shale oil an energy solution by chad hatten review

it's a solution
With gas prices nearing an all time high, energy solutions are needed more than ever. The proven conventional oil reserves are at a peak or declining, and alternatives are needed now. One potential solution is shale oil. The definition of Oil Shale follows, and is from http://ostseis.anl.gov/guide/oilshale/

What Is Oil Shale?
Oil shale

The term oil shale generally refers to any sedimentary rock that contains solid bituminous materials (called kerogen) that are released as petroleum-like liquids when the rock is heated in the chemical process of pyrolysis. Oil shale was formed millions of years ago by deposition of silt and organic debris on lake beds and sea bottoms. Over long periods of time, heat and pressure transformed the materials into oil shale in a process similar to the process that forms oil; however, the heat and pressure were not as great. Oil shale generally contains enough oil that it will burn without any additional processing, and it is known as "the rock that burns".

Oil shale can be mined and processed to generate oil similar to oil pumped from conventional oil wells; however, extracting oil from oil shale is more complex than conventional oil recovery and currently is more expensive. The oil substances in oil shale are solid and cannot be pumped directly out of the ground. The oil shale must first be mined and then heated to a high temperature (a process called retorting); the resultant liquid must then be separated and collected. An alternative but currently experimental process referred to as in situ retorting involves heating the oil shale while it is still underground, and then pumping the resulting liquid to the surface.

The estimates of United States oil shale reserves range from 800 billion barrels to 2.7 trillion barrels. Development of this resource could make the US independent from foriegn oil. It is estimated this resource could be developed at a range of $40-60 per barrel. With prices in the $80-100.00 per barrel range, development of oil shale is economically viable, and should be pursued, while green alternatives are developed.

/ [chad-hatten]

   More reviews