Shale gas by country

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  7. Shale gas
  8. Natural gas by country


Shale gas is natural gas produced from shale, a type of sedimentary rock. Shale gas has become an increasingly important source of natural gas in the United States over the past decade, and interest has spread to potential gas shales in Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia. One analyst expects shale gas to supply as much as half the natural gas production in North America by 2020.

Shale gas by country

America

Argentina

774.5 trillion cubic feet, the third largest reserves in the world.[1]

Mexico

681 trillion cubic feet, fourth largest reserves in the world. [2]

Africa

South Africa

Shell Oil intends to explore for shale gas using hydraulic fracturing in the Karoo region of the Western and Northern Cape provinces. This is bitterly opposed by a coalition of environmentalists, farmers and local residents.[3]

Australia

Beach Petroleum Limited has announced plans to drill for shale gas in the Cooper Basin, South Australia.[4]

In July 2011, that vertical well was successfully "fracked" and flowed gas to the surface. The well is essentially the first positive production from shale gas plays in Australia.

Canada

Main article: Shale gas in Canada

Recent shale gas discoveries have caused a sharp increase in estimated recoverable natural gas in Canada.[5] The nation has a number of prospective shale gas targets in various stages of exploration and exploitation in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.[6]

One major area of exploration in Canada is north of Fort Nelson, in north east British Columbia. Encana and EOG Resources are developing the area known as Horn River due to its high yield shale deposits. A number of these well sites are serviced by Alberta fracturing companies, many of which, started out as a one person operation with the purchase of a cement truck.[citation needed]

This rapid expansion of shale gas in Canada is not without controversy. On 8 March 2011, the Quebec provincial government effectively declared a temporary moratorium on the use of chemical fracturing during shale gas drilling pending a stricter full environment assessment audit. Acting under recommendations from a provincial environmental assessment board, Quebec Minister of Environment Pierre Arcand stated that “We are committed to making sure that it is done properly or it won’t be done at all,”[7] The assessment board cites the chief concern of groundwater contamination with respect to the St. Lawrence valley, and recommended the audit in order to fully inform and involve communities and the public of the risks involved in shale gas exploitation in Quebec.[8]

China

Main article: Shale gas in China

China has set its companies a target of producing 30 billion cubic meters a year from shale, equivalent to almost half the country's gas consumption in 2008.[9] Potential gas-bearing shales are said to be widespread in China, although as yet undeveloped.[10] In November 2009, US President Barack Obama agreed to share US gas-shale technology with China, and to promote US investment in Chinese shale-gas development.[11]

China launched a national shale gas research centre in August 2010. Based on existing reports, China may have 30 trillion cubic metres of shale gas reserves.[12]

Right now (till April,2012), Shell already drilled few wells in Sichuan and find some resources

Europe

While Europe has no shale gas production as yet, the success of shale gas in North America has prompted geologists in a number of European countries to examine the productive possibilities of their own organic-rich shales.[13][14][15][16]

Norwegian company Statoil is in a joint venture with Chesapeake Energy to produce Marcellus Formation shale gas in the eastern US, and has indicated interest in bringing knowledge gained in the US to European shale gas prospects. Russian giant Gazprom announced in October 2009 that it may buy a US shale-gas producing company to gain expertise which it could then apply to Russian shale gas prospects.[17] In the Barnett Shale in Texas, French oil firm Total SA entered a joint venture with Chesapeake Energy, and Italy's ENI purchased an interest in Quicksilver Resources.[citation needed]

Potential host formations for shale gas in Europe include shales in northeast France,[18] the Alum Shale in northern Europe, and Carboniferous shales in Germany and the Netherlands.[19]

Austria

Exploration is underway in Austria, where OMV is working on a promising basin near Vienna.[9]

Bulgaria

"Fracking" is prohibited by moratorium [20]. Еxploration was underway in Bulgaria, as Chevron signed 30 million contract for the exploration of shale gas deposit in Novi Pazar.[21] Additional five places will be studied in the near future.[22]

France

Following strong lobbying from Europe Écologie Euro MP José Bové against shale gas exploration in the Larzac area of southern France, the French government has suspended three gas exploration permits "until at least this summer"[when?]. The Environment minister Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet announced the creation of a commission charged with evaluating the environmental impact of shale gas production, adding "no authorizations for shale gas exploration will be given, or even considered, before the commission reports". The final report is expected in June 2011.[23]

Germany

ExxonMobil holds 750,000 acres (3,000 km2) of leasehold in the Lower Saxony Basin of Germany, where it plans to drill 10 shale-gas wells in 2009.[24]

Hungary

In 2009, ExxonMobil drilled the first wells for shale gas in the Makó Trough in Hungary.[25]

Ireland

In February 2011 Enegi Oil was given an option over 495-square kilometers in the Clare Basin, in west of Ireland.[26]

Netherlands

In the Netherlands some test wells were planned to be drilled in Boxtel [27], however it was stopped due to political questions.

