Shale gas can be classified as a variety of traditional gas, which is stored in small gas formations, reservoirs, within the shale layer of settled rocks of the Earth. The existing reserves of shale gas are quite large, but certain technologies are required to extract them. A special characteristic of such deposits is that they are located almost throughout the entire continent. From this we can conclude: any country dependent on energy resources is capable of providing itself with the missing component.

The composition of shale gas is quite specific. The synergistic properties in the harmonious complex of the birth of raw materials and its unique biorenewability provide this energy resource with significant competitive advantages. But if we consider its relationship to the market, it is quite controversial and implies a certain analysis taking into account all the characteristics.

History of the origin of shale gas

The first active source for gas production was discovered in the United States. This happened in 1821, the discoverer was William Hart. Activists in the study of the type of gas under discussion in America are well-known specialists Mitchell and Ward. The large-scale production of the gas in question was started by the Devon Energy company. This happened in 2000 in the USA. From that moment on, every year the technological process was improved: advanced equipment was used, new wells were opened, and the volume of gas production increased. In 2009, the United States became the world leader in production (reserves amounted to 745.3 billion cubic meters). It is worth noting that about 40% came from unconventional wells.

Shale gas reserves in the world

Currently, shale gas reserves in the United States have exceeded 24.4 trillion cubic meters, which equates to 34% of the possible reserves throughout America. In almost every state there are shales that are located at a depth of approximately 2 km.

In China, shale gas reserves have currently reached almost 37 trillion cubic meters, which is much more than the savings of traditional gas. With the arrival of spring 2011, the Republic of China completed drilling its initial shale gas source. It took about eleven months to implement the project.
If we talk about shale gas in Poland, its reserves are located in three basins:

• Baltic – technical extraction of shale gas reserves is about 4 trillion. cube m.
• Lublinsky – volume 1.25 trillion. cube m.
• Podlasie – currently its reserves are minimal: 0.41 trillion. cubic meters

The total amount of reserves in the lands of Poland is equal to 5.66 trillion. cube m.

Russian sources of shale gas

Today, it is very difficult to provide any information about existing shale gas reserves in Russian wells. This is due to the fact that the issue of searching for a source of gas was not considered here. The country has enough traditional gas. But there is an option that in 2014 proposals for shale gas production and the necessary technology will be considered, and the pros and cons will be weighed.

Advantages of shale gas production

1. The search for shale wells using hydraulic fracturing of a layer at a depth of only horizontal sources can be carried out in regions with a large number of inhabitants;
2. Shale gas sources are located close to end customers;
3. This type of gas is produced without any loss of greenhouse gases.

Disadvantages of shale gas production

1. The hydraulic fracturing process requires huge reserves of water located near the field. For example, to carry out one rupture, 7,500 tons of water are required, as well as sand and various chemicals. As a result, water becomes polluted, the disposal of which is quite difficult;
2. Wells for the extraction of simple gas have a longer service life than shale wells;
3. Drilling wells requires significant financial costs;
4. When gas is extracted, a huge variety of toxic substances are used, although the exact formula for hydraulic fracturing still remains confidential;
5. The process of searching for shale gas incurs serious losses, and this in turn increases the greenhouse effect;
6. It is profitable to produce gas only if there is demand for it and a decent price level.

Some time ago, news about a new revolution in the world of energy, namely the production of shale gas, thundered throughout the world. However, recently more and more skeptics have appeared regarding its competitiveness. We will try to consider the reasons why the so-called “shale boom” began, as well as the reasons why it ended so quickly.

It is important to remember that the most important thing in fossils is the proven reserve, namely the amount of the fossil that is profitable to extract, and the appropriate technology for this process exists. The rest of the fossil is just a potential resource that is either impossible to extract or is so difficult that it is not profitable from a profit point of view. In fact, the proven reserve of shale gas is about two percent of the total existing reserve (about four trillion m3). In this situation, its production can hardly be considered a breakthrough in the industrial world.

The history of the beginning of the shale gas boom

The first well to extract shale gas was drilled in 1821. in the United States. The discoverer of this gas deposit is William Hart, who in the United States is nicknamed “the father of natural gas.”

However, serious extraction and production of shale gas began in 2000 in Texas with the help of new technologies. The growth of shale gas production has increased sharply, which is why the press hastened to announce a new energy revolution. Thus, the United States began to take first place in gas production, of which 40 percent was unconventional shale gas production.

Large companies spent about 20 billion dollars on the extraction of shale fossils.

The price of gas in the world has decreased due to the emergence of shale oil. However, over time, large oil companies began to express concerns that income from investments in the shale industry was falling, which is why the production of such gas became not as attractive as it seemed at first glance under the influence of strong propaganda from the media.

In 2012, almost all of the largest companies that had invested huge amounts of money in shale oil production found themselves practically facing bankruptcy, which is why investments in shale gas were reduced several times.

US shale gas resources

According to the EIA, proven reserves of delivered gas in the United States at the end of 2011 amounted to about 4 trillion m3 (about 40 percent of all US gas reserves). However, no further specific figures were given. With this amount of resources, the United States can support itself for about thirteen years. From 2005 to 2012, the United States increased gas production (approximately 682 billion m3), of which 35 percent was produced from hard-to-reach wells, but then production declined.

