"Western oil shales could playa major role in the U.S. energy future providing economic oil recovery techniques are developed. To date no economic recovery techniques for Wyoming oil shales have been developed. A major problem has been the economic preparation of a retort to give good oil yields. The purpose of this program was to investigate the possibility of using high pressure water jet cutting technology to assist in the low cost remote preparation of an in situ retort in the Tipton oil shale. Specifically the objectives of this study are: 1) To conduct an experimental program to characterize the cutting properties of the Tipton oil shale 2) Take the cutting data and other available geologic data for designing a retort system using jet cutting 3) Evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of the jet cutting and retorting system developed"