The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan possesses an enormous indigenous sources of energy in its vast low grade oil shale . Oil shale in Jordan represents a significant energy source that could potentially lead to initiation of Jordan self sufficiency. Large deposits of oil shale are widely distributed all over Jordan . Geological surveys have confirmed the existing of oil shale reserves that cover more than 60 % of Jordan land and some of the major oil shale deposits are underlain by phosphate beds . A huge proven and exploitable near surface reserves are estimated at more than 50 billion metric tons with extractable crude oil equivalent to about 50 billion barrels of oil. these major deposits of commercial scale interest are located in the central part of Jordan and are easily accessible from the highway . These deposits are are traversed by a high voltage power transmission lines so that a substantial part of the infrastructure required for development is already in place. There are 18 known surface and near surface deposits , eight of them were investigated in different levels and are regarded as commercially attractive. Those major deposits and their characteristics are summarized in the following tables:
Deposit |
Geologic reserves (billion tons) |
Surface area (sq.km) |
Overburden thickness (m) |
Oil shale thickness (m) |
Organic matter(%) |
Average oil content(%) |
EL-Lajjun |
1.3 |
20 |
31 |
29 |
28 |
10.5 |
Sultani |
0.99 |
24 |
69 |
32 |
25 |
9.7 |
Jurf Ed-Drawish |
8.6 |
150 |
47 |
68 |
18 |
5.7 |
Attaraat Um-Ghudran |
11.3 |
226 |
47 |
36 |
29 |
11.0 |
Wadi Maghar |
32 |
29 |
40 |
40 |
20 |
6.8 |
EL-Thamad |
11.4 |
150 |
142-400 |
72-200 |
25 |
10.5 |
Khan Ezzabib |
N.A |
N.A |
66 |
39-45 |
N.A |
6.9 |
Number of Drilled Wells
|
Moisture Content(%)
|
Ash Content(%)
|
Sulfur Content(%)
|
Density (g/cm3)
|
Kcal/Kg
|
Calorific Value (kj/Kg)
|
|
EL-Lajjun
|
135
|
2.1
|
54.7
|
3.1
|
1.81
|
1650
|
6906
|
Sultani
|
57
|
5.5
|
55.5
|
2.4
|
1.96
|
1526
|
6380
|
Jurf Ed-Darawish
|
50
|
4.5
|
58.4
|
2.4
|
2.1
|
1100
|
4603
|
Attaraat
|
41
|
3.25
|
53.2
|
2.6
|
1.8
|
1730
|
7.235
|
Wadi Maghar
|
21
|
2.9
|
57.5
|
2.6
|
2.03
|
1090
|
4.773
|
EL-Thamad
|
12
|
2.5
|
54.7
|
3.2
|
1.8
|
1800
|
6903
|