a fine-grained shale containing oil, which can be extracted by heating
oil shale in American English
shale containing hydrocarbons which can be extracted, esp. by distillation
oil shale in American English
noun
Geology
a black or dark-brown shale or siltstone rich in bitumens, from which shale oil is obtained by destructive distillation
Word origin
[1870–75]This word is first recorded in the period 1870–75. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: Mafia, billing, giveaway, immobilize, linkage
Examples of 'oil shale' in a sentence
oil shale
This includes both conventional and unconventional resources, such as oil shale and sands.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The phenomenon of the burning cliffs was caused by oil shale in the rocks.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
I would like to point out that there is oil shale but also shale oil.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
There are also vast reserves of unconventional oil in the form of tar sands or oil shale rocks.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Colorado has huge deposits of oil shale and its supporters claim that extraction could provide huge energy resources.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Oil shale is an organic-rich type of sedimentary rock that contains a substance called kerogen from which liquid hydrocarbons can be extracted.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
He estimates that, with one barrel of oil comprising 42 gallons, each tonne of oil shale contains approximately 25 gallons.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Natural gas and oil shales are considered unconventional.