[GSWarrior]

Are you describing the 'in-situ' process of extraction? It's kind of confusing.

Hope there is not another "Black Monday" in the offing.

[thackney]

No, it is completely different.

In-situ is still a method of retorting shale, just doing it below ground, to release the kerogen to make synthetic crude with further processing.

Although frequently called shale oil, due to the shale being the source rock, plays like the Bakken, Eagle Ford and in the Permian Basin are producing actual crude oil that is already released from the shale.

[thackney]

Depending on how much detail you want, other sources of info:

https://www.dmr.nd.gov/ndgs/bakken/bakkenthree.asp

http://www.rrc.state.tx.us/eagleford/index.php