Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gvvz8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T08:03:42.233Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

1 - Global Unconventional Oil and Gas Reserves and Their Development

from Part I - Overview

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2022

By
John F. Stolz ,
Cassandra Ziegler  and
W. Michael Griffin
Edited by
John Stolz ,
Daniel Bain  and
Michael Griffin
John Stolz
Affiliation:
Duquesne University, Pittsburgh
Daniel Bain
Affiliation:
University of Pittsburgh
Michael Griffin
Affiliation:
Carnegie Mellon University, Pennsylvania
Get access

Summary

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) has assessed 46 countries for their technically recoverable unconventional oil and gas reserves. They estimate the global shale gas reserves at 7,577 Tcf (trillion cubic feet) and the global shale oil reserves at 419 billion bbl (barrels). The 10 largest reserves for shale gas are in China, Argentina, Algeria, United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, South Africa, Russia, and Brazil. The European Union also has significant deposits with the majority located in Poland and France. The 10 largest reserves for shale oil are in the United States, Russia, China, Argentina, Libya, United Arab Emirates, Chad, Australia, Venezuela, and Mexico. To date, only the United States and Canada have reached commercial level production for shale gas and oil, followed to a lesser extent by China and Argentina. Australia has seen its efforts concentrate on liquified natural gas (LNG) and export. Most other countries remain in the exploratory phase or have halted development. This chapter provides a brief review of the major shale gas and oil plays based on the extensive assessment done by the EIA, and the current status of their development.

