Estonia Sees Its Oil Industry Continuing for Another 10-15 Years
- Power plants that burn oil-soaked rock are being closed down
- Less carbon-intensive extraction process can continue to 2030s
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As the European Union accelerates the transition away from fossil fuels, one of its members still sees its own small oil industry continuing for a decade or more.
Estonia is the only country in the world that has depended for decades on burning oil shale, a sedimentary rock that contains hydrocarbons, for most of its energy needs. Despite the similar name it differs greatly both in chemistry and its carbon intensity from American shale oil, which has transformed the global energy market.