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<br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />importing it, except that electricity would be cheaper to import than <br />to manufacture our own. <br /> <br />Mr. Fetcher: But you don't have figures on the consumption of elec- <br />trical energy, say per barrel? <br /> <br />Mr. Kilburn: No, I do not. Maybe we can work that out for you, but <br />I don't have it. <br /> <br />Mr. Ten Evck: Ben, just last week in this very room a legislative <br />committee held a hearing for essentially this same purpose. I <br />heard at least three companies indicate that they will be net <br />exporters of electrical energy from their process. They will develop <br />enough gas in their retorting process to run an electrical generation <br />system that will export electricity to others. So I am not certain <br />how big a burden the electrical energy requirements over all the oil <br />shale industry may be. <br /> <br />Mr. Kilburn: But nevertheless they would have to use water. <br /> <br />Mr. Kroeger: Larry, would you e:Kplain to me once more how the total <br />water consumption goes up with the non-return flow principle? <br /> <br />Mr. Sparks: Let's take the proposed Colony operation as an example. <br />They have indicated that they will require about 11 cubic feet per <br />second on a continuous basis to sustain a 50,000 barrel per day <br />operation. We had originally figured that some 40 to 50 percent of <br />that amount would be returned to the river. Now we have had to <br />subtract this return flow because of the pollution factor. The shale <br />residue is primarily a carbonate material and carbonates are the <br />major contributors to the total dissolved solids of the Colorado River. <br />In order to eliminate percolation through that material which would <br />carry a great amount of dissolved solids back to the river, Colony <br />now proposes that they recycle their water to the point of complete <br />consumptive use. This immediately almost doubles the previously <br />estimated requirements. <br /> <br />Mr. Kroeger: Don't they use the water until <br />does that require a more total consumption? <br />this morning? <br /> <br />Mr. Sparks: Yes! <br /> <br />(laughter) <br /> <br />Mr. Kroeger: My wife said so too! <br /> <br />Mr. Sparks: We had computed that a substantial portion of the diverted <br />water would be returned to the river. This is no longer the case. <br /> <br />it is gone anyway? Why <br />Did I get up too early <br /> <br />Mr. Kroeger: Okay, I am with you that far. Instead of letting it do <br />that, don't they continue to use that same water until it is gone? <br /> <br />-12- <br />