Natural Sources

Oil and Oil Shale Exploration

The EMRC is responsible for issuing permits and licenses for those engaged in the exploration or extraction of oil shale and petroleum. It also serves as the regulatory body for the mining sector, overseeing operations and inspections of mines to ensure the application of mining laws and regulations throughout the Kingdom. The Authority supervises mining methods for extracting mineral ores, ensuring optimal utilization, preventing waste and indiscriminate exploitation, and ensuring rehabilitation while maintaining public safety and health.

Oil Shale Exploitation Sector

Oil shale in Jordan is exploited through three main approaches:

Deep heating of oil shale to produce oil.

Surface mining distillation of oil shale to produce oil.

Direct combustion of oil shale for electricity generation.

Companies with Oil Shale Exploitation Concessions:

left-arrow_(1) Jordan Oil Shale Energy Company Concession Agreement.

left-arrow_(1) Saudi Arabian Oil Shale Company Concession Agreement.

left-arrow_(1) Jordan Oil Shale BV (JOSCO) Concession Agreement.

left-arrow_(1) Karak International Petroleum Company Concession Agreement.

Projects for Direct Combustion of Oil Shale for Electricity Generation:

The Attarat Power Company (APCO) was granted a mining license on 12/06/2016 based on a mining agreement signed between the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, represented by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission, and Attarat Power Company on 10/01/2014. This agreement was amended renewed, and ratified on 10/23/2016.

Petroleum Exploitation Sector

The Kingdom is divided into twelve exploration areas, including two developmental areas, according to the 2017 CGG study. Efforts are continuously underway to market these areas either through direct negotiations or by issuing tenders for oil and gas exploration in these areas by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

Agreements:

Risha Area: A concession agreement was signed with the National Petroleum Company for 50 years in 1996, lasting until 2046. The current daily production rate from the Risha field is 9-10 million cubic feet, which is supplied to the Risha power generation station, contributing about 2% of the country's electricity needs.

East Safawi Area: An exploration and production sharing agreement was signed with the National Petroleum Company to explore oil and gas in the East Safawi area in 2014, and the agreement was issued as a special law in 14/2014.