Estonia: Eesti Energia’s shale oil output record-high in H1/2023

Estonia’s state-owned energy group, Eesti Energia, produced a record 252,461 tonnes of shale oil in the first half of 2023, which was up 20% from the same period of 2022, ERR reports. The company has three shale oil plants and is building a fourth one. Eesti Energia expects its annual shale oil production to reach an all-time record of 470,000 tonnes in 2023, which would be up from 420,000 tonnes in 2022. Eesti Energia’s board member, Andres Vainola, said that the fourth plant would allow the company to increase shale oil production to more than 700,000 tonnes per year. Eesti Energia plans to begin testing the new plant in spring 2024. Meanwhile, Viru Keemia Grupp (VKG) expects to produce 665,000 tonnes and Alexela Group’s Kiviõli Keemiatööstus (KKT) around 102,000 tonnes of shale oil in 2023.