Xinjiang leads way in shale oil exploitation

The national-level shale oil demonstration zone in Jimsar county, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, recently reported an output of more than 1 million metric tons so far this year, the first of its kind in China to break such a record, marking a milestone in the country's shale oil exploitation and contributing to overall energy security.

Shale oil is a petroleum resource stored in shale formations, which are layered in the Earth's crust like the pages of a book. Unlike conventional oil, which is typically found in liquid form in large underground reservoirs, shale oil is trapped within the tiny pores of shale rock. This makes it more difficult and expensive to extract.

For a long time, shale oil was considered to have no economic value for extraction. It wasn't until the beginning of this century, influenced by the global increase in oil demand and the decline in conventional oil resources, that shale oil gradually gained greater attention.