The Renewed Stake in Oil Shale

Oil shale is about to make another break for the energy spotlight. The U.S. has just given the green light for development, but utilizing Colorado’s massive reserves has always been a risky venture.

Close . . . but No Oil

Geological fate dealt a cruel blow to Colorado. If the oil-rich sedimentary rock was a little deeper, then it would have been naturally heated under pressure. The resulting oil would have been easy to extract, and Colorado would be laughing at Saudi Arabia.

Oil shales are rocks with enough organic material to provide petroleum after distillation. The organic material is called kerogen. In a process called “retorting,” the shale is heated to 445-500