The American Chemical Society (ACS) has published a report detailing "electricity production with in situ carbon capture" (EPICC).
Written by Adam Brandt and Hiren Mulchandani and published in Energy & Fuels, an ACS journal, the study shows that oil shale can be produced without releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
The technology would see electricity generated when processing the oil shale, while also trapping carbon emissions underground.
Highlighting that this could see billions of barrels of oil produced, the researchers explain that without a way to reduce emissions these resources would have to be left untapped.
Domestic resources within the US have been estimated at between 1.2 trillion and 1.8 trillion barrels - something that is currently limited by production restrictions due to the emissions produced.
Earlier this month, the ACS revealed that it is looking at ways to effectively store wind and solar energy in order to create a "green grid", which could be used to supply power in the future.