Oil Shale: A Solution to the Liquid Fuel Dilemma

Abundant oil shale deposits exist in the United States that can contribute significantly towards the nation's energy security. About one trillion barrels of oil can be recovered from the U.S. oil shale resources. These huge domestic oil resources are currently untapped. Interest in developing the oil shale resources of the United States of America has been rekindled in the last few years as a result of high prices of conventional crude oil and concerns about reliable, sustainable, and secure energy supplies to meet our nation's growing demand for liquid fuels. The technology to develop affordable fuels from oil shale in an environmentally sound manner requires advances in research, development and demonstration (RD&D).

Recently, research and development activities on oil shale have increased tremendously in an effort to advance oil shale technology and consequently accelerate its commercial development, while minimizing the environmental impact. This symposium series book describes recent research advances and developments of various aspects (characteristics, production, processing, upgrading, utilization, environmental, socio-economics, policy, and legal) of oil shale. The book will be useful to technology developers, investors, decision makers both in the private and public sectors, environmental regulators, researchers and academia.

Dr. Olayinka Ogunsola joined the U.S. Department of Energy in 2000 as a program manager, managing various R&D programs, including oil shale and oil sands.

Dr. Arthur Hartstein started his government career in the U.S. Bureau of Mines and in 1977 he joined the new U.S. Department of Energy. In both agencies, he developed and implemented their Oil Shale R&D Program. In that capacity, he participated in the last oil shale boom and bust and the recent new interest in oil shale development.

Dr. Olubunmi Ogunsola is President and Chief Executive Officer of Tryby Energy, Minerals and Environmental Corporation (TEMEC)