shale oil
1
6.3
- noun
- /ʃeɪl ɔɪl/
- Specialized
:
petróleo de esquisto
- Well, if it wasn't for unconventional oil like tar sands and shale oil, the 'peak oil' hypothesis would be in full effect now.
Examples
-
The increasing demand for energy has led many countries to invest in shale oil extraction as an alternative to traditional fossil fuels.
-
Here are some costs from the income statements of companies involved in shale oil and oil sands.
Blog text (9) -
Real net increases will come from shale oil, tar sands, and natural-gas liquids.
Blog text (9) -
High breakeven costs for shale oil, oil sands, and expensive GTL are all presages of expensive marginal barrels.
Blog text (8) -
In recent years, advancements in technology have made shale oil production more viable and cost-effective.
-
As global oil supplies dwindle, the exploration of shale oil reserves has become a key focus for energy companies.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound denotes oil that comes from shale rock, which is a straightforward noun+noun composition: 'shale' (a type of rock) + 'oil' (the fuel/liquid). Although the technical extraction methods (fracking/horizontal drilling) are specialized, the basic meaning 'oil from shale' is directly inferable and cross-linguistically transparent, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will likely understand it.
Etymology
Shale oil comes from the oil that is released when people heat shale, a hard rock made of thin layers that holds organic matter. So the name means 'oil from shale' and explains why it refers to oil made by heating that rock.