The Fossil Fuel Revolution: Shale Gas and Tight Oil describes the remarkable new energy resources being obtained from shale gas and tight oil through a combination of directional drilling and staged hydraulic fracturing, opening up substantial new energy reserves for the 21st Century. The book includes the history of shale gas development, the technology used to economically recover hydrocarbons, and descriptions of the ten primary shale gas resources of the United States. International shale resources, environmental concerns, and policy issues are also addressed. This book is intended as a reference on shale gas and tight oil for industry members, undergraduate and graduate students, engineers and geoscientists. Provides a cross-cutting view of shale gas and tight oil in the context of geology, petroleum engineering, and the practical aspects of production Includes a comprehensive description of productive and prospective shales in one book, allowing readers to compare and contrast production from different shale plays Addresses environmental and policy issues and compares alternative energy resources in terms of economics and sustainability Features an extensive resource list of peer-reviewed references, websites, and journals provided at the end of each chapter

A comprehensive depository of all information relating to the scientific and technological aspects of Shale Gas and Alternative Energy Conveniently arranged by energy type including Shale Gas, Wind, Geothermal, Solar, and Hydropower Perfect first-stop reference for any scientist, engineer, or student looking for practical and applied energy information Emphasizes practical applications of existing technologies, from design and maintenance, to operating and troubleshooting of energy systems and equipment Features concise yet complete entries, making it easy for users to find the required information quickly, without the need to search through long articles

Charles R. Morris's The Trillion Dollar Meltdown (2008) was the first book to warn of the impending financial crash in all its horrific scale and speed. Now, with Comeback, Morris reveals that the United States is on the brink of a strong recovery that could last for twenty years or more. The great economic boom times in American history have come because of fortuitous discoveries. Natural resources (coal first, then oil) fueled vast economic and industrial expansions, which in turn helped create and supply new markets. The last genuine economic game changer was the technology boom of the 1990s, which gave the U.S. a global competitive advantage for a while based on electronics and silicon. One of the first writers and analysts in the U.S. to predict that the tech boom would lead to a period of sustained economic growth was Charles Morris. In defiance of the recessionary times (in 1990), he saw the coming boom. Now, in 2013, he sees the threshold of another. This time the gift is natural gas. The amount and distribution of gas in American shale is so vast that it has the potential to transform the manufacturing economy, creating jobs across the country, and requiring a new infrastructure that will benefit the nation as a whole. Because of fracking, jobs that once would have been outsourced abroad will return home, America can become a net exporter of energy, and cheap energy will provide the opportunity for innovation and competition. In light of this new opportunity, and other complementary developments Morris explores in this book, the U.S. ought to be approaching the future with a robust self-confidence it has not experienced in a while. But we could fumble it away. The gold-rush style of shale boom companies does not make them good neighbors. A counter-reaction could put their industry, and the new era of national prosperity, at risk. We also have a political system that has the capacity to spoil the benefits of this huge boon. If the wealth locked in the continental shelf is not shared for the general economic good, but is instead exploited in short-term profiteering, then many of the opportunities that exist will be choked off by a few very rich corporations. Managing the great bonus of the vast store of cheap energy is going to become a defining political challenge in the years ahead. At the threshold of a thrilling opportunity, Morris is a brilliantly perceptive guide.

This book considers the most contemporary innovations propelling the extractive industries forward while also creating new environmental and social challenges. The socio-ecological fabric of innovation in the extractive industries is considered through an integrative approach that brings together engineers, natural scientists, and social scientists—academics and practitioners—giving an empirically grounded and realistic evaluation of the innovations in this sector. It synthesizes a series of questions including:

"An excellent objective explanation of the history, science, technology, politics, environmental concerns, and economics of the shale gas boom. The author clearly has great practical experience of the science and technology of shale gas development and shows a deep understanding of the environmental and economic issues." --Andrew Stone, Executive Director, American Ground Water Trust New technology has opened vast reserves of "unconventional" natural gas and oil from shales like the Marcellus in the Appalachian Basin, making the United States essentially energy independent for the first time in decades. Shale gas had its origins in the oil embargos and energy crises of the 1970s, which led to government research to increase domestic energy supplies. The first large-scale shale gas production was successful on the Barnett Shale in Texas in the late 1990s, followed a few years later by the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania. Shale gas has changed thinking about fossil energy supplies worldwide, but the development of these resources has been controversial. Activists have made claims that hydraulic fracturing may contribute to climate change, threaten groundwater resources, and pose risks to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and human health. This volume explores the geology, history, technology, and potential environmental impacts of Marcellus Shale gas resources.