1170-MW(t) HTGR-PS/C plant application study report: shale-oil-recovery application

This report describes the application of a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) which operates in a process steam/cogeneration (PS/C) mode in supplying heat and electricity for the recovery of oil from shale using in-situ steam retorting. The technical and economic merits of an 1170-MW(t) HTGR-PS/C are compared with those of a coal-fired plant for this application. The steam requirements for the shale oil recovery process were estimated utilizing parameters from the Equity Oil Company in its in-situ steam retorting project in the Piceance Basin of Western Colorado. The cost of energy for the resulting system in January 1, 1995 dollars for plants starting up at that time is 49.5 mills/kW-hr (14.51 $/MMBtu) for the HTGR-PS/C and 68.9 mills/kW-hr (20.18 $/MMBtu) for the coal-fired plant. The safety and licensing issues of the nuclear plant were reviewed, and a comparative assessment of the alternative energy sources was performed