The hazards of nuclear power generation—The case for survival
Abstract A plan is presented to replace all nuclear electricity-generating plants by the induction heating of lignite and sub-bituminous coal in situ . The hazards of nuclear power are intolerable and these hazards are intensified in areas of seismic activity, drainage areas containing a number of reactors, and reactors draining onto a densely-populated coast. The technique of induction heating is scientifically sound, and requires only the development of full-scale process technology from state-of-the-art science. This process is low in cost, produces large quantities of natural gas and coal tar as additional products, and causes little or no human hazard, air, water, or radiation pollution or environmental damage. Known coal resources are adequate for a century or more.
Processing of Solid Fossil-Fuel Deposits by Electrical Induction Heating
A study has been made to determine the feasibility of extracting the energy commodities-electricity, gas, petroleum, chemical feedstocks, and coke-from the solid fossil fuels-coal, oil shale, oil sand, and heavy oil-by the electrical induction heating of the deposits. Available electrical, physical, and chemical data indicate that this process may be technically and economically feasible. Some basic data are missing, and it has been necessary to indicate possible ranges of values for some parameters. The tentative conclusions drawn are the following. i. All four solid fossil fuels can be processed successfully underground. ii. All five energy commodities can be produced economically in adequate quantities for a period of a century or more in North America, without recourse to any other major energy source. iii. The development and construction time required is short enough to permit an uninterrupted supply of all energy commodities as present sources decline.
The oil sands of Alberta
Northern Alberta's oil-sand deposits contain some 143 Gt (900 × 109 bbl) of bitumen from which at least 36 Gt (250 × 109 bbl) of marketable light ‘synthetic crude oil’ are expected to be ultimately producible. Representing Canada's largest potential ‘petroleum’ reservoir, and of a size large enough to be compared with the total recoverable oil reserves of the Middle East, these deposits may become the country's principal source of future petroleum supplies. This review briefly describes the geological setting of the oil sands, and the methods by which bitumen can be extracted and upgraded; outlines current and planned commercial projects; and notes some of the factors bearing on future exploitation of the oil sands.