If we talk about the financial side of the issue, many mining companies, starting from mid-2013, have reduced shale gas production due to the cessation of profit from it.

Huge numbers of shale gas resources supposedly existing there (it was claimed that this figure was about 100 trillion m3) immediately disappeared from the press of the United States. This happened because initially the United States did not take into account that the base is not the entire existing volume of fossils, but rather a proven resource that can be extracted.

A country	TIR, trillion. m3	Activity
		The founder of technology and the owner of the most developed mining industry. 29% of current (2010) gas production is from shale. By 2030, according to optimistic forecasts, up to 50% is possible
Scandinavia		Norway successfully exploits traditional gas fields
V-Britain		Unconfirmed TIR, as assessed by a private drilling company in November 2011. Large deposits on the shelf, but production there is not yet economically efficient
		There is a ban on hydraulic fracturing
		In 2012-14, it is planned to drill about 200 exploration wells. Commercial production will not begin until 2014
Rest of Western Europe		Bans on hydraulic fracturing in many countries (note: some German states), an environmentally sensitive topic
		Exploration is underway, about 20 wells have been drilled. A state program for the development of the shale gas sector has been adopted
		At the same time, there are large reserves of traditional gas and little water. Mining unlikely in the near future
Argentina		The first successful horizontal well in August 2011. There is little water in the immediate vicinity of the fields. The state strictly regulates the market, keeping gas prices low for consumers. The recent nationalization of YPF Repsol will also not contribute to the arrival of foreign investors with modern technologies
Australia		Large reserves of traditional gas. Little water, shale contains mostly dry gas, no condensate
		There is a ban on hydraulic fracturing, there is little water

Environmental consequences of shale gas production

In 2005, the oil and gas industry in the United States gained the right to pollute. This was the only industry that was allowed not to reveal to the public the composition of the chemical components pumped underground, even being dangerously close to sources of drinking water.

In principle, all environmental difficulties resulting from shale mining can be solved. Sometimes when a formation explodes, a small earthquake is observed, therefore, for example, in Arkansas, shale mining is prohibited due to the fact that Arkansas is a seismic region.

There is also environmental pollution associated with oil extraction, but no one has responded to this fact in the same way as shale gas extraction. What is the reason for this?

The reason lies in the amount of toxic chemicals. Very often, incorrect drilling is found in wells, and often drilling customers hide this fact from the public. As a result, poisonous gas comes to the surface and sometimes enters living quarters.

In principle, purifying the water from one shale oil well from six thousand tons of chemicals is not a particular problem, but there are many more such wells than sixty thousand, and such a huge amount of contaminated water is no longer so easy to purify.

Shale gas resources in countries other than the US

The existence of large amounts of shale gas in the United States has indeed been proven. However, it is difficult to say the same about the rest of the countries on the planet. The search for shale gas in other parts of the world, which lasted for about four years, ended in virtually nothing.

Plans to develop shale gas were announced by Santos in Australia, but there has been no further news on shale gas production since then. The EIA estimates that Australia's proven shale gas reserves are around 2.5 trillion m3, but only after drilling can actual figures be announced.

There is no official information yet on shale gas production figures in Canada. Naturally, the press constantly writes about the huge prospect of such production, but in fact, proven gas resources in Canada over the past ten years have grown by only 17.5 percent, while production has decreased by 20 percent.

Argentina-based YPF announced that it had found a shale gas deposit of about 127 billion m3 in the south of the country. However, it is not entirely clear whether these are proven reserves or simply geological resources. In any case, this is not a gigantic deposit, but simply a fairly large deposit. Despite this announcement, no mining work has been carried out there yet.

In China, work on shale gas production has been postponed for now. Some Chinese companies are investors in companies planning to extract shale gas in the United States and Argentina. Instead of shale gas production, China is increasing its liquefied gas capacity.

India has just begun test drilling of one of the proposed shale gas deposits. However, future prospects are unclear due to the fact that gas prices are very low in India.

In France and Belgium, hydraulic fracturing is officially banned. There is a temporary ban on it in Germany. Two wells were drilled in Hungary, but no gas was found.

There was a strange situation with Lithuania. The EIA announced that there are 120 billion m3 of proven shale gas reserves there. Chevron has agreed to conduct exploratory drilling there. However, she soon withdrew her candidacy due to the new EIA assessment. It turned out that there is absolutely no shale gas in Lithuania.

So far, Poland has decided to refrain from producing shale oil, since it was considered unprofitable.

After three years of searching, a shale gas deposit was found in the UK. However, the problem is that the thickness of the shales is about 1100m. Until today, no one has received gas from such shale. So far, no specific figures for recoverable reserves have been reported.

Chevrlon, a company that has an agreement with Ukraine to explore shale gas in the Carpathian region, will have to monitor the drilling process very carefully, since this is a highly seismic area. In the Kharkov region, a gas deposit was found - the so-called tight gas, obtained from sandstones. However, the cost of this type of well varies around 8 - 10 million dollars. In addition, such wells are depleted at a rapid rate.

