Can we actually burn oil shale rock like coal?

Question

Can we actually burn oil shale rock like coal?

Answer 1

Some oil shales will burn if they are rich enough. However they don't make a good fuel source like coal.

To use oil shales we heat them (in a plant after they have been mined or in-place (underground). This "cooking" liberates the oil - the waste rock left behind has environmental problems (toxicity and large waste dumps) and the plants emit CO2 and other pollutants.

Cooking them underground using electricity (ie Shell Oil research) or by starting and underground fire are the best methods to use the oil shales. These deposits are huge and will play a big part in our energy future - eventually.

Hope this helps. Treat the planet nice today.

Answer 2

i concur with number one. you could as easily burn dirt as rock.