Oil shale is a class of [[sedimentary rock]] (not necessarily [[shale]]) that contains significant amounts of Kerogen, a waxy substance from which [[oil]] can be obtained through a process called pyrolysis. The worldwide oil reserves contained in oil shale are estimated to be in the region of three trillion barrels [http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/archive/aeo06/pdf/0383(2006).pdf], but obtaining this oil is both economically and environmentally expensive - a problem that has limited its use to date.<ref name=aeo2006> | Oil shale is a class of [[sedimentary rock]] (not necessarily [[shale]]) that contains significant amounts of Kerogen, a waxy substance from which [[oil]] can be obtained through a process called pyrolysis. The worldwide oil reserves contained in oil shale are estimated to be in the region of three trillion barrels [http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/archive/aeo06/pdf/0383(2006).pdf], but obtaining this oil is both economically and environmentally expensive - a problem that has limited its use to date.<ref name=aeo2006> |