AMMAN, Jordan, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Jordanian officials say shale oil exploration in the country could save it an estimated $300 million per year in heavy oil and diesel imports.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour met Thursday in Amman with Estonian Finance Minister Jurgen Ligi to discuss investments in Jordan's shale oil deposits, the official Jordan News Agency reported.
Both sides are planning work on a plant that will use shale oil to produce electricity and reduce imports, the report said.
In 2008, Jordan and Estonia agreed to funnel shale oil to the Attarat power station, which is expected to begin service in 2017. The plant should have an operating capacity of 540 megawatts, officials say.
The Jordanian government says it estimates it holds about 34 billion barrels in shale oil that it expects to tap into with the help of Estonian investments. Estonian officials have described Jordan's shale potential as enormous.
