Geologic and geochemical criteria were developed for the occurrence of economic uranium deposits in alkaline igneous rocks. A literature search, a limited chemical analytical program, and visits to three prominent alkaline-rock localities (Ilimaussaq, Greenland; Pocos de Caldas, Brazil; and Powderhorn, Colorado) were made to establish criteria to determine if a site had some uranium resource potential. From the literature, four alkaline-intrusive occurrences of differing character were identified as type-localities for uranium mineralization, and the important aspects of these localities were described. These characteristics were used to categorize and evaluate U.S. occurrences. The literature search disclosed 69 U.S. sites, encompassing nepheline syenite, alkaline granite, and carbonatite. It was possible to compare two-thirds of these sites to the type localities. A ranking system identified ten of the sites as most likely to have uranium resource potential.

Interdisciplinary studies of the Upper Pennsylvanian Lansing and Kansas City groups have been undertaken in order to improve the geologic characterization of petroleum reservoirs and to develop a quantitative understanding of the processes responsible for formation of associated depositional sequences. To this end, concepts and methods of sequence stratigraphy are being used to define and interpret the three-dimensional depositional framework of the Kansas City Group. The investigation includes characterization of reservoir rocks in oil fields in western Kansas, description of analog equivalents in near-surface and surface sites in southeastern Kansas, and construction of regional structural and stratigraphic framework to link the site specific studies. Geologic inverse and simulation models are being developed to integrate quantitative estimates of controls on sedimentation to produce reconstructions of reservoir-bearing strata in an attempt to enhance our ability to predict reservoir characteristics.

A compilation of references is presented providing background information on rock and mineral associations, geochemistry, geophysics, structural relationships, and geochronology of sialic, feldspathoidal, and some mafic alkalic igneous rock exposures in the US. Their locations and major characteristics are cited. No implication regarding U potential in these areas is intended. The first part of the bibliography provides general references to overall features of alkaline igneous rocks by region. The second part is a compilation of references on alkalic igneous rocks by state or groups of states. The third part provides information on rock type, age, and location for most of the references cited in part two. (JSR)

The costs of residential heating throughout the United States using conventional, solar, and geothermal energy were determined under current and projected conditions. These costs are very sensitive to location - being dependent on the local prices of conventional energy supplies, local solar insolation, cimate, and the proximity and temperature of potential geothermal resources. The sharp price increases in imported fuels during 1979 and the planned decontrol of domestic oil and natural gas prices have set the stage for geothermal and solar market penetration in the 1980's.

Over 80 participants representing 50 organizations met to discuss the report, Industrial Thermal Insulation--An Assessment, ORNL/TM-5283. Presentations on the performance of available materials, economic considerations, and measurement problems were followed by discussion. A final wrap-up session concluded that the report was valuable in pointing the direction for needed effort in the area, confirmed the indicated actions needed to further industrial application of insulation, and called for future meetings to continue the dialogue between the various facets of the industry.

Separate abstracts were prepared for the papers presented. Other papers were previously announced. (JSR)

This preliminary safety analysis report is based on a proposed Federal Repository at Lyons, Kansas, for receiving, handling, and depositing radioactive solid wastes in bedded salt during the remainder of this century. The safety analysis applies to a hypothetical site in central Kansas identical to the Lyons site, except that it is free of nearby salt solution-mining operations and bore holes that cannot be plugged to Repository specifications. This PSAR contains much information that also appears in the conceptual design report. Much of the geological-hydrological information was gathered in the Lyons area. This report is organized in 16 sections: considerations leading to the proposed Repository, design requirements and criteria, a description of the Lyons site and its environs, land improvements, support facilities, utilities, different impacts of Repository operations, safety analysis, design confirmation program, operational management, requirements for eventually decommissioning the facility, design criteria for protection from severe natural events, and the proposed program of experimental investigations. (DLC)

Volume II of the report comprises copies of the slides from the talks presented at the second session of the National Waste Terminal Storage Program information meeting. This session was devoted to geologic studies. (LK)

The research and development project discussed was aimed at creating the necessary computer system for the rapid retrieval, analysis, and display of information to meet the individual and nonroutine needs of the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration and the general public. The major objective was to demonstrate that it was both feasible and practical to organize data that are currently available and to provide planning and management information in a much more usable and timely fashion than previously possible. Fast access to data with a system which is easy to use was an important project goal. Programs were written to analyze and display data by means of bar, pie, and line charts, etc. Although prototypical interactive retrieval, analysis, and report formation tools have been developed, further research and development of interactive tools is required. (RWR)

