Abstract

Commercial production of oil from bituminous sandstones, more commonly referred to as “Tar sands”, is considered by many to be a viable project. These so-called “heavy oil” deposits represent a very considerable reserve of oil for the future. The Uinta basin is Mother Nature’s storehouse of exotic but realistically very valuable solid hydrocarbons, tar sands and oil shale. The tar sands deposits located within the Uinta Basin contain very substantial reserves of oil which will prove to be of economic importance. Companies working on processes for the extraction of bitumen from the tar sands have encountered problems more complex than originally anticipated. Within the last ten years most of the exploration efforts have been concentrated in eight tar sand deposits in the basin. At least 17 companies have conducted geological and engineering studies on these deposits. Work done by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Utah Geological and Mineral Survey has aided in the initial phases of development of the tar sands. Areas considered to be of prime importance in development are Asphalt Ridge, Sunnyside, P.R.Springs, Whiterocks and South Rainbow. Three pilot plant extraction projects have been in operation for short periods of time during the last 15 years and two in-situ heavy-oil recovery projects have been undertaken within the last five years.