What Are Tar Sands?
Tar sands — also called oil sands or bituminous sands — are a type of unconventional petroleum deposit where bitumen (a heavy, viscous form of crude oil) is mixed with sand, clay, and water.
Unlike conventional oil, the bitumen must be extracted and upgraded before refining.
Tar Sands in the Jordan Dead Sea Area — Overview
- The Dead Sea region, especially around central and southern Jordan, has geological formations containing bitumen-rich sediments.
- These are not globally large in comparison to major tar sand deposits like Canada’s Athabasca, but they represent a notable unconventional hydrocarbon occurrence in the Middle East.
The tar sands in this area were recognized through:
- Geological surveys
- Hydrocarbon exploration drilling
- Geochemical analysis of sediments
These deposits are generally found in:
- Sedimentary basins with organic-rich rocks
- Layers of sandstone and shale containing bituminous material
Geological Setting
Dead Sea Rift and Sedimentary Basins
- The Jordan Dead Sea region lies within the Dead Sea Rift System, a tectonic depression that influenced sediment deposition over millions of years.
- Thick sequences of lacustrine (lake) and fluvial (river) sediments were deposited during geological history — some of which contain organic material that can generate hydrocarbons.
- Tar sands occur in sandstone layers where the bitumen migrated and became trapped.
🧪 Types of Materials
- Bitumen-rich sands (tar sands)
- Kerogen-bearing rocks (possible oil shale)
- Conventional hydrocarbon shows in some well logs
Exploration and Research History
📍 Early Geological Surveys
- Starting in the mid-20th century, geological mapping and oil exploration in Jordan identified:
- Hydrocarbon shows in rocks
- Bitumen stains in sandstones
- Geochemical evidence of organic richness
🎯 1970s–1990s Exploration
- Various oil and gas exploration efforts were conducted by:
- The Natural Resources Authority (NRA) of Jordan
- International exploration companies under license
- Some drilling encountered heavy oil and bitumen, leading to interest in evaluating tar sands resources.
🧠 Resource Estimates
- Resource assessments indicated potentially significant unconventional bitumen occurrences, but:
- Precise quantification has been limited
- Estimates vary based on method and data quality
Current Status
- As of now, the Dead Sea tar sands in Jordan are not extensively developed commercially.
- They are recognized primarily through geological exploration rather than large-scale production.
- Most oil and gas operations in Jordan focus on:
- Conventional exploration
- Gas discoveries, particularly in eastern Jordan
However, the presence of tar sands remains of scientific and strategic interest.