U. S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PROTOTYPE OIL SHALE LEASING PROGRAM TRACT C-b QUARTERLY REPORT #3 (Through May 31, 1975) BLM Library D-553A, Building 50 Denver Federal Center P. 0. Box £5047 Denver, CO -80235-00*7 Submitted to: Mr. Peter A. Rut ledge Area Oil Shale Supervisor Conservation District U. S. Geological Survey Grand Junction, Colorado By: Ashland Oil, Inc. Atlantic Richfield Company Shell Oil Company, Operator The Oil Shale Corporation JULY 15, 1975 TABLE OP CONTENTS BY VOLUME NUMBER Volume Number Tabic of Contents • I, II, in G iv V VI $ VII VIII X, XI, XII, XIII. XIV 5 XV PRE- EXPLORATION ENVIRONMENTAL RECONNAISSANCE SURVEYS ENVIRONMENTAL BASELINE MONITORING PROGRAMS A. Surface Water 1. Streams 2. Springs and Seeps Core Drilling and Associated Ground Water 1. Well Survey Plats Completion Data Drilling Water Production Water Quality Drilling Water Baseline Monitoring Aquifer Pump Tests Jetting Tests Drillstem Tests, Multipacker Tests, and Mini- Pump Test Aquifer Data - Pumping Tests Lithologic Logs Geophysical Logs Assays Core and Cuttings Trace Element Analysis Water Quality Water Quality Aquifer Data Aquifer Data Rock Mechanics _15. Core Gas Samples Air Quality 1. Air Quality and Surface Meteorology 2. Low Altitude Meteorology 3. Upper Air Studies 4. Visibility 5. Atmospheric Diffusion Studies XVI XVII r Biology 1. Terrestrial Wildlife Studies 2. Aquatic Studies 3. Terrestrial Vegetation Studies 4. Dendrochronology and Dendroc lima to logy Studies 5. Soil Survey and Productivity Assessment Studies OTHER STUDIES Fish and Wildlife Management Plan Revegetation Studies Microenvironmental Studies Aerial Photographic Study Archaeological Studies Scenic Values Study # c c ( ASSAYS CLASSIFIED FOR U.S. ©$VMT. UW CfltfC DATA AVAILABLE BY PERWISS QF ACT II B-12 CORE ASSAY DATA All assays of cores for oil, sodium, and alumina have been completed for the vertical holes drilled to date. Final reports are made in this Quarterly Report #5_. Quarterly Report #1 and Quarterly Report #2 contain des- criptions of assay methodology and thus it will not be repeated here. Table II B-59 lists core assay data by the quarterly report in which it can be found. ALL ASSAY DATA ARE CLASSIFIED AS CONFIDENTIAL BY THE LESSEE. TABLE II B-59 REPORTED CORE ASSAY DATA Oil Sodium Alumina AT- la 1 1 1 SG-1 3 3 3 SG-6 3 3 3 SG-8 3 3 3 SG-9 2 2 2 SG-10 1 1 1 SG-11 3 3 3 SG-17 3 3 3 SG-18 1 Revised 3 3 3 SG-19 1 3 3 SG-20 3 3 3 SG-21 3 3 3 I MISERS 3EFER TO GuCTElLY REPORT III Wild I ASSAY WAS REPORTED. II B-1186 II B-15 CORF. AND CUTTINGS - TRACE ELEMENT ANALYSIS In the following pages, trace element analyses required by the lessor are presented in histogram form for coreholes AT-lal, SG-8, SG-9 and SG-10. These elements are antimony (Sb) , arsenic (As), boron (B) , cadmium (Cd) , fluorine (F) , mercury (Hg) , and selenium (Se) . Very little data have been published covering trace elements in the study area. For the most part, it is not known how these elements are tied up in the rock and thus, their reaction as the rock weathers is un- known. However, research by the United States Geological Survey sug- gests that the high carbonate content of the oil shale host rock will help tie up the trace element as the rock oxidizes. Because the ele- ments discussed herein do not occur in significant amounts in the sur- face waters of the basin, it is assumed that their release to the environ- ment through weathering is insignificant. Selenium shows two maxima; one at a depth of about 600 feet, and the other at a depth of 800 feet in the SG-9. These two zones correlate into SG-8, but are not present in AT-1A1. Moderately high values of selenium occur in the mine zone in SG-10 and in other scattered zones below this point. There appears