A review of current programs to develop superconducting power transmission shows that current plans require helium refrigerators operating at 5 to 13/sup 0/K and 3 to 15 atm pressure with compressor power input in the range of 1,300 to 3,500 HP. Future requirements will probably trend toward slightly higher temperatures and larger refrigerators. Present large helium refrigerators and APCI standard nitrogen plants were studied and an average outage frequency of about 18 per year is found to be typical for both. Cost and reliability studies of alternate refrigeration systems based on studies of components shows that the best current system which would have a failure rate of once in 20 years would consist of two full size oil flooded screw compressors in parallel, manifolded to two full size cold boxes and a liquid helium back up dewar. The principal area of development needed to implement this system is in the switch over mechanisms. These include switching to an auxillary power source in the event of power interruption, switching to the standby compressor, and switching to the back up liquid helium dewar. Costs are projected as being only slightly greater than preliminary estimates.

Separate abstracts are included for twenty-nine of the thirty papers presented concerning vertical axis wind turbines. One paper has previously been abstracted and included in the ERDA Energy Data Base and Energy Research Abstracts journal.

This document contains responses by the NRC Task Force to comments received on the report ''Environmental Survey of the Reprocessing and Waste Management Portions of the LWR Fuel Cycle'' (NUREG-0116). These responses are directed at all comments, inclding those received after the close of the comment period. Additional information on the environmental impacts of reprocessing and waste management which has either become available since the publication of NUREG-0116 or which adds requested clarification to the information in that document.

The Inventory has resulted in establishment of a series of data bases containing biological monitoring information of varying types, namely, directory of investigators, record of projects received from mail questionnaire, detailed description of selected biomonitoring projects, and bibliographic citations supporting the projects received. This report contains detailed descriptions of selected biomonitoring projects organized on a state-by-state basis and with appropriate indices.

Volume V of the five-volume report consists of appendices, which provide supplementary information, with emphasis on characteristics of geologic formations that might be used for final storage or disposal. Appendix titles are: selected glossary; conversion factors; geologic isolation, including, (a) site selection factors for repositories of wastes in geologic media, (b) rock types--geologic occurrence, (c) glossary of geohydrologic terms, and (d) 217 references; the ocean floor; and, government regulations pertaining to the management of radioactive materials. (JGB)

Hulls remaining after chop-leach recovery of fuel from spent fuel elements are high level with respect to radiation but rather low level with respect to thermal power. Design criteria for a pilot plant for these wastes include retrievability and ready access to the rooms for several years, a condition that restricts the maximum floor temperature to less than 110/sup 0/F, probably 100/sup 0/F. Initial planning calls for waste canisters to be 15 ft long made from standard 12-in. steel pipe, with the hulls compacted to near 70% theoretical density. The canisters would be emplaced in 20-in.-dia holes in the salt floor of an excavated room. The empty space would be filled with sand to facilitate retrievability. It was assumed that the canisters were filled with PWR fuel hulls, which had a heat generation rate of 0.35 kW per canister when 1 year old. Two-dimensional thermal calculations for a unit cell were made to determine the effects of pitch, burial depth, waste age, and canister stacking on the max mine floor temperature. The waste must be aged about 7 years in order for the maximum floor temperature not to exceed 100/sup 0/F when single canisters are buried 15 ft deep in …

The energy production and consumption data show a pattern of increased reliance on crude oil and natural gas as primary energy sources. Early production of coal diminished as natural gas became readily available. Hydropower has been developed at several multipurpose dam sites, but is less than one percent of the total Texas electric power capacity. Power plants have been fired primarily with natural gas, but recent developments have caused the substitution of fuel oil, and plans for new capacity include both nuclear and coal fired units. The trends in consumption of energy show several important factors in the economics of energy. Residential use of electricity has grown rapidly and was accompanied by large increases in per capita home heating and air conditioning and electrical appliances, and by a declining real price of electricity. Texas consumers also greatly increased their per capita use of gasoline during the 1950-1973 period with increases in the per capita ownership of automobiles and near constant real prices for gasoline. Both trends (electricity and gasoline use per capita) grew at a faster rate in Texas than for the U.S. The concentration of petroleum refining and chemical manufacturing industries in Texas has made these industries and the …

Progress made in a six task program on methods for cryogenic refrigeration for superconducting transmission cables is reported. The current report period included a review of equipment versus requirements, development of an optimization criteria, and evaluation of component reliability and efficiency. The results and findings of the helium refrigerator user visits, system and component manufacturers responses to questionnaires, telephone calls and visits, and the information obtained from a review of APCI standard N/sub 2/ plant experience are presented.

