The shale gas revolution: Barriers, sustainability, and emerging opportunities
Abstract
Shale gas and hydraulic refracturing has revolutionized the US energy sector in terms of prices, consumption, and CO2 emissions. However, key questions remain including environmental concerns and extraction efficiencies that are leveling off. For the first time, we identify key discoveries, lessons learned, and recommendations from this shale gas revolution through extensive data mining and analysis of 23 years of production from 20,000 wells. Discoveries include identification of a learning-by-doing process where disruptive technology innovation led to a doubling in shale gas extraction, how refracturing with emerging technologies can transform existing wells, and how overall shale gas production is actually dominated by long-term tail production rather than the high-profile initial exponentially-declining production in the first 12 months. We hypothesize that tail production can be manipulated, through better fracturing techniques and alternative working fluids such as CO2, to increase shale gas recovery and minimize environmental impacts such as through carbon sequestration.
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1355941
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1357142
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-17-23647
Journal ID: ISSN 0306-2619; S0306261917304312; PII: S0306261917304312
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC52-06NA25396
- Resource Type:
- Published Article
- Journal Name:
- Applied Energy
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Name: Applied Energy Journal Volume: 199 Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0306-2619
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
- Country of Publication:
- United Kingdom
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 03 NATURAL GAS; Earth Sciences; Shale gas; Hydraulic fracturing; Barnett shale; Refracturing; Carbon sequestration; Energy security
Citation Formats
Middleton, Richard S., Gupta, Rajan, Hyman, Jeffrey D., and Viswanathan, Hari S. The shale gas revolution: Barriers, sustainability, and emerging opportunities. United Kingdom: N. p., 2017.
Web. doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.04.034.
Middleton, Richard S., Gupta, Rajan, Hyman, Jeffrey D., & Viswanathan, Hari S. The shale gas revolution: Barriers, sustainability, and emerging opportunities. United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.04.034
Middleton, Richard S., Gupta, Rajan, Hyman, Jeffrey D., and Viswanathan, Hari S. Tue .
"The shale gas revolution: Barriers, sustainability, and emerging opportunities". United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.04.034.
@article{osti_1355941,
title = {The shale gas revolution: Barriers, sustainability, and emerging opportunities},
author = {Middleton, Richard S. and Gupta, Rajan and Hyman, Jeffrey D. and Viswanathan, Hari S.},
abstractNote = {Shale gas and hydraulic refracturing has revolutionized the US energy sector in terms of prices, consumption, and CO2 emissions. However, key questions remain including environmental concerns and extraction efficiencies that are leveling off. For the first time, we identify key discoveries, lessons learned, and recommendations from this shale gas revolution through extensive data mining and analysis of 23 years of production from 20,000 wells. Discoveries include identification of a learning-by-doing process where disruptive technology innovation led to a doubling in shale gas extraction, how refracturing with emerging technologies can transform existing wells, and how overall shale gas production is actually dominated by long-term tail production rather than the high-profile initial exponentially-declining production in the first 12 months. We hypothesize that tail production can be manipulated, through better fracturing techniques and alternative working fluids such as CO2, to increase shale gas recovery and minimize environmental impacts such as through carbon sequestration.},
doi = {10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.04.034},
journal = {Applied Energy},
number = C,
volume = 199,
place = {United Kingdom},
year = {Tue May 09 00:00:00 EDT 2017},
month = {Tue May 09 00:00:00 EDT 2017}
}
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.04.034
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