Monday, June 10, 2013 8:36:14 PM
Kevin Bullis
June 10, 2013
A surge in oil and gas production from shale rock has transformed energy in the United States, helping reverse declines in oil production and prompting a massive shift from coal to natural gas electricity production that has led to a significant drop in carbon dioxide emissions (since burning coal releases more carbon dioxide than burning natural gas). A new report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration lends support to the idea that a similar transformation could take place outside the United States.
A map from a new Energy Information Administration report on shale oil and gas resources.
The map above gives a sense of just how widespread oil and gas resources are. The EIA report concludes that Russia has even more technically recoverable shale oil than the United States. Three countries have more shale gas—China, Argentina, and Algeria. Geologists have long known that some shale deposits contain large amounts of oil and gas, but it’s only recently that hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling technology have made it feasible to extract.
While other countries may have more of these resources than the United States, the impact in some of them may not be as great, or happen as quickly. It could take many years to develop resources in other countries because the geology is somewhat different—the techniques that work in the United States might not quite work elsewhere. What’s more, many countries don’t have the needed technological expertise. Some countries make it difficult for companies to set up and find ways to exploit the resources (see “ China Has Plenty of Shale Gas, But It Will Be Hard to Mine”).
What’s more, the United States had a lot of spare natural gas generating capacity, which made it easy to switch from coal to natural gas. In a place like China, where energy demand is quickly growing, there’s little spare capacity. Natural gas production might only serve to slightly slow the growth of electricity from coal plants, not reverse it.
So far, the impact of increased shale gas production has been limited outside the United States. Because natural gas is relatively expensive to export and requires the construction of specialized infrastructure, prices for natural gas have fallen sharply inside the United States, but not outside the country.
But it has had one impact: increased natural gas production in the U.S. has led to increases in coal consumption elsewhere. Unlike natural gas, coal is relatively easy to export. When demand for it dropped in the U.S., it was shipped abroad, lowering coal prices and contributing to an increase in coal use—and carbon dioxide emissions.
http://www.technologyreview.com/view/515906/eia-says-worldwide-shale-oil-and-gas-potential-is-huge/
Recent WRG News
- WESTERN ENERGY SERVICES CORP. ANNOUNCES DIRECTOR ELECTION RESULTS • PR Newswire (Canada) • 04/24/2024 10:28:00 PM
- WESTERN ENERGY SERVICES CORP. RELEASES FIRST QUARTER 2024 FINANCIAL AND OPERATING RESULTS • PR Newswire (Canada) • 04/23/2024 09:00:00 PM
- WESTERN ENERGY SERVICES CORP. RELEASES FOURTH QUARTER AND YEAR END 2023 FINANCIAL AND OPERATING RESULTS, REDUCING DEBT BY $17 MILLION IN 2023 • PR Newswire (Canada) • 02/28/2024 10:00:00 PM
- WESTERN ENERGY SERVICES CORP. ANNOUNCES 2024 CAPITAL BUDGET • PR Newswire (Canada) • 01/15/2024 10:02:00 PM
- WESTERN ENERGY SERVICES CORP. RELEASES THIRD QUARTER 2023 FINANCIAL AND OPERATING RESULTS AND ANNOUNCES FURTHER DEBT REPAYMENTS • PR Newswire (Canada) • 10/24/2023 08:00:00 PM
- WESTERN ENERGY SERVICES CORP. RELEASES SECOND QUARTER 2023 FINANCIAL AND OPERATING RESULTS • PR Newswire (Canada) • 07/25/2023 09:00:00 PM
NanoViricides Reports that the Phase I NV-387 Clinical Trial is Completed Successfully and Data Lock is Expected Soon • NNVC • May 2, 2024 10:07 AM
ILUS Files Form 10-K and Provides Shareholder Update • ILUS • May 2, 2024 8:52 AM
Avant Technologies Names New CEO Following Acquisition of Healthcare Technology and Data Integration Firm • AVAI • May 2, 2024 8:00 AM
Bantec Engaged in a Letter of Intent to Acquire a Small New Jersey Based Manufacturing Company • BANT • May 1, 2024 10:00 AM
Cannabix Technologies to Deliver Breath Logix Alcohol Screening Device to Australia • BLO • Apr 30, 2024 8:53 AM
Hydromer, Inc. Reports Preliminary Unaudited Financial Results for First Quarter 2024 • HYDI • Apr 29, 2024 9:10 AM