Tight Oil

Recently, Cairn Oil & Gas has announced that it is partnering US-based Halliburton to start Tight Oil (also known as shale oil) exploration in the Lower Barmer Hill formation, Western Rajasthan.

• Also known as shale oil, shale-hosted oil or light tight oil, it is light crude oil contained in petroleum-bearing formations of low permeability, often shale or tight sandstone.

Difference from Conventional Crude Oil: The key difference between shale oil and conventional crude is that the former is found in smaller batches, and deeper than conventional crude deposits. Its extraction requires creation of fractures in oil and gas rich shale to release hydrocarbons through a process called hydraulic fracking.