DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - Recoverable Oil in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming 'About Equal to Entire World's oil reserve

**AALee** · 05-12-2012, 12:04 PM

how is shale oil extracted? is it fracking? I had hear Wyoming had more oil than the big Saudi field. To me it seems forcing oil up or out is one way but I wonder if there are any more passive methods like draining or some such. Instead of pushing it to some location, what about draining it to some location, then pumping it.

it's heated up. some of the geologist reports at

http://www.theoildrum.com/

describe humongous (earth size) heaters put in the ground to separate an oil-like fluid that can be pumped out.

but, it takes more energy to extract it than you get from the oil. AKA Negative Return on Energy.

the "Reason to do it" is - you get a liquid fuel that we can run our cars on.

The energy to do the process can come from natural gas, nuclear, or coal - or even (theoretically) solar or wind.

05-12-2012, 12:04 PM	#6
AALee Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 455 Senior Member	how is shale oil extracted? is it fracking? I had hear Wyoming had more oil than the big Saudi field. To me it seems forcing oil up or out is one way but I wonder if there are any more passive methods like draining or some such. Instead of pushing it to some location, what about draining it to some location, then pumping it. it's heated up. some of the geologist reports at http://www.theoildrum.com/ describe humongous (earth size) heaters put in the ground to separate an oil-like fluid that can be pumped out. but, it takes more energy to extract it than you get from the oil. AKA Negative Return on Energy. the "Reason to do it" is - you get a liquid fuel that we can run our cars on. The energy to do the process can come from natural gas, nuclear, or coal - or even (theoretically) solar or wind.
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