 120 million
barrels. I thought the problem was knowing how you recycle the water,
and so forth. I am not knowledgeable on that.

Mr. Bernklau: I had an idea you were going to question me on that.
Mr. Roland Fischer has put out this projection from his office, and
maybe he could give you a little more information on that, if you would
like.

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