Pakistan

As of 2009, Pakistan stands 17th in the world in terms of total Technically Recoverable Shale Gas Resources. Pakistan has about 51 trillion cubic fee of shale gas reserves. Pakistan consumes 100% of natural gas that it produces in a year, so Shale Gas may be an area of future growth in Pakistan. [28]

Poland

As of 2010, Poland imports two-thirds of its natural gas from Russia. ConocoPhillips has announced plans to explore for shale gas in Poland,[29] along with Lane energy.[30]

The recently made available US Department of Energy report[31] revealed that the largest reserves of shale gas in Europe are in Poland. The authors of the report calculate that Poland has reserves of about 22.45 trillion cubic meters of shale gas, of which 5.30 trillion cubic meters is immediately available for extracting. Most of the shale gas is in Baltic Sea basin about 3.66 trillion cubic meters, about 1.25 trillion cubic meters within the region of Lublin Voivodeship, or Lublin Province, and next 0.4 trillion cubic meters in Podlaskie Voivodeship.

The companies such as BNK Petroleum, Talisman Energy, Marathon Oil, Chevron and ExxonMobil are actively drilling to find the potential new gas well sites. The region with the greatest shale gas potential in Poland is the Baltic Basin where leases have already been awarded to participating oil companies. The most active company in Baltic basin region is 3Legs Resources, subsidiary of Lane Energy Poland in a joint venture with ConocoPhilips. The results of first borings were announced on 21 June 2011. They showed large gas saturation in the well.[32]

Lublin Voivodeship is the basin bounded to the north by the Trans European Fault near Grójec, to the east by Polesie Lubelskie and to the south by the Ukrainian border.

One active company in this region is Halliburton, which in September 2010 carried out the first drilling for the Polish consortium PGNiG. The results to date remain confidential. Six other firms have acquired concessions in that region including ExxonMobil, Chevron and Marathon Oil.[citation needed]

The last region with shale gas potential is the Podlaski basin, although exploration drilling in that area has not yet begun. The concession for this region has been acquired by Exxon-Mobil.[33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40]

Marathon Oil has extensive leasehold in Poland, which it intends to explore for Silurian-age shale gas.[41][42]

Previous reports indicated that Poland might have the large shale gas resources in Europe. If recent reserve estimates of a minimum of 3 trillion cubic meters are accurate,[43] Poland would have gas reserves of more than 200 times annual consumption, and more than 750 times Poland's current annual production (2009).[44]

Such shale gas resources would greatly boost the Poland proven reserves, and lessen the importance of gas imports from Russia.[45][46]

Romania

Shale gas exporation attempts have caused controversy in Romania.[47]

Sweden

Royal Dutch Shell evaluated the viability of the Alum Shale in southern Sweden as a source of shale gas, but as of 2011 has decared that it is not viable and decided to abandon the operation.[48][49]

Ukraine

Ukraine has Europe's 3rd largest shale gas reserves at 42 trillion cubic feet (1.2 trillion cubic meters).[50] Royal Dutch Shell and Chevron Corp, Ukraine's partners for exploring and developing shale gas, will start commercial gas production in 2017, after winning tenders for the development Yuzivska and Olesska gas fields.[50]

United Kingdom

Eurenergy Resource Corporation has announced plans to drill for shale gas in southern England's Weald Basin.[51]

Shale gas has been discovered by a small firm, Cuadrilla Resources, close to the coastal resort of Blackpool, Lancashire at a depth of 4,000 ft (1,200 m) in Bowland shale. The extent of the gas field is not yet known. Further wells are to be drilled to determine the size of the field. It was hoped to start gas production in January 2012. However, as of June 2011 an investigation is under way to determine whether the drilling is linked to two small earthquakes on the Lancashire coast.[52]

In September 2011 Cuadrilla Resources announced that it had found 200 trillion cubic feet (5,700 km3) of gas under the ground in the Lancashire area. This find is more than 10 times the reserves known to exist under the UK's part of the North Sea – more than the total known in all UK fields.[53]