Keywords

shaleChinaArgentinaAlgeriaCanadaMexicoestimated ultimate recovery
Type
Chapter
Information
Environmental Impacts from the Development of Unconventional Oil and Gas Reserves , pp. 3 - 18
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aczel, MR. (2020). Public opposition to shale gas extraction in Algeria: Potential application of France’s “Duty of Care Act.” The Extractive Industries and Society. 7(4): 1360–1368. doi:10.1016/j.exis.2020.09.003.Google Scholar
Aczel, MR, Makuch, KE, and Chibane, M. (2018). How much is enough? Approaches to public participation in shale gas regulation across England, France, and Algeria. The Extractive Industries and Society. 5: 427–440.Google Scholar
Agbroko, R. (2011). S. Africa imposes “fracking” moratorium in Karoo. Reuters, April 21, 2011. www.reuters.com/article/us-safrica-fracking-idUSTRE73K45620110421. Accessed September, 2020.Google Scholar
Ambrose, J. “Fracking halted in England in major government U-turn.” The Guardian, November 1, 2019. www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/02/fracking-banned-in-uk-as-government-makes-major-u-turn. Accessed June, 2020.Google Scholar
Baca, MC. (2010). Pittsburgh bans natural gas drilling. ProPublica, November 16, 2010. www.propublica.org/article/pittsburgh-bans-natural-gas-drilling. Accessed June 2020.Google Scholar
BBC News. (2012). “Bulgaria bans shale gas drilling with ‘fracking’ method.” BBC News, January 19, 2012. www.bbc.com, www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-16626580. Accessed June, 2020.Google Scholar
Belakhdar, N. (2020). “Algeria is not for Sale!” mobilizing against fracking in the Sahara. Middle East Report. 296 (Fall 2020).Google Scholar
Beller, RW and Schiariti, M. (2012). Argentina: regulations of the new Hydrocarbons Sovereignty Regime. Mondaq, August 7, 2012. www.mondaq.com/argentina/energy-law/190692/regulation-of-the-new-hydrocarbons-sovereignty-regime. Accessed June, 2020.Google Scholar
Bertram, R. (2019). “Will fracking be banned in Mexico?” Energy Transition. April 17, 2019. https://energytransition.org/2019/04/will-fracking-be-banned-in-mexico/ Accessed June, 2020.Google Scholar
Bnamericas. (2020). Brazil-US to cooperate on regulations for unconventional oil and gas. Bnamericas, February 4, 2020. www.bnamericas.com/en/news/brazil-us-to-cooperate-on-regulations-for-unconventional-oil--gas. Accessed June 2020.Google Scholar
Cairney, P, Fischer, M, and Ingold, K. (2018). Fracking in the UK and Switzerland: Why differences in policymaking systems don’t always produce different outputs and outcomes. Policy and Politics. 46(1): 125–147. 10.1332/030557316X14793989976783.Google Scholar
Campbell, C. “Indonesia embraces shale fracking: but at what cost?” Time, June, 2013. https://world.time.com/2013/06/25/indonesia-embraces-shale-fracking-but-at-what-cost/ Accessed June, 2020.Google Scholar
Chikhi, L, Zhdannikov, D, and Bousso, R. (2019). “Exxon’s talks to tap Algeria shale gas falter due to unrest -sources.” Reuters, March 20, 2019. www.reuters.com/article/us-algeria-protests-exxon-mobil-idUSKCN1R11G8. Accessed June, 2020.Google Scholar
Dias, P. (2019). “Brazil bans fracking in two states: National Congress hears arguments for a national ban.” Fossil Free, August 15, 2019. https://gofossilfree.org/press-release/brazil-bans-fracking-in-two-states-national-congress-hears-arguments-for-a-national-ban/. Accessed June, 2020.Google Scholar
E360 Digest. (2021). Regulators ban fracking permanently in the four-state Delaware River watershed. Yale Environment 360. March 1, 2021.Google Scholar
Esterhuyse, S, Avenant, M, Redelinghuys, N, Kijko, A, Glazewski, J, Plit, L, Kemp, M, Smit, A, Vos, AT, and Williamson, R. (2016). A review of the biophysical and socio-economic effects of unconventional oil and gas extraction: Implications for South Africa. Journal of Environmental Management. 184: 419–430.Google Scholar
Gasser, H. (2017). “Shell positioning itself as Egypt’s preferred future partner.” Energy Egypt, September 19, 2017. https://energyegypt.net/gasser-hanter-shell-positioning-itself-as-egypts-preferred-future-partner/. Accessed June, 2020.Google Scholar
Gesley, J. (2017). “Germany: Unconventional Fracking Prohibited. Global Legal Monitor.” March 8, 2017. www.loc.gov/law/foreign-news/article/germany-unconventional-fracking-prohibited/ Accessed June, 2020.Google Scholar
Graham, J and Rupp, J. (2022). Governance of fracking: Trends and challenges. In Stolz, JF, Griffin, WM, and Bain, DJ (eds.) Environmental Impacts from the Development of Unconventional Oil and Gas Reserves. Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Gryc, G. (1985). The National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska: Earth-science Considerations. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1240-C. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Guo, F and Mccabe, P. (2017). Lithofacies analysis and sequence stratigraphy of the Roseneath-Epsilon-Mureree gas plays in the Cooper Basin, South Australia. Journal of the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association. 57: 749. Doi:10.1071/AJ16202.Google Scholar
Herrera, H. (2020). Legal Status of Fracking Worldwide: An Environmental Law and Human Rights Perspective. The Global Network for Human Rights and the Environment. https://gnhre.org/2020/01/06/the-legal-status-of-fracking-worldwide-an-environmental-law-and-human-rights-perspective/. Accessed June 29, 2020.Google Scholar
Kuznestsov, S. (2013). “Lithuania: fracking gets trickier.” Financial Times, August 2, 2013. www.ft.com/content/371065ad-0a57-3c8f-a78e-dd9200fba9fe. Accessed June, 2020.Google Scholar
McCarron, G and Dougall, S. (2022). An overview of unconventional gas extraction in Australia. In Stolz, JF, Griffin, WM, and Bain, DJ (eds.) Environmental Impacts from the Development of Unconventional Oil and Gas Reserves. Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Mead, LJ and Maloney, M. (2018a). Violations of nature’s rights. In The Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal Session on Human Rights, Fracking and Climate Change. Earthlawyers.org. https://earthlawyers.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/PPT-Natures-Rights-Final-Submission-31.03.18.pdf. Accessed June, 2020.Google Scholar
