The world's dirtiest oil is
the Brass crude blend from Nigeria
, where uncontrolled release of methane during the oil extraction process generates upstream GHG emissions more than four times higher than Canadian diluted bitumen.
Which is better shale oil or crude oil?
Shale oil is
a substitute for conventional crude oil
; however, extracting shale oil is more costly than the production of conventional crude oil both financially and in terms of its environmental impact. Deposits of oil shale occur around the world, including major deposits in the United States.
What is the difference between oil shale and shale oil?
Oil shale is different than shale oil in that oil shale is essentially rock that contains a compound called
kerogen
, which is used to make oil. Shale oil refers to hydrocarbons that are trapped in formations of shale rock.
Why is shale oil bad?
Surface mining of oil shale deposits causes the
usual environmental impacts of open-pit mining
. In addition, the combustion and thermal processing generate waste material, which must be disposed of, and harmful atmospheric emissions, including carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas.
What is oil shale made of?
Oil shale is
a mixture of sand, silt, salt, and an insoluble organic substance called kerogen
. Rock-like at room temperature, oil shale produces vapors and gases when heated, which in turn are condensed and turned into oil.
What are the advantages of shale oil?
Shale oil
production makes the United States more energy independent
. Storing barrels of shale oil helps prices remain more stable. Shale oil extraction (fracking) benefits from innovative drilling techniques. Fracking causes ecological damage to the environment.
At what price is shale oil profitable?
In top two U.S. shale fields, oil and gas companies are profitable in
the $30 per barrel to low $40s per barrel range
, according to data firm Rystad Energy. This year's higher prices could push the shale group's cash from operations up by 32%, Rystad said.
How dirty is oil sands oil?
Tar sands extraction
emits up to three times more global warming pollution
than does producing the same quantity of conventional crude. It also depletes and pollutes freshwater resources and creates giant ponds of toxic waste. Refining the sticky black substance produces piles of petroleum coke, a hazardous by-product.
Who has the best oil in the world?
According to the most recent data, the top five oil-producing nations are
the United States, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Canada, and China
. The United States overtook Russia in 2017 for the second-place spot and surpassed former leader Saudi Arabia a year later to become the world's top oil producer.
What state has the most oil?
Texas
is by far the largest oil-producing state in the United States. In 2020, Texas produced a total of 1.78 billion barrels. In a distant second place is North Dakota, which produced 431.2 million barrels in the same year.
What are the disadvantages of oil shale?
Another environmental disadvantage to extracting shale oil is
the enormous amounts of freshwater required
. Water is necessary for drilling, mining, refining, and generating power. Some experts estimate that three litres (. 8 gallon) of water are required to produce just one litre (.
Where is shale oil found in the US?
The United States has significant oil shale resources, primarily within the
Green River Formation in Wyoming, Utah and Colorado
. These oil shale resources underlie a total area of 16,000 square miles and represent the largest known concentration of oil shale in the world.
What is shale oil boom in the US?
The “Shale Revolution” refers to
the combination of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling that enabled the United States to significantly increase its production of oil and natural gas
, particularly from tight oil formations, which now account for 36% of total U.S. crude oil production.
Where is black shale found?
Most black shales are found in
marine sediments
(Potter et al., 1980), but they can also form prominent deposits in lacustrine successions (Bohacs et al., 2000). Their black color is due to two constituents: (1) the contained organic matter, and (2) finely disseminated pyrite.
What is the cost of shale oil?
The production cost of a barrel of shale oil ranges from as
high as US$95 per barrel to as low US$25 per barrel
, although there is no recent confirmation of the latter figure.
