Exploration and Research Project for the TKI-TPAO Joint Investment

of Bituminous Shale Sites

The Eleventh Development Plan emphasized that the main target of the mining sector is to ensure the security of raw material supply and improve the contribution of mines to the country’s economy by increasing the added value of minerals by processing them domestically. At this point, a policy was constructed to initiate the production of synthetic oil from bituminous shale.

In the 2019-2013 strategical plan of TKI, our primary objective was stated as “performing works to increase coal, asphaltite, and bituminous shale resources owned by TKI in the planning period, and eliminating uncertainties in the available resources/reserves”.

On this basis, TKI and Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) signed the Cooperation Protocol for Bituminous Shale Project on the purpose of producing shale oil/retort gas from bituminous shale resources at the sites owned by TKI and located in Göynük District of Bolu Province and/or investigating energy production potential by building a bituminous shale-fired thermal plant.

This project conducted by TKI and TPAO consists of three stages: Scope Study, Pre-Feasibility Study, and Feasibility Study. During the project duration, 17,364.8 meters of drilling were completed between 2014 and 2020. The pre-feasibility phase of the project is in progress.

TKI-TPAO Bituminous Shale Project is the first project in Turkey to produce shale oil and/or electricity from bituminous shale resources in a partnership with public establishments.