A short summary of all of the above

• Due to the mass propaganda of shale gas production, geological aspects are often replaced. At the same time, oddly enough, the EIA agency, which operates in the United States, did not distort reality and soberly assessed the real possibilities of production in specific fields.
• To extract those reserves that are difficult to reach, ten times more drilling capacity is required, as well as an increase in the number of wells. For this reason, the oil and gas industry in the United States has been exempt from any pollution restrictions. In theory, there are no problems with cleaning up after chemicals, but this requires huge costs, which reduces or eliminates the income received from shale gas.
• This high rate of shale gas production in the United States will continue for about ten years. Initially, the production of this gas will increase in parallel with the rise in gas prices, but after the wells are depleted, the price will fall. The United States is making a mistake by actively extracting shale gas, because in a few minutes there will be a gas shortage.
• From an environmental point of view, the resources of our planet are being depleted, which is facilitated by the boom in drilling in different parts of the Earth. Most likely, after shale gas reserves are depleted, people will try to extract gas hydrates, which are much more abundant than shale gas. However, they will require even more effort to extract. Over time, there will be a shortage of energy, which is now spent on the extraction of hard-to-reach minerals.

Reality is different from expectations

1. Shale oil reserves are being depleted at an astonishing rate. After three years of mining, their production in a given location is reduced by 80 to 90 percent.
2. The extraction and production of shale gas is a very expensive process. Their extraction costs several times more than with the traditional method.
3. Shale gas turns everything around into a desert, environmental pollution is much greater, since the fracturing fluid is very poisonous, and during the extraction of shale gas a lot of this fluid leaks.
4. Due to the fact that the reserves of shale gas and oil in one field are depleted very quickly, many wells have to be drilled. This has a bad impact on the overall road infrastructure. In the modern world, the greatest damage to infrastructure occurs precisely because of the oil industry.
5. If a shale gas deposit is found, this does not mean that there is a lot of it there. Sometimes after long drilling it is not possible to extract a single drop. The problem is that without drilling it is impossible to predict how much gas can be produced in a particular place.

All these factors determine that shale gas production is turning into a very expensive process.

Be that as it may, by increasing the extraction and production of shale gas, the United States can only gain some time. However, if the overall production strategy does not change, then the peak point of shale gas production will be reached around 2020.



Shale gas

(shale gas)

natural gas

Shale gas is the composition, technology and methods of shale gas production, as well as the assessment of shale gas reserves in the world

Shale gas - this is the definition

Shale gas is a type of Natural gas stored in the form of small gas formations in the shale layer of sedimentary rock of the Earth, which is found on all continents. This energy resource combines the quality of fossil fuels and a renewable source and is found throughout the world, thus, almost any energy-dependent country can provide itself with this energy resource.

Slate Natural gas- This Natural gas, extracted from oil shale, which consists primarily of methane.

Shale gas- This a type of Natural gas stored in the form of small gas formations, reservoirs, in the thickness of the shale layer of sedimentary rock of the Earth.

Shale gas- This the same one on which we cook food. In composition, it is only slightly different from what comes to our kitchen. Its main feature is that it lies in oil shale.

Shale gas is sedimentary, clayey, low-porosity, which acts as both a source and organic matter in a “favorable” environment.

Shale gas - This It is an environmentally friendly fuel, so burning it releases less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than burning coal.

Shale gas is a mixture of explosive elements that cannot be pumped under high pressure and transmitted over long distances.

Shale gas is The fuel's heat output is two times lower than Natural gas.

History of shale gas production

The first commercial gas well in shale formations was drilled in the United States in 1821 by William Hart in Fredonia, New York, which is considered the USA"the father of Natural Gas". The initiators of large-scale production of shale gas in USA are George P. Mitchell and Tom L. Ward.

When assessing global shale gas reserves, there are currently polar points of view. We also present a map of stratospheric analysis of territories published in the EIA report on shale gas reserves in 2011, it differs significantly from previously published maps.

Information on shale gas reserves in the Russian Federation is given below; an assessment of promising deposits was carried out by Gazprom OJSC. Sedimentary rocks on the East European Platform belong to the following periods: Ordovician, Cambrian, Upper Devonian, Silurian, Middle and Upper Carboniferous, Lower Permian, they are widely represented by shales of varying thickness and maturity, which may be promising for development. It is worth highlighting on the Russian platform the Baltic shield and the Polish-Lithuanian depression, located on the territory of Poland and Western Ukraine, and the Dnieper-Donets depression - on the territory of Ukraine, which have reserves of mature shale. On the Russian part of the Baltic Shield in the South Scandinavian region there are immature shales 2.8 billion years old; more mature shales are located in the Central Kola block. According to Shell's 2011 annual report, Swedish shale in the area is unpromising.

The conditions for shale gas production in each country are unique; they are very limited by the mentality of the population, environmental legislation and the activity of environmental organizations. Let's give some facts.

There is a large shale gas deposit in Canada. First of all, shale development is taking place in British Columbia, as well as north of Fort Nelson. Exploration is underway in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. Most gas operators have experience in oil sands production in Alberta. The main promising deposit in Canada is the Ordovician period - Utica Shale (488-443 million years) in Quebec. The thickness of the shale layer ranges from 45-213 m, TOC - 3.5% to 5%, the deposit dates back to the Devonian period. Projected reserves were estimated at 113 billion cubic meters. m of gas, successful tests were carried out at several experimental wells. After scandalous publications by environmentalists, a moratorium on shale gas production was imposed in Quebec. Currently in Canada, active work is underway at the Muskwa Shale field, which dates back to the Devonian period (416-360 million years), its predicted reserves are 179 billion cubic meters. m of gas.

