The Kingdom of Jordan is forging ahead with new shale oil-powered power plants which are set to be some of the largest in the world.
The latest project announcement is a $1.25bn shale oil, thermal-fired power station with capacity for 900MW of generation. The deal is between Jordan's National Electric Power Company (NEPCO) China's Lejjun Oil Shale Investments and will site the plant 100km south of Amman.
The plant will go ahead subject to a six month feasibility study and would be the second major power station of its kind to be built in the kingdom and one of the largest in the world. The shale oil would come from Lejjun's reserves being produced under a separate agreement by a British operator.
Jordan's shale oil reserves are believed to be the third largest in the world, yet despite this the Kingdom is still dependent on imported energy for 98% of its electrical power generation, with 88% coming from Egyptian natural gas.
To try to redress the balance, Jordan has set a target of 14% from domestic shale-gas fuelled power by 2020. As well as the Chinese deal, it has also recently announced a deal with Estonia's Eesti Energia to build a 700MW shale-powered plant by 2016. Estonia own the world's largest shale-powered power station.