Page 29 - Fundamentals of Gas Shale Reservoirs

GLOBAL RESOURCE DATA 9
(Libya), with a combined TRR of approximately 504 Tcf. However, the majority of the resource is relatively deep
Both are intracratonic basins associated with marine shale (85% of TRR is at depths of between 10,000 and 12,000 ft).
deposition during the Devonian and Silurian. The Teres Noires Shale within the South‐East Basin is
Both basins have favorable characteristics, such as good relatively small at 28 Tcf, but it is very shallow (5000 ft),
thickness (100–200 ft), high TOC (3–5%, locally up to 17%), has low clay content, 3.5% average TOC, and reasonable
overpressured/normal pressure, medium clay content, and maturity.
thermally mature. However, all the prospective shales are The Paris Basin target has similar characteristics, but the
relatively deep, at depths of between 9,400 and 13,000 ft, target is significantly deeper at nearly 11,000 ft, although
with an average of approximately 11,000 ft. average TOC is 4%.
There is already considerable exploration activity within There is currently a ban on hydraulic fracturing in France,
the Ghadames Basin, but no production as of 2011. There is and exploration permits are being revoked, despite the fact
no reported exploration or production in the Sirt Basin. that France has considerable shale gas potential.

1.5.9 Poland 1.5.11 Russia

Poland is the most active nation in Europe in pursuit of Russia has vast conventional oil and gas resources, and is a
shale gas, due to both the relatively abundance of shale gas major exporter, hence is unlikely to produce shale gas in the
in comparison to other European nations—a favorable near future. No detailed information was available for Russia
regulatory environment—and as a result of currently being from the sources considered. However, the estimated TRR of
a net importer of natural gas, the majority of which comes shale gas is approximately 162 Tcf.
from Russia. Poland has an estimated TRR at approximately
187 Tcf. 1.5.12 Scandinavia
There are three main prospective basins: the Baltic, the
Lublin, and the Poladsie. In all three cases, the prospective Scandinavia has an estimated TRR of 147 Tcf of shale gas
shale formations are of marine origin, Silurian age, and were within the Alum Basin. The prospective shale is of marine
either rift or passive margin basin associated. Each target origin and Ordovician age. Although the basin and shale
also has a moderate clay content and favorable thickness deposits are widespread, only one area is predicted to be
(i.e., 200–300 ft). within the gas window, although the TRR is still very large.
The Poladsie Basin has the most favorable organic content It is regarded as a promising shale gas target, due to very
(6% TOC) and depth (8000 ft). However, the resource is high organic richness (average TOC ~10%), shallow depth
relatively small (14 Tcf), and there is not much exploration (3300 ft), low clay content, reasonable thickness (150 ft), and
activity in the basin to date to validate potential. predicted maturity within the gas window.
The Lublin Basin shale target is of intermediate depth, Shell completed an exploration program in Southern
but has only a moderate organic content of 1.5%, and Sweden. However, as of 2011, they decided to not proceed
moderate maturity (wet‐dry gas, Ro 1.35%). with the operation based on the results of drilling (Bloomberg,
The Baltic Basin has a large resource, with optimum 2011). There is only limited activity associated with the
maturity within the dry gas window, but with a deep pay Alum Basin within Denmark and Norway, although explora­
zone (12,000 ft). tion wells are planned.
Exploration is active within the Baltic and Lublin Basins,
which are also associated with small conventional oil and 1.5.13 Middle East
gas fields. To date, drilling results in the Baltic Basin seem
to have been mixed with companies such as ExxonMobil, The Middle East (excluding Turkey) has an estimated TRR of
Talisman Energy, and Marathon Oil deciding to withdraw shale gas of approximately 138 Tcf. No detailed information
from shale gas operations in the area based on the results of is available from the sources considered regarding specific
drilling and testing operations (BBC, 2013). shale gas plays within the Middle East. Also, due to abundant
conventional energy resources, the Middle East is not likely
to proceed with shale gas development in the near future.
1.5.10 France
France has an estimated TRR of 180 Tcf of shale gas, 1.5.14 India
relatively evenly distributed between the Paris Basin and the
South‐East Basin. India has a moderate estimated TRR of 63 Tcf of shale gas,
All of the shales are of marine origin; they have low‐to‐ defined within four basins: the Cambay Basin, the Domodar
medium clay content, good organic content (2.5–4%), good Valley Basin, the Krishna‐Godavari Basin, and the Cauvery
maturity (Ro ~1.5%), and moderate thickness (100–150 ft). Basin. The two former basins are associated with marine