Jordan's oil shale development projects: Current status way forward

摘要

At the present time, the government of Jordan has an agreement with one company for an in-situ oil shale project, three concessions with companies planning surface retorting of oil shale, and one agreement with a company for an oil shale-fired power plant. Economic feasibility studies conducted on different oil shale localities showed that the resource is economically viable for the proposed methods of utilization. The political unrest surrounding the region and the decline in oil prices have not impacted oil shale development projects yet in Jordan but slight delays are predicted pertaining to project financing and hence perhaps tarnishing the glamorous earlier image of early oil and/or electricity generation from oil shale. Several Memoranda of Understanding "MOU's" have been signed and Letters of Interest are placed to share with us the excitement to explore and exploit new oil shale localities of Jordan.