This document considers the various production processes (mining, retorting, and oil upgrading) and key environmental factors (organic and inorganic characterization, environmental control, and limitations) related to oil shale development. This state-of-the-art survey supports a study designing a groundwater quality monitoring program for oil shale operations such as that proposed for Federal Oil Shale Lease Tracts U-a and U-b located in northeastern Utah. Hence, the reports emphasize technologies applicable to this development while also providing a general overview of oil shale technology.