Geological experts: our geological shale gas exploration potential is greater than oil and gas

Flourished in North American shale gas revolution is spreading rapidly, which may change the global energy landscape. In the past, experts estimate, China is considered the world's most promising shale gas  producing area, but the specific reserves controversial.

Recently published a research report may help people understand the Chinese shale gas resource endowments. According to the Chinese Academy of Engineering funded by the subject, China's recoverable shale gas resources total about 10 trillion cubic meters, roughly equivalent to half of conventional natural gas.

This Central Petroleum senior experts have completed geological exploration report, published in "China Engineering Science" magazine. The report also finds that, according to China's geological features, the future potential of shale gas exploration and discovery greater than conventional oil.

According to the report, considering the technical and economic feasibility factors, China's recoverable shale gas resources of 9200 to 11800 billion cubic meters, an expected value of 10 trillion cubic meters. These shale gas resources to marine (ie submarine sedimentary evolution paleontology fossil energy), accounting for 75%, mainly in the southern region; coal and lacustrine shale gas resources (above the Yangtze and North China-based) accounting 25%.

The great value of the project is that it determined the shale gas formation and enrichment of the conditions for the preparation of the organic-rich shales basic map, the implementation of the core area of ​​shale gas distribution; while limited mined shale gas well data, with the overall geological zoning combined to achieve a "point to the surface" of the overall evaluation.

Since 2009, many domestic and foreign scholars from a different perspective on China's shale gas resources are analyzed, they predicted the amount of recoverable resources from 7 trillion to 45 trillion cubic meters, ranging geological resources are -166 is 30 trillion trillion cubic meters.

Shale gas is an " unconventional gas " energy sources. It is produced from organic rich sedimentary rocks consisting mainly of shale, the main component is methane, excluding hydrogen sulfide, temperament better than conventional natural gas. Compared with coal and oil combustion emissions of shale gas lower three Daowu Cheng, and sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and other pollutants even much lower.

But shale gas upfront investment, long return period, technical difficulty, therefore, although people have discovered the existence of shale gas, but has not been large-scale use. Until recent years, with the rapid rise in global energy prices and geopolitical changes, the United States took the lead in trying to industrialize shale gas exploration, a great success. America's success has attracted Europe, Africa, Asia, many countries join the shale gas development, in order to rid the Middle East, Russia and other energy dependence.

According to "China Engineering Science" report, China's shale gas development levels among the world's forefront. Since 2010, in the Sichuan Basin, Ordos Basin strata have been found in industrial shale gas stream, making China one of the first regions outside North America shale gas industry to achieve a breakthrough in the country.

Reported that Chinese shale gas exploration and development has just started, the future is "critical period of development." At present, China's natural gas in primary energy consumption of less than 5%, well below the world average of 23.8% and 11.2% in Asia-Pacific region, the development of shale gas has great potential.

By exploration, technology, commercialization bottleneck constraints, Chinese shale gas development will not happen overnight. The report recommends that China's large-scale use of shale gas  can not copy the American experience, should be gradually formed its own characteristics suitable for the development of technologies and methods, using a three-step rhythm: in 2015, 2020 and 2030, respectively, and strive to achieve one billion, 100 one hundred million and 600 billion cubic meters of annual production, so as to improve China's energy structure, ensure energy security, to further curb the role of oil and gas imports.