Oil mining. a technical and economic feasibility study of oil production by mining methods. Open file report, April 1977-July 1978

This report describes work performed and results obtained for the technical and economic feasibility study of oil production by mining methods. The characteristics of oil fields which would make them amenable techniques were identified. An inventory of known U.S. oil fields that offer this potential was collated. This was further divided into fields having potential for underground and surface mining systems development. Several candidate fields that fit particular underground and surface mining system types were then selected. Conceptual mining systems were designed for the selected fields. Five underground and four surface methods were chosen. Costs of oil production were estimated for these selections. The impact of oil mining on the environment was also considered.