Laserfiche WebLink
• The Addendum to the Plan of Operations anticipated three phases. Phase I comprises site <br />characterization and baseline establishment. Phase II features experiments to refine our <br />understanding of geomechanics and heat input methods, to develop a process that gives <br />acceptable resource recovery in an environmentally sound manner, and to demonstrate "that a <br />reasonable expectation exists that an expanded operation would provide a positive return after all <br />costs of production have been met, including the amortized costs of the capital investment" <br />(Lease Section 23). An application for commercial conversion would be completed once these <br />lease conversion requirements are met. Phase III includes continued R&D at this site that would <br />be conducted as needed to enhance the conversion to commercial operations, including <br />improving process and reclamation technology. <br />The In-Situ Pilot Retort Test (Pilot Test) proposed in this Plan of Development (POD) is <br />designed to answer many of the basic scientific and engineering questions that will determine the <br />economic and environmental viability of AMSO's proposed Conduction, Convection, Reflux <br />(CCem) retorting process. A brief summary of noteworthy scientific and engineering issues to <br />be addressed in addressed are: <br />1. Illite Mining Interval retort chemistry, hydrologic, and geo-mechanic characteristics <br />2. Best means to deliver and distribute retort heat <br />3. Extent, nature, and effects of the thermal expansion in the temperature transition <br />boundary prior to thermal fragmentation (spalling) <br />4. Extent, nature, and effects of debris within a retort <br />is 5. Extent, nature, and effects of retorting (retort containment, pore collapse, ground water <br />ejection) <br />6. Efficacy of coupling the oil shale thermal expansion and fragmentation bulking with <br />volumetric kerogen conversion <br />7. Managing cavity development to avoid casing and heater compression damage while <br />promulgating fragmentation driven retort productivity. <br />8. Influence of oil shale grade on retort growth rate, shape, and debris production <br />9. Techniques to avoid, minimize, or mitigate environmental impacts <br />A single inclined heater-producer well will be used in the Pilot Test to determine the critically <br />important aspects of vertical and lateral retort growth and confinement during the heating <br />process. The results of the pilot will have a substantial effect on the final design of subsequent <br />experiments. It is possible that issues raised in the first pilot will require a second pilot prior to <br />significant scaleup. <br />8