7 Days to Die Oil Shale Guide: Locations, Uses, and Crafting Recipes

In 7 Days to Die, oil is an important resource that's quite lacking in the apocalyptic world. But instead of finding vehicles and harvesting what’s left of their gas reserves, you can make your own fuel with oil shale! But where can you get oil shale in 7 Days to Die, and how can you use it? We're here to help.

Oil Shale Locations in 7 Days to Die

Oil Shale is rare in 7 Days to Die. You can scavenge various loot containers and harvesting spots to no avail. Instead, travel to the desert biome. Here, search the following locations for an abundance of oil shale.

Gas Stations

Although fewer than in other areas, gas stations in deserts are often primary sources of a sufficient amount of oil shale. While you’re in these establishments, don’t forget to check barrels, fuel pumps, and jerry cans for this resource.

Chemistry Stations

If you still need more oil shale, search for chemistry stations in the desert. Here, check the lab tables and chemical barrels for the material. But maintain vigilance because these locations might be crawling with enemies. So, bring your most powerful weapons to avoid an early death.

Mining Deposits

Mining deposits are arguably the best locations to farm for oil shale. Make sure to bring an auger or pickaxe with you to mine the item. Additionally, mining deposits have fewer dangers than chemistry stations. Tip: Build a base near a mining deposit if you want to farm oil shale for an extended period.

The Desert

You can also dig beneath the desert sands about 20 blocks down to find oil shale. But staying for an extended period under the hot desert sun reduces your character’s Hydration level quickly. If left alone, your character will have the Sweltering debuff, which may lead to you acquiring the Severely Dehydrated debuff and increasing the risk of death.

COC Tanks

If trying to deal with the desert heat isn’t you’re thing in 7 Days to Die, you can also search for COC tanks to find oil shale. Although these tanks are fairly accessible in different areas, they tend to have less oil shale than chemistry stations or mining deposits.

How To Use Oil Shale In 7 Days To Die

Currently, you can only use oil shale to produce a few items in the game. These in-game objects are:

Item Name	Required Materials	Workstation
Asphalt	8x Crushed Sand 17x Small Stone 5x Shale	Cement Mixer
Gas Can	1x Oil Shale	Chemistry Station
Oil	1x Empty Can 24x Oil Shale	Chemistry Station

Additionally, you can cook an oil shale boulder at a campfire to help increase your science skill. It’s also one of the best ways to level this skill in the game, despite other methods now existing after the A16 update.