IN Australia The Cooper basin is promising for gas shale production; the total area of ​​the basin is 130 thousand km2. The mining is concentrated in a virtually uninhabited area in the desert region. The Cooper Basin also contains conventional gas and black gold deposits that provide Australia necessary energy resources. The development of shale gas is carried out for the future. In July 2011, the Cooper Basin experienced its first hydraulic fracturing, successfully extracting gas from a shale well. Estimated figures for the field have not yet been published.

Shale gas is

Based on the experience of the United States, the shale program in China is lobbied at the state level. China expects to extract 30 billion cubic meters from shale. m per year and reach 5% of total production by 2020. Gas technologies are borrowed from the USA according to agreement with Barack Obama. Shale gas production in China is not constrained by environmental regulations.

In Europe, shale gas production is considered within the framework of a program of energy independence from Russian supplies, the price of which is constantly growing. Exploration for shale gas deposits was carried out in Britain, France, Sweden, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania and Ukraine. At the beginning of 2011, Royal Dutch Shell announced the futility of shale deposits in Sweden. In France and England, public hearings are practically underway on imposing a moratorium on shale gas production. At the moment, shale gas deposits located in Poland and Ukraine are considered the most promising.

As the New York Times writes, Ukraine and Poland, with their shale gas reserves, are regarded by Europeans as a worthy alternative to Russian gas. The first foreign organization that began operating in Ukraine in 1998 was EuroGas Inc. This company has carried out significant work on the exploration of gas fields in Western Ukraine, Eastern Ukraine and Poland in the Lviv-Volyn coal basin. Geological Department of EuroGas Inc. in Eastern Europe is headed by Professor Yuri Koltun, a world-famous geologist of Russian origin. It is EuroGas Inc. was the first company to drill in Western Ukraine in the Lublin coal basin. Thanks to Yuri Koltun and his team, who explored shale deposits in Poland and Ukraine, EuroGas Inc. a significant amount of geological information and various technical studies have been accumulated on the development of shale gas in the Lublin basin and in the area of ​​the Dnieper-Donets basin. According to research by EuroGas Inc. specialists. The thickness of shale deposits in Poland and western Ukraine significantly exceeds the thickness of shale in deposits in North America; Polish-Ukrainian deposits date back to the Silurian period. In April 2010, EuroGas Inc. signed confidential Contract With Total E&P for the purchase of geological information of the Lublin Basin. During 2011, active gas exploration was carried out in Poland; industrial gas production in this area is expected by 2014.

The main production in Poland will be concentrated in several places; exploration of a deposit 90 km from Gdansk has been carried out. The shale layer in this area lies at a depth of 3000 m. Currently, 22 companies, mainly from the USA and Canada, are developing deposits in Poland. According to the EIA, Europe has 17.5 trillion. cube m of gas, the volume of Poland is estimated at 5.3 trillion. cube m of gas ready for immediate production. Currently, Poland has issued 68 licenses for the development of shale gas, which cover about 30-40% of the entire country. Most companies have already conducted seismic surveys and determined the thickness of the shale layer. Production could begin in 2 years; Poland currently has the best conditions for shale gas production in Europe.

The Dnieper-Donetsk depression, on the territory of which the Kharkov and Donetsk regions are located, has a total length of 1300 km in length and 3-100 km in width. This depression is characterized by sedimentary deposits dating back to the Permian period. There are no official data on the characteristics of the shale deposit in Eastern Ukraine; according to some data, the kerogen content in shale is about 20%, the thickness of the shale layer is up to 3 meters, and the depth is up to 500 m. However, these data can be questioned. The basis for this could be a contract between the Royal Dutch Shell organization and the Ukrainian government for the development of shale deposits in the areas: Novo-Mechebilosky, Gersovanosky, Melekhovsky, Pavlovsko-Svetlovsky, West Shebelinsky and Shebelinsky. Shell is characterized by successful projects. The Shebelinskoye field is considered the most promising; its depth is 6 thousand meters, where the expected volume of gas will be 400 billion cubic meters. m of gas. The main development factor will be the profitability of production; the Dnieper-Donets depression is characterized by the presence of large volumes of gas reservoirs. For industrial development, up to 1000 wells with a depth of 3-6 thousand meters will be needed. According to most experts, industrial gas production in Ukraine will begin no earlier than in 5-10 years. The risks of gas production from shale in Ukraine are very high due to the lack of experience and a geological structure different from the United States, for which extensive shale development data have been accumulated. According to statements by the Minister of Energy of Ukraine Yuriy Boyko, in the coming months Ukraine plans to conclude contracts with Marathon, ENI, ExxonMobil, Halliburton in order to begin drilling.

