"In June 1979, the Department of Energy and Occidental Oil Shale, Inc., embarked upon Phase 2 of their cooperative oil shale development program. The purpose of the Phase 2 program is to demonstrate the retorting technology which will be used in the commercial phase (Phase 3) of the program. Sandia National Laboratories, and the DOE's request, is performing a series of field measurements on this program to aid the DOE in understanding the rubbling and retorting phenomena associated with the Vertical Modified In Situ (VMIS) retorting process. In preparation for the retorting of the two full scale retorts (Retorts 7 and 8), ignition tests are planned for two of the scaled rubble beds which were produced in Occidental 's research mine. The first such test , MR-3 Start Up Test, will be conducted in August 1980. Input fuel parameters, burner and retort air flow rates, output gas flows and composition, retort bed temperatures, and retort bed gas composition will be measured during the start up test using the Mod Comp Classic minicomputer in Trailer B-61. The MR-3 Start Up Test is currently scheduled to be conducted in August 1980."