Mead, LJ and Maloney, M. (2018b). Appendix 2. In “The Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal Session on Human Rights, Fracking and Climate Change.” https://earthlawyers.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/APPENDIX-2-Legal-Status-of-UOGE-across-the-world-31.03.18.pdf. Accessed June, 2020.Google Scholar
Minkow, D. (2017). What you need to know about fracking in Canada. The Narwhal. April 6, 2017. https://thenarwhal.ca/what-is-fracking-in-canada/. Access September, 2020.Google Scholar
Myers, SL. (2019). “China experiences a fracking Boom, and all the problems that go with it.” The New York Times, March 8, 2019. NYTimes.com www.nytimes.com/2019/03/08/world/asia/china-shale-gas-fracking.html. Accessed June, 2020.Google Scholar
Natural Resources Canada. (2020). Shale and tight resources in Canada. www.nrcan.gc.ca/our-natural-resources/energy-sources-distribution/clean-fossil-fuels/natural-gas/shale-tight-resources-canada/17669. Accessed November, 2020.Google Scholar
Newbery, C. (2019). Argentina Faces Big Challenges to Develop Vaca Muerta for Export Growth. S&P Global.Google Scholar
NGI. (2019). Mexico environment minister wants to prohibit fracking. Natural Gas Intelligence. December 10, 2019. www.naturalgasintel.com/mexico-environment-minister-wants-to-prohibit-fracking/. Accessed September, 2020.Google Scholar
Orthofer, CL, Huppmann, D, and Krey, V. (2019). South Africa after Paris: Fracking its way to the NDCs? Frontiers in Energy Research. doi.org/10.3389/fenrg.2019.00020.Google Scholar
Otaola, J. (2021). Argentina health works reject wage offer, keep road blockades at Vaca Muerta shale deposit. Reuters. April 26, 2021.Google Scholar
Rapoza, K. (2019). “Putin: ‘We’ll never frack.’” Forbes, November 20, 2019. www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2019/11/20/putin-well-never-frack/. Accessed June, 2020.Google Scholar
Reed, S. (2015). “Chevron to abandon shale natural gas venture in Poland.” The New York Times, January 30, 2015. www.nytimes.com/2015/01/31/business/international/chevron-to-abandon-shale-venture-in-poland-a-setback-to-fracking-europe.html. Accessed June, 2020.Google Scholar
Reuters. (2014). “Egypt Signs First Gas Fracking Contract with Apache, Shell.” Reuters, December 17, 2014. www.reuters.com/article/egpyt-shale-deals-idUSL6N0U11NR20141217. Accessed June, 2020.Google Scholar
Rogato, M. (2016). Brazil does a U-turn on fracking, indigenous lands protected from oil and gas exploration. Lifegate. www.lifegate.com/brazil-fracking-stopped-amazon-jurua-valley. Accessed June, 2020.Google Scholar
SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers). (1997). Petroleum Reserves Definitions [Archived 1997]. www.spe.org/en/industry/petroleum-reserves-definitions/. Accessed June, 2020.Google Scholar
Stefan, M. (2015). “Fracking in Romania: Gone, but hardly forgotten.” Food & Water Action Europe, September 28, 2015. www.foodandwatereurope.org/blogs/fracking-in-romania-gone-but-hardly-forgotten/. Accessed June, 2020.Google Scholar
Stolz, JF and Griffin, WM. (2022). Unconventional shale and gas oil extraction in the Appalachian Basin. In Stolz, JF, Griffin, WM, and Bain, DJ (eds.) Environmental Impacts from the Development of Unconventional Oil and Gas Reserves. Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Thomas, AR. (2014). “Fracking, Ukraine, and Russia.” Industry Week, March 2, 2014. www.industryweek.com/the-economy/article/21962437/fracking-ukraine-and-russia. Accessed June, 2020.Google Scholar
United Nations. (2018). Shale Gas. Commodities at a glance: Special issue on shale gas, No. 9. https://unctad.org/en/PublicationsLibrary/suc2017d10_en.pdf. Accessed July 17, 2020.Google Scholar
U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2013). Shale gas and shale oil resource assessment methodology. www.eia.gov/analysis/studies/worldshalegas/pdf/methodology_2013.pdf. Accessed June 29, 2020.Google Scholar
U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2014). Shale oil and gas resources are globally abundant. www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=14431. Accessed June 29, 2020.Google Scholar
U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2015a). World Shale Resource Assessments www.eia.gov/analysis/studies/worldshalegas/. Accessed June 29, 2020.Google Scholar
U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2015b). Technically Recoverable Shale Oil and Shale Gas Resources: Algeria. U.S. Department of Energy.Google Scholar
U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2015c). Technically Recoverable Shale Oil and Shale Gas Resources: Argentina. U.S. Department of Energy.Google Scholar
U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2015d). Technically Recoverable Shale Oil and Shale Gas Resources: Australia. U.S. Department of Energy.Google Scholar
U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2015e). Technically Recoverable Shale Oil and Shale Gas Resources: Brazil. U.S. Department of Energy.Google Scholar
U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2015f). Technically Recoverable Shale Oil and Shale Gas Resources: Canada. U.S. Department of Energy.Google Scholar
U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2015g). Technically Recoverable Shale Oil and Shale Gas Resources: China. U.S. Department of Energy.Google Scholar
U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2015h). Technically Recoverable Shale Oil and Shale Gas Resources: Mexico. U.S. Department of Energy.Google Scholar
U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2015i). Technically Recoverable Shale Oil and Shale Gas Resources: Russia. U.S. Department of Energy.Google Scholar
U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2015j). Technically Recoverable Shale Oil and Shale Gas Resources: South Africa. U.S. Department of Energy.Google Scholar
U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2020). Assumptions to the Annual Energy Outlook 2020: Oil and Gas Supply Module. U.S. Department of Energy.Google Scholar
Vinson, and Elkins, . (2020). Global Fracking Resources www.velaw.com/shale-fracking-tracker/resources/. Accessed June, 2020.Google Scholar
Yadav, S. (2020). “Fracking in India.” The Ecologist, August14, 2020. https://theecologist.org/2020/aug/14/fracking-india Accessed August, 2020.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×