Pressurized fluidized-bed hydroretorting of Eastern oil shales. Progress report, June--August, 1992

The Devonian oil shales of the Eastern United States are a significant domestic energy resource. The overall objective of the multi-year program, initiated in October 1987 by the US Department of Energy is to perform the research necessary to develop the pressurized fluidized-bed hydroretorting (PFH) process for producing oil from Eastern oil shales. The program also incorporates research on technologies in areas such as raw shale preparation, beneficiation, product separation and upgrading, and waste disposal that have the potential of improving the economics and/or environmental acceptability of recovering oil from oil shales using the PFH process. The program is divided into the following active tasks: Task 3. testing of process improvement concepts; Task 4. beneficiation research; Task 6. environmental data and mitigation analyses; Task 8. project management and reporting; and Task 9. information required for the National Environmental Policy Act. In order to accomplish all of the program objectives, the Institute of Gas Technology (IGT), the prime contractor, is working with four other institutions: The University of Alabama/Mineral Resources Institute (MRI), the University of Alabama College of Engineering (UA), University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research (UK-CAER), and Tennessee Technological University (TTU). This report presents the work performed duringmore » the program quarter from June 1, 1992 through August 31, 1992.« less