WSP05711

• File Number: 8040.200
• Description: Section D General Studies-Energy
• Date: 1/1/3000
• Author: DOI
• Title: Energy-Oil Shale-Final Environmental Statement on Proposed Prototype Oil Shale Leasing Program Announced
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: News Article/Press Release

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September 7, 1972 - Draft environmental statement released.
review period which included public hearings ended November
provided important information that was used to expand and,
correct draft material.

A 60-day public
7, 1972, and
where appropriate,

April 18, 1973 - President Nixon's second Energy Message restated the intention
to proceed with the proposed oil shale leasing program if environmental risks
are found acceptable.

August 30, 1973 - Final environmental statement submitted to the Council of
Environmental Quality and released to public.

Availability of Oil Shale

Oil shale is one of the Nation's most abundant energy resources. The
richest deposits are located in the Rocky Mountain area and represent billions of
barrels of oil. Development of this resource has not been undertaken in the past
because accessible supplies of oil and gas have been available at lower develop-
ment cost.

However, as the Nation prepares to meet future energy requirements, develop-
ment of oil shale resources to supplement dwindling conventional domestic oil
and gas deposits could provide a significant additional source of energy supplies.

Large areas of the United States contain oil shale deposits, but the areas
in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming that have the organic-rich sedimentary rocks of
the Green River Formation offer the greatest promise for oil shale production.

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Those oil shale deposits occur beneath 25,000 square miles (16 million acres)
of land, of which about 17,000 square miles (11 million acres) contain oil shale
with potential value for commercial development.

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The known Green River Formation deposits include high-grade shales that
represent about 600 billion barrels of oil. Recovery of even a small fraction
of oil from this resource could significantly supplement the Nation's oil supply
for many decades.

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Minerals Production

Extensive deposits of sodium minerals, one of which contains aluminum, have
been discovered in or associated with the deep oil shales of Colorado's Piceance
Creek Basin. Dawsonite, the aluminum bearing mineral, was discovered in 1958
but was not investigated extensively until the substantial quantities present
were revealed in 1966. Preliminary surveys indicate that an estimated 27 .bil1ion
tons of alumina are present in a l50,OOO-acre section of the central Piceance
Creek Basin in association with other sodium minerals, the most important of
which is nahcolite. The nahcolite resource is estimated at 30 billion tons. The
presence and concentration of these minerals suggested the possibility for extrac-
tion of alumina and soda ash values. However, none of the proposed prototype tracts
is believed to contain sufficient concentrations of these minerals to warrant
commercial extraction operations.

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