India

Companies including Reliance Industries Limited (E&P), RNRL, have expressed interest in exploring for shale gas in India. Reliance Industries paid a reported US$1.7 billion for a 40% share in Atlas Energy's leasehold in the Marcellus shale gas play in the eastern US.[54] A complication to shale gas in India is that the government-issued leases for conventional petroleum exploration do not include unconventional sources such as shale gas.[55]

In August 2010, a delegation including the director-general of hydrocarbons and officials of the oil ministry is scheduled to meet in Washington with the US Geological Survey to discuss help in identifying and exploiting shale-gas resources in India. Basins of preliminary interest identified by Indian geologists are the Cambay Basin in Gujarat, the Assam-Arakan basin in northeast India, and the Gondwana Basin in central India.[56]

During US President Obama's visit to India in November 2010, India and US decided to cooperate in the fields of clean-tech and shale gas. "We agreed to deepen our co-operation in pursuit of clean energy technologies, including the creation of a new clean energy research centre here in India, and continuing our joint research into solar, biofuels, shale gas and building efficiency," Obama said.[57]

In January 2011, India's biggest energy explorer Oil & Natural Gas Corporation ONGC has discovered the country's first shale gas reserve at Durgapur in Burdwan district of West Bengal. The gas reserve spread over 12,000 square km in the Durgapur-Ranigunj area – is the world's third shale gas find.[58] As per the initial studies, many shale sequences in well explored basins are found to be promising like Damodar, Cambay, and Krishna Godavari and Cauvery basins. The potentiality of these basins was also vetted by international experts.[59]

Indonesia

According to Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, Indonesia has shale gas hypothetical resoures 574 trillion cubic feet (tcf) which spread at:

In 2012, same status with Coal bed methane, shale gas is not yet developed.[60]

United States

Main article: Shale gas in the United States

The first commercial gas well drilled in the US, in 1821 in Fredonia, New York, was a shale gas well producing from the Devonian Fredonia Shale formation. After the Drake Oil Well in 1859, however, shale gas production was overshadowed by much larger volumes produced from conventional gas reservoirs.

In 1996, shale gas wells in the United States produced 0.3×10^12 cu ft (8.5 km3), 1.6% of US gas production; by 2006, production had more than tripled to 1.1×10^12 cu ft (31 km3) per year, 5.9% of US gas production. By 2005 there were 14,990 shale gas wells in the US.[61] A record 4,185 shale gas wells were completed in the US in 2007.[62] In 2007, shale gas fields included the No. 2 (Barnett/Newark East) and No. 13 (Antrim) sources of natural gas in the United States in terms of gas volumes produced.[63]

A study by MIT says that natural gas will provide 40% of America's energy needs in the future, from 20% today, thanks in part to the abundant supply of shale gas.[64] With 4% annual production growth expected between 2010 and 2030, shale gas has been "a veritable game changer" for the United States.[65]

