In 2006, it was awarded a lease by the United States Bureau of Land Management to develop and demonstrate its in-situ oil shale extraction technology in Western Colorado.
Subsequently, on 3 March 2009, French oil major Total bought 50% of AMSO, LLC's shares for $3.2 million, with EGL Resources selling their remainder and IDT retaining 50%.
[6] In 2007, the company was awarded the Bureau of Land Management oil shale research, development and demonstration lease in Rio Blanco County, Colorado.
[7] AMSO started its pilot well in January 2012, but the operations were interrupted shortly afterwards due to technical problems with a 600 kilowatt electric heater.
[2][6] AMSO developed a process called "Conduction, Convection, Reflux" (CCR) oil shale conversion.
The chief technology officer and project manager was Alan K. Burnham,[3] and the vice president for operations was Roger L. Day.