Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
marine shales have brittle quartz and feldspar content greater than 40% (see
Figure 2). Generally, China lacustrine shales have higher clay content than
marine shales (see Figure 2). This is why many experts currently think it is
much more dicult to frac the lacustrine shale.
3 Recent Progress of Shale Gas Development in China
China has performed shale gas resource assessments and conducted ex-
ploration for nearly six years. In order to encourage shale gas exploration,
the Ministry of Land and Resources (MLR) has held two separate shale gas
tenders - four shale blocks in 2011 and 19 blocks in 2012 - which attracted
nearly 20 companies to join in shale gas exploration. The junior companies
include central and provincial level state-owned enterprises and private
companies. So far, 300 shale gas wells (including shallow parameter wells
behind outcrops) targeting marine, lacustrine and transitional shales have
been drilled by PetroChina, Sinopec, CNOOC, Yanchang Petroleum, other
state or private companies recently allocated shale blocks, MLR and foreign
partners of Chinese companies. The exploration activities have been mainly
focused in the Sichuan Basin for marine and lacustrine shale gas; the
Yangtze Platform outside the Sichuan Basin for marine shale gas; the Ordos
Basin for lacustrine shale gas; the Bohai Bay Basin and the Nanxiang Basin
for lacustrine shale gas and shale oil (see Figure 1). Almost half of the drilled
wells have shown good shale gas and/or shale oil. Several wells targeting
marine shales were reported to be very successful based on test results, e.g.
the Yang201-H2 well drilled by PetroChina and Shell in the Sichuan Basin
was reported to produce at 430 000 cubic metres per day and recently the
Jiaoye8-2HF well in the Fuling area in East Chongqiong was reported to
commercially produce 547 000 cubic metres (19.1 million cubic feet) per day.
Sinope drilled more than 30 shale gas wells in the Fuling pilot area and 6 wells
targeting marine shale were reported to have a high rate commercial pro-
duction with an average of 180 000 cubic metres per well. This breakthrough
in the Fuling Pilot area in Chongqing makes Sinopec's 2015 output target in
this area doubled. For lacustrine shale, Sinopec and Yanchang Petroleum
recently sped up lacustrine shale gas exploration in the Sichuan Basin and the
Ordos Basin, e.g. Sinopec tapped shale gas from the Jurassic lacustrine shale
intervals in wells located in the Jiannan area in the eastern Sichuan Basin and
the Yuanbe area in Northeastern Sichuan Basin; the Jian 111 well in the
Jiannan area produced more than 500 000 m
3
in 2011 at a rate of 2000 m
3
per
day. These recent significant strides may make China's 2015 output target of
6.5 BCM feasible and the target shale gas amount may even be doubled.
4 Socioeconomic and Employment Benefits of Shale Gas
Development in China
In the US, the economic effects of the shale gas revolution have significantly
changed the energy structure of the country and triggered a new round of
