By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Nov. 3 -- Jordan has stopped all oil shale activities in central Jordan for 18 months to enable the government to explore for uranium.
The Natural Resources Authority (NRA) posted a statement on its web site announcing such a decision of the Council of Ministers. The central Jordan area includes the Attarat Um Ghudran region, which is 34 km east of Qatrana, and the Wadi Maghar region, 40 km southeast of Qatrana.
Royal Dutch Shell PLC is interested in evaluating the oil shale in an area that extends from northern Jordan and West Safawi to Azraq in the middle and Sirhan and al-Jafer in the south.
A Shell spokesman said Shell is working with the government of Jordan under an existing, long-term relationship and envisions that its activities will be unaffected by this announcement.
Jordan depends on imported oil and refined products to meet all its energy requirements. Oil shale is the only important indigenous source of energy in Jordan, a government document said.
The Jordanian government estimates that Jordan holds more than 50 billion tonnes of oil shale resources.
