01-23-2013, 05:30 AM
The "top 10" list only lists conventional proven oil reserves which excludes shale oil and recoverable reserves. The 21 billion of USA proven "conventional" oil reserves do not make the top 10 list. However the USA recoverable reserves is 118 billion and the known shale reserves total 1.4 trillion barrels. I'm not going to do the math but it looks like as much as that top 10 list combined. In addition to the 1.4 trillion barrels of shale oil, the USA reserves of oil shale are estimated to be 2.175 trillion barrels. (shale oil and oil shale sound a lot alike, but oil shale cannot be commercialized by fracking).
Not surprisingly, the refineries in Alaska were constructed to refine Alaskan oil, not light sweet crude. Its shipped to the mainland because it's cheaper to refine it there.
Not surprisingly, the refineries in Alaska were constructed to refine Alaskan oil, not light sweet crude. Its shipped to the mainland because it's cheaper to refine it there.