shale oil correspondingly. Jordan oil shales are high quality, comparable to western US oil shale, although their sulfur content is high. The best-explored deposits are El Lajjun, Sultani, and the Juref ed Darawish are located in west-central Jordan, while the Yarmouk deposit, close to its northern border, extends into Syria. Most of Israel's deposits are located in the Rotem Basin region of the northern Negev desert near the Dead Sea. Israeli oil shale is relatively low in heating value and oil yield. North America At 301 billion metric tons, as estimated in 2005, the oil shale deposits in the United States are the largest in the world. There are two major deposits: the eastern US deposits, in Devonian-Mississippian shales, cover ; the western US deposits of the Green River Formation in Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah, are among the richest oil shale deposits in the world. More recent studies by the United States Geological Survey estimate that the resource in the United States may be bigger than previously estimated. According to these studies, three largest oil-shale deposits — all are part of the Green River Formation — are the Piceance Basin with , the Greater Green River Basin with , and the Uinta Basin with in-place shale oil resources. In 2010, it was estimated by the World Energy Council that the United States resource could be equal to of shale oil. In 2016, their estimation was that the resource may even consist of up to of shale oil. In Canada 19 deposits have been identified. The best-examined deposits are in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Oceania In 2008, Australia's oil shale resource was estimated at 4.531 billion metric tons of oil shale equal to of shale oil, of which about is recoverable. The deposits are located in the eastern and southern states with the biggest potential in the eastern Queensland deposits. Oil shale has also been found in New Zealand. South America Brazil has at least nine oil shale deposits in São Mateus do Sul, Paraná, and in Vale do Paraíba. In 2008, the total oil shale resource was 11.734 billion metric tonnes, equal to of shale oil. Small resources are also found in Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. See also Oil shale industry Oil shale economics Countries by shale oil reserves References Bibliography Reserves Oil reserves