Results of Assays of the New Albany Oil-Shale Page: 2
This report is part of the collection entitled: Technical Report Archive and Image Library and was provided to UNT Digital Library by the UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Only the fresh unweathered shale was taken in the collection of the samples
as it had been found by previous work, that there is a difference in the yield of
oil between partly weathered and unweathered shale. The fresh shale is also repres-
entative of the true value of the formation.
The selection of each sample was made with reference to the following points;
1- the general areal distributing; because it was desired to have the samples as
nearly as possible representative of the outcrop district as a whole; 2- the position
of the sample in the vertical section of. the formation, as it was desired to sample
all parts of the formation; and 3- the ease with which a proper sample could be
taken.
For the following reasons the numIerous quarries in the formation from which
the shale is taken for road building purposes were found to be the best points for
collecting samples; (1) the very freshest -shale was: available; (2) the sample was
easily collected, and (3) there was a better opportunity to study the true physical
aspects of the rock. More than half the samples listed were taken from quarries.
When the samples were not taken from quarries, the first step in the collec-
tion was the clearing away of the face. This was done with a shovel, pick, and
oftentimes dynamite. After the face had been cleared off and the fresh shale exposed,
a trench was dug into the shale, from Which equal portions of the section represented
were chipped off. The sample of shale was collected on a burlap blanket, halved,
quartered, and then boxed.
Each sample collected represents a certain vertical portion of the formation.
It has been the general practice in the oil-shale region of the mid-eastern States,
as probably in the west, t6o ake selective collections of samples; that is, a por-
tion of the richest part of an outcrop would be taken as a sample, the leaner pox-
tion of the outcrop not being collected. This practice is misleading as to the
value of the formation at the locality at which it is sampled and is as impracticable
as using one piece of coal from a six foot vein for a representative sample. The
oil yields of several samples listed in this paper are low because of the presence
of very lean shale in the section of the formation where the sample was collected.
The sections of the formation represented by the samples collected, vary from
2 to 18 feet. The sum of the sections is about two and aone-half times the total
thickness of the formation which is approximately 100 feet.
The position of the sample in the formation was determined wherever possible.
In nany places;however, it was impossible to determine this because of the gentle.
dip of the rocks, the thickness of the formation, and the lack of recognizable hori-
zons within the formation.
The location of the samples are well distributed over the outcropidistrict.
Each sample represents an area of about 10 square miles.-2-
MethoIds _ Sam __ liagce
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This report can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Report.
Reeves, John R. Results of Assays of the New Albany Oil-Shale, report, June 1923; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc38374/m1/2/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.