Show At ry A y Oil Shale Test Sought for Utah Senator Wallace x J F. F Bennett Dennett Utah R-Utah this week urged the Interior Department and the Bureau Dureau of Minerals Research to choose Utah as the site of ofa a field test for the tha in situ I in tn place technique for ol oil shale thale production The Utah Republican said sald the Bureau of Mines has asked asked ask ask- ed Congress for to continue research Into pro pro- of oil from shale In fiscal year 1966 The total was an In Increase reasa of ot over the fiscal year 1965 request By core drilling and other technical procedures the In In- I tenor Department would obtaIn obtain ob ob- tain taro information as to the most suitable location for tor afield a afield afield field test of the in situ method method method me me- thod of recovery Senator Bennett Dennett said sald Since no firm site decision has been made I recommend your department consider Utah for the testing Senator Senator Sena- Sena tor lor Bennett Dennett wrote Interior Secretary Stewart L. L Udall and J. J R. R Rosenbaum acting assistant director of minerals research in the Bureau of Mines The test would be conducted conduct conduct- ed td In either Utah Colorado or Wyoming by the Laramie Petroleum Research Center a Bureau Dureau of Mines agency Senator Bennett Dennett said theIn the theIn In situ method of testing calls for retorting of ot the oil shale under ground He explained simply speaking speaking speak- speak ing ng holes would be drilled lire fire and air would be forced down Into the holes and the resultant shale oil would be pumped to the surface He told Secretary Udall that hat about 95 per cent of ot Utah's oil shale reserves are located under ground and they would be most Ideal for anin an anIn anin In situ method ot of extrac extrac- tion He said sald In addition the State of Utah local municipalities municipalities and private concerns would be per cent behind the testing program and would be ready to assist In any way possible As an example ex ex- example x- x ample the last Utah Legislature Legislature Legis- Legis lature passed two bills giving special consideration to the production of oil from Utah's oil all shale and bituminous sand deposits The Senator said the Utah area are has vast deposits of oil shale and If tests such as that proposed could Work out successfully successfully successfully suc suc- the area arell could provide provide provide pro pro- vide the nation an outstanding ing ng storehouse se of energy The Utah oil shale reserves total square miles and the estimated oil shale depose depos its may total upwards of billion barrells he told Secretary Secretary Sec Sea rotary Udall The oil shale bearing rocks in Utah have been well defined defined defined de de- fined In an area covering por pore portions of Uintah Duchesne Wasatch Utah Carbon Emery Emery Em Em- ery ands and Grand counties he heI said Utah would be an Ideal I location for the test and early early ear ear- ly development of 01 this vital resource |