Oil Shale Innovation and Debate

Shell Oil Company has developed a technological process able to extract high quality oil from shale, reports Michael Riley for the Denver Post. The Shell testing grounds are near Rilfe, Colorado, a town of 9,000 with looming growth problems exacerbated by rising interest in local oil. "They say around here that you talk about whiskey and fight over water," Rifle Mayor Keith Lambert told Riley. "We will dig our heels in when it comes to our water."

The fight is being waged in Congress as well as Colorado, Republicans charging for cheap energy and Democrats warning of environmental havoc, carbon potential, and water depletion - Shell's shale process is water intensive.

Taking up to two years, the innovation requires ice and fire for oil. By drilling 1,700 feet below the surface, and filling holes with cold ammonia, ice walls are created to insulate the shale extraction from groundwater contamination. Electric heaters installed at the bottom of other wells heat up the shale to 650'F for up to two years. Up flows high-quality oil. The process could open national shale to supply America for a hundred years, reports Riley.

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