ae ra enon re EN e Page 3 EXTRACTING OIL FROM TAR SANDS POSSIBLE A team of eight Weber State College students has concluded a 10-week study dealing with the possibility of extracting oil from the tar sands in the Eastern Utah region. The Weber State study dealt with the technological and economic feasibilities of bitumen and sand recovery from tar sands. The students also investigated the social, political and environmental problems arising from such a project. The study was made possible by a $14,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. The WSC grant was one of 64 awarded to students in 59 colleges and universities this year. The project, ‘‘Technical, Social, Environmental Aspects of Bitumen and. Sand Recovery from Tar Sands,’ was con- ducted in the Vernal-Roosevelt area and the Weber State laboratories. Student Project Director Robert A. Davidson estimated that 25 billion barrels of oil are located in the tar sands Wayne L. Wahlquist, professor of geography, served as faculty advisors te-the student team. Each member of the project group investigated their area to identify problems which might occur if the tar sands ‘were mined for oil. These recommendations were then put into a final technical report and have been placed in the WSC Stewart Library. The geologist of the group, Mr. Stegen, found that because of the high. percentage of clay, the sand left over after the mining operation could be~-used as a valuable by-product. 3 He also evaluated the feasibility of various mining techniques in the area. “It is doubtful that underground mining methods could compete economically with ‘in situ’ or open pit methods,”’ he said. of Utah. Mr. Davidson was a certified chemistry major at Weber State. He first became interested in the project while working for his father who was involved in tar sands as a business venture. ___ Seven other students involved in the project were James W. Flannagan, geographer, Nadine Jones and _ Kurt Froerer, economists, Judy S. Plass and John K. Shigley, chemists, Ralph S. Stegen, geologist, and Terilee Wingate, political scientist. _ Dr. Robert R. Beishline, professor of chemistry, and Dr. increased industrial development in the Uintah Basin. “The environmental impacts resulting from over-burden stripping and tar sands removal would depend on the total mine plan,” Mr. Flannagan said. “Land used for strip mining would be unavailable for other uses until it had been restored,”’ he explained. Pollution was one significant problem which would arise from the mining, he said. ‘‘The production of oil from tar sands would produce hydro-carbons and other pollutants.” The largest obstacle immediately facing a small company interested in opening such a project would be buying the land for it. At this time, Mr. Froerer said, most of the land containing tar sands are owned by either private businesses or the federal government. ‘Until they find out whether they can make money off their tar sands, they aren’t too interested in selling the land to somebody else,”’ he said. Dave Midget Environmental impact studies were carried out by Mr. Flannagan. He studied the impact the mining and _ recovery processes would have on wildlife, vegetation, water and air. He also collected information on the socio-cultural effects of DEAF STUDENT, INTERPRETER, TEAM IN TECHNICAL CLASS derstand he asks her questions back in sign language. “It is verbatim translation,’”’ said Mrs. Greenwood, at the same time Mrs. Lucy Greenwood is receiving: probably education the most diversified possible—and she _ isn’t even a student. Right now she is attending metallurgy and applied DR. DALE S$. COWGILL, dean of the School of Technology, demonstrates algebra classes in the Technical Education Building. She does the “Jistening’’ for Roger Krebs, a deaf student hoping to become a machine metal toolist and draftsman. working experimental unit to metallurgy students Dexter Blom and Roger Krebs. Mrs. Lucy Greenwood translates Dr. Cowgill’s remarks into sign language for Mr. Mrs. Greenwood is indispensable to Mr. Krebs. She interprets the professors lectures to him, using sign language. When he does not un- Krebs. mm We Oa ek ee ¥ NEW CAREER Typical of a number FOR MANY of technical education. students is Dexter Blom. He has retired after serving over twenty years in civil engineering in the Air Force, has had a business and is now attending college. ‘IT should say my major is manufacturing engineering because I lack only two classes to get an associate in Welding but my main interest is refrigeration and_ air conditioning,’’ said Mr. Blom. Hé has attended WSC five quarters and plans to go back to work next month. Currently taking a Metallurgy class from Dr. Dale Cowgill, dean of the school, Mr. Blom said ‘‘it is in- Pevruevuvreeet. we There are a lot of older students.” Mr. Blom has found that his experiences made up for the difference in the since Pet SliataAn Vara ee attending studying but I enjoy it.” Mr. Blom, starting on career No. 3, of a degree in engineering, either manufacturing or civil. ‘I enjoy association with the younger people in class. They inspire coming erased. years “T find I’m not apt to be as . frustrated when things don’t go right. You do have to learn to study again,’’ he said, ‘‘and I spend many hours ‘why’ adds depth of understanding.” Mr. Blom plans to continue to take night classes, with the eventual goal me to work harder. Maybe I inspire them too, it’s a two-fold proposition,” “nw of formal education classes. teresting to learn why things happen. I’ve known what happened but the said Mr. Blom. ‘Any doubts I had about back to college have been ern number traveled — extensively during his service years, stationed from north near the North Pole, south to Australia and in the Pacific islands, Japan, Korea, dland as ments. well Spain and Newfounas stateside assign- His wife is the former Evelyn Bryner of Ogden. They have one daughter and one granddaughter. explaining to Mr. Krebs what she was - telling me. Mrs. Greenwood has been _in- terpreting for deaf students for ten years. She started as a volunteer and is now working ffor’ State Rehabilitation. This is the first year she has attended all classes with Mr. Krebs. She also has another student on campus. “‘T learned sign language as my first language,”’ explained Mrs. GreenGreenwood. Both of her parents were deaf and her husband is also. She admitted she was being ex- posed to many different subjects which she might not have chosen— such as applied algebra. ‘Sometimes I do feel I ought to get a degree too,’’ she smiled. Mr. Krebs has attended WSC one and one-half years. He drives to college from the home of his parents, John P. and Clara N. Krebs, Kaysville. He graduated from the Utah School for the Deaf in Ogden in 1972 and served a mission for the LDS Church to the Southern California Mission. “It can be difficult to understand at times,’’ said Mr. Krebs in sign language to Mrs. Greenwood. ‘‘But I am_ trying.”