Oil Shale in Jordan
Overview
- Jordan possesses one of the most significant oil shale resources in the world, making it a strategic domestic energy asset.
- Oil shale is especially important for Jordan because the country has limited conventional oil and gas resources and relies heavily on imported energy.
- Development of oil shale can support energy security, local industry, employment, and long-term national economic resilience.
Reserves
Oil shale in Jordan represents a significant resource. Oil shale deposits in Jordan underlie more than 60% of Jordanian territory. The total resources amount to 31 billion tonnes of Oil shale.
Exploration
- Al Ghadaf and partners conducted extensive exploration and feasibility studies on a land block of 59.32 square kilometer area in central Jordan to assess the viability of extracting oil from abundant oil shale reserves. The exploration phase involved geological and geophysical surveys, while the feasibility studies evaluated the technical, economic, and environmental aspects of establishing an oil shale production operation.
- The area has proven reserves of over 4 billion barrels of oil and over 400 million tons of marble of different colors and shades.
Resources
- Oil shale deposits are found across large areas of Jordan, with major deposits located in the central region of the Kingdom.
- Key oil shale locations include:
- Attarat Umm Ghudran
- El-Lajjun
- Sultani
- Jurf Ed-Darawish
- Wadi Maghar
- Wadi Thamad
- Khan Ez Zabib
- Siwaga
- Jordan’s oil shale resources are estimated at approximately 40–70 billion tonnes, with deposits underlying more than 60% of the country’s territory.
Production and Energy Development
- Jordan has moved from resource exploration toward commercial utilization of oil shale.
- The Attarat Power Plant is Jordan’s first oil-shale-fired power plant, with 470 MW net capacity and an investment of approximately USD 2.1 billion.
- The project demonstrates Jordan’s ability to use domestic oil shale for electricity generation and reduce dependence on imported fuels.
Application
- Oil shale in Jordan can be used for:
- Electricity generation
- Shale oil production
- Cement industry fuel
- Industrial energy supply
- Long-term strategic energy security
Strategic Importance
- Oil shale represents a major opportunity for Jordan to strengthen national energy independence.
- With responsible development, modern mining methods, and environmental controls, Jordan’s oil shale sector can become a key pillar of the country’s energy and industrial future.