This massive hydraulic fracturing treatment was performed on the Ferguson 1A, a marginal Bend Conglomerate gas producer. It commenced on September 14, 1976, and concluded on September 16, 1976. The casing ruptured on September 14, after placing 87,000 gal foam, 67,000 lb 100 mesh sand, 52,000 gal emulsion, and 151,000 lb 10-20 sand. Repair and clean up operations were completed on the 16th and an additional 51,800 gal of foam, 38,000 lb 100 mesh sand, 146,000 gal emulsion, and 250,000 lb 10-20 mesh sand were pumped. The well has been recovering the frac load since September 17, 1976, and has recovered 3,426 bbl out of 7,144 bbl total load. Initial measured gas flow was 135 Mcf/D but has declined to 15 Mcf/D currently. It appears that this technique is probably not economically feasible.

A high quality limestone is currently being mined from a deep shaft mine (1072 feet) in Middle Devonian rocks (Callaway) within the city limits of Kansas City, Missouri. About 15 acres of essentially dry space (room and pillar) with up to 14-foot ceilings have been developed. There are few natural joints observable in the rock within the mine. Some of these are periodically damp. More than 80% of the mine is dry. Saltwater from aquifers (Pennsylvanian) cut by the shaft accumulates behind the shaft at the pump station at 850 feet and at the bottom of the shaft (Devonian-Ordovician rocks). As long as the pumps lift the water to the surface, the mine can be kept relatively dry. Grouting of the aquifer's rocks in the shaft may seal off that source of water. The Burlington limestone of the Mississippian System is potentially mineable on the property now developed. The Burlington limestone, the Middle Devonian limestone, and the Kimmswick (Middle Ordovician) limestone are all potentially mineable by shaft mining in the northern part of Greater Kansas City and northward into the Forest City Basin.

Information is presented concerning meteorological data and supporting analyses, gross energy consumption patterns and end-use analysis, analysis for industrial applications of wind energy conversion systems (WECS), analysis for residential applications of WECS, analysis for application of WECS to communities remote from utility grids, analysis for agricultural applications of WECS, regional evaluation of the economics of wind turbine generation to the U. S. electric utility district, impact of storage on WECS, financial analysis techniques, and system spacing.

Data on the prospective available CO/sub 2/ in a nine-state area of the Southwest were collected from scattered sources and compiled to make the information readily available to operators who may be interested in using CO/sub 2/ techniques for enhanced oilfield recoveries. Maps of the oilfields in the area studied are provided so that location of supply source can be related to possible point of use. The best potential sources of CO/sub 2/ are flue gas from electric generating plants, flue gas from cement plants, output from ammonia plants and natural gas reservoirs. The CO/sub 2/ sources are listed by states and include the operator's name, location name, county, and average available amounts of CO/sub 2/.

This progress report describes the objectives and results of the intercollegiate Energy Resource Alternatives competition. The one-year program concluded in August 1975, with a final testing program of forty student-built alternative energy projects at the Sandia Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The goal of the competition was to design and build prototype hardware which could provide space heating and cooling, hot water, and electricity at a level appropriate to the needs of homes, farms, and light industry. The hardware projects were powered by such nonconventional energy sources as solar energy, wind, biologically produced gas, coal, and ocean waves. The competition rules emphasized design innovation, economic feasibility, practicality, and marketability. (auth)

The nuclear energy center (NEC) concept is an approach to siting wherein nuclear facilities would be clustered in and delimited to a relatively small number of locations throughout the United States. These designated centers would be concurrently developed to their full capability over several decades, at which time, they would be several times larger than the largest nuclear power stations in existence today. The centers would be permanently dedicated to nuclear operations including the future decommissioning of functionally obsolescent facilities as well as the commissioning of their replacements. The criteria for and characteristics of an acceptable nuclear energy system that could supply most of the U.S. energy requirements in the distant future are discussed. The time period is unspecified but occurs when fossil-fuel resources are depleted to such an extent that their use is economic only in special situations, and is not economic, in general, for use as fuel.

The electrical characteristics of water during a rapid electrical discharge have been determined. These characteristics were used in predicting energy in the spark drilling arc and in designing a new-generation spark drill. The design of this drill system is described, along with the proposed schedule of its fabrication and use. Other activities accomplished during this report period are also discussed.