How much shale gas do we have?

Professor Mike Stephenson, Head of BGS Energy Science, explains the fundamental concepts of shale gas formation; exploring the difference between ‘conventional’ and ‘unconventional’ resources, and gives an introduction to its worldwide potential, its extraction and the possible associated risks.
This presentation, at the Geological Society, London, also describes the locations of shale formations within the UK, and outlines ongoing work by BGS to determine the scale and nature of the UK’s shale gas resources, and to provide baseline data for any proposed exploration and the associated risk assessments.

The UK has abundant shales at depth, although their distribution is not well known. The BGS is investigating the location, depth and properties of the shale as well as the processes that lead to economic accumulations of gas.

The 2010 BGS/DECC Shale Gas report identified significant potential areas in northern England, including Widmerpool Gulf near Nottingham and a large area centred on the Elswick Gasfield, near Blackpool.

The recently published UK data and analysis for shale gas prospectivity covers work up to March 2009 and identifies high prospect areas.

Ongoing BGS research work is focused in three main areas:

prospectivity
organic geochemistry
fractures, rock physics and anisotropic processing

Prospectivity

Outcrop of main black shale formations in UK and selected oil and gas wells and gas fields.
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The BGS has carried out a basic geological study of shale gas basins thorugh the use of conventional oil and gas well data to identify potential targets; for example:

total organic carbon and shale formation crops and thicknesses
seismic and well databases incorporated into geographical information systems (GIS) and 3D models

BGS produced the recent UK shale gas prospectivity report for DECC.

The BGS is also working on a new resource estimate for the Bowland Shale in the Craven Basin around Blackpool.

More about BGS Shale gas prospectivity

Laboratory studies of shale gas organic geochemistry

Our studies of the organic content of shales allow a more strategic, predictive understanding of shale prospectivity.

The organic geochemical composition of shale controls gas generation and gas retention.

Various techniques allow determination of thermal maturity, kerogen typing, organic richness to determine organic matter quality and productivity.

More about source rock quality and properties

Fractures, rock physics and anisotropic processing

This technology allows remote study of possible shale gas reservoirs using information from seismic surveys.

Assessment of shale for gas productivity includes:

natural fracture characterisation
rock physics modelling
anisotropic processing of P and PS converted-wave seismic data
fracture mapping using wide azimuth 3D P-wave data, 3D-3C land multicomponent data and 3D-4C OBC data
rock composition characterisation including assessment of brittleness of shales (Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio) from rock physics modelling

More about shale anisotropy

Contact

Contact Prof. Mike Stephenson for further information or enquiries about BGS shale gas consultancy services