What is Oil shale?
The term oil shale is a bit misleading. The shale does not have to actually be comprised of shale and the oil that is extracted is different than the crude oil that one usually thinks of. Oil shale is a type of sedimentary rock that contains kerogen. When kerogen is exposed to extreme temperatures it produces liquid hydrocarbons that are often called synthetic crude oil.
Shale oil is found in large quantities in the United States and is used as a crude oil substitute. More processing is needed to produce shale oil than crude oil and there are a number of environmental problems associated with the production of shale oil.
Environmental Impact of Oil Shale Production
There are a number of environmental concerns related to the production of oil shale. The rapid exposure of the buried materials can create acid drainage. Metals and other debris can be introduced into both ground water and surface water. Processing and transportation of oil shale can also increase erosion and pollute the air. Water consumption concerns are also a priority because of the large amounts of water required to process the oil shale. The Bureau of Land Management estimated that for every ton of processed oil shale between two and ten gallons of waste water are created.
Finally, the amount of green house gasses created can be greater with the production of oil shale than with the production of more traditional forms of oil.
The Gift to the Oil Industry
Recently the Bush administration finalized regulations regarding the leasing of land in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming for the purpose of commercial oil shale production. The problem with these regulations is that the studies currently underway about the production ability and environmental safe guards needed have not been completed. This reckless act puts the public lands of these three states in danger of being contaminated as well as possibly becoming unusable for recreational purposes. These new regulations also bypass the public’s right to appeal or protest the decisions that will affect the public lands that will be used in the oil shale production.