what is unconventional oil 
in the oil and gas industry the term unconventional oil refers to crude oil that is obtained through methods other than traditional vertical well extraction examples of such methods include developing oil sands directional drilling and hydraulic fracturing colloquially known as fracking among others today unconventional oil is becoming increasingly common driven by new technological developments as well as economic considerations making it more cost effective and profitable some people however have concerns that unconventional oil extraction methods may be harmful to the environment 