Scientists use X-rays to crack the secrets of shale, a keystone of one of the nation`s fastest growing energy sources
(PHYSorg.com Chemistry)

Natural gas and crude oil locked away inside layers of shale, a type of sedimentary rock, is one of the nation`s largest and fastest growing energy sources. According to Drew Pomerantz, a scientist at Schlumberger, an oilfield services company, two of the most fascinating scientific questions related to shales are what they are composed of and how oil and gas are stored and transported in the rocks.