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Research, Development & Demonstration Leases
Find out more about our research activities, to include the In situ Conversion Process (ICP) and the ongoing Freeze Wall Test and heater technology development.
Research Activities Ahead
Demonstrating today’s knowledge
Oil Shale Test — A demonstration project to mature a potential commercial design.
Advancing our technology
Advanced Heater Test – Shell will test its second-generation heater technology to improve heating efficiency and make less-concentrated oil shale layers more economically viable for production.
Multi-mineral Test – Successful testing in this Nahcolite-rich region could eventually make shale oil recovery in these areas economically feasible.
Moving Forward
Shell is committed to a cautious and responsible approach to “doing oil shale the right way.” We are formulating our next proposed test on the R&D leases in a manner that will take advantage of additional information coming from our ongoing research and development activities. These activities include the developing results of our groundwater containment research, called the Freeze Wall Test, as well as ongoing development of advanced heater technologies being developed by our researchers.
We believe this test, understand and apply research results approach will allow us to more efficiently and effectively move forward with further testing and development. This underscores our commitment to commercially develop oil shale in a way that is economically viable, environmentally responsible and socially sustainable.
We have a very active R&D program and other activities currently underway on our private property. This work includes: the recent completion of our new office building; monitoring; seismic; hydrology testing; reclamation and as mentioned above, the ongoing Freeze Wall Test and heater technology development.
Our research to date has demonstrated that our In situ Conversion Process (ICP) works technically on a small scale - what remains is to prove it can work commercially. We aim to advance the technology systematically to the point at which an application could be made to convert the 160-acre RD&D tracts to commercial leases. A commercial decision would be in the middle of the next decade and possibly later depending on the sequence and outcome of research activities.
