Oil shale is a fine-grained sedimentary rock, containing significant amounts of kerogen (a solid mixture of organic chemical compounds), from which liquid hydrocarbons can be manufactured. The name oil shale is something of a misnomer as the rock is not necessarily a shale and the hydrocarbon in it is not truly oil.[1] Deposits of oil shale are located around the world, including major deposits in the United States. Global deposits are estimated as equivalent to 2.9–3.3 trillion (2.9–3.3 x 1012) barrels of recoverable oil.[2][3][4][5]
The kerogen in oil shale can be converted to synthetic crude oil through the chemical process of pyrolysis. When heated to a sufficiently high temperature a vapor is driven off which can be distilled (retorted) to yield a petroleum-like shale oil—a form of non-conventional oil—and combustible shale gas (shale gas can also refer to gas occurring naturally in shales). Oil shale can also be burnt directly as a low-grade fuel for power generation and heating purposes, and can be used as a raw material in the chemical and construction materials industries.[6][7]
Oil shale has gained attention as an energy resource as the price of conventional sources of petroleum has risen, and as a way to secure independence from external suppliers of energy.[8][9]
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