How Earth's Orbit Could Help Us Find Oil Reserves Within the Planet
Did you know that the Earth's orbit could help us find oil reserves? It's true! Scientists have discovered that variations in Earth's orbit can help predict where shale oil, a type of oil found within sedimentary rock, is most likely to form. This is particularly exciting for prospectors looking to uncover shale oil, which is often embedded within shale rocks.
Shale oil is different from crude oil. While crude oil pools in subterranean reservoirs, shale oil is found within shale rocks. Shale rocks form from layers of fine sediment deposited in ancient lakes or seas, where low-oxygen conditions allow organic matter to accumulate and, over millions of years, generate oil within the rock. This process is known as the Milankovitch cycle, which refers to the regularly occurring variations in Earth's orbit and tilt that influence our planet's long-term climate, including the timing of ice ages.
The rock record revealed that during periods of high orbital eccentricity, stronger seasonal contrasts produced warmer, wetter conditions that boosted nutrient delivery to lakes. Biological productivity surged, leading to the deposition of finely layered, organic-rich mudstones — the types of rocks most favorable for shale oil. When eccentricity decreased, the climate shifted toward drier conditions. Lake levels dropped, sediment supply changed, and sand-rich deposits spread across basin slopes and into deeper waters, transported by gravity-driven flows. Together, these alternating wet and dry phases created a predictable stacking pattern of rock types across the basin.
The study also showed that sediment accumulated at an average rate of just over four centimeters per thousand years, allowing researchers to align individual rock layers with specific orbital cycles. Using a newly-developed framework based on this research, scientists can better identify where high-quality shale reservoirs are likely to occur. It's worth noting that shale oil is not only a fossil fuel, but is also extracted through hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, which carries environmental concerns. Still, until the world fully transitions to renewable energy, oil will remain a major energy source — and combining astronomy with geology is emerging as one of the most powerful tools for finding it.
The team's research was published in the Journal of Paleogeography (Chinese edition) on Sept. 30, 2025. Space.com contributing writer Stefanie Waldek is a self-taught space nerd and aviation geek who is passionate about all things spaceflight and astronomy. With a background in travel and design journalism, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University, she specializes in the budding space tourism industry and Earth-based astrotourism. In her free time, you can find her watching rocket launches or looking up at the stars, wondering what is out there. Learn more about her work at www.stefaniewaldek.com.
