GEOGRAPHICAL EVALUATION OF BITUMINOUS SHALE RESERVES OF KONYA

geography Araştırma Makalesi/ Research article

Abstract

Energy is one of our basic requirements that is necessary to ensure the continuity of technological developments and to meet human needs. The rapidly increasing population and developments in the industrial sector in our country and in the world are accelerating energy consumption. The fact that various energy sources used today do not meet the needs, reserves are starting to run out and technology is starting to develop has led to the research of alternative energy sources and the economical use of energy sources. The fact that fossil energy sources such as oil and natural gas are depleting day by day has accelerated the research of alternative sources that can replace them. The fact that the liquefaction potential of bituminous shales is higher than coal and lignite makes it easier to use in artificial oil production.

As an alternative to the increasing energy need in our country, studies should be started to evaluate the large amount of bituminous shale in Konya and the areas suitable for power plants that can be established for its use and these resources should see the value they deserve as soon as possible. Stating that we can export with increased capacity, these words of Minister ALBAYRAK indicate that it has become mandatory to establish a new power plant for the bituminous shale resources found in the researches conducted by MTA in 2008 and to start natural gas production as soon as possible. Our oil imports have also increased by 13.2% compared to 2017, reaching 53.6 million tons. It is aimed to accelerate the start of the studies in order to minimize the damage given to our country's economy by the increase in the value of foreign exchange and oil accordingly. As a result, it is a country dependent on foreign sources both in terms of primary energy supply and the resources it uses in electricity production. In order to solve this problem; environmentally friendly, fluidized bed thermal power plant projects equipped with clean combustion technologies should be developed from the newly discovered bituminous shale beds in Konya.