Global Impact of Unconventional Energy Resources

Contributions by Anas Alhajji, Stefan Andreasson, Larry Brogdon, Manochehr Dorraj, Tina Hunter, Bijan Khajehpour, Tatiana Mitrova, Isidro Morales, Ken Morgan, Thomas B. Murphy, Silke Popp, Michael Slattery, David Yoxtheimer Edited by Manochehr Dorraj, Ken Morgan

Publication date:

11 June 2021

Length of book:

316 pages

Publisher

Lexington Books

ISBN-13: 9781498566094

The chapters in this volume represent the latest thinking on the development and exploration of unconventional energy resources in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Europe, Russia, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Latin America, and Africa and shed light on its potential and future prospects in these respective regions. The diversity of thinking about the “shale revolution” is also evident in our case studies. Throughout many countries in Europe for example, there is a strong preference for investment in renewable sources of energy over the fossil fuels. In addition to environmental concerns, the falling price of renewables, have also made them more attractive financially. Consequently, global investment in renewables is outpacing that of fossil fuel two to one. Watching this trend, in 2017, the Chinese government has pledged to invest $360 billion on renewable energy. This would make China the largest investor in development of renewables in the world. Other obstacles to development of shale oil and gas in other parts of the world include, lack of adequate shale resources (Africa), the abundance of conventional energy resources (Middle East and North Africa), high cost of production (Russia, China, Japan) and political opposition to hydraulic fracturing (France and Poland). Despite these sentiments the economic imperatives (providing employment) also play a significant role in determining the future prospects for unconventional energy resources globally.

Chapter 1: Global Impact of Unconventional Energy Resources, by Ken Morgan and Manochehr Dorraj

Chapter 2: The Miracle of the U.S. Shale Experience: The History, Technology, People, and Infrastructure That Led to Success, by Larry D. Brogdon

Chapter 3: Midland, Texas: The Next Evolution in Shale Drilling Strategies, by Ken Morgan

Chapter 4: Eastern U.S. Shale Development: Implications for North America and Globally Involving Economic, Social License, Public Policy, Environmental Impacts and the Influence of Social Media in These Issues, by Thomas B. Murphy and David A. Yoxtheimer

Chapter 5: The International Impact of the Shale Revolution, by Anas F. Alhajji

Chapter 6: Facets of Unconventional Oil and Gas Exploration and Production in Canada, by Silke Popp

Chapter 7: The Socio-Legal Dimensions of the Development of Unconventional Petroleum in Australia: Shale Gas and Coal Seam Gas, by Tina Hunter

Chapter 8: Unconventional Energy in Europe: Policy Issues, Impact, and Prospects, by Andreas Goldthau

Chapter 9: Development of Shale Oil and Gas in Russia, by Tatiana Mitrova

Chapter 10: The Nascent Non-conventional Hydrocarbon Industry of Latin America: Market, Infrastructure, Policy, Stakeholders, Opportunities, and Constraints, by Isidro Morales

Chapter 11: China and Japan’s Pursuit of Unconventional Fuels, by Manochehr Dorraj

Chapter 12: Outlook for Shale Gas Development in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region, by Bijan Khajehpour

Chapter 13: Unconventional Energy in Africa: Impact of the US Shale Revolution and Prospects for African Exploration, by Stefan Andreasson

Chapter 14: The Environmental Impact of Unconventional Fuels: The Trade-Off, by Michael C. Slattery

The “unconventional” energy resources in the title of this collection are shale oil and gas. The volume's 16 contributors are a mix of social scientists, geologists, engineers, and economists based in universities, research institutes, government agencies, and energy management and capital investment firms. This eclecticism of backgrounds affords panoramic, extensively detailed descriptions of the technical, legal, and logistical hurdles future fossil energy extraction faces in regions such as the Middle East, Russia, Africa, Europe, Australia, and the US. . . Most contributors focus on the economic viability of shale exploitation; only the penultimate chapter by Michael Slattery explores, with analytical detachment, the environmental and public acceptability dimensions of unconventional sources. . . useful graphics and tables are provided.

Summing Up: Recommended. Advanced undergraduates and above.