What Is Shale Rock?
The earth’s crust has several hidden precious materials. Few are explored, while some still remain untouched. The topic up for discussion today is the widely exploited rock by the petroleum industries. Yes, the shale rock.
Shale is a sedimentary rock formed in the delta region. The formation gets initiated when a flowing stream gets stranded in a place, and the sediments get deposited. In this due course of time, chemical weathering, temperature, and pressure play a vital role in creating a rock.
The unique characteristic of this sedimentary rock is – that it can be readily split into thin pieces, is made of thin layers, sensitive to water and the atmosphere. It is primarily composed of Illite, Kaolinite, Smectite, Minerals, Clay, Silt, and Quartz Grains which shapes it as a fine grain rock. Shale rocks are found in six different colors in nature. The difference in the constitution changes the color of the sedimentary rock.
Black shale, Grey shale, Red Shale, Yellow shale, Brown shale, and Green shale rocks are found. Each one has its specific utility and composition. Amongst these groups of shales, a green-colored one is rarely seen. The uniqueness is due to the apt combination of mica and clay minerals. Red, Yellow, and Brown shale get their colors due to the high content of Oxygen, Ferric oxides, and other minerals.
Usage Of Shale In Industries
Shale is used to prepare cement, ceramics, and the petroleum industry.
- Core samples like Black Shales available in Texas are considered to be the source of oil reserves. Both shale and petroleum are formed from similar organic matter when buried under the earth’s crust.
- Used as a substitute for clay in many places or even combined with it. For eg- the clay pots used for plants, and bricks utilize the shale rocks.
- The construction industry utilizes shale rocks to prepare the cement.
A Suitable Candidate For The Petroleum Industry
Petroleum is an important asset for a country to keep its economic inflow alive. This century is solely dependent on petroleum resources. From operating vehicles to industries, everything gets operated on fuel. The petroleum industry has to strive hard to reach the petroleum reservoirs on the earth, to fulfill the huge supply demand of the globe.
Oil and gas research companies are constantly exploring the options to resolve the supply-demand issue of petroleum. The rock sources utilized for this purpose are retrieved from the geologic formation which is capable of trapping petroleum in itself. The organic contents present in these rocks make them a perfect stone for oil reservoirs.
The composition and percentage of organic content would depend on the geological condition, temperature, pressure, burial depth, and environment around rocks. In nature, petroleum is formed due to high pressure, humus content, Organic sediment, and temperature. Shale rocks have a characteristic feature of low porosity and permeability. The impermeability of Shale has strong-armed it as source rocks, reservoirs, and seal rocks.
Getting a shale rock with apt stone cutting makes it the perfect candidate for conducting oilfield research in Texas. It enables them to trap enormous amounts of petroleum, and later we can fetch this gold through drilling. Hydraulic fracturing is employed to extract the gas or petroleum from shale rocks which otherwise would be impossible. Another technique used by industries for extraction is Horizontal drilling. Both the techniques are proven to be revolutionary and show outstanding results.
We at Kocurek Industries Texas provide premium quality shale rocks and serve the best cores to detect petroleum reservoirs across the globe. We make sure to deliver the shale rock in the best condition to your destination. Take a look at our core samples collection available in Texas and place your orders. For more information, visit our website, contact us at (979) 406-0627 or drop a mail at contact@kocurekindustries.com