Shale oil is an unconventional oil produced from oil shale rock fragments by pyrolysis, hydrogenation, or thermal dissolution. These processes convert the organic matter within the rock (kerogen) into synthetic oil and gas.
What is the difference between oil and shale oil?
The key difference between shale oil and crude oil is in its composition; Shale oil contains relatively large quantities of sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen than that of crude oil. But, the cost of production of shale oil is comparatively low.
What is shale gas and why is it important?
Shale gas is natural gas that is found trapped within shale formations. Shale gas has become an increasingly important source of natural gas in the United States since the start of this century, and interest has spread to potential gas shales in the rest of the world.
What is the meaning of shale oil?
shale oil, in fossil fuel production, either a synthetic crude oil that is extracted from oil shale by means of pyrolysis or a naturally occurring crude oil that is extracted from underground shale deposits by means of fracking (hydraulic fracturing).
What is shale oil used for?
Shale oil is similar to petroleum, and can be refined into many different substances, including diesel fuel, gasoline, and liquid petroleum gas (LPG). Companies can also refine shale oil to produce other commercial products, such as ammonia and sulfur. The spent rock can be used in cement.
Which country has the most shale oil?
China has the biggest shale gas reserve in the world. China has 1.5 times of global shale gas reserves of the United States. America comes second in terms of shale gas reserves.
Is shale and fracking the same?
Shale oil refers to hydrocarbons that are trapped in formations of shale rock. Fracking is a process that oil companies use to drill down into the layers of shale and open up the rock formations so that oil can be extracted. Fracking is done by several companies, including Halliburton Company (HAL), Chevron Corp.
What are the disadvantages of oil shale?
The production of oil from shales has a potentially serious impact on the environment. Four specific areas of concern dominate discussion regarding development of the resource: greenhouse gas output, water consumption and pollution, surface disturbance, and socioeconomic effects.
Which is the largest shale gas producing country in the world?
The United States
The United States is far and away the most dominant shale gas producer in the world. Canada also is a leading producer. Few other countries produce shale gas at scale other than Argentina and China.
What are the disadvantages of shale gas?
The result is “a super-salty brine, prone to bacterial growth, and potentially contaminated with heavy metals,” the National Geographic wrote in its series on shale gas. Furthermore, the large amount of water needed to drill for shale can affect water availability for other uses, potentially impacting aquatic habitats.
Can shale oil replace crude oil?
The shale oil derived from oil shale does not directly substitute for crude oil in all applications. It may contain higher concentrations of olefins, oxygen, and nitrogen than conventional crude oil. Some shale oils may have higher sulfur or arsenic content.
Who invented shale oil?
In the 10th century, the Arabian physician Masawaih al-Mardini (Mesue the Younger) described a method of extraction of oil from “some kind of bituminous shale”. In the early 14th century, the first use of shale oil was recorded in Switzerland and Austria.
Why is shale oil expensive?
Shale oil drilling and extraction are far more labor-intensive than conventional oil extraction, making the process necessarily pricier.
What is the dirtiest oil?
Tar sands
Tar sands are the dirtiest source of oil on Earth. This extreme source of oil is currently being mined mainly in Alberta Canada, however, oil companies are now pursuing tar sands mines in the U.S. West. Tar sands are composed of clay, sand, water, and bitumen (a heavy black hydrocarbon).
Can shale oil be used in cars?
Oil shale can be used to make diesel fuel, gasoline, and liquid petroleum gas. These energy sources can be used to power machines such as cars, lawnmowers, generators, etc.
How long will US shale oil last?
The Oil Shale Resource Base
Present U.S. demand for petroleum products is about 20 million barrels per day, so 800 billion barrels would last for more than 400 years if oil shale could be used to meet a quarter of that demand.
Who uses the most oil shale?
Besides Estonia, which has been using its oil shale resources for oil and power production for almost 100 years, Brazil and China already use oil shale as an energy source, while in the USA – which is estimated to hold approximately 72% of the world’s oil shale reserves – significant research and development with
Who has most oil in world?
possible and undiscovered), the United States is at the top of the list with 264 billion barrels of recoverable oil reserves, followed by Russia with 256 billion, Saudi Arabia with 212 billion, Canada with 167 billion, Iran with 143 billion, and Brazil with 120 billion (Table 1).
Is shale oil only in the US?
More than half of the identified shale oil resources outside the United States are concentrated in four countries—Russia, China, Argentina, and Libya—while more than half of the non-U.S. shale gas resources are concentrated in five countries—China, Argentina, Algeria, Canada, and Mexico.
What’s wrong with fracking?
Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” is revolutionizing oil and gas drilling across the country. However, without rigorous safety regulations, it can poison groundwater, pollute surface water, impair wild landscapes, and threaten wildlife.
Is shale oil used for gasoline?
Yes, shale oil can be used to make gasoline, as well as other oil products, such as diesel fuel and liquid petroleum gas (LPG).