to be no reason for its distribution as neither SG-9 or SG-8 show similar build-ups. Selenium levels are usually less than 0.2 milli- grams/liter in the groundwater system. This is well below Public Health standards. Fluoride seems to gradually increase from the ground surface down to the mine zone, then more or less level off below that point. Fluorine is normally tied up in the minerals cryolite and fluorite. Fluoride is normally found in the subsurface waters and may reach concentrations of as much as 45 mg/1 in some of the highly saline waters. Normally, it seldom exceeds 20 mg/1 throughout the remainder of the section. Arsenic, again, like fluorine, gradually increases with depth approaching near maximum concentration in the Mahogany mine zone. There is a very good correlation between the richness of the oil shale and the arsenic content. Arsenic levels in the groundwater system are usually less than 0.1 milligrams/liter (which is well below the Public Health standards); therefore, it appears to be chemically bonded with the kerogen and is not soluble in the ground water. Antimony appears to be slightly higher in the mine zone than elsewhere. There is also a fair correlation between the richness of the shale and antimony content; however, this correlation is not as strong as it is for arsenic. Boron distribution shows no particular correlation with depth, richness or stratigraphic zone. This is unusual as the marlstones contain one of the most unusual suites of boro- silicate minerals found anywhere. Boron levels are usually less than 3.0 milligrams/liter in the groundwater system but can range as high as 47 milligrams/liter in some highly saline water zones. II B-1464 Cadmium normally occurs below 0.5 ppm except through the mine zone on SG-9. This element is also found in the groundwater system, but be- low levels of 0.01 milligrams/liter, which is the established Public Health standard. Mercury levels are normally less than 0.5 ppm except for the mine zone in SG-9 and SG-10. There seems to be no correlation between depth or shale richness and mercury content. It appears mercury is not mobile in the ground water system since the mercury content of ground water under Tract C-b is below 0.001 milligrams/liter. II B-1465 • ♦ ^ SG-9 Sb ppx 0 5 . AT l-A-l Sb ppm 0 12 0) o in S a CO 3 o 0) Q SG-IO 4h +-> 0) Q 1300- 1400- 1500- 1600- 1700-1 1800- 1900- 2000 2i00i 2?00 1 SG-8 Sb ppm -« 0 5 SG-K) Sb 12 PPm 0 1 234 fcfl - ffl i-~ rra r ■ i I INE |-3 i z;:i£ i -« t tz : ' ■ . :' . 5TUOT ANT.' IY FIGURE II B-15 TRACK ELEMENT STUDY ANTIMONY HISTOGRAM II B-1466 I ♦ 4> SG-fO 1300-i K(0- I'OO- P 0 50 .. .3 MiriE cjE=i ZONE; i ' . FIGURE II B-16 TRACE ELEMENT STUDY ARSENIC HISTOGRAM leoo- 1700- i^ ieco- 43 O, 1900- o Q K.:oi i\ o- " II B-1467 rt ' J ThiCE CLIM.M iTUOY ARSI CI SG (0 1300- KOC- 1500- L_- ■ *. I N E ZONE FIGURE II B-17 TRACK ELI MINT STUDY BORON HISTOGRAM 1600- 1700 o. ieoo- •£■ 1900- *-> O Q • 2000< ?ir ■—Ml.' El . (IT STUt BORON II B-1468 2?00J CJ SG-9 Cd ppm 0 5 C O Q SG-'O 1300 SG-10 Cd pom 0 5 ML 1400- 1500 1600 •M o <+* o (/> in 4-> +-> o SG-K) 1300- 1400! 1500-1 1600 (1) 1700- O) ■ U_i 5 iw ex & 1*0 2000 THA'.C II > • ~ SI JUY I- II B-1471 ( SG-9 F % * 0 I 2 3 AT f-A-l F % 0 X>20 .30 & ■a r3 3 o o SG-IO i3oo-y 1 K00- r r~: S6-6 F % -< 0 /^ J/ u I I 1500- 1600- 1700- / — 1 . 4-> o 1800- w o a ISO0 2C00- r-'jo • • ??D0 SG-iO F -n V. I Ml N E ZONE I T* I FLUORIOc FIGURE II B-19 TRACE ELEMENT STUDY FLUORIDE HISTOGRAM II B-1470 r ( SG-9 Se ppm AT l-A-l S« ppm C ! . <4-l in C CO 3 o o Q SG-IO 1300- KOC- 1500- 1600- 1700- <4-i 1800 XI Q |l-» -j SC-8 Se ppm -*0 5 SG-IO Se 0 2 4 6 8 lUI-j q* • xlflE 20KE -Tl IT ::-i I I- 1 lll'.U U'"' NT STOUT SCLfNIUU FIGURE II B-21 TRACE ELEMENT STUDY SELENIUM HISTOGRAM II B-1472 I