▁syn cl ines . ▁ ▁The ▁oil ▁sh ale ▁formation ▁is ▁about ▁ ▁long ▁and ▁ ▁wide . ▁The ▁volume ▁of ▁the ▁El ▁k ou bb at ▁syn cl ine ▁formation ▁is ▁about ▁; ▁the ▁Ang ue ur ▁syn cl ine ▁area ▁is ▁about ▁. ▁▁▁ ▁The ▁depos it ▁is ▁estimated ▁to ▁consist ▁of ▁ 4 2   b ill ion ▁tons ▁of ▁oil ▁sh ale , ▁containing ▁ ▁of ▁sh ale ▁oil . ▁ ▁The ▁oil ▁sh ale ▁formation ' s ▁thick ness ▁var ies ▁from ▁. ▁ ▁Its ▁mo ist ure ▁content ▁is ▁ 6 – 1 1 % ▁and ▁sul fur ▁content ▁is ▁about ▁ 2 %. ▁On ▁average ▁it ▁yields ▁ ▁of ▁sh ale ▁oil ▁per ▁one ▁ton ▁of ▁oil ▁sh ale . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁Tim ah dit ▁depos it ▁is ▁located ▁near ▁If rane ▁National ▁Park ▁and ▁Haut - Atlas ▁Oriental ▁National ▁Park , ▁oil ▁extra ction ▁is ▁an ▁environment ally ▁sensitive ▁issue . ▁ ▁The ▁Tim ah dit ▁depos it ▁was ▁discovered ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s . ▁ ▁The ▁depos it ▁was ▁research ed ▁and ▁tested ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁ ▁The ▁Mor oc can ▁Office ▁of ▁H ydro car b ons ▁and ▁M ining ▁( ON H Y M ) ▁developed ▁and ▁tested ▁a ▁sh ale ▁oil ▁extra ction ▁process ▁called ▁T 3 ▁which ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 – 1 9 8 6 ▁ ▁produced ▁approximately ▁