The total volume of shale gas reserves in Poland and Ukraine is 6.5 trillion. cube m. For comparison, the explored volumes of the Shtokman gas condensate field are 3.7 trillion. cube m, Russia had high hopes for this deposit. Together with the Ukrainian gas transmission system, which, in addition to the main pipeline system, also has some of the largest active gas storage facilities (21% of pan-European volumes), gas fields in Poland and Ukraine can become an excellent addition to the gas transmission infrastructure in Eastern Europe, Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE ). Let us recall that according to the pan-European strategy, gas transportation is considered purely in conjunction with fields, main pipelines, storage facilities and LNG terminals, which implies uniform growth of all components of the gas infrastructure. This approach will allow us to avoid the situation that arose in the United States, when, due to the lack of gas processing and gas transportation infrastructure, there was a price collapse in the market, which jeopardizes the development of the gas shale industry. industry. At the same time, the takeover of the Ukrainian gas transmission system GIE, along with the industrial development of shale gas in Poland and Ukraine, may change the balance of power in the European energy market, that is, minimize Gazprom’s supplies to European Union. The planned takeover of the Ukrainian gas transportation system by GIE pursues several strategic goals:

replenishment of the European gas transportation system with a powerful infrastructure, including a full range of gas transportation enterprises;

provision of industrial gas production in Poland with storage facilities in Western Ukraine;

violation of the integrity of Russian gas flows and deprivation of the Russian Federation of the necessary gas infrastructure for exporting gas to Europe, that is, deprivation of a competitive advantage;

changes in the geopolitical situation and market management of energy prices.

Such a balance of power in the European energy market requires the Russian side to reassess its priorities. For OJSC Gazprom, it is necessary to evaluate what is more important: maintaining the integrity of the Russian gas transportation infrastructure and a confident competitive advantage in the European market or obtaining profit from Ukrainian supplies in the short term with the possible loss of a significant part of the European market after the start of industrial production of shale gas in the Lublin coal basin . Ukraine's gas transportation system allows JSC Gazprom not only to maintain its position as the largest gas transportation company in the world, but also to have a restraining influence on the development of industrial production of shale gas in Europe; other levers of pressure will be less effective. If GIE abandons Ukrainian pipelines and storage facilities, shale gas coming from Poland will not be provided with the necessary gas infrastructure in Europe, which will require GIE not only to make significant investments and additional time, which will allow Gazprom to effectively reorganize its assets.

The influence of shale gas on the global energy market will have a pronounced regulatory nature, and the degree of influence on regional markets will differ significantly, and the influence itself will be subject to different laws due to the unique characteristics of each market. Such changes will lead to some geopolitical changes, but a qualitative change in the energy market structure and relevant political processes can only be achieved if the largest gas players have an illiterate economic policy.

Massive speculation regarding the degree of influence of shale gas on the global position of OJSC Gazprom is economically unfounded. Never has the emergence of a substitute product, which is shale gas, led to a complete change in microeconomic trends. The appearance of substitute goods on the market will have a corrective effect on the price of gas and, in general, will lead to its reduction.

The impact of shale gas on regional markets should only be considered in conjunction with other substitute products, as well as within the framework of a balanced regional gas infrastructure. The consequences of reverse tactics can be seen in the USA, where gas shale enterprises are on the verge bankruptcy due to lack of markets sales. From this point of view, it is necessary to note the competent economic policy GIE, which, however, is greatly weakened by the financial crisis in Europe. Because of this, GIE will not be able to achieve a coordinated launch of gas shale infrastructure in Europe, especially since this trend can be strengthened through the use of market regulators of Gazprom OJSC.

Despite the statements of many experts about the uncertainty of the global gas market, the situation is completely definite. Indeed, the regulatory impact of shale gas on global markets cannot be discounted. The emergence of substitute goods indicates the development of the energy market, which is an objective reality and is not a product of political speculation. Shale gas, indeed, can provide significant gas reserves in future periods, which will lead to a significant change in the elasticity of demand in all micro-markets, including the European one. At the moment, the policy of OJSC Gazprom should involve a change in priorities. If previously the “gas lever” was an effective political mechanism, now it is necessary to focus on the economic principles of market management. Otherwise, the reason for the decline in the global influence of OJSC Gazprom will not be the emergence of shale gas itself, but the normal development of the gas market.

As noted, Gazprom’s position regarding gas shale production should be of a regulatory nature and use numerous restraining mechanisms in order to provide itself with a margin of time for effective redistribution assets:

The development of the US gas shale industry requires regulation. Gas infrastructure growth involves diversification American gas to the markets of Asia and the burning continent. However, the capacity of the Russian Shtokman field and the Sakhalin shelf can provide Asia necessary gas resource and reduce the volume of markets for the United States sales shale gas, having a regulatory impact on the development of the shale industry, which will grow commensurate with sales markets.

Shale gas is

The development of the gas shale industry in Europe requires regulation. First of all, it is necessary to prevent the partial or complete absorption of the Ukrainian gas transmission system by GIE. At the moment, there is no need for full Russian control over the Ukrainian gas transportation system; it is enough to obtain shares of active storage facilities in Western Ukraine, including Bogorodchanskoe, parts of main pipelines, as well as other strategic facilities. Such a policy would not entail massive political speculation in the union, and would require GIE to invest heavily in gas infrastructure to promote shale projects.

The development of the gas shale industry correlates with market prices; regular market price crashes will lead to a decrease in activity for launching wells in Poland and Ukraine; the industrial start of large gas shale projects in Europe may not occur in 2 years, but in at least 10 years.

The gas shale industry needs its own development, which will presuppose the flexibility of Gazprom’s position in relation to global trends. It should be noted that gas shale mining, due to environmental threats, can only develop in sparsely populated areas that have additional water supplies. Accordingly, gas shale production is the prerogative of large countries with uninhabited territories.

