Shale is a layer of sedimentary rock, originated under high temperatures and pressures, containing organic matter disseminated in its mineral environment. It consists of a non-renewable energy source.
It is a type of rock found in nature in two different forms: bituminous and pyrobituminous, both are rich in bitumen. The characteristics of each are:
Pyrobituminous Shale – The organic matter (kerogen), which will later be transformed into bitumen, is solid at room temperature, the bitumen is obtained by heating the rock.
Oil Shale – are hydrocarbons (substances made up of hydrogen and carbon) that appear in sedimentary rocks. The organic matter (bitumen) disseminated in its environment is almost fluid, being easily extracted.
Refined shale oil is identical to well oil and is a highly valued fuel. To obtain this oil, it is necessary to extract the bitumen from the rock.
Currently, the United States has the world's largest shale reserve, followed by Brazil, Estonia, China and Russia.
Brazil has one of the largest volumes of shale in the world, with reserves of 1.9 billion barrels of oil in its territory. Petrobrás' Shale Industrial Superintendence (SIX) acts as a technology development center, and daily processes around 7,800 tons of oil shale, which generate 3,870 barrels of shale oil, 120 tonnes of fuel gas, 45 tonnes of liquefied shale gas and 75 tonnes of sulfur.
For shale exploration to take place, large economic investments are needed, in addition to being extremely polluting and with little return.
The main environmental impacts caused by shale exploration are: water pollution, emission of polluting gases into the atmosphere during processing, risk of spontaneous combustion of waste.
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By Wagner de Cerqueira and Francisco
Graduated in Geography
Brazil School Team
Fossil fuels - Fuels - geography - Brazil School
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
FRANCISCO, Wagner de Cerqueira e. "Bituminous Shale"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/geografia/xisto-betuminoso.htm. Accessed on June 28, 2021.
