Oil Shale
Oil shale
The term oil shale is technically incorrect in that the rock to which it refers, marlstone, is neither oil nor shale. Instead, it is a material that contains an organic substance known as kerogene. When heated to a temperature of 900°F (480°C) or more, kerogene decomposes, forming a petroleum-like liquid and a combustible gas. Huge amounts of high-grade oil shale exist in the western United States. By some estimates, these reserves could meet the nation's fuel needs for about a century. Although the technology for tapping these reserves already exists, it is still too expensive to compete with conventional fossil fuels or other sources of energy now in use.
See also Alternative fuels
oil shale
oil shale Dark grey or black shale containing organic substances that yield liquid hydrocarbons on distillation, but that do not contain free petroleum.
More From encyclopedia.com
Gasoline , Background
Gasoline is a volatile, flammable liquid obtained from the refinement of petroleum, or crude oil. It was originally discarded as a byprodu… tung oil , tung oil See ALEURITES. Petroleum , petroleum, oily, flammable liquid that occurs naturally in deposits, usually beneath the surface of the earth; it is also called crude oil. It consis… Oil Pollution , Introduction
Oil spills refer to the release of oil (liquid petroleum hydrocarbon) onto land or into water. The release can be accidental and due to… Oleaginous , oleaginous •pandanus •badness, madness, sadness •Magnus • aptness •fatness, patness •redness • wetness •anus, Coriolanus, heinous, Janus, Punta Arena… Edwin Laurentine Drake , Though he drilled only three oil wells in his lifetime, Edwin Drake (1819-1880) is known as the "Father of the Petroleum Industry" because the techno…
About this article
oil shale
All Sources -
You Might Also Like
NEARBY TERMS
oil shale