From now on, the most justified for OJSC Gazprom will be a flexible pricing management policy with the implementation of a presence in all regions of the world. An increase in presence in different regions of the world can be achieved through the construction of gas infrastructure in the United States, as well as the construction of pipelines and LNG terminals in Asia. As practice shows, the most effective development strategies for energy companies include the development of the overall gas infrastructure; accordingly, it is important for OJSC Gazprom to build up its own assets in gas transportation infrastructure in sales markets and markets requiring regulation.

The distributed tactics of asset allocation will require OAO Gazprom to reconsider the principle of “equal profitability of markets”; given the high elasticity of demand, it is not market justified. Each local market at each moment in time has its own unique characteristics, respectively, the norm arrived and the conditions for obtaining it will differ in each market. Flexible price management of the market by a large gas supplier may have a restrictive effect on market phenomena that are undesirable for OAO Gazprom. Increasing the assets of OJSC Gazprom in regional markets will increase the distribution of the organization, which will have a positive impact on financial stability. Competent economic policy not only will it not reduce Gazprom’s influence on the energy market, but it can stabilize and strengthen it.

In March 2011, one of the American agencies statistics assessed the reserves of this gas in 32 countries. The experts' report did not include Russia and the states of the Middle East. It turned out that global gas reserves amounted to 640 trillion cubic meters. Of this, about 40% comes from shale gas production. Significant volumes of shale deposits are concentrated in the world in regions such as South Africa and China.

Sources

Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia, WikiPedia

sintezgaz.org.ua - Sintezgaz

pronedra.ru - PRONEDRA

podaril.ru - Online store

depo.ua - DePo

Forbes.ru - Forbes

Investor Encyclopedia. 2013 .

• Big Encyclopedic Polytechnic Dictionary
• 
  

Its composition is dominated by hydrocarbons such as methane. America has been and remains the leader in the production of this gas. Today we will learn in more detail what shale gas is, and also get acquainted with the history, technology and prospects for its production.

Terminology

Many people ask: “What is the difference between shale gas and natural gas?” In fact, this question is incorrect. The fact is that shale gas is also natural, as it is extracted from the bowels of the earth. Therefore, it is more correct to say that blue fuel can be traditional and shale. The difference between the two species is the method of their extraction and composition. Traditional gas is produced mainly from gas deposits or special areas of oil fields called gas caps. It can consist of different gases (methane, ethane, propane or butane) in different proportions. The predominant hydrocarbon, as a rule, is methane. What is shale gas? This type of fuel is extracted from gas-bearing sedimentary rocks, mainly represented by shale. The proportion of methane (CH4) in it is much higher than in traditional blue fuel. That's the whole difference.

Story

The first commercial well for gas production from shale formations was drilled in 1821 in Fredonia (USA) by William Hart. Large-scale production of shale natural gas (LNG) in America was initiated by Tom Ward and George Mitchell. In 2002, Devon Energy pioneered the use of directional drilling in combination with multi-stage fracturing in Texas. The volume of shale gas extraction in the United States has begun to grow sharply. The media began to call this process the “gas revolution.” As a result, in 2009 America became the world leader in gas production (745.3 billion m3). At the same time, unconventional sources (shale and coal formations) accounted for 40% of production. Soon the whole world learned about shale gas.

In 2010, major fuel companies from around the world invested a total of $21 billion in shale gas assets. When the process began to gain significant momentum, the price of shale gas in America began to fall rapidly. By the beginning of 2012, it was lower than the cost of LNG production. As a result, the largest company in this area, Chesapeake Energy, reduced production by 8% and capital investments by 70%.

At the end of 2012, gas in America began to cost even less than in Russia. Industry leaders began to massively reduce production due to financial difficulties. And Chesapeake Energy was on the verge of bankruptcy.

How is shale gas produced?

The costs of searching for LNG deposits significantly exceed the costs of carrying out similar work with traditional “blue fuel”. Due to the great depth of the deposit, many conventional research methods are ineffective here.

In general, shale natural gas exploration occurs in three stages:

1. Drilling a well in which hydraulic fracturing is performed.
2. Pumping out a test batch of gas and analyzing it to find a suitable production technology.
3. The productivity of a particular well is determined empirically.

Since LNG lies in low-porosity rock, its extraction by traditional methods is not possible.

Shale gas is produced using three technologies at once: inclined horizontal drilling, multi-stage fracturing and seismic modeling. Sometimes the second method is replaced by the more expensive anhydrous propane fracking. Since the concentration of shale gas is low (0.2-0.3 billion m 3 / km 2), to produce significant volumes it is necessary to cover large areas of land with wells.

Hydraulic fracturing is carried out as follows. Pipes are being laid to gas deposits. Through them, water, reagents (thickeners, acids, corrosion inhibitors, biocides and much more), as well as special granules (ceramics, steel, sand or plastic) with a diameter of up to 1.5 millimeters are pumped into the bowels of the earth. As a result of the chemical reaction that occurs when all the reagents are mixed, the same hydraulic fracturing is obtained. Because of it, a huge number of cracks appear in the rock, which are blocked by granules and can no longer converge. All that remains is to pump out the water (it is filtered and reused) and the gas, in which methane is the predominant hydrocarbon.

Prospects

Shale gas reserves are estimated at approximately 200 trillion m3. However, only a small part of these resources can be extracted. Today, LNG is a regional factor and only affects the North American market.

