Unconventional Oil and Gas Resources Handbook: Evaluation and Development is a must-have, helpful handbook that brings a wealth of information to engineers and geoscientists. Bridging between subsurface and production, the handbook provides engineers and geoscientists with effective methodology to better define resources and reservoirs. Better reservoir knowledge and innovative technologies are making unconventional resources economically possible, and multidisciplinary approaches in evaluating these resources are critical to successful development. Unconventional Oil and Gas Resources Handbook takes this approach, covering a wide range of topics for developing these resources including exploration, evaluation, drilling, completion, and production. Topics include theory, methodology, and case histories and will help to improve the understanding,integrated evaluation, and effective development of unconventional resources. Presents methods for a full development cycle of unconventional resources, from exploration through production Explores multidisciplinary integrations for evaluation and development of unconventional resources and covers a broad range of reservoir characterization methods and development scenarios Delivers balanced information with multiple contributors from both academia and industry Provides case histories involving geological analysis, geomechanical analysis, reservoir modeling, hydraulic fracturing treatment, microseismic monitoring, well performance and refracturing for development of unconventional reservoirs

As the shale revolution continues in North America, unconventional resource markets are emerging on every continent. In the next eight to ten years, more than 100,000 wells and one- to two-million hydraulic fracturing stages could be executed, resulting in close to one trillion dollars in industry spending. This growth has prompted professionals ex

Environmental and Health Issues in Unconventional Oil and Gas Development offers a series of authoritative perspectives from varied viewpoints on key issues relevant in the use of directional drilling and hydraulic fracturing, providing a timely presentation of requisite information on the implications of these technologies for those connected to unconventional oil and shale gas development. Utilizing expertise from a range of contributors in academia, non-governmental organizations, and the oil and gas industry, Environmental and Health Issues in Unconventional Oil and Gas Development is an essential resource for academics and professionals in the oil and gas, environmental, and health and safety industries as well as for policy makers. Offers a multi-disciplinary appreciation of the environmental and health issues related to unconventional oil and shale gas development Serves as a collective resource for academics and professionals in the oil and gas, environmental, health, and safety industries, as well as environmental scientists and policymakers Features a diverse and expert group of chapter authors from academia, non-governmental organizations, governmental agencies, and the oil and gas industry

"Technological improvements haveallowed the extraction of oil and naturalgas from onshore unconventionalreservoirs such as shale, tightsandstone, and coalbed methaneformations. Specifically, advances inhorizontal drilling techniques combinedwith hydraulic fracturing (pumpingwater, sand, and chemicals into wellsto fracture underground rockformations and allow oil or gas to flow)have increased domestic developmentof oil and natural gas from theseunconventional reservoirs. Theincrease in such development hasraised concerns about potentialenvironmental and public health effectsand whether existing federal and stateenvironmental and public healthrequirements are adequate.GAO was asked to reviewenvironmental and public healthrequirements for unconventional oiland gas development and (1) describefederal requirements; (2) describestate requirements; (3) describeadditional requirements that apply onfederal lands; and (4) identifychallenges, if any, that federal andstate agencies reported facing inregulating oil and gas developmentfrom unconventional reservoirs. GAOidentified and analyzed federal laws,state laws in six selected states(Colorado, North Dakota, Ohio,Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wyoming),and interviewed federal and stateofficials and representatives fromindustry, environmental, and publichealth organizations.GAO is not making recommendations"

The United States has seen resurgence in petroleum production, mainly driven by technology improvements-especially hydraulic fracturing and directional drilling-developed for natural gas production from shale formations. Application of these technologies enabled natural gas to be economically produced from shale and other unconventional formations, and contributed to the United States becoming the world's largest natural gas producer in 2009. Use of these technologies has also contributed to the rise in U.S. oil production over the last few years. In 2009, annual oil production increased over 2008, the first annual rise since 1991, and has continued to increase each year since. Between January 2008 and May 2014, U.S. monthly crude oil production rose by 3.2 million barrels per day, with about 85% of the increase coming from shale and related tight oil formations in Texas and North Dakota. Other tight oil plays are also being developed, helping raise the prospect of energy independence, especially for North America. The rapid expansion of tight oil and shale gas extraction using high-volume hydraulic fracturing has raised concerns about its potential environmental and health impacts. These concerns include potential direct impacts to groundwater and surface water quality, water supplies, and air quality. In addition, some have raised concerns about potential long-term and indirect impacts from reliance on fossil fuels and resulting greenhouse gas emissions and influence on broader energy economics. This report focuses mainly on actions related to controlling potential direct impacts. States are the primary regulators of oil and gas production on non-federal lands. State laws and regulations governing oil and gas production have been evolving across the states in response to changes in production practices as producers have expanded into tight oil, shale gas, and other unconventional hydrocarbon formations. However, state rules vary considerably, leading to calls for more federal oversight of unconventional oil and gas extraction activities, and hydraulic fracturing specifically. Although provisions of several federal environmental laws can apply to certain activities related to oil and gas production, proposals to expand federal regulation in this area have been highly controversial. Some advocates of a larger federal role point to a wide range of differences among state regulatory regimes, and argue that a national framework is needed to ensure a consistent minimum level of protection for surface and groundwater resources, and air quality. Others argue against more federal involvement, and point to the long-established state oil and natural gas regulatory programs, regional differences in geology and water resources, and concern over regulatory redundancy. The federal role in regulating oil and gas extraction activities-and hydraulic fracturing, in particular-has been the subject of considerable debate and legislative proposals for several years, but legislation has not been enacted. While congressional debate has continued, the Administration has pursued a number of regulatory initiatives related to unconventional oil and gas development under existing statutory authorities.

This book discusses the economic, political, and environmental issues surrounding the international exploration and exploitation of conventional and unconventional natural gas. Shale gas development in recent years has changed the energy discussion in the US as existing reserves of natural gas coupled with horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing make exploitation of these reserves economically feasible; the discussion is quickly becoming international in scope. The potential expansion of natural gas development impacts many regions of the globe and spans multiple perspectives. In a volatile international climate, one of intense geopolitical conflict between Russia and the West, economic slowdowns in Europe and China, military conflicts in the Middle East and northern Africa, and widening income disparity in the U.S., a relatively inexpensive and plentiful energy source like shale gas could play a key role in mitigating such conflicts. In an energy interdependent global community, however, multiple factors such as oil prices, differing rates of exploration, environmental concerns, strategic initiatives, institutional changes, legal and regulatory issues, and actions of the nations involved all have the potential to influence future outcomes. This book discusses each of these in turn, detailing the issues most prevalent in each geographical area. The first volume to provide a comprehensive global view of the impacts of shale gas development, this book fills a gap in the current research literature, providing vital information for the scholarly community and the public alike. This book will be of interest to researchers and students of economics, energy policy, public administration, and international relations as well as policy makers and residents of the regions that are experiencing shale gas development.

Unconventional Shale Gas Development: Lessons Learned gives engineers the latest research developments and practical applications in today’s operations. Comprised of both academic and corporate contributors, a balanced critical review on technologies utilized are covered. Environmental topics are presented, including produced water management and sustainable operations in gas systems. Machine learning applications, well integrity and economic challenges are also covered to get the engineer up-to-speed. With its critical elements, case studies, history plot visuals and flow charts, the book delivers a critical reference to get today’s petroleum engineers updated on the latest research and applications surrounding shale gas systems. Bridges the gap between the latest research developments and practical applications through case studies and workflow charts Helps readers understand the latest developments from the balanced viewpoint of academic and corporate contributors Considers environmental and sustainable operations in shale gas systems, including produced water management