oil shale

American  

noun

Geology.

1. a black or dark-brown shale or siltstone rich in bitumens, from which shale oil is obtained by destructive distillation.

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oil shale British  

noun

1. a fine-grained shale containing oil, which can be extracted by heating

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oil shale Scientific  

1. A fine-grained black or dark brown shale containing hydrocarbons in the form of kerogen. When heated, oil shale yields petroleum or natural gas.

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Etymology

Origin of oil shale

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

Oil shale, or blaze as it is sometimes known in Scotland, is a material that was historically mined from the bedrock.

From BBC • Feb. 12, 2026

On that day, Exxon and Tosco pulled out of their Colony Oil shale project after having invested about $1 billion.

From Time Magazine Archive

Oil shale and other synfuel development may be sliding into a long twilight.

From Time Magazine Archive

Oil shale is worked at Burntisland and Airdrie near Crail.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 3 "Fenton, Edward" to "Finistere" by Various