Among the factors that positively influence the prospects for gas production from shale, the following can be noted:

1. Proximity of deposits to possible sales markets.
2. Impressive reserves.
3. The interest of a number of states in reducing imports of fuel and energy resources.

However, this fuel also has a number of disadvantages:

1. High cost compared to traditional gas.
2. Unsuitable for long distance transportation.
3. Rapid depletion of deposits.
4. A small proportion of proven reserves in the total.
5. Serious environmental risks from mining.

According to IHS CERA, shale gas production could reach approximately 180 billion m3 in 2018.

Let's consider the situation in different countries of the globe.

America

In 2007, natural shale gas reserves in the United States were estimated at 24 trillion m3, of which 3.6 trillion m3 were considered technically recoverable. In 2014, taking into account the discovery of new fields, recoverable reserves were estimated at 4 trillion m3, and explored unproven reserves at 23 trillion. The leading American corporation in the extraction of this mineral has become Chesapeake Energy. In 2009, LNG production in the United States amounted to 14% of all combustible gas, which led to a redistribution of the global gas market and the formation of excess supply. By 2012, 290 billion m3 of shale gas were produced in America, which already accounted for 40% of total production.

As a result, a pair of new terminals for the import of liquefied gases, built in America in addition to the 10 operating ones, created a surplus of “blue fuel”. In 2010, some terminals even tried to export fuel. In particular, Freeport LNG Development signed a contract with South Korea and Japan for the supply of 2.2 million m 3 of LNG per year.

According to the International Energy Agency, shale gas production in America by 2030 will be about 150 billion m3 per year. A trivial calculation made in 2014 shows that the proven recoverable reserves of LNG in the United States, with production at the same level as in 2014 (330 billion cubic meters), would be enough for 12 years. Unproven reserves should be enough for 70 years. The largest American shale gas fields are Barnett, Haynesville, Marcellus, Eagle Ford, and Fayetteville.

Europe

Large shale gas deposits have also been discovered in a number of European countries. We are talking about Poland, Austria, England, Germany, Hungary, Sweden and Ukraine.

At the beginning of 2010, information appeared about the discovery of significant LNG reserves in Poland. In May of the same year, it was planned to begin development of the deposits. In 2011, Stratfor (USA) responded that the Poles would need to invest tens of billions of dollars to create the infrastructure necessary for normal activities to extract the exposed reserves. The publication noted that this work could take Poland years or even decades. At the end of 2011, ExxonMobil drilled a couple of experimental wells in Poland, but the following year the project was closed due to unprofitability.

In other European countries, the issue of shale gas production is still at the exploration stage. According to the forecast of the International Energy Association, by 2030 LNG production in Europe could reach 15 billion cubic meters per year.

Russia

In March 2010, the Energy Committee held a round table where the topic of prospects for the development of LNG resources was raised. The participants of the event proposed that the Government organize work to: assess the gas shale potential of the Russian Federation, study advanced technologies for the production of unconventional gas, as well as assess the problems that may arise in connection with the development of the shale industry in the United States and its likely organization in a number of other countries.

Gazprom management stated that there are no plans to develop shale deposits in the Russian Federation in the coming decades. This statement was supported by the fact that the company's traditional reserves are 10 times more efficient than the development of unconventional deposits. In this regard, in 2012, Alexander Medvedev, deputy chairman of the company’s board, noted that if Gazprom returns to the issue of LNG production, it will be in 50-70 years.

Many Gazprom chairmen and high-ranking officials have repeatedly stated that the “shale revolution” is a PR campaign designed to undermine Russia’s authority in the international fuel market. Sergei Shmatko, the Russian Minister of Energy, said in 2010 that there was “unnecessary excitement” around this issue. In his opinion, the development of shale gas production in America will not be able to affect the global energy balance.

The first high-ranking official to express the opposite position in 2010 was Yuri Trutnev, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment. He said that the increase in LNG production could become a problem for Gazprom and the Russian Federation. In August 2012, Deputy Minister of Economic Development Andrei Klepach noted that previously the scale of the “shale revolution” in the Russian Federation had been underestimated, and the time had come to take it seriously. In October of the same year, Vladimir Putin made a similar statement. In this regard, he instructed the Ministry of Energy to adjust the plan for the development of the industry until 2030.

A number of experts argue that the expected supply of shale gas from America to Eurasia in the next few years will not pose a threat to Russian gas exports, since the latter is more competitive due to much lower production and transportation costs. Nevertheless, in 2012, Oleg Deripaska, a major Russian businessman, believed that the Russian Federation had 3-4 “full years” left, after which shale gas and oil would be able to be competitive in the realities of the WTO.

Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Anatoly Dmitrievskoy believes that in the Russian Federation, the production of LNG is advisable only for local needs, in areas that are located at a considerable distance from existing gas transmission lines. There, exploration and organization of production of unconventional blue fuel may turn out to be more expedient than laying a gas pipeline.

Ukraine

In 2010, Shell and Exxon Mobil received a license to explore shale deposits in Ukraine. In May 2012, the winners of the tender for the development of the Yuzovskaya (eastern Ukraine) and Oleskaya (western Ukraine) gas areas were identified. The first site went to Shell, and the second to Chevron. It was assumed that active production in these territories will begin in 2018-2019. On January 24, 2013, Shell signed an agreement with the Nadra Yuzovskaya company on the division of shale gas produced in the Kharkov, Donetsk and Lugansk regions. Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was also present at the signing. In the fall of 2015, the company drilled its first well in the Kharkov region.

