31-08-08 Jordan might start producing oil from oil shale in commercial quantities within three years instead of seven years as previously estimated if a company makes good on a deal to be concluded soon, a top government official has said.
"A specialized company has contacted the government recently expressing its interest to invest in the Kingdom's huge reserves of oil shale," the official said. He added that the government will likely sign a memorandum of understanding with the company, which he declined to name. He said the firm would be relying on Russian techniques in extracting oil from oil shale.

The official stressed that the memo will include incentives for the company if they could produce oil in three years. However, he added that the contract would entail a penalty clause if the deadline is not met.
He noted that the company will be given a different location than the one currently allocated for an Estonian company, Eesti Energia, which has had decades of experience in Estonia. Under separate agreements with the Natural Resources Authority (NRA), Eesti Energia, Brazilian firm Petrobras, Jordanian-British Jordan Energy and Mining, Royal Dutch Shell Oil and a Saudi firm are all currently examining separate blocks in Al Attarat and Lajoun areas for oil shale extraction.

Some 40 bn tons of oil shale exist in 21 sites concentrated by the Yarmouk River, Buweida, Beit Ras, Rweished, Karak, Madaba and Maan.
While the resource can be found as shallow as 40 metres below the surface in the west and south, in the east and north of the Kingdom it is at very deep levels.