Ethylene industry revival

Shale gas, especially from the Marcellus Shale, have tested up to 16% ethane content.[66] This low priced feedstock for ethylene synthesis has led to a "frenzy" of new ethylene plants in the US.[67]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Kyle Younker, Jack Luft. Facing Energy Shortage, Argentina Steps Up Pressure on YPF-Repsol. World Politics Review. (Posted: 11 Apr 2012)
  2. ↑ http://geology.com/energy/world-shale-gas/
  3. ↑ "Fracking the Karoo – The People Say No!". Karoospace.co.za. http://www.karoospace.co.za/karoo-space-magazine/talking-point/100-fracking-the-karoo-the-people-say-no. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  4. ↑ Cameron England, "Beach Petroleum eyes shale gas project", Adelaide Now, 16 November 2009.
  5. ↑ Carrie Tait, "Canada's natural gas resource jumps dramatically in estimates", Montreal Gazette, 13 May 2010.
  6. ↑ Kevin Heffernen, Shale gas in North America, emerging shale opportunities, PDF file, retrieved 15 April 2009.
  7. ↑ RHÉAL SÉGUIN, [1], Globe and Mail, 8 Mar 2011.
  8. ↑ Script error
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Script error
  10. ↑ Zinchuan Zhang, "Unconventional gas systems in China," 33rd International Geological Congress, Oslo, 6–14 August 2008.
  11. ↑ White House Blog, The US and China: towards a clean energy economy, 17 November 2009.
  12. ↑ Reuters, China launches national shale gas research centre, 23 August 2010.
  13. ↑ GFZ, Gas shales in Europe.
  14. ↑ David Jolly, "Europe starting search for shale gas," International Herald Tribune, 22 August 2008, accessed 18 March 2009.
  15. ↑ Peggy Williams, "Europe needs home-grown gas,", E&P, 25 September 2009, accessed 25 October 2009.
  16. ↑ Danny Fortson, "Shale gas blasts open world energy market", The Sunday Times, 1 November 2010.
  17. ↑ Bloomberg, "Gazprom takes a look at U.S. shale-gas producer," Moscow Times, 22 October 2009.
  18. ↑ Doris Leblond, PennEnergy (29 May 2009): European shale gas prospects heat up, accessed 10 June 2009.
  19. ↑ AAPG Annual Convention (8 June 2009): Shale gas in Europe – overview, potential and research (abs.), accessed 26 March 2009.
  20. ↑ {{cite web|author=Bulgarian Parliament - http://parliament.bg/bg/desision/ID/13824 |date = 23 November 2011 |accessdate= 25 May 2012
  21. ↑ M3 Web – http://m3web.bg+(15 June 2011). "Bulgaria: Bulgarian Govt Grants Chevron Massive Shale Gas Exploration Concession – Novinite.com – Sofia News Agency". Novinite.com. http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=129323. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  22. ↑ 16 June 2011 (16 June 2011). "Chevron wins Bulgaria shale-gas concession". Petroleum Economist. http://www.petroleum-economist.com/Article/2849342/Chevron-wins-Bulgaria-shale-gas-concession.html. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  23. ↑ "Le gouvernement suspend les forages de prospection de gaz de schiste" (in French). Public Senat (LCP). 3 February 2011. http://www.publicsenat.fr/lcp/politique/gouvernement-suspend-forages-prospection-gaz-schiste-72713. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
  24. ↑ Russell Gold, "Exxon shale-gas find looks big," Wall Street Journal, 13 July 2009, accessed 25 October 2009.
  25. ↑ Jack Z. Smith, "Barnett Shale seen as model for drillers worldwide," Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 September 2009, accessed 25 October 2009.
  26. ↑ Jamie Ashcroft, "Europe's shale gas land grab reaches Ireland," proactiveinvestors, 15 February 2011, accessed 6 March 2011. Tmaboran Resources has licensing options for the counties of Leitrim, Cavan, Sligo, Donegal, Monaghan, Roscommon and Fermanagh.
  27. ↑ Ruimtelijke ordening, "Mijnbouwlocatie Boxtel-1 Brabant Resources", (in Dutch) accessed 15 May 2012
  28. ↑ [2]
  29. ↑ Reuters, Conoco sees promise in Polish shale gas-exec, 9 September 2009.
  30. ↑ David Jolly, "Europe starting search for shale gas," New York Times, 22 August 2008.
  31. ↑ US Energy Information Administration, "World Shale Gas Resources: An Initial Assessment of 14 Regions Outside the United States" US Department of Energy, April 2011.
  32. ↑ forsal.pl, 3Legs Resources found shale gas in Poland (article in polish with image gallery, 22 June 2011.