Almost immediately after the signing of the agreement, pickets and actions began in these areas, the participants of which were against the development of shale gas, as well as against providing this opportunity to foreign firms. V. Voloshin, rector of the Azov University, said that LNG production can be carried out without harming the environment, but additional work needs to be done to find the most suitable production technology.

In 2014, when an armed conflict began in the south-east of Ukraine, Chevron unilaterally terminated previously concluded agreements, complaining about the failure of the Ukrainian government to fulfill its obligations to prepare a regulatory framework. Shell has temporarily suspended its activities in developing shale gas in the Donbass due to current events, but has not yet abandoned the contract.

Other countries

The world's shale deposits are quite large. They are concentrated mainly in countries such as Australia, India, China and Canada. Of the listed states, only China is closely involved in the development of shale deposits. The country's companies began working in this direction in 2012 and set themselves the goal of reaching 30 billion m3 of gas per year by 2020. Thus, the country could cover only 1% of its energy needs.

Mining ban

In France and Bulgaria, shale development is prohibited due to the potential for environmental damage. Germany and some US states are on the same path.

Conclusion

Today we learned what shale gas is, and also got acquainted with the technology of its production and the countries involved in this industry. Finally, it is worth noting that LNG is a very promising alternative to traditional gas, but at the moment its production is associated with a number of difficulties that do not allow many countries to set up the process so that the resulting product is competitive. We are also convinced that the question about the differences between shale gas and natural gas is extremely incorrect.

In modern media and public discussions, shale gas is often contrasted with natural gas. What are the features of both types of minerals?

Facts about shale gas

Shale gas- this is, one way or another, natural gas, but it is extracted in a special way - through extraction from gas-bearing sedimentary rocks. Which in the bowels of the earth are represented mainly by oil shale. The chemical composition is usually methane.

Shale gas began to be actively extracted relatively recently - in the 2000s. Its extraction reached the greatest scale in the United States, which has become the world leader in the production of this type of fuel. However, the cost of its production in most cases is significantly higher than that which characterizes the extraction of “ordinary” natural gas from the depths. According to many modern experts, the largest percentage of recoverable reserves of the corresponding type of “blue fuel” is located in North America. This may be due to the fact that the United States has become the world leader in shale gas production.

Shale gas occurs in dispersed fields with relatively small reserves - about 0.5-3 billion cubic meters. m/sq. km. The most common shale gas production technologies are hydraulic fracturing (considered extremely unenvironmentally friendly), propane fracking is sometimes used (which can significantly increase the cost of production of “blue fuel” in the corresponding variety).

When producing shale gas, the structure of wells in most cases contains horizontal sections. Conservation of gas production facilities is usually complicated. The total number of wells in the shale gas field is about several hundred. The resource of one well is about 1-2 years.

Shale gas in many cases requires further processing in order to bring it to established industrial and consumer standards.

Facts about “regular” natural gas

Traditional natural gas- that which is extracted from special gas deposits or individual sections of oil fields, the so-called gas “caps”, sometimes from gas hydrates. Like the shale variety of “blue fuel”, it is represented mainly by methane, sometimes by ethane, propane or butane.

Traditional natural gas occurs at a depth of 1 km or more. To extract it, gas production companies mainly use vertical wells. The flow of natural gas to the surface of the earth is carried out due to the pressure in the formations in which it lies. The resource of one well in deposits of the corresponding type of fuel is about 5-10 years.

The presence of horizontal sections is not typical for the structure of wells that are drilled in traditional natural gas fields. The hydraulic fracturing method is rarely used to extract the corresponding type of fuel. The total number of wells in one traditional gas field usually does not exceed several dozen.

The type of “blue fuel” in question requires, as a rule, minimal processing in order to bring it to consumer and industrial standards.

Comparison

The main difference between shale gas and natural gas is the specifics of the deposits. “Blue fuel” of the first type occurs in sedimentary rocks. Traditional natural gas, in turn, is extracted from special gas deposits, individual areas of oil fields, and gas hydrates. This factor determines other differences between the types of fuel under consideration. Such as, in particular:

• production technology;
• well resource;
• quality of produced gas;
• cost price.

Having studied the fundamental differences between shale and natural gas, we will record the conclusions in a small table.

Table

Shale gas	Natural gas
What do they have in common?
Shale gas is a type of natural
Both types of “blue fuel” are represented mainly by methane
What is the difference between them?
Extracted from sedimentary rocks	Extracted from gas deposits, gas caps of oil fields, gas hydrates
Production involves drilling wells with horizontal sections using hydraulic fracturing (less commonly, propane fracking)	Production according to the most common scheme involves drilling vertical wells without hydraulic fracturing
Production most often involves drilling several hundred wells in one field	Production involves drilling, as a rule, several dozen wells in one field
Resource of one well - 1-2 years	Resource of one well - 5-10 years
Typically requires fairly extensive processing after extraction to meet consumer standards	Typically requires minimal handling after extraction
Characterized by relatively high production costs	Characterized by relatively low production costs