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IV. SUMMARY OF COMMERCIAL PROGRAM The development of the commercial modified in situ facilities shown on Project Plot Plan, Figure 3, is represented on the Commercial Development Schedule, Figure 4. The Tract C-b development program will extend from September 1, 1977, starting with site preparation, to Septem- ber 1982, when the mine and surface facilities will be completed to initiate full-scale production. The property will be mined by developing successive geographic areas of the Tract called panels. A panel will contain several groups of retorts. These groups are referred to as clusters or retort clusters. A retort, the basic unit, is a column of rubbled shale containing a certain void fraction bounded by undisturbed shale. It is envisioned that several clusters each containing eight retorts will be processed concurrently. Clusters will be brought on-line in such a sequence that the number of clusters operating at one time within a panel will produce the designed quantity of shale oil. A. Site Preparation and Shaft Sinking The first site activities, starting in September 1977, will be mobilization and site preparations necessary to get shaft sinking operations underway. Underground development can proceed only after shafts are available. While the shaft-sinking operations are being mobilized, certain site preparation and preconstruction activities will proceed. These will include preparation or extension of service roads, construction o£ water storage to receive underground water from initial dewatering operations, and necessary grading for temporary construction facilities, fencing, etc. The Lessees will construct five vertical mine shafts on the tract. A ventilation/escape shaft (12 feet in diameter), a temporary gas shaft (6 feet in diameter), a production shaft (34 feet in diameter), a service shaft (34 feet in diameter), and a gas shaft (34 feet in diameter), as shown in Figure 3. Of the four major shafts, the first to be completed will be a 12-foot-diameter shaft 500 feet from the northern property boundary. This shaft will perform a dual service during the development period. First, it will serve as a temporary production shaft until the main 34- foot-diameter production shaft becomes available, and later it will serve as a ventilation/escape shaft for the mine. B. Ancillary Development The 12-foot-diameter shaft will be completed first. While the 34-foot-diameter shafts are still being constructed and major mine headings and levels are being opened up, an ancillary facility will be constructed in the vicinity of the 12-foot-diameter shaft. This facility will include two -10-