  33. ↑ "'''The U.S.-Poland Energy Roundtable'''" (PDF). http://www.usea.org/Publications/Documents/US-Poland_Energy_Roundtable_Agenda.pdf. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  34. ↑ "Shale-gas and Poland '''A potential game-changer with complications Briefing'''". Ceeconsultinggroup.com. 1 January 2011. http://ceeconsultinggroup.com/en/news/18/shale-gas-and-poland-a-potential-game-changer-with-complications-briefing. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  35. ↑ "'''Ministry of Economy, Poland, Natural Gas sector in Poland'''" (PDF). http://www.usea.org/Publications/Documents/US-Poland_Energy_Roundtable_Presentations/04_Shale_Gas_Presentations/Szymanska_-_MoEconomy_2010.06.21_polish_gas_sector.pdf. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  36. ↑ "'''Issues Involved in Initiating Shale Gas Exploration Activities in Poland, Bill Babcock, ConocoPhillips'''" (PDF). http://www.usea.org/Publications/Documents/US-Poland_Energy_Roundtable_Presentations/04_Shale_Gas_Presentations/Babcock_-_ConocoPhillips_final_Poland_COPShaleGasJune_WashingtonDC.pdf. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  37. ↑ "'''May 18, 2011, Shale Gas Conference – Warsaw, Poland'''". Shale-gas.itc.pw.edu.pl. 18 May 2011. http://www.shale-gas.itc.pw.edu.pl/en/program. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  38. ↑ "'''Bob Corbin, Director for Oil and Gas Global Security and Supply, Office of Oil and Natural Gas U.S. Department of Energy'''" (PDF). http://www.usea.org/Publications/Documents/US-Poland_Energy_Roundtable_Presentations/04_Shale_Gas_Presentations/Corbin_-_DoEnergy_USEA_Poland.pdf. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  39. ↑ "'''U.S./Poland Energy Roundtable Guy Lewis June 22, 2010 Reagan International Trade Center'''" (PDF). http://www.usea.org/Publications/Documents/US-Poland_Energy_Roundtable_Presentations/04_Shale_Gas_Presentations/Lewis_-_GTI_U.S._Poland_Energy_Roundtable_June_2010.pdf. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  40. ↑ "'''USEA Publications, Presentations and Articles by Barry K. Worthington'''". Usea.org. http://www.usea.org/Publications/usea_presentations_and_articles.htm. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  41. ↑ Louise S. Durham, "Poland Silurian shale ready for action," AAPG Explorer, February 2010, p.14-18.
  42. ↑ "Potencjalnie jesteśmy potentatem – Finanse – WP.PL". Finanse. http://finanse.wp.pl/kat,104122,title,Polska-potega-gazowa-swiata,wid,13293772,wiadomosc.html?ticaid=1c14d&_ticrsn=3. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  43. ↑ thenews.pl, Will Polish shale gas revolutionize the global market?, 10 June 2010.
  44. ↑ "BP statistical review of world energy June 2010", BP, June 2010.
  45. ↑ Dash for Poland’s gas could end Russian stranglehold, The Times, 5 April 2010.
  46. ↑ Should Gazprom fear shale gas revolution?, BBC News, 8 April 2010.
  47. ↑ Shale Gas Search Divides Romania April 22, 2012
  48. ↑ Royal Dutch Shell, Annual Report and Form 20-F for the year ending 31 December 2008, p.25, PDF file, retrieved 16 April 2009.
  49. ↑ Svenska Shell. "Skane natural gas website" (in swedish). http://www.shell.se/home/content/swe/naturgas/. Retrieved 27 March 2011.
  50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/16/ukraine-gas-shale-idUSL5E8GGAJY20120516
  51. ↑ Reuters (18 Mar. 2009) Eurenergy Resources Corporation awarded oil & gas concessions in Europe's East Paris Basin and Weald Basin, accessed 15 April 2009.
  52. ↑ Crone, Paul. "Granada Regional News | Granada Reports – ITV Local". Itv.com. http://www.itv.com/granada/gas-drilling-suspended64038/. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  53. ↑ Richard Black (21 September 2011). "Shale gas firm finds 'vast' gas resources in Lancashire". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-14990573. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  54. ↑ Louise S. Durham, "Marcellus poised for even more attention," AAPG Explorer, July 2010, p.24.
  55. ↑ S.A. Aiyar, "Shale Gas: Could it be a new energy source?" Times of India, 9 August 2009.
  56. ↑ R. Suryamurthy, "Shale gas mission to US", Calcutta Telegraph, 5 July 2010.
  57. ↑ Jo Winterbottom, [3], New Delhi, 8 November 2010.
  58. ↑ HT Correspondent, "ONGC finds shale gas reserve in Durgapur"
  59. ↑ "ONGC finds maiden shale gas reserves in India"Business standard, 28 January 2011.
  60. ↑ "Potensi shale gas Indonesia capai 574 Tcf". March 20, 2012. http://industri.kontan.co.id/news/potensi-shale-gas-indonesia-capai-574-tcf.
  61. ↑ Vello A. Kuuskraa, Reserves, production grew greatly during last decade Oil & Gas Journal, 3 Sept. 2007, p.35-39
  62. ↑ Louise S. Durham, "Prices, technology make shales hot," AAPG Explorer, July 2008, p.10.
  63. ↑ US Energy Information Administration, Top 100 oil and gas fields, PDF file, retrieved 18 February 2009.
  64. ↑ Wald, Matthew L. (25 June 2010). "Study Predicts Natural Gas Use Will Double". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/25/business/energy-environment/25natgas.html?src=busln.
  65. ↑ "Unconventional Gas and Implications for the LNG Market by Chris Gascoyne and Alexis Aik" (PDF). http://www.nbr.org/downloads/pdfs/eta/PES_2011_Facts_Global_Energy.pdf. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  66. ↑ Natural Gas Processors Respond To Rapid Growth In Shale Gas Production date May 2009
  67. ↑ Scheyder, Ernest (16 June 2011). "U.S. gas glut fuels chemical plant building boom". Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/16/us-energy-summit-ethylene-idUKTRE75F59M20110616?type=companyNews. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
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