11/01/2014
UNCONVENTIONAL NATURAL GAS SCENARIO IN USA AND INDIA
An open discussion in IIGE forum
Saturday, January 11, 2014, Kolkata: An open discussion was held yesterday evening in the office of Indian Institute of Gas Engineers (IIGE) at 25, Chowdhury Lane Kolkata 700 004 regarding the present scenario of Shale gas production in USA. Mr. Mohit Kumar Banerjee of Anso Energy and Patron member of IIGE was the main speaker. Dr. P.K. Roy, Mr. A.K. Mukherjee, Mr. Rana Banerjee, Dr. N. Basu, Mr. B. Mazumder, Mr. S. De, Mr. S. Das and many other members of IIGE were present in that discussion. M/S Made & Trade Co., the institutional member of IIGE, supported IIGE for organizing the session and made it successful.
According to Mr. Banerjee, USA assessed more than 35% excess reserve of unconventional Natural gas, especially of Shale gas. In 2007, unconventional natural gas production was 42% of total natural gas production in USA. The Department of Energy forecast to increase the production of unconventional natural gas to 64% in the year 2020. According to a survey, carried out in the year 2007, the conventional natural gas reserve in USA can supply enough gas to the country for next 90 years. Separate surveys regarding the reserve of Shale gas in USA extend the supply period to 116 years. This enhancement in production of Shale gas is the result of extensive search of new fields of gas reserve and incorporation of modern technologies like horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing of Shale layers etc.
In India, the estimated Shale gas reserve is about 260 trillion cubic feet, considered to be recoverable. There is also a huge reserve of Coal Bed Methane (CBM) in India. Since India has not enough reserve of conventional Natural gas, it is better to use the unconventional natural gas reserve like CBM, Shale gas etc. and also better to use the unconventional energy source like geothermal energy, tidal energy etc. But due to lack of research work, shakiness in incorporating of modern technology, weakness in Govt. policies, political interference etc. set us back in search of unconventional natural gas and the production is also delayed. To meet up our fuel demand, we have compelled to export costly LNG from foreign countries or to use solid fossil fuels. The giant gas players like ONGC, Gail, Reliance etc. should devote themselves in search of unconventional natural gas in our country than exporting LNG from foreign countries. Government also should encourage small entrepreneurs to search of unconventional natural gas. Thus Indian economic condition become stronger with Indian fuel.
