This map shows what geologists believe the land looked like 385 million years ago during the middle devonian period with outline of. Unlocking americas natural gas, july 19, 2010, page 4. The simulation of horizontal wells with 14stage hydraulic fractures was conducted in a shale reservoir containing a wide spectrum of rock and fluid types, dry gas to gas condensate, and oil. Shale oil drillers are cutting spending as oil prices languish. Development of shale gas should be given priority at the national level as it has the capacity to play a pivotal role in enhancing the energy security of the country reputed international consulting agencies who are engaged in different phases of shale gas development may be engaged for development of shale gas industry in india. Department of energy stated that oil shale production would generate sulfur and nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and large quantities of carbon dioxide. Deep shale oil and gas provides an introduction to shale gas resources as well as offer a basic understanding of the geomechanical properties of shale, the need for hydraulic fracturing, and an indication of shale gas processing. Energy information administration technically recoverable shale oil and shale gas resources 6 2.
Shale oil and gas come from shale that contains minute deposits of hydrocarbons. Oil shale deposits range from small presently economically unrecoverable to large potentially recoverable resources. Although some technical questions remain, the upgrading and refining processes are welladvanced. As activity has boomed and job growth continues to increase, training in this area for new and experienced engineers is essential. Preserved in sandstones layers flammable ice a crystalline substance like ice, composed of molecules of water and methane, exist in low temperatures and high. The oil and gas that results from the oil shale are considered unconventional because the methods to produce them are not like the conventional methods that have served the petroleum industry for more than 150 years. The oil and gas industry has used hydraulic fracturing worldwide for more than 60 years in vertical wells and for almost 20 years in horizontal wells to recover natural gas and oil. Oil shale oil shale is a negrained sedimentary rock containing a solid material kerogen that converts to liquid oil when heated. Oil shale gas is produced by retorting pyrolysis of oil shale. With more than 50 years of environmental testing experience, we offer a comprehensive scope of analytical testing services, field expertise, dedicated program management and litigation support to. In the pyrolysis process, oil shale is heated until its kerogen decomposes into vapors of a petroleumlike condensable shale oil, noncondensible combustible oil shale gas, and spent shalea solid residue.
Royalty rates, rents, and signing bonuses paid to state and private landowners vary. The unconventional oil and gas revolution and the us economy. Oil shale deposits exist in 37 countries globally, but the largest and highest quality oil shale deposits are in sparsely populated areas. Shale gas is emerging as a key component of gas exploration efforts and is expected to play a significant role in gas supply in the future. Technically recoverable shale oil and shale gas resources. A look at what shale oil is, why it could change the world, and how it could change the world.
Resource estimates change as extraction technologies improve, as markets evolve, and as oil and. The major global shale oil producers have published their yields for their commercial operations. Now shale essentially has very low permeability which does not allow oil or gas. Jarvie worldwide geochemistry, llc, humble, texas, u. Shale gas exploration and production key issues and responsible business practices guidance note for financiers this guidance note has been produced to assist financial institutions in their internal conversations and decisionmaking with regard to risks and responsible business practices associated with shale gas production. But some of it remained locked in the tight, low permeability shale layers, becoming shale gas. However, some oil or natural gas will always be retained within the shale, adsorbed on to kerogen and clay particles, and filling pore spaces and natural fractures. How the us shale boom will change the world by gary hunt feb 15, 2012, 5. There is potential for shale oil production to spread globally over the next couple of decades. The simulation of horizontal wells with 14stage hydraulic fractures was conducted in a shale reservoir containing a wide spectrum of rock and fluid types, dry gas to gascondensate, and oil. Dyni abstract oilshale deposits are in many parts of the world. Geology and resources of some world oilshale deposits1 by john r. They range in age from cambrian to tertiary and were formed in a variety of marine, continental, and lacustrine depositional environments. Although the terms shale oil gas and tight oil gas are often used interchangeably in public discourse, shale formations are only a subset of all low permeability tight formations, which include sandstones and carbonates, as well as shales, as sources of tight oil production.
Shale oil is an unconventional oil produced from oil shale rock fragments by pyrolysis, hydrogenation, or thermal dissolution. An assessment of oil shale technologies part 7 of 18. Tight gas differs from shale gas in that it is trapped in sandstone or limestone, rather than shale formations. The size of the oil shale resources is highly dependent on which grade cutoff is used. It is this process that forms a potential shale oil or shale gas reservoir. Defining oil shale reserves is difficult, as the chemical composition of different oil shales, as well as their kerogen content and. Shale oil is a better source of jet fuel, diesel fuel, and distillate heating oil than it is of gasoline. Oil shale is an organicrich finegrained sedimentary rock containing kerogen a solid mixture of organic chemical compounds from which liquid hydrocarbons can be produced, called shale oil not to be confused with tight oilcrude oil occurring naturally in shales. These shale resource systems are typically organicrich mudstones that serve as both source and reservoir rock or source petroleum found in juxtaposed organic. Shale gas could also change the world and will soon become the most popular fuel source. Oil shale can be a confusing term and the reason is that it can contain crude oil, bitumen, and even natural gas.
A study by shell oil showed that an in situ site generated 21 to 47 percent more emissions than conventional oil production. Vkg oil claims to produce 250,000 tons of oil per year from 2 million tons of shale, a yield of %. Department of energy, does early investment in shale gas technology producing. American petroleum institute, freeing up energy hydraulic fracturing.
Theory, technologies, and challenges provides users with information on how shale oil and gas exploration has revolutionized todays energy industry. Trapped in shales that have very low permeability, typically less than 0. Shale gas market size, share industry report and forecast. The book also examines the issues regarding the nature of shale gas development, the potential environmental impacts. Globally, hydraulic fracturing has been used in more than two million oil and gas wells to date. Us shale oil dynamics in a low price environment iv executive summary us unconventional oil has proved to be more resilient than originally anticipated, and shale producers have been able to maintain production at relatively high levels through several months of low oil prices. What is the difference between oil shale, shale oil and. Energy information administration technically recoverable shale oil and shale gas resources 4 ahead of time.
Shale developments have experienced explosive growth in recent years and have become an increasingly important source of oil and natural gas in the united states. Shale gas development in the united states shale formations across the u. Nsai has developed its expertise over the past decades by working with numerous clients, from the early exploration. So shale oil and shale gas are essentially oil and gas trapped in shale formations. Gas from shale is a crossword puzzle clue that we have spotted 1 time. Shale oil drillers have seen the writing on the wall, and it says. Abstract s hale resource systems have had a dramatic impact on the supply of oil and especially gas in north america, in fact, making the united states energy independent in natural gas reserves. In texas, where similar gas shale development takes place, the rates are generally higher.
Development, technology, and policy issues congressional research service 2 gas shale development takes place on both private and state lands. Although often referred to as shale gas, it differs from the natural gas produced from shale, which is also known as shale gas. Determine the areal extent of the shale formations within the basin and estimate its overall thickness, in. Shale resource systems have had a dramatic impact on the supply of oil and especially gas in north america, in fact, making the united states energy independent in natural gas reserves. Concerns over environmental impact and business models dominate. This is having profound implications for the us economy, in terms of higher us energy independence andadeclineinitstradede. A 2008 estimate set the total world resources of oil shale at 689 gigatonsequivalent to yield of 4. Although the terms shale oilgas and tight oil gas are often used interchangeably in public discourse, shale formations are only a subset of all low permeability tight formations, which include sandstones and carbonates, as well as shales, as sources of tight oil production. But, finding shale oil and gas and extracting them become less expensive every day. Shale gas exploration and production key issues and. Shale gas rocks have high gas in place figures and shale.
Oil shale deposits exist in 37 countries globally, but the largest and highest quality oil shale deposits are in sparsely populated areas of colorado, utah and wyoming figure 1. These processes convert the organic matter within the rock into synthetic oil and gas. Shale oil february 20 1 executive summary shale oil light tight oil is rapidly emerging as a significant and relatively low cost new unconventional resource in the us. Wtrg economics also said in its latest note published last week that, yearoveryear, oil exploration in the u. This map shows what geologists believe the land looked like 385 million years ago during the middle devonian period with outline of todays states.
As the energy sector begins reporting earnings, independent oil companies are announcing plans to throttle back. Shale oil is a substitute for conventional crude oil. The resulting oil can be used immediately as a fuel or upgraded to meet refinery feedstock specifications by adding hydrogen and removing impurities such as sulfur and nitrogen. Geology and resources of some world oilshale deposits. S raises the te urce base to il resources luded an asse s. What is the difference between oil shale, shale oil and shale. Crude that occurs in siltyfine sandstones with tight carbonate reservoir gas. The process is the same as the shale oil extraction and oil shale gas usually occurs as a byproduct of shale oil. However, since shale sourcerock often has both natural gas and oil, then. The easiest way to understand oil shale is to look at its geological origins. Scott port, nd shale o as resourc lly recoverab cf, ex. Additionally oil shale byproducts would require off. Oil shale refers to a type of crude oil that can be refined from sedimentary rock. Pdf unconventional shale